People’s Pharmacy | Allergy to meat faded with time

Q. I contracted alpha-gal meat allergy while living in Long Island, NY, over a decade ago. An observant PCP diagnosed me and sent me to an allergist for confirmation.

When I moved to North Carolina, my new doctor requested further testing. The lab had no idea what tests to run.

I eventually grew out of the allergy over four years. Since 2021 I have been able to eat meat again.

Your recent column on alpha-gal allergy did not address the fact that many people grow out of the allergy. Fortunately, my allergic reaction to eating meat was only hives. Nevertheless, I was instructed to carry an EpiPen with me just in case.

When I go to doctors’ offices now, most nurses have never heard of this allergy. They ask me to explain to them what the alpha-gal allergy is, so thank you for your column that shed some light on a little-known ailment.

A. Alpha-gal allergy can be challenging to diagnose because the reaction is often delayed for several hours after eating meat (beef, pork, lamb, etc.). People typically experience hives or digestive distress. Some people develop airway swelling or anaphylaxis, a life-threatening allergic reaction. That’s why you were told to keep an EpiPen on hand.

This allergy is triggered by a tick bite. Like you, some people lose their reactivity to eating meat over time. Others may retain this sensitivity indefinitely. They may also react to gelatin capsules or medicines that contain animal products.

Q. I was diagnosed with angioedema this morning after taking lisinopril to control my blood pressure for the past four years. This morning I woke up with a very swollen bottom lip. It was pretty scary. I was lucky it was only the lip.

Then I heard that lisinopril can also cause a bad cough. For the past four years, I’ve had an unrelenting cough that no one has been able to figure out.

I am now on another blood pressure drug, not an ACE. I hope that is what caused the cough, because it’s bad enough to make you think about ending it all.

A. Your swollen lip could have been much worse. This reaction, called angioedema, can sometimes lead to swelling in the tongue or throat that can become life threatening. If this type of swelling occurs in the digestive tract, doctors may find it difficult to diagnose.

Your cough was likely also a side effect of lisinopril. This is not unusual with an ACE inhibitor, and it can be very disruptive. If the name of your blood pressure pill ends in “-pril,” it is an ACE inhibitor.

You can learn more about ACE inhibitors and other types of antihypertensive medications in our eGuide to Blood Pressure Solutions. This online resource may be found under the Health eGuides tab at www.PeoplesPharmacy.com.

Q. You have written about Beano to prevent flatulence. Why not mention Pepto-Bismol? I take one tablet every day and it controls the odor of gas. It turns your stool black, but my doctor said no problem. It also helps to prevent traveler’s diarrhea.

A. Pepto-Bismol (bismuth subsalicylate) can be helpful against both smelly gas and traveler’s diarrhea. According to the label, however, it should not be used continuously. The instructions read: “use until diarrhea stops but not more than 2 days.”

The salicylate ingredient is a lot like aspirin. That means people who avoid aspirin should probably skip Pepto-Bismol too.

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In their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them in care of this newspaper or e-mail them via their Web site: www.peoplespharmacy.com. Their newest book is Top Screwups Doctors Make and How to Avoid Them (Crown).