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From: Gary Fitzsimmons B.Pharm
I am 60yo Caucasian male, have been perplexed and greatly discomfitted from earlist memory, " growing pains " = extreme pains in hips, about age 5; " nausea in church " very often , esp in hot weather, was keen athlete and could never understand why everyone else could run farther than me and not get distressed. If I persisted in exercise I would become extremely nauseous and weak, with the disturbing sensations of imminent syncope and loss of bowel and bladder control. Age 45 in Cuxco Peru, altitude 10,000 feet, over a period of 3 hours after after arrival, symptoms gradually intensified until I lost control of all voluntary muscle and became completely paralysed, but still conscious. Took three days to recover, I guess that my body reacted by producing more red blood cells. Age 50, extreme symptoms occurred in Italian restaurant causing paralysis of all voluntary muscle, as it was a gourmet dinner, my thoughtful pals, including a physician took me outside into the cold and propped me against a wall, extremely unpleasant feeling of imminent death. Luckily I fell over and regurgitated a discrete vomitus containing the only thing I had eaten, antipasto of a cracker with an anchovy.Recovery took 2 hours, then chgallenged my reaction by chewing lightly another but spitting it out, reaction was similar but much less intense. Mouldy gourmet cheeses produce similar reactions. Green smooth skin avocado ( Ferdi ) cause intense stomach cramps, but not rough skinned black type (Haas), they have a better nutty flavour anyhow. Bananas ( elegant yellow ones) can cause gagging in throat, but not the squat Ladyfinger variety. By observation have discovered other factors precipating attacks and have adjusted lifestyle. For 35 years no doctors were interested, until a cardiologist I contacted suggested a " Tilt Test ", which precipitated an attack immediately giving a very positive diagnosis. I cannot tolerate alcohol in any form and must eat moderately. My biggest bugbear is extreme pain in the eyeballs every morning with extreme sensitivity and perpetual redness, like a hangover every day. As a Pharmacist, I have been able to detail my symptoms over the years.