It’s been a little over a week since our family got the news about Mauricio’s Alpha-Gal syndrome diagnosis, and Alex has answered a few questions on her social about exactly what his symptoms looked like, and why they wound up getting him tested.

In case you missed it, Alex sent a message to Paige and me early last week (then Mauricio sent the same text to our family thread) that Mauricio had tested positive for Alpha-Gal, an allergy that can develop after a tick bite and cause often-serious reactions to red meat, pork, and other mammal products. You can read more about it in the link at the top of this article, but Mauricio had been bit just two weeks earlier so the issues developed really quickly. We’re all really bummed for Mauricio, especially since he is a longtime lover of burgers, brisket, steak tacos, ribs, and all the other foods that are completely off the table for him for the time being.

What Led to Mauricio Suspecting Alpha-Gal?

Alex held an Instagram Q&A and one follower asked Alex how Mauricio figured out he had Alpha-Gal and what led him to get tested. Alex shared the answer over a photo of herself and Mauricio at their baby shower, which, as it turns out, contributed to their decision to get him the test.

“Terrible burning stomach pain 2 hours after eating red meat……happened 3 separate times (the last time he had red meat was brisket at our baby shower lol),” Alex wrote. “Then we got blood work done the following Monday and confirmed positive for alpha gal. His levels were super high 🙁”

That specific pattern and the way his stomach felt were the two big clues. Mauricio had a burger one day, steak tacos another night, then brisket at Alex’s baby shower, and each time the same burning pain followed a couple of hours later. Once red meat started looking like the common denominator, Alex remembered hearing about Alpha-Gal and they decided to get him tested. While Paige and I knew he was having the test, we were still really shocked to hear the result; we always have to contend with tick prevention where we live, but we’ve never had a loved one experience any sort of serious condition or consequence as a result of a tick bite.

Good News/Bad News

The good news is that they have answers now, and Alex has said Mauricio has been doing fine with dairy so far; it can often cause reactions with people who have Alpha-Gal. Also, since they are not mammalian products, he can eat chicken, eggs, and fish with no issues at all. The not-as-fun news is that they’re still learning what this will look like long term, especially when it comes to eating out and avoiding hidden ingredients. For many people with Alpha-Gal, something as simple as bacon grease (used for seasoning) or butter (it has dairy) can trigger a reaction.

Lots of Support

For now, Mauricio is adjusting, Alex is researching, and our family is still sending him encouragement in the form of promises to make him all the chicken and fish dishes he wants. Also, I would be remiss if I did not mention the thousands (literally thousands) of DMs and emails both Alex and I have received over the past week from so many people who have experience with Alpha-Gal, whether firsthand or because of a family member. It has been incredibly eye-opening to see just how many people have this diagnosis (!), and how varied each person’s symptoms can be.

I will write another post soon, once I have a really educated grip on the advice and information so many others have generously shared with us! (As an immediate measure, I have stocked up on this spray for everyone to treat their hats, shirts, jeans, and boots on their way out the door.) For now, thank you so much to all of you who have taught us so much already, just within a week. The Alpha-Gal community is awesome!!

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