A 28-year-old man says he has been left with a potentially life-threatening allergy to red meat after being bitten by a tick. Christopher Goldman began to develop a severe reaction to red meat and mammal products after he encountered a tick while walking his dog in the woods. This happened in Surrey, UK, last December.
According to Metro News, Goldman has been diagnosed with alpha-gal syndrome (AGS), which is a tick-borne allergic condition. AGS makes people allergic to red meats like beef, pork or lamb. It can also cause reactions to other mammal products like milk and gelatine.
Goldman believes that any animal by-product like wool, leather or dairy can trigger a reaction in him. He has had to make significant lifestyle changes to accommodate his new allergy.
According to Sky News, the 28-year-old now wears only vegan-approved clothing. He has spent hundreds of pounds on new furniture and household items that are guaranteed to be free of mammal products. In addition to this, he also carries an epi-pen at all times and wears an emergency contact bracelet.
Goldman has also taken to living mostly indoors, confining himself to three rooms of his house. Any product that could potentially cause a flare-up has been piled in one room of his house.
“If nothing does change I have to face the possibility that I won't be leaving the house for the indefinite future,” he says.
The business production manager is calling for more research into alpha-gal syndrome, saying doctors often dismiss patients’ concerns. “Doctors are telling people that it is psychosomatic, that it is anxiety or stress induced, and they're not getting help. But I'm here to speak up about the debilitating side of this, leaving people housebound and with my life completely torn up, more research needs to be done because we're getting absolutely no help,” he says
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
