Arkansas Canoe Club Forums

This subject came up about a month ago with regard to the tragic and untimely passing of Mr. Speight. I've gained some (unfortunately) firsthand knowledge of it and thought I'd share in hopes of helping someone who might be unknowingly affected now or in the future. I'm contemplating putting something in the newsletter, but for now I'll go ahead and post here.

The short version: The Lone Star tick (mean little b*(!@%d) bites you after feeding on a red meat critter (cow, pig, etc.) and transfers trace amounts of alpha-galactin, a sugar carbohydrate found in said critters. Your body doesn't like that and starts to develop antibodies in response to its introduction.

No prob so far, but about four hours after you eat that burger, steak or other tasty carnivorous treat? Big prob. You awake with gastric distress not quite like anything you've experienced (best way I can describe it) that eventually leads to the runs (sorry kids; no delicate way to express that). Next up are the hives. If you've never experienced that particular pleasure I'm very glad for you. The attack (that's exactly what it is; your body's little histamine soldiers attacking the alpha-galactin from the meat while completely disregarding the possibility that they might kill you in the process) can easily last an hour (typically about 45 minutes in my case). You may also experience swelling of the throat, dizziness and all sorts of other fun stuff. The skeery thing about this is unlike a good old peanut allergy or something else that can kill you dead it takes hours to present, usually in the middle of the night while everyone else slumbers peacefully.

I finally consulted an excellent allergist (happy to recommend her) who subjected me to the works including the blood test to check for alpha-gal. Won't have the results til next week but she's confident it will be detected. We had a very long and enlightening conversation, but here's what I want to emphasize.

IF YOU EXPERIENCE ANYTHING LIKE THIS: 1. SCHEDULE A CONSULTATION WITH AN ALLERGIST FAMILIAR WITH ALPHA-GAL and 2. OBTAIN AN EPI PEN KIT AND DON'T HESITATE TO USE IT IF YOU HAVE MORE THAN ONE OF THE AFOREMENTIONED SYMPTOMS SIMULTANEOUSLY.

Item two was news to me until the doc fussed at me yesterday for not having deployed one during any of my numerous attacks. She mentioned lots of adrenaline saving me but her exact words were "You've been lucky". I told her I thought the Epi Pen was only for anyphylaxis. Her response; "What do you think those attacts are?"

So, there's a firsthand account of experiences with a condition that will inevitably become more and more common and at present surely remains undiagnosed in many an unsuspecting individual. There are studies under way but very little is known exept that for those of us so afflicted eating mammals is hazardous to our health. To my knowledge I've been thus far spared reactions to pork (with a few exceptions), venison and lamb. Haven't had bison in years so I'm not sure about that.

Just before leaving I asked Doc what was next if the alpha-gal test came up negative. She peered at me from under a raised eye brow and said "It won't".

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Before our next big trip I need to practice with the EpiPen.

Jetlab67 wrote:Before our next big trip I need to practice with the EpiPen.

Like I told you before, you can only practice with the dummy version, and injections are intended to be administered in the thigh, not the forehead.

Luke, thanks for sharing. I am sorry to hear about your experience but we can benefit from you taking the time to share this valuable information. I am going to index this post for future reference. John

As a peanut target myself (and they're hidden in a lot of things), I would not have guessed that an allergy to meat would come about that way. Glad you figured it out.

And are you referring the STAN Speight, the retired CRSPNA ranger? What happened to Stan?

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Thanks, Sig. I went looking for that post right after I asked the question. I never med Stan but had talked to him on the phone.

This whole tick-meat connection is a news flash for me. Glad that slice of pepperoni went down just now w/o any trouble.

Duly noted.

LOL! Took me a second.

I'm hating ticks more and more. If I become a vegetarian, I want it to be A CHOICE.

I just last night suggested rescheduling a planned adventure until a season when ticks are less active...

For some reason even though I get attacked by ticks and chiggers every day going with my dogs on walks in my woods. ( and yet I still do it) I have gladly found that for some reason ticks dont seem to get on me camping on the river gravel bars. Happily at least the rivers seems to be a fairly tick free area. wonder if they just instinctively know they could get washed away if the water comes up.

Deuce,

Man, thanks for posting this information. I knew Stan and was taken by surprise when he passed.

Most advanced Wilderness First Aid clinics show the use of epi pens. The problem is very few carry them. I have a friend that after many years told me they always have their epi pen on river trips. Bottom line here is if a person has one, please tell the trip leader or others on the trip they have and might need a epi pen injection. As mentioned some where else, all the WFA clinics I have been to state the epi pen gets administered in the patient's thigh. Not elsewhere!!!!

This reminds me of a event several decades ago. One of my very best kayak buds is Jon Harrison. Now living in SC. A small group of us almost every year spent time in Taos NM and Southern CO around Memorial Day. We heard about Rio Conejos just north of the NM CO line and went to run it after several Taos Box runs. Camped there and made a very early Sunday morning run. The run's take out had a grassy spot that all of us threw down our pads on and took maybe an hours nap before heading out on the rest of the day and most of the night drive back to Tulsa. We did notice a hitching post setup adjacent to our pads but thought nothing about it.

We got home and after work next day, I got a call from Jon's wife. Come to the hospital ASAP as we are losing Jon. Panic for me and I headed out. Jon was indeed in super critical condition and Doc's did not know exactly why. Jon was one of those guys with a full head of long hair and full beard. Finally, some one checked Jon's head I guess and found a tick bite indication. The doctors gave Jon a full course of what evers and he came around. But, it was a close thing. When Jon could finally talk he told me his head was just about to burst from the pain in the middle of the night and they hit the ER. We talked about ticks and realized the bite must have happened at our group nap time at Rio Conejos take out. WOW!

Bottom line: Ticks are every where. I do not think all are full of what ever disease as I have had plenty of bites on me usually discovered some time after exposure in the shower. I know ever since the time Jon got his tick bite, I am a lot more critical of where I take naps especially around grassy areas where horses etc hang out.

I realize most of us are very safety oriented on the river. But, often times the real danger is off the river or getting home.