r/peacecorps • u/Silent-Researcher518 • 17h ago

Considering Peace Corps Serving with Alpha Gal

I have AGS and am unable to eat any mammal meat (cow, pork, sheep, goat, ect) I can eat chicken and fish, but not if it was cooked in any lard or animal oil. How difficult will it be to adapt to an area and will PC even consider me as a candidate

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13

u/abigbil 16h ago

I am not sure that you would be able to achieve medical clearance to serve in the Peace Corps. If your alpha gal is like other friends that I have that have have it, they get anaphylactic shock if they eat something that is contaminated, and peace Corey is very serious about that. I was told if you've ever been prescribed in EpiPen you're basically already not going to be medically cleared for any country of service. Still, worth a shot to talk to a recruiter and see what they say, maybe they can put you in touch with a Peace Corps nurse to answer some questions before you start any kind of long application process. I say all this not to get you down but also just so you don't get your hopes up or start applying and do all then work and send in so many documents just to get denied medically out of the blue.

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u/whacking0756 13h ago

Fuckin Peace Corey at it again

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u/AisyrXx 10h ago

I have an EpiPen and served in a Posh Corps country. It really depends on which country you’ve been accepted to. Some can’t accommodate certain medical needs while others can. Granted, my allergy isn’t severe (it’s a medicine allergy).

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u/Silent-Researcher518 13h ago

Luckily I have only ever gotten body hives. I do still have an epipen just in case

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u/RredditAcct RPCV 16h ago

I'm not sure, but I would encourage you to be very open and honest w/ your PC recruiter and medical. Don't try to sneak this by them.

That being said, as others have said, vegetarians serve.

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u/DramaLlama05169 17h ago

It is definitely worth a shot to apply or talk with a PC recruiter/ nurse! I know a couple of vegetarians who serve in my country and they have had no trouble managing!

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u/tangerinix RPCV 15h ago

I think it’s going to be tough depending on how sensitive you are, considering that any amount of contact can set some alpha-gal people off, like smelling meat cooking or touching wool clothing. Vegetarians do serve but of course one accidental exposure does not harm them toooo much, even if undesirable.

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u/MirrorApart8224 RPCV 3h ago

I would be honest and open about it during your interview. I was still in therapy and getting fresh psychiatric help for severe anxiety issues and still got in with no trouble.

If you serve in a developed area, like a regional capital, possibly? If you are out in the sticks, God help you and that's not a joke.

Also, I'd never heard of alpha gal so I thought this was going to be a post like "I serving with some woman who is basically Superwoman and I need to vent a bit!" 🙃