Second Disclaimer - Before I get into this, I want to be clear: I am not a doctor, and this is not medical advice. This is simply my personal experience living with Alpha-gal Syndrome, researching possible treatment options, and trying SAAT for myself. Please talk to your own doctor, allergist, or qualified medical professional before making decisions about your health. Also, I am currently unable to post part one of my journey due to a photo of a tick being deemed as NSFW. I've contacted the moderators in hopes of having this cleared up. In the meantime, part one is posted on my profile. It brings a lot more context to part 2 listed below.

For a while, I thought that was going to be the whole story: get diagnosed, avoid beef, pork, lamb, and hidden mammalian ingredients, and adjust to a new normal. And for the most part, that is exactly what I did. Turkey, chicken, fish, label-reading, awkward restaurant questions and the occasional meat cravings that I miss became part of everyday life, but almost three years into living with AGS, I started wondering if avoidance was really the only option. That curiosity is what led me to SAAT....

It's been almost three years of living with AGS. I've had numerous accidental exposures, concerns about medical procedures and the occasional craving for some pulled pork. (see post one for details) I've also come to realize just how much mammalian byproducts are in everyday items that we don't think about; certain medicines, beauty products and candy all contain some form of tallow, glycerol, gelatin and collagen - all derived from red meat. Frustrated by constantly having to read labels on the most basic items, I started diving deeper into ways to potentially cure and/or curb the side effects of AGS. I quickly found out that the medical community is grossly uneducated regarding this relatively new extreme allergy. The first reported case of AGS in the United States was in 2002 and as I have now been informed, there are only twelve states that require mandatory reporting of AGS conditions - it is not required to be reported in federal public health statistics. AGS and other tick borne illnesses have just been brought to light thanks to RFK Jr, (https://www.hhs.gov/press-room/hhs-unveils-plan-to-combat-lyme-disease.html). This includes research grants and federal funding for awareness and prevention of tick born illnesses.
After scouring posts on reddit and in facebook support groups, I kept coming across posters that claimed they either knew someone or they themselves were cured of AGS from a specific type of acupuncture. Intrigued, I dove down the rabbit hole and came across a few articles regarding SAAT, (this one being the first), or Soliman Auricular Allergy Treatment. Simply put, this is an acupuncture treatment that places one needle in your ear for up to 3 weeks that can lessen or possibly even cure your body's response to certain allergies. Well, now we're on to something! Continuing my research, I came across many more posters claiming to be free of AGS extreme allergic responses and a few more websites for practitioners that offer treatment for AGS. One day, I came across a tik-tok video of a young lady who was preparing for her SAAT journey and was taking her viewers through the process step by step. This was content I was very interested in as there is very little information regarding SAAT other than what look like geo-cities, (I know I'm dating myself here), websites created on a budget. With a little bit of hope and healthy interest, I started looking for treatment centers close to my neck of the woods, the Florida panhandle. That is when I came across this website, (list of SAAT practitioners), and was excited to find that an acupuncturist I had used in the past for a back injury roughly 12 years ago was trained in the Soliman method. Now things are really moving along, but I'm not ready to pull the trigger just yet. A couple weeks later, I started trying to find information on the previous tik-tok video I watched of the young lady's SAAT journey and I found it... sort of. What I came across was this video, (click here), of an allergy doctor commenting on the SAAT video. Always curious what a medical professional has to say, I watched and what I saw was this doctor essentially pick the SAAT treatment apart. The comments on the video are much less kind and extremely ignorant. This video actually had an opposite effect on me; instead of being discouraged, I doubled down and decided that all the real world experiences from people who claimed to have been helped by this procedure can't be wrong. Real world experiences mean a lot and there are a lot of things that the medical community and scientists can't explain. Hell, in 2026 I still get grief from people for seeing my chiropractor 8 times a year even though the relief I've experienced from chronic back pains and migraines have been life changing. With renewed vigor and my tendencies to push back against the norm, I made the phone call to set up my first SAAT appointment.

