Hey everyone,

Just stumbled upon an answer today that explains a lot.

I developed mast cell activation syndrome in fall 2018. One of the things that impede my recovery, even after my initial mast-cell flare, was extreme fatigue and sluggishness.

One of those causes turned out to be that my ferritin stores were very low.

(Ferritin represents the level of iron you have stored in your body. It’s different from the level of iron you have circulating your bloodstream).

So even though my circulating iron level was okay, my ferritin level was low. (As was, I would later find out, my Vitamin D level).

I was pretty surprised to find this out, as I was eating red meat throughout this time, and figured it somehow had something to do with my overall limited diet or the shock to my body.

However, today I stumbled upon this article from Lisa Klimas of Mast Attack and it explains a lot.

When I was first diagnosed, I was connected with Lisa by a mutual acquaintance, and she spent quite a while chatting with me online providing info and moral support! It was so incredibly kind and made a lasting impression on me.

In her article, Lisa explains that patient with MCAS can end up anemic (that means the they have low iron) because the mast cell activity can actually inhibit the body’s absorption of iron.

I’ve had this funny feeling in the back of my mind that something may be off with my ability to absorb nutrients, so here’s the answer.

Also, just as a reminder. I truly believe that I have some of the best people in the world on my treatment team, and I am so incredibly grateful.

However, it’s important to remember that the human body is so complex, and we can all be so different as patients. So, if you do have unresolved questions, it is really important to always keep searching for the answer.

Thank you so much Lisa, for all your hard work putting this info out there!