Milk - Alergy Vs Intolerence Vs ?

[VydorScope]

OKay, heres the deal, I have suspected milk (cow) is an issue of some kind for a while, and I have cut alot of it out of my diet. The other day I bought some lactate and chewed 2 tablets (max dose) while chuging around 12 oz of whole milk.

With in less then 1 minute I started to get a reaction. Stomache Pain, nuasea, brain fog, eventually gas, and now over 12 hours later I am quite bloated, and the other sysmptons still persist to a lesser degree. So in theroy it should not be lactose intolerence, since I took lactate, right?

I have had the skin scratch test for milk, and about 4 zillon other foods (as many as they would let me take!) and all came back with no alergic response. So in theroy I should not be allergic, right? Or should I go back and ask for the blood test?

I do not think this could possibly be realated to celiac disease as I have been successful in GFness for quite some time now, and had been getting better... but it had leveled off and I was just at a lessor degree of sick. For a while I thought it was just gnna be that way till I healed, but then I noticed that I felt worse at certin points in the day, and each time it followed milk. I drink VERY little milk any more, like 4 or 5oz in my gluten-free cearel, some cheese/yogurt at lunch, and some ice cream late at night. This so way down from what I was eating, prbly 80% to 90% less. I even cut the icecream serving in 1/2.

I have to admit... since I had tried lacate and the alergy test befor, it has me wondeinrg about celiac disease... maybe I do not have celiac disease and only my son does, and I have just had a milk issue all along... the reactions to the glass of milk were the same as I was attrbuting to celiac disease! BAH WHY CANT THERE BE AN EFFECTIVE OBJECTIVE TEST???

[jerseyangel]

Gosh Vincent--that reaction sounds scary. The strange thing, like you said, is that the allergy test was neg. and the Lactaid did nothing. In our experience with my son who is lactose intolerant, the D and cramping would come an hour or so after eating or drinking the dairy. Never the immediate, and long lasting type of reaction you had. He would feel "crummy", but after a night's sleep, it would be gone. I wish I had more to add--hope you feel better soon

[trents]

Have you actually been diagnosed as a Celiac by antibody tests and endoscopy or was this a self-diagnosis?

As you probably are aware, any allergy testing, whether it be by skin or by blood, is far from completely reliable. They are all subject to the possibility/probability of not only some false positives but also false negatives, i.e., indicating an allergy when there really isn't one and visa versa.

Does the dairy reaction happen with both whole milk and skim milk and does it happen with both cultured and uncultured dairy products? In my case, oddly enough, allergy testing indicated I was allergic not to the milk protein cassein but to the milk fat, a lipo protein. Neither am I lactose intolerant.

[jenvan]

Vincent- I pasted some info on differences btwn intols and classic allergies below. NOT always, but in what I've seen, a conventional milk "allergy" produces more of a classic allergic reaction, usually immediate swelling, rash, breathing problems, itching, hives, vomiting... An intolerance seems to be more along the lines of constipation or D, headaches, GI distress. These can also be delayed reactions.

I have never had a scratch test for food allergies, but am biased against it personally...would prefer a blood test for conventional IgE allergies. I had one done and all mine came back normal. The intolerance test is where mine showed up. So...yes, I am not 'allergic' to milk, but intolerant. If you tried lactose-free milk alternatives with no improvement, then I would vote for an intolerance. And if milk is causing you distress--then cut it out of your diet for sure.

. What is the difference between food allergy and food intolerance?

Many people think the terms food allergy and food intolerance mean the same thing; however, they do not. A food intolerance is an adverse food-induced reaction that does not involve the immune system. Lactose intolerance is one example of a food intolerance. A