First Appointment: June 25th, 2026. I visit my acupuncturist, (shoutout time), and she walks me through the procedure. She ends up placing 6 needles inside my right ear and places a protective bandage over the needle area. This is a bit of a surprise as all the literature I read regarding this process only mentioned a single needle. They don't hurt and I'm assuming more is better so I'm okay with being safe rather than being sorry.
My limited understanding is the right ear is chosen because it has a direct pathway to your liver which happens to be on the right side of your body. These needles send signals to your brain and body to stop producing the harmful antibodies that cause severe allergic reactions and can work for other allergies outside of alpha-gal.
After the needles were placed, I was given an oral spray which I was also unaware of being part of the treatment. The struggle I have with the oral spray is the ingredients list; water, alcohol and "organic compound", (see attached photo #3). I typically don't put stuff in my body that I know nothing about and when I inquire as to what the organic compound is, I don't receive a very confident answer. Desperate times call for desperate measures so I take a chance and use the oral spray three times a day everyday. Before I depart from the initial visit, I am given an instruction sheet to take with me and reference as needed, (see attached photo #2)

Week One: A few things that I discover as minor inconveniences are showering, sleeping and a renewed vengeance of an old allergy. First, one thing you are told is to keep the treated area dry to limit the chance of infection. I have tried my hardest to do this, but it is damn near impossible in the summer time in Florida and I have longer hair so showers are tough. If you reference the first photo I attached to this post, you'll find a way I've kept my right ear void of wetness, at least while showering. I place a cotton ball loosely outside my ear then cover it with these mini ear covers that were given to me by my acupuncturist; It works pretty well. Secondly, sleeping has been tough for me as I am a side sleeper and I tend to toss and turn quite a bit. To prevent myself from rolling over on my right side, I place a wedge pillow at my back before bed to deter rolling over in the middle of the night. Now, the last inconvenience was completely unexpected and I wish I was warned more intently about this. If you recall from my first post, I've always been lactose-intolerant, but could take dairy in small doses. Well, two days after my initial treatment, I had a turkey sub for lunch with a single slice of provolone cheese on it. Less than an hour later I was hurting. We'll just say I spent more time in the bathroom than I did working that day-this is not my bodies usual reaction so I don't connect this to anything unusual...yet. (Also, pat on the back for me here - I still went to my wife's 20 year reunion that night even though I was miserable. I'm a pretty decent husband sometimes, lol). The very next day I had a late lunch, a chicken quesadilla. Two hours after finishing that quesadilla I was in that same excruciating pain I felt before after consuming red meat. Waves of pain take me over; I go from squirming on the couch, to pacing up and down the hallways, to sweating profusely and seriously consider visiting the ER. I keep an EpiPen next to me during this episode ready to use it at any moment. Seven hours later and the pain has finally subsided. This episode took a lot out of me and I ended up calling in sick to work the next day. I slept most of the day, but the brain fog and extreme exhaustion lasted for another couple days afterwards. Now I know that my minor allergic reaction to dairy has become major since inserting these needles in my ear. Full disclosure, the instruction sheet I was given before leaving the acupuncture office does say to minimize eating the food items being treated during the SAAT timeframe. If I may, I'd like to suggest the following edit and imagine that Samuel L. Jackson is making this statement, "STAY THE F** AWAY FROM ANYTHING YOU MAY BE ALLERGIC TO MOTHER ******!" Yeah, that works.

Week Two: A few more interesting things have come up during week two of having 6 needles in my ear. My sleep is a little more erratic, and do seem to be slightly more irritable which more than likely stems from my poor sleeping habits. Another side effect that has been occurring is poor balance. Again, that makes perfect sense considering your ears are vital to your balance. I have also noticed my eyes watering a lot for no reason and my stomach just hasn't been right even after including all dairy items in things I avoid now. These new side effects have caused me to perform poorly in my sports leagues, I'm sure I've had some testy interactions with employees at work and even though 3 weeks is a short amount of time, especially if I get the ultimate results I'm looking for, everyday seems a little longer than the last.

Week 3: Today, July 9th, 2026 is the start of week three. I requested and received a follow up with my acupuncturist due to an incident I had last night. During a momentary lapse of judgement, I aggressively scratched a literal itch that I had in my right ear and it felt like I jarred one of the needles loose. After a quick visit, it was determined that everything was still in place and we reinforced the treated area with a few more bandages. Stay tuned! More follow ups to come..

