More than 22 months after taking her first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, musician and singer Emaline Delapaix was diagnosed with various systemic diseases.
She has seen at least 16 medical specialists, all convinced that the vaccine was involved, especially her longtime primary care physician, who knew that Delapaix was healthy prior to getting the shot.
On June 17, 2021, she took her first dose with her then-fiancé. She felt fatigued and heavy but waved it off as a typical vaccine reaction. However, within hours, she developed excruciating pain in her arms. The pain soon spread to her back and legs.
In the ensuing months, Delapaix said she was so fixated on the pain that she missed another lurking problem.
After meals, she sometimes developed fatigue so severe that she felt sedated. Her face and joints swelled, burning pain flared throughout her body, and her heart rate increased. She needed to take three doses of antihistamines to control her symptoms.
What Delapaix developed is called mast cell activation syndrome. Her mast cells, sometimes called the “sentinels” of the immune system, have become overly sensitive, and exposure to inflammatory food or environmental chemicals now triggers an inflammatory reaction in her body. Her doctors explained that the vaccine has made her body confused and reactive.
It’s reacting as if “everything that comes in could be an enemy,” she told The Epoch Times. She has since had to change her diet, cutting out foods that could trigger the reaction, such as gluten, chocolate, citrus, avocados, and processed food.
The disease has become the new focus of Delapaix’s life.
“[It] is dangerous—you can have a stroke or a heart attack—so I have to take it seriously,” she said.
More Common Than It Seems
Although it’s largely unrecognized, mast cell activation syndrome is quite common and may be the underlying cause of many conditions, Dr. Lawrence Afrin, a hematologist specializing in mast cell activation syndrome, said in an interview with Dr. Mobeen Syed.Mast cell activation syndrome describes a condition in which mast cells, a type of immune cell, become overly sensitive such that any foreign substance may trigger them to release compounds. Histamine is the most well-known compound released, but not all mast cell activation syndrome cases involve histamine reactions.
- Spontaneous activation of mast cells and release of histamine and other inflammatory compounds causing inflammation in many tissues and organs
- Histamine intolerance, which can trigger allergic symptoms
Under normal circumstances, histamine is necessary. It’s released to control infections and promotes stomach acid release for digestion. Some healthy foods, such as avocados and cashews, contain histamine.
However, when the histamine level passes a certain threshold, it can cause inflammation and allergic symptoms: Blood vessels widen, airways constrict, mucus production increases, tissues swell, and the skin becomes flushed.
Histamine and COVID-19
Histamine is believed to be a major contributor to severe COVID-19.Board-certified internist Dr. Keith Berkowitz told The Epoch Times that about half of his patients who developed reactions post vaccination have some form of mast cell involvement, as indicated by chronically elevated levels of circulating histamine.
Many Triggers, Many Symptoms
Typical symptoms of mast cell activation vary from skin problems and breathing difficulties to digestive issues, according to a study published in The American Journal of the Medical Sciences.Delapaix was also diagnosed with POTS and neuropathy.
Berkowitz said many of his post-vaccine mast cell activation patients develop myriad symptoms, including brain fog, palpitations, chest pain, and even exercise intolerance.
Triggers for mast cell activation syndrome include certain foods, stress, and common allergy triggers, such as pollen and dust mites, chemicals, and medications.
Some people are triggered by foods high in histamine, such as aged meats and dairy. Others may be triggered by inflammatory foods, such as gluten and sugar.
Certain medications and medical interventions, such as vaccines, can cause flare-ups. Environmental chemicals, such as fragrances, can also do so. Both physical and emotional stress, in particular, easily aggravates mast cells.
What to Look For
Afrin said that it’s essential for those with a complex history of systemic inflammation to be vigilant, noting that if the patient has been diagnosed with conditions ending with “-itis,” this may indicate mast cell involvement.According to The American Journal of the Medical Sciences study, other useful diagnostic markers for mast cell activation syndrome include histamine, prostaglandin D2, heparin, and chromogranin A.
3 Ways to Alleviate Mast Cell Activation Syndrome
Various treatments can help with mast cell activation syndrome.Histamine blockers bind to histamine receptors. This stops histamine from binding and triggering unwanted activity in tissues and organs.
Only blockers for histamine receptor 1 and histamine receptor 2, also known as H1 and H2 blockers, are currently on the market.
Both H1 and H2 receptors can be found in the brain, heart, muscles, immune cells, and the gut, but the two receptors are associated with different symptoms.
Examples of first-generation H1 blockers include diphenhydramine, also known as Benadryl, and chlorpheniramine, which has the brand name Chlor-Trimeton.
Second-generation H1 blockers can’t enter the brain, so they don’t sedate. Examples of second-generation H1 blockers include cetirizine, better known by its brand name Zyrtec, fexofenadine (Allegra), ketotifen (Zaditor), and loratadine, branded as Claritin.
Other histamine receptors currently have no blockers to inhibit their activity. H3 receptors are also present in the brain and are involved in neuroinflammation. H4 receptors are present in immune cells and are involved in allergy and inflammation.
Besides being an H1 blocker, ketotifen is also a mast cell stabilizer, which prevents the activation and release of histamine and other mast cell chemicals. Cromolyn is another stabilizing pharmaceutical.
Not everyone with mast cell activation syndrome responds to these treatments; some may experience symptom exacerbation. For example, Delapaix said she experienced a severe flare-up after taking intravenous vitamin C.
Identifying and removing mast cell activation triggers can help manage the disease.
This can include cutting out foods high in or that increase histamine, such as fermented food, aged meats, dairy, alcohol, shellfish, citrus, and chocolate. Foods high in oxalates, such as spinach, tomatoes, and chocolate, and lectin-rich foods, such as gluten, should also be avoided.
However, some nutritionists have argued that a low-histamine diet shouldn’t be permanent, as it can be very restrictive and only treats a symptom rather than fixing the root problem—the overactivation of mast cells.
Stress is a common trigger for mast cell activation syndrome, so getting plenty of sleep and practicing mindful exercises, such as prayer, meditation, and yoga, can help reduce stress and may prevent future mast cell flare-ups.
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