Learn about Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) and the role it can play in Eating Disorders.
The Iberian Pig
607 Overton Street Nashville, TN 37203Title:
Speaker: Dr. Aimee Lischke, MD, FAAFP, physician at the Gaudiani Clinic.
A core component of eating disorder recovery is nourishment, but what happens if that nourishment causes more pain than what’s typically expected? Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) might be the problem. MCAS can play a large role for many with eating disorders and being able to recognize and treat it can play a critical role in eating disorder recovery efforts.
The goal of this presentation is to educate a multidisciplinary group of eating disorder clinicians about the importance of recognizing mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS) and related diagnoses in our population. In an outpatient medical clinic dedicated to serving people with eating disorders, our physicians often see and treat MCAS. In many cases, we believe MCAS either was the primary cause or played a major factor in perpetuation of one’s eating disorder. The gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with MCAS and an eating disorder go well beyond the typical gastrointestinal distress we see during the typical ED recovery process. The treatment of MCAS begins with trigger identification/management and several over-the-counter medications that non- prescribers can recommend. We find that our patients living at the intersection of MCAS and eating disorders do so much better in the ED recovery process when MCAS is addressed. Our hope is that more practicing ED clinicians can be aware of this disorder.
Food and drinks provided!