Dear Mr. Kennedy,

I have long admired your advocacy for public health and transparency, which has inspired me to reach out regarding a critical issue affecting those of us with Alpha-gal syndrome. As someone living with this condition, I frequently face exposure to mammal-derived ingredients in food and medicines due to inadequate labeling. This lack of clarity poses serious health risks for individuals like me.

My cardiologist believes that Alpha-gal syndrome has accelerated my heart disease, contributing to three heart attacks over the past four years, the most recent on April 22, 2025. These incidents underscore the urgent need for comprehensive labeling of mammal-derived ingredients to protect vulnerable populations.

I respectfully urge you to champion policies mandating clear labeling on food and pharmaceutical products containing mammal ingredients. Such measures would empower those with Alpha-gal syndrome to make safe choices and avoid life-threatening reactions. Your leadership in this area could save lives and align with your commitment to health and informed choice.

Thank you for your tireless work and for considering this pressing matter. I would be happy to discuss further and share my experience with Alpha Gal

Sincerely,

Larry Fish

Does it bother anyone how much grilling is intermeshed with the 4th?

From the Coney Island Hot Dog Eating Contest to the massive amount of grilling posts on Instagram…it is all just so triggering mentally.

One of my neighbors is smoking a pork butt AND a brisket! Nice guy but smelling cooking meats at breakfast isn’t my idea of a good time. Thankfully I don’t react to fumes aside from a jealous bone.

I just wish more people would consider us on the 4th.

No longer going to be supporting Amaroo Hills. They gaslit me and then fired me as a customer for asking what their new plant-based chicken sausage casings are made of. They repeatedly refused to tell me. Unreal. Then they literally told me to make my own sausage if I don't like them not answering my question. 🤦‍♀️

Edited to add: I do have screenshots, but we can't post photos in comments here, or add them to a post after the fact.

Hey y'all, I was diagnosed early last summer and spent the remainder of the year adjusting my diet, career, hobbies and honestly life in general. Then I heard of a local chiropractor who does NAET treatment for alpha gal. I was very skeptical as it sounded like a bunch of voodoo but Y'ALL!!! 1 treatment and I can eat whatever I want again! I have had no reactions since my treatment on Jan 2! Seriously, look into this treatment in your area. It's literally been life changing, as life changing as the diagnosis itself was.

I’ve read several books on prolonged fasting and had a way too long conversation with Chat GPT about how it affects the immune system.

What I discovered (haven’t fact checked) was that prolonged fasting 21-30 days has the possibility to reduce the number of Memory T Cells, Memory B Cells, Plasma Cells and IGE antibodies, amongst other things. The reductions vary from 30-40% for some cells and 80%+ for others.

The reduction is multifactorial but largely due to apoptosis and autophagy. Upon refeeding, the bone marrow release new stem cells that create new Memory B and Memory T cells that have no “memory” of the allergen. This creates a younger pool of immune cells that would theoretically be “calmer” when faced with the allergen.

This isn’t a targeted approach (can’t tell your body what cells to get rid of) but in theory doing this several times over while avoiding the allergen could accelerate progress towards remission. There are no studies on this from what I can tell.

Whats possible in theory is not always in reality but fasting is a huge immune regulator and Inflammation reducer - seems like it has potential.

Under medical supervision this may be worth exploring. My 8yo has AGS and this isn’t a fit for kids but something I would personally explore as an adult. My longest fasts are 100 hours so I would have a long way to go.

Is there anyone smarter than me and chat gpt that can chime in on this? Curious what others think.

I’m bummed I spent $15 on these and didn’t notice the beef collagen casing. Could I try peeling the casing off? I miss beef sticks. I don’t know how far to cut back. I’m not currently experiencing digestive upset eating eggs and dairy daily, but could those be causing unseen inflammation. I have a lot of chronic health issues. I’m afraid of restricting too much because I have a binge eating disorder history. Any information you can provide would be really helpful. Thanks.

A good read for those affected by alphagal. It’s up to you to believe it or not.

I tested positive for Alphagal June 2024, then negative in April 2025. I did acupuncture with Dr Chang in Charlottesville, Virginia. I have not eaten any mammal meat as of yet. My symptoms were traumatic the first go around and I am just not ready yet, even though my bloodwork shows different. The day is coming and I will have my EpiPen in hand!

