I wanted to add a bit more context to my previous message, as reflecting on it, this flare feels slightly different in nature. This time it feels more like an overstimulation of my system, rather than a single isolated trigger. Since then, my gut response has become a bit strange and fluctuating, for example, alternating now between loose stools and more normal bowel movements rather than a consistent pattern, but thankfully no more constipation

Alongside this, I’m noticing:

• Increased muscle aches

• More pronounced brain fog, dizziness and low BP, sinus/jaw pressure and aches

• A feeling of fullness and heaviness within just a few bites of eating and the sensation of difficulty swallowing

Last night, I also watched the MCAS 360 weekly live where they discussed their general sequencing approach, starting with mast cell stabilization, followed by gentle detox support, then addressing gut issues (such as SIBO, candida, etc.), and finally rebuilding.

I don’t feel that I’m “back at stage one,” but what’s worrying me is understanding where I am right now and how to move forward safely. My main concern is finding a way to support myself that:

• Minimizes loss of progress

• Avoids overstimulating my system further

• Allows me to gently recalibrate rather than push through

This is the area where I could really use your guidance, how to stabilize, reintroduce everything and move forward in the least disruptive and most nervous-system-friendly way possible. I also received the magnesium malate I ordered and am wondering whether it would be appropriate to start incorporating it immediately.

I also wanted to share that I just consulted last night with a new homeopath, who is especially experienced in MCAS and histamine intolerance, and will get on a treatment plan with her soon too alongside this process.

I also want to apologize for the number of questions I keep asking and for the detailed updates. I really appreciate your patience and guidance as I try to make sense of everything and move forward in the safest, most supportive way possible.

Thank you

Another dominant symptom the last few days is breathlessness getting worse along with bloating and flatulence, could this be the SIBO flaring up again? Or is this just because I stopped digestive support? I know my D and B12 are now officially below even the conventional measure of normal and my bowel movements for two days have now become more diarrhea like and along with the pins and needles in chest are back and a complete aversion to food.

I reviewed the nausea handout for any help and wanted to ask if trying a castor oil pack over the liver (never done one but saw you have a tutorial handout) or dandelion root tea would be appropriate to try? As I’m having worsening nausea and fullness, similar to when SIBO was around before, since stopping digestive support.

Thank you so much for your reassurance. I appreciate it more than you can imagine.

Regarding the nervous system work, I’ve purchased Irene Lyon’s 21-Day Nervous System Tune-Up program, which has made a noticeable difference for me.

Some of the key practices I work with daily include:

• Orientation exercises

• Body scanning

• Impulse attuning and pause practices (which have been especially helpful for limbic regulation)

• Self-hold / havening / containment

• Body-based practices such as humming, singing, butterfly tapping, rocking, EFT, and breathing techniques (I’m careful to choose only what actually calms my system)

• Journaling, grounding and meditation

I am also incorporating daily somatic exercises too. When I initially started feeling better, I reduced the frequency of these practices, which clearly impacted my nervous system. I’ve now resumed them consistently this past week to reinforce these practices, and I can feel that it’s slowly helping me reconnect with my body and return toward a more stable baseline, except my gut yet, and I’ve considered the Mast Cell Nervous System Reboot before purchasing the Irene Lyon one but ended up with this, so for now I’m working with what I already have since it truly has made a meaningful difference, maybe I could also add that too, just don’t want to keep making too many additions while feeling fed up with trials.

Where I still feel stuck, and what I’m hoping to better understand, is what to rely on during an acute flare alongside the NS work for rapid relief that actually works for my system.

When my system tips into overload, it seems to quickly set off my gut and then loop back into my nervous system and brain. In those moments, I often truly feel the need for some form of rapid support, but I’m struggling to know what is actually safe and dependable to use without risking further overstimulation, ideally having a “rapid relief flare up plan”, most stabilizing for my specific physiology, and especially that now even the conventional help didn’t actually help, and aside from quercetin at 250 mg, the other mast cell stabilizing supports I’ve tried so far haven’t felt beneficial and in some cases have been activating (for example luteolin, magnesium glycinate, and vitamin C). As I’m learning more about slow COMT and adrenergic sensitivity, I’m wondering whether this could help explain why certain stabilizers don’t land well for me right now, even when they are generally well tolerated for others and how to even choose which one’s match me that can actually help, and then when I have all this nausea and gut upset, I end up stopping Iberogast and only take ginger. It’s an ugly loop to find rapid relief’s that constantly fire back and that truly feeds my anxiety and hopelessness because it’s tough spending days and days flaring without having support to calm because nervous system is slow. I do rely on rapid relief NS work but it’s the physical too I can’t access the right support for.

