svbella

1 hour ago, Macca said:

Hi - I have MCAS and POTS (MCAS is the main problem these days). I was sitting next to a friend who smokes last week and noticed the smoke triggered my MCAS symptoms. It wasn’t too bad compared to food triggers, but definitely felt it. 

Glad, well not glad but comforted I guess, that I'm not the only one.  Thanks for the reply

59 minutes ago, StayAtHomeMom said:

It is nice they are doing it outside. Even though I smoke, when someone smokes inside it makes me cringe. Have you noticed a difference between e-cigarette smoke and regular cigarette smoke?

It definitely is considerate of them. None of them smoke e-cigarettes so I'm not sure how it would effect me.  But they had incense's going too so I know that contributed as well.

It only happens if someone is actively  smoking. I try to move away from it as much as possible but I don't want to be rude and stay inside the whole  time while everyone else is outside.

Thanks for the reply

I have been diagnosed with both POTS and MCAS and I know triggers vary from person to person, but does anyone else get triggered by secondhand smoke?  I have family members who smoke and whenever we get together and I am near the smoke, my face and chest turn bright red and I feel dizzy, light-headed, etc.  I assume this is my mast cells responding, but I was wondering if anyone else has experienced this?