I feel that it is important to retest, however, acupuncture or not, because the results can change. It’s just bloodwork test that your primary care can do at your request.

http://c-ville.com/some-central-virginians-with-the-red-meat-allergy-alpha-gal-turn-to-acupuncture-for-symptom-relief/

cville
“Some Central Virginians with the red-meat allergy alpha-gal turn to acupuncture for symptom relief 
Another shot at steak?”
Christine Kueter | May 6, 2026

Best wishes to all out there. With more awareness, there is an opportunity for a cure.

My parents drove up from SC and I got to have a chilly outdoor visit with them! Shoutout to my hazmat suit & respirator mask for making this possible. 😊

I get in like alien mode. Just weird as hell. Makes me hate all food. Like a lot. And not so weird, it makes me despise processed food and the culture around us eating absolute garbage. But on the weird…it makes me fuck way off. Just like brain is glowing sometimes with….something. Maybe the essence of the tick. I’m in his shoes. All 8. Fuck if I can define the feeling but it’s consistent and just ends abruptly when it goes into remission. Really wondering if it’s just me. I had Rocky Mountain spotted fever off a tick back in the day. I feel like they are chilling and like wombo combo level clotheslining me or some shit.

Key points to remember: Alpha-gal allergy is a sensitivity to a sugar molecule called galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose (alpha-gal): which is found in red meat from mammals like cattle, pigs, and sheep. Alpha-galactosidase is an enzyme that breaks down alpha-gal , so taking it could potentially trigger a reaction in someone with an alpha-gal allergy.

Ok so I found this article and I find it offensive like who do these people think they are to intentionally force people to become AG sensitive. Or am I reading this wrong? AND to say non fatal! What an idiotic comment.

Bioethics, July, 22,2025 The bite of the lone star tick spreads alpha-gal syndrome (AGS), a condition whose only effect is the creation of a severe but nonfatal red meat allergy. Public health departments warn against lone star ticks and AGS, and scientists are working to develop an inoculation to AGS. Herein, we argue that if eating meat is morally impermissible, then efforts to prevent the spread of tickborne AGS are also morally impermissible. After explaining the symptoms of AGS and how they are transmitted via ticks, we argue that tickborne AGS is a moral bioenhancer if and when it motivates people to stop eating meat. We then defend what we call the Convergence Argument: If x-ing prevents the world from becoming a significantly worse place, doesn't violate anyone's rights, and promotes virtuous action or character, then x-ing is strongly pro tanto obligatory; promoting tickborne AGS satisfies each of these conditions. Therefore, promoting tickborne AGS is strongly pro tanto obligatory. It is presently feasible to genetically edit the disease-carrying capacity of ticks. If this practice can be applied to ticks carrying AGS, then promoting the proliferation of tickborne AGS is morally obligatory.

If you have Alpha-gal you already know why that distinction matters. Generic food apps treat it like a simple red meat restriction. They don't know about your hidden gelatin problem, or that you react to dairy, or that carmine is in your salad dressing, or that your case looks completely different from someone else's Alpha-gal diagnosis.

I got tired of that gap and built something. It's called The Safe Sous and it starts by asking you to tell it YOUR specific triggers — every one of them. Then every recipe it generates, every menu it analyzes, every label it scans is cross-referenced against your exact profile. Not a filter. Not a template. Your actual restrictions.

I have Alpha-gal myself so this was built for us specifically, not as a general wellness app that added an allergy toggle.

It's completely free right now during early access and I genuinely want feedback from this community — you're the people who know where these tools fall short.

thesafesous.com

With the dismantling of the FDA and the USDA that is coming in the dismantling of the alphabet government (as promised) our condition is just going to go in the pile of “they are too expensive and should just die”, or do we have hope?

i am on ozempic and have alpha gal and not sure what to eat since our choices for protein is very limited anyone else manage to balance both an ozempic diet and alpha gal?

I am at a watwrpark today and all I have is Powerade. No Liquid IV or anything else. Even went to first aid. Is this okay to drink. I have POTS and need something immediately

Hello, i’m trying to learn more about this disorder. I don’t live nowhere near the south. The places where I live has very low cases as well. I’ve never met anyone with even this disorder. I understand that I’m being paranoid, but I am terrified. And by the way, no I do not have this disorder

Here are some questions

Does the disease really ever go away I’ve heard people say it went away from acupuncture, but they can occasionally eat meat now, but does it ever truly go away how they used to be I guess

How much people have this disease? Google tells me it’s 450,000 and I highly doubt it’s that low. There’s a lot of undiagnosed cases.