For hydration and electrolytes, I’m currently relying on sole water.

Regarding magnesium, I did want to clarify one thing you mentioned previously about magnesium chloride in oil form. I experimented this week with magnesium sulfate (Epsom salt) in a carefully diluted foot soak, adjusting the ratio to avoid overwhelming my system, and that went okay. I also have magnesium chloride hexahydrate flakes and was wondering whether magnesium chloride is considered as effective as magnesium sulfate for transdermal absorption in foot soaks, particularly from a stabilization perspective. I’ve reviewed your magnesium handout and wanted to make sure I’m understanding the practical difference correctly in this context.

Thank you for helping me navigate this.

I went ahead and ordered magnesium citrate and malate separately, will test them individually and stay within my tolerance window. I also ordered magnesium chloride flakes as a soaking option if oral forms end up being too much for my system

My plan is to use citrate when constipation is an issue, and malate as my primary daily magnesium if glycinate continues to feel too activating. Hope this way I can finally onboard magnesium and D.

Thank you!

Thank you.

The intensity of the flare has calmed, which is a relief. However, constipation is still dominant (always the issue unfortunately), and contributing to histamine staying internally and without the enzymes and bitters- feeling extra sluggish and keeping my system still activated, so I’m still holding off on the rest of the supplements meanwhile and depending on ginger to help motility.

I’ll get magnesium citrate and magnesium malate and try. Do you think it’s okay to combine them, such as in the Thorne Magnesium Citramate, or would it be better for my sensitive system to test each separately first? The magnesium I did try has malate too.

From your explanation, I’m guessing I may also be intolerant to glycine, but I’ll also only try it along with the optimal magnesium again once motility improves, and continue observing what the response is.

This ongoing trial and error is so frustrating it’s like I have been going round and round in circles, but one day I know it will, somehow.

As always looking forward to your reply and thank you!

Thank you again, your guidance helps me make sense of things.

I wanted to get your perspective on another topic as well please.

In the past, I’ve had significant anxiety and overstimulation from methylated B vitamins, which is how I started realizing I am sensitive to anything that pushes methylation or feels activating to my nervous system. I’ve also come to understand that this may have to do with underlying MTHFR or COMT sensitivity.

Because of that, I’ve been wondering if this could also relate to why magnesium glycinate didn’t feel supportive for me, although when I took it a few years ago it was perfectly fine then a few years later I tried again and it also overstimulated me and then again last week. I’ve read that for some sensitive systems, the glycine component can feel stimulating rather than calming, especially when there’s nervous system reactivity or methylation sensitivity.

From your point of view, does this connection make sense for someone like me, or does it not really fit my overall picture? And if magnesium glycinate isn’t ideal, what forms of magnesium tend to be gentler or better tolerated in cases like this? I am wondering if it happened again with me this time due to taking it while I was right before my period and there was clearly an overload or it really just didn’t suit me again because the first two days were okay taking half the dose but when I took the full 150mg it really felt overstimulating again so that made me wonder and ended up researching further the why’s.

Also, along the same lines, could this sensitivity apply to taking glycine itself? And also increasing the Quercitin which I also read causes issues at highger doses for people with a slow COMT. Are there patterns or reactions that suggest someone may not tolerate glycinate or methylated supports well? How does one know what to take if they’re not tested for all these gene’s but rather just following symptoms and reactions.

I’m mainly trying to understand my responses better so I can choose options that truly support my system gently rather than push it so I can safely bring on board the minerals that suit me best now.

Thank you so much as always.

Thank you so much for the thorough explanation as always, it really helps.

I’ll use things as needed short term, hopefully (while feeling hopeless right now with these constant setbacks that send me to complete despair if this’ll ever end) I know this will settle soon somehow, I’ve got this, yet again

When you have a moment, I’d really appreciate your insights on the questions I asked earlier, as while I’m recalibrating, would be a good time for me to order anything, if any, you feel would be appropriate additions moving forward, and to just get clarity on things.

As always, thank you!

Will definitely register for the masterclass, thank you for sharing!

Thank you so much.

I wanted to ask for guidance for the next few days (a conventional break) so I don’t make things worse while trying to stay stable.

I suspect a certain toxic smell from a vape has been triggering some of the reactions with the period flare, though I’ll only confirm once I’ve spent a few days away from it. It feels as though my gut is highly reactive or overstimulated, which seems related to the pinching sensations.

