Story of my life!

Today, I feel like I’ve completely lost track of everything… It all seemed so clear before! My mast cells are acting up—they’re either overactive or there are simply too many of them—leading to both physical and mental symptoms. Being allergic to everything around the house—dust mites, cats, plants, and probably many types of food—only makes the mast cells flare up even more.

But since I don’t have any appointments scheduled with doctors to confirm this theory, that sense of recognition starts to fade. Maybe it’s something else entirely… Could it be fungal overgrowth in my gut? Or maybe it’s Sjögren’s syndrome after all? Sometimes you’re so sure of it, and other times, it all slips away again.

I’ve started taking antihistamines. Not because I’m plagued by watery eyes, an itchy nose, or constant sneezing… It’s more that I want to figure out—also based on my doctor’s advice—what role histamine plays in all of this. In my mind, I already see a picture forming, but it doesn’t completely line up with this theory. Perhaps the antihistamine prevents histamine from reaching the receptor, which might stop the immune system from activating… But if histamine is produced, wouldn’t it need to leave the body somehow? Especially when huge amounts are involved due to allergies.

At night, I often can’t sleep—it feels like I’ve been hooked up to an IV dripping caffeine. Even when my body feels completely exhausted, sleep is out of reach. While lying in bed, I sometimes get small muscle twitches in my arms or neck, like little jolts that make a limb move. After lying awake for a while, my legs start to feel restless too (the sleep center neurologist mentioned restless legs or neuropathy). Eventually, I have to get up because the urge to move my legs becomes unbearable.

Antihistamines… The frustrating thing about pills like this (actually, any pill) is how much they affect my daily life. The first week on antihistamines left me feeling groggy, dreamy, and unsteady on my feet. Sometimes I even felt nauseous. After a week, the intensity eased up a bit, but I can still feel it to some extent. Story of my life! Give me a pill, and I’ll feel miserable. Whether it’s a natural supplement (like quercetin) or medication for high blood pressure (I’ve tried five different ones), everything causes side effects that stick around and don’t go away. Medications for restless legs (like pramipexole, gabapentin, or ropinirole) aren’t suitable for long-term use either. Even high doses of vitamins or minerals don’t sit well with me! It’s so hard to keep telling my doctor that I don’t feel good taking a certain medication. Yet, I often have no choice but to bring it up again.

Next week, I have another appointment with my GP, and I’m going to try to map out a concrete plan for the coming period.