u/Additional_Hand5255

I quit vaping after 5 years in October. Honestly it was pretty smooth in the end, I had had enough of the awful side effects and being a shit partner and parent, I barely had any bad days after quitting. Cue many many months of not even thinking about vaping and feeling great. For some reason about a month ago I started craving and had that classic ‘maybe just one disposable as a treat’ (lol) and here I am addicted again. I KNOW it makes me feel awful, I KNOW I thrive without it. Help!

I started ketotifen in October last year after my first MCAS flare. It cleared up ALL my symptoms within 48 hours. I stupidly stopped taking it in January for a few reasons (weight gain being one) and I’m currently in a huge flare. Started taking it again about a month ago, titrated up again to 2mg per day as I did before. This time I feel absolutely awful, the flare has got worse, mostly gastro issues and nausea. Should I stick it out or reduce down? Part of me thinks the mast cells are just pissed off and to wait it out and the alternative (lowering the dose) doesn’t make sense as I need to get them under control.

I’m 41F. I had PMDD for years, tried contraceptives which made me numb and tried HET. Had an extreme reaction to estrogen (numb swollen lips and tachycardia even on a quarter of a patch) and progesterone actually caused my first mast cell flare last October. I didn’t sleep for 6 full days and was having constant adrenaline dumps as well as not digesting any food (TMI!) it was a truly awful time. I was diagnosed with MCAS and prescribed ketotifen 2mg a day as well as high dose vit c. I also added methylated b complex and d+k spray - this combo changed my whole life, no more PMDD or gut issues.

A few months later I got cocky and stopped taking ketotifen thinking the supplements were doing the trick. 3 months later I’ve flared again and back on ketotifen.

I just don’t know how to begin healing, I believe estrogen dominance is the root cause. I can’t tolerate progesterone currently - I think I need to fix my gut first. Please share everything you’ve done to heal your gut!

TLDR: need to heal my gut and calm estrogen dominance.