Would it be safe(ish) to use loratadine and famotidine short-term, and would 10 mg of each once in the morning and once at night be reasonable, or could that be too much? And how long are they safe before tipping into it causing any unwanted side effects? As much as I hate to say it but I could use a conventional rapid relief break right now and I am not a fan of the doctor’s recommendation to be taking them for weeks endlessly, he recommended taking up to 40mg of Famotadine and 20mg of Claritin per day. Would love your guidance on this please

Natural support: would it be okay just continuing something very gentle for gut support, like zinc carnosine and keeping quercetin at 250 mg and vitamin C at 500 mg for natural support?

I’m not sure what to take for the pinching pain. I did watch the parasite cleanse and it’s a big huge YES all the signs, however as you said I definitely won’t jump in till I’m stronger.

Thank you so much

I’m really sorry to message again, but I wanted to update you because things escalated and I ended up at the hospital tonight and just got back.

Over the last five days, something has shifted significantly, and I genuinely don’t believe this is food-related. It feels more like an environmental trigger or exposure. My reactions are happening even without eating. I’m getting an immediate gut-type reaction (a sharp pinch/surge sensation), and at this point I’m flaring even when trying to drink water.

For context, I took:

• Vitamin C 500 mg with lunch and 500 mg with dinner
• Quercetin 500 mg with breakfast (this was my second day taking it)

After dinner and second dose vitamin C last night I was waking up almost every hour, and then I felt drowsy and put some Celtic salt and a some water and suddenly developed severe shaking and trembling, intense itching, and felt unable to focus or ground myself. The shaking became so strong and uncontrollable that I fell twice feeling like fainting but I wasn’t fainting just unable to carry myself and went to the hospital.

At the hospital, I was given 10 mg famotidine and 10 mg loratadine. The doctor kept encouraging me to take more, but I declined. Even with those, I didn’t experience much relief and still feeling quite unwell afterward and nauseous and even dizzy.

What concerns me most is that this feels progressive and cumulative. About five days ago something seems to have triggered this, and since then it feels like my system has been getting more and more reactive rather than settling. Because the reactions are happening without ingestion, I’m worried about an environmental factor (air, mold, chemical exposure, etc.), but I’m not sure how to identify or stabilize this, the whole house is now being ventilated and especially where I stay it’s always open windows and I don’t know how to calm all this down, I’m extremely dizzy possibly my BO is dropping I have no idea. At the ER my BP was on the lower end as well. Any form of food or drink is causing me an intense reaction at this point I’m not sure what to do to tame this if you could please help me exactly

I’d really appreciate your guidance on how to approach this safely, especially while I’m this reactive and flaring so easily. Thank you so much.

@Bernadette_Abraham

While I wait for your guidance on the above, I wanted to please ask a few more questions to make sure I’m not missing anything and to understand further:

1. Glutathione / NAC: Do you think it’s appropriate to bring in glutathione (found two different types by Seeking Health) or NAC? I have been reading on their importance to support liver and detox pathways or possibly ox bile? or are the enzymes and bitters enough? Or maybe use castor oil?

2. Hormonal Support: Do you think Vitex berry could be helpful for my hormonal balance in this context? I did read through handouts/ blog on here about the estrogen/progesterone and I did notice that this time I did get breast tenderness more than normal, and I am on day three of my period and did notice that my flow has been relatively slower and less, little different than my usual on the first days which is very odd for me.

3. Mast Cell / Histamine Support: Now that my quercetin and luteolin are available, can I combine them regularly or only adding during my cycle, I have increased Quercitin since yesterday to 500mg once a day, will also be trying vitamin C today and will update on how that goes once they are delivered today.

4. Glycine: Should I begin taking glycine regularly now or only when needed? As you mentioned taking it at night- I also take the probiotics last thing after dinner, should I add it to be taken just before bed? Okay to follow the probiotic?

5. Detox / Mineral Support: What should I expect from detoxification during this phase? How do I distinguish which reactions are normal versus signals of problematic? Are there ways to support my body’s detox pathways safely while minimizing flares? Following my explanation about magnesium in the thread before- any guidance on what to do? Or even Selenium, I would just appreciate knowing to avoid panicking about what that actually is.

6. Is there a recommended app/website/ handout for a person to check any potential interactions between supplements and their timings and so forth? Since I am bringing on board further support to make sure I am avoiding interactions between the supplements and especially with Duloxetine.

7. While I understand the importance of Nervous System work, this whole process naturally elevates my already existing anxiety and nervous system sensitivity, so I really appreciate your support and guidance in helping me navigate this, in addition to your recommendations, I’m currently using Rescue Remedy, chamomile, lemon balm, and L-theanine, and I’d love your thoughts if there’s anything else you’d suggest or adjust for anxiety around flares especially.

8. Might be too broad to ask or even unrealistic, is there anyway I can figure out the root cause of all this without having to do all the testing- GI Map and OAT and Mold and mycotoxins tests?

