The environment as an absolute enemy. That’s how he must have perceived it Amy Francic Smith, a young architect from Leicester, England, who found herself suffering from all kinds of allergies. “I was allergic to the whole world: foods, drugs, perfumes, medicines, stress, cold, heat, my own hormones. I could only eat four foods that wouldn’t kill me,” Amy said in a recent Instagram post.
A diagnosis that never arrives
His calvario begins in 2015, with the appearance of these numerous inconveniences. However, Amy’s suffering is also amplified by another serious problem to face, the doctors’ skepticism. The specialists she initially consults are unable to understand what exactly the young woman is suffering from. And as often happens in these cases, her ailments are classified in the generic category of “psychosomatic disorders”. Solo after two years of analysis and research they communicate one correct diagnosis to then try to return to a more or less “normal” life.
Only four foods to eat
Amy Francis-Smith eventually discovers that she suffers from mast cell activation syndrome, a condition that affects the immune cells responsible for allergic reactions. In the meantime, the young woman needs to get back to a balanced diet as she has been eating for years eat only beef, pears, courgettes and rice. It is clear that such a poor diet leads to severe malnutrition. Amy tells about the continuous hospitalizations and interventions in which he risked losing his life: “Life in the last ten years has been inexplicably difficult at times. I suffered, I almost lost my life several dozen times. My life was so limited, bedridden for several years.”
Recovery
In recent years, as she herself says, thanks to the support of her family and her partner, she has undertaken a long healing journey, focused on stress management, nutritional control and reducing inflammation. In short, a holistic approach that allowed her to increase the type of food she consumed and substantially improve her health and quality of life. Today Amy Francis-Smith has also managed to achieve good academic and professional results, having completed her degree in Architecture at Birmingham City University.
The expert’s opinion
“In these cases we are faced with hyperactivation of mast cell activitya type of white blood cell useful for protecting us from threats that can come from the outside world and from consequent injuries”, he explains to FattoQuotidiano.it doctor Giorgio Serino, Immunologist and Allergist at the San Donato Polyclinic and the La Madonnina Nursing Home. “Mast cells are present in most tissues of the human body, especially in connective tissue, skin, stomach, intestinal mucosa and submucosa. I am cells rich in mediators very powerful which normally activate inflammation against something that is recognized as an enemy of the immune system to eliminate any external aggression to our organism”.
What are the typical symptoms of these allergic reactions?
“Those common to typical allergies. This syndrome mainly affects young people and hives may appear during the first episodes. Other symptoms: skin redness and itching. Furthermore, these mast cells, as mentioned, are distributed in our body, including in the stomach, so nausea and vomiting can also occur. All symptoms which, if not treated, can worsen to the point of causing the person’s death.”
Cases like the English girl suggest multiple factors triggering the numerous allergies. Is it possible that this is due to a mix of elements, such as chemicals released into the environment, and psychological factors such as suffering from severe stress?
“I would focus more on stress. Let’s remember that histamine, the main mediator of allergies, is also one of the main mediators of our nervous system and is released in the brain when we are stressed. So certainly a stressful life can favor similar symptoms or trigger them.”
A timely diagnosis is certainly important.
“In fact, a deep anamnesis is necessary when we are faced with the symptoms we have described. In many cases, a clarifying test that is not always done frequently is the tryptase assaya mediator which when present at high levels indicates a state of strong allergic activation”.
How do you intervene with therapy?
“The cure does base its all the inhibitors we have available, therefore antihistamine drugs; but the old drugs that were once used to treat stomach diseases also work, i.e. anti-H2 receptors (such as famotidine) and anti-leukotriene drugs. Then there is another weapon, but a double-edged one, aspirin: it can inhibit some allergic mechanisms in some subjects and at the same time it can also activate them in other people. In other words, we need to know how to think about it well.”
Can you confirm that psychotherapeutic support integrated with pharmacological treatments is also effective?
“Yes, as the case of this girl also testifies. The advice is activate the treatments at the same time: after diagnosis, medications and psychotherapy to ease the impact of a stressful situation. This must be done by an allergist specialist together with psychologists. And then have the patient follow up a specific diet that reduces all those foods that release or are rich in histamine. All these aids, I repeat, must be used simultaneously. In this way we are able to significantly improve the quality of life of the person suffering from these pathologies.”