Why I Hate Mast Cells

I do not know where you all stand on the whole allergy spectrum, but I generally consider myself pretty lucky. I have seasonal allergies, which generally means my life sucks a few months of the year, but at least I do not have to worry about anaphylaxis from eating a trace amount of peanuts/shellfish hidden in some other lovely thing. However, I currently am hating my mast cells.

BREAK FOR BIO LESSON:
Allergies, also known as hypersensitivity reactions, are caused when your antibodies (Igs, or immunoglobulins) recognize things they should not recognize. More specifically, there are specific antibodies known for instigating an allergic response. These are called IgEs. Now, IgEs are generally not found free in high quantities in your body because they are sequestered away on the membranes of mast cells.
Mast cells live in various different tissues, including your nasal mucosa. When the IgEs on the membrane bind an antigen (aka particle that it does not like), it causes a change in the mast cells. This causes a release of histamine and heparin; histamine is what is responsible for the whole leaking out of nastiness from your capillaries (or smallest blood vessels). However, it also causes the formation of leukotrienes and is chemotactic for eosinophils (meaning it brings in more cells to fight off a non-existent infection). While anti-histamines will prevent the initial release of histamine, they do not work on the formation of leukotrienes, etc.. this is what is known as the post-histamine reaction.
Basically, when it comes down to it, mast cells are the reason behind the horrible runny nose and puffy eye thing that most allergic people having going for them...

Anyways, my mast cells have decided to be extra vicious this year... starting about a week ago. It got to the point that I caved in and bought medication. Now, seeing as I go to class 8 hours a day and study for another 10 hours I need something that was non-drowsy and long-lasting; I went with 24hr non-drowsy Claritin.

However, my symptoms did not abate. So, on recommendation from my mom I went and got a nasal spray... which I HATE. Mainly because in order for them to be effective you really have to be able to sniff them in, and when you cannot use either nostril, this becomes difficult. And even in you can, when they hit the back of your tongue the taste disgusting. Needless to say, I tried... It helped a little.

Enter today... Class. By the end of the first lecture I was miserable. Like, unable to breathe, and drippy (sorry, disgusting, I know... but you really have to understand the misery). It got worse with each sequential hour of lecture. Finally I got up and left.... head congestion had gotten so bad I could not focus and I was running out of tissues (I brought a new travel pack to school today).

As soon as I walked out of the lecture hall my nose cleared a little. Now, I could say that I am allergic to class... and that would be slightly correct. But I seriously think there is something in the lecture hall exacerbating my allergies (and upon talking to a friend he said he was having the same type of reaction, only to a much lesser extent).

Anyways, I decided that I need to see a doctor about getting some heavier hitting drugs... possibly even steroids if nothing else... cause I cannot go on like this. So I headed over to the university health center, where there is a clinic that med students can go if they are feeling sick. Upon walking in... still with head congestion to the point of not thinking, and still sniffling as if my life depended on it, the nurse told me that they only offer 1 courtesy visit per medical student and although they would see me, any future visit would cost money. Also, she told me to basically find a primary care physician.

At this point I wanted to scream I'M TRYING but right now I'm dying and need help. Needless to say I walked out and went to CVS where I got the pseudoephedrine containing Zyrtec. Which left me incapacitated in my bed for a few hours.

Now I'm awake and although able to breathe slightly, I'm still feeling like crap. At least I can think a bit better. My nose still hates me though.

and so the title of this post: I HATE MY MAST CELLS!