Just a random share, I came across interesting lightbulb information yesterday while watching a video from someone called Heather @revive_with_heather discussing the close relationship between SSRI withdrawal and MCAS/Histamine intolerance and that lead me to a whole thread of people chatting online about it and it was very interesting to slightly get insight about. Do you have any thoughts/information on this?

Thank you so much for your guidance and honestly patience with me!

I wanted to add a bit more context because I’m honestly feeling quite taken aback again by what keeps happening. It feels like whenever I make positive steps forward, I flare, and it leaves me wondering if there’s an angle I’m missing or something deeper going on that I’m not seeing yet or this is actually normal.

Along with the mast cell/ histamine-type symptoms this week, I’ve been having fluctuating gut pinching/discomfort that moves around (up/down sometimes, mainly lower left and mid, sometimes lower left bubbling like sensation), along with quite intense nausea, especially over the last two days. I’ve also noticed constipation twice this week (a couple of days ago and again today).

I paused selenium (took it 9 days), enzymes, and bitters about five days ago. I started magnesium four days ago, which felt mostly okay the first two days, but then began giving me a wired-but-tired feeling and kept me up longer at night, which I didn’t expect.

Today is the second day of my period, and I increased Quercetin to 500 mg this morning. Out of desperation, I did try half a DAO again, but it made me dizzy and actually increased my nausea, so I stopped it. I also paused DGL today, as it seemed to elevate my nausea yesterday, even nausea and dizziness came last and this morning the minute food hit my stomach within the first few bites.

At the moment, I’m continuing zinc carnosine once daily (75 mg) and Probiota at night (been taking this for 17 days with two days break last week), and I paused the rice milk kefir about eight days ago when I felt things starting to flare.

What’s been hardest is not fully understanding why my body is reacting this way, or how I’m meant to bring vitamins and minerals back on board when I don’t yet understand what’s driving these reactions. I’m confident I’m eating low histamine foods, so it makes me wonder whether detox or elimination pathways might be sluggish or unable to tolerate I have no idea. I was genuinely excited to start supporting minerals again as I understand their importance, so this has caught me off guard longer than usual.

I’m also noticing facial flushing and small rash-like pimples again, and so much brain fog and what feels like overstimulation, which adds to the confusion. I’m trying to stay very gentle overall, doing more grounding and nervous system work, getting outdoor light and sun, and keeping things minimal so I don’t flare things further. I am also sticking to ginger, chamomile, lemon balm and nettle leaf teas too. For food context, I’ve been eating very low-histamine and low-FODMAP foods like rice, rice noodles, chicken, beef, zucchini, carrots, parsley, green beans, broccoli, arugula, dill, bell peppers, blueberries, and macadamias, and I only paused artichoke during this flare. I was even about to slowly introduce Brussels sprouts.

I’ve ordered all the supplements you recommended and waiting for them to arrive. In the meantime, I’d really appreciate your thoughts on whether this still fits with a prolonged histamine or mast cell flare (possibly cycle-related), or if there’s something I should be adjusting right now. I’d love your guidance on whether this is a case of staying steady and letting things pass, or whether my body is signaling that something needs to be changed, added, or removed.

Any guidance or reassurance would truly mean a lot. Thank you so much.

This handout is extremely helpful. Thanks for sharing!

Due to limited options for Luteolin, I ordered Luteolin by Nutricost, along with Buffered Vitamin C by Allergy Research Group and Glycine by Thorne.

Thank you so much 🙂

The information you provide is like music to my ears and literally nervous system calming! 🙂

Thank you for your explanation, all makes sense. I’ve learned to listen to my body and while flaring pausing supplements until calmer and drastically increase nervous system love.

Regarding the supplements you recommended:

• Luteolin: Found Swanson brand (with rutin) and Nutricost. Any brand preference?
• Vitamin C: Found NOW Foods Buffered Vitamin C Powder (Vitamin C as Calcium Ascorbate) 890mg & Calcium (elemental) 90mg (Calcium Ascorbate). Is this okay?
• Glycine: Found Thorne Glycine capsules (1g) and NOW Foods Glycine powder (3g). Any preference?
• I will be starting the Magnesium tonight- I have this form (Di-Magnesium Malate and Magnesium Lysinate Glycinate Chelate)(Albion®)- Should I get Magnesium Glycinate on it’s own or is this sufficient?
• Regarding Quercetin it’s been okay, should I consider temporarily increasing 250 mg/day to 500mg during this phase, or keep usual dose?

Grateful for you!

I appreciate the details, excited to try this!

Thank you so much!