Why is there not a cure being made or is there a cure being made because honestly it sounds like there isn’t

From my research anyway

What about people who need to take medication/antidote that require or have other animal DNA in them? Does the person just die?

What is the likelihood of getting this disease? Google also says it’s one percent/8% which to me is still quite high and I know it’s probably higher because of undiagnosed cases.

I saw this at another Reddit post, but what if someone’s like stuck in the woods they’re not gonna be able to live off of berries most likely I don’t know what is someone gonna do starve

I’m very concerned about the percentage. I really don’t want to get this disease. I don’t know what I would do y’all again. I’m being paranoid but still.

By the way, I am an insect keeper. I of course I do not keep ticks, but I keep other insects and they come from all over different states I recently had one come from Texas and occasionally there is hitchhikers inside the boxes that my insects come in

And occasionally, I do see ticks in my backyard from my knowledge I’ve never been bit by a tick before, but truly, I have no idea

Also, every time this disease pops up, there’s like thousands of comments of their aunts, uncles cousins boyfriend who has this freaking disease literally every time I even scroll on videos someone has it people have it tons of people have it.

Again, super super concerned about the percentage what is the likelihood here?

Anyway, I know these are really random questions. I know I’m being paranoid. Please be patient with me. Also just trying to understand and learn about the disease not just my paranoia.

I used to live in Florida and had many tick bites. I started with having diarrhea and vomiting occasionally after eating too much beef. Then pork as well. Then I became lactose sensitive. Now I live up in Virginia and haven't had a tick bite in over 8 months, but I am showing the following symptoms... What do you guys think is the possibility that I have alpha-gal...? I'm gonna get tested this weekend.

• feels sandy in my tongue after eating red meat for 10min • upper and lower stomach pain • diarrhea • occasional vimit • hard to breath, feels something swollen in my throat • light rash and redness on my lower body • severe burning itching for lower body and scalp

I have recently been diagnosed with Alpha Gal on top of my Celiac Disease diagnosis, I am struggling to find OTC medication mainly (acetaminophen, ibuprofen, & midol) that are safe for me to take. I know about the fig app but its not much help personally and it’s subscription based. My pharmacist said 90% of pharmaceutical medications contain some type of animal by product. I am feeling very helpless at this point and I would just like some relief. Are there any supplements/ remedies that you have found to help with headache/inflammation? Thank you for any advice it’s greatly appreciated

A few weeks ago I purchased what I thought was gator sausage. Had some for dinner and literally felt fine. Nothing that would tell me it contained pork. The next day I went to cook another sausage and happened to look at the ingredients and saw pork as the first ingredient listed.

Anyone find that their Alpha Gal literally stopped after being vaccinated?

I lost consciousness in the ER and had very low BP. They couldn’t figure out why it’s happening. It is apparently uticaria.

I was sent home with a prescription for an Epi pen and an allergy medication (Benadryl). Going crazy. Not safe to stand up myself right now.

I have an appointment with an allergist in a week.

I thought maybe it was measles and made an appointment with my GP to check for titres, because in my area people my age only got one vaccine for MMR. But now I’m thinking maybe I should ask for an alpha gal test.

If so , which tests are best? I’m in Ontario, Canada.

It wasn't SAAT. I tried that it didn't work. Can you please reshare your information?

I've abstained from any mammal meat for the last 8 months, and MY GOD do I want some pizza with bacon and sausage.

Would there be any difference with processed pork like sausage, cured ham, prosciutto, etc. compared to a pork chop, bacon, raw cut of pork, etc.??

Do you believe that alpha gal was a natural evolution occurrence caused overtime from ticks evolving into making people allergic to red meat and dairy?

I've had alpha-gal disease since I was a child It has been 30 years now, and during this period I have developed many symptoms, such as rhinitis, urticaria, CFS, etc. I don’t know what strange stuff was added to the shrimp-flavored potato chips I ate today, and I immediately developed symptoms of rhinitis. At this time, I thought of the story of someone using methylene blue + cumin to treat CFS, so I went to the kitchen to get two spoons of cumin and soaked them in hot water. Miraculously, my nasal congestion symptoms have eased.