Why is Systemic Mastocytosis still so hard to diagnose?

Your labs come back normal, but you still feel terrible, you come to your doctor feeling frustrated. How does it feel to be the doctor on the other side of that? Kortney and Dr. Payel Gupta sit down with Dr. Alexander Kim, an allergist and immunologist who co-directs the Mast Cell Disorders Program at UC San Diego, to hear what it's really like to diagnose and treat systemic mastocytosis (SM), a disease that can take years to properly diagnose. What you will learn in this episode: → Why a normal tryptase result does not rule out systemic mastocytosis → Why SM is still hard to diagnose even with better testing tools, and how it overlaps with mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS) → What it can actually look like from a doctor's side when a patient feels dismissed → Practical ways to make the most of a short doctor's appointment → What patients and doctors each wish the other understood Thanks to Blueprint Medicines for supporting this episode. This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not substitute professional medical advice. Always consult with your healthcare provider for any medical concerns. Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Innovations Podcast Allergy & Asthma Network partners with The Itch Podcast to produce podcast episodes and series covering a wide range of subjects related to asthma, allergies, immunology, and eczema. Join Payel Gupta, MD, and Kortney as they dive into the complexities of medical diagnosis, offering balanced episodes with both medical and patient perspectives to help you live a healthier life. More from the Allergy & Asthma Network: 🎙️ More Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Innovations Podcast episodes: https://allergyasthmanetwork.org/podc... 📰 Latest news articles: https://allergyasthmanetwork.org/news/ 🫁 Asthma content: https://allergyasthmanetwork.org/what... 🤧 Allergy content: https://allergyasthmanetwork.org/alle... 🧴 Eczema content: https://allergyasthmanetwork.org/what... ⚠️ Anaphylaxis content: https://allergyasthmanetwork.org/anap... 🩺 Related conditions: https://allergyasthmanetwork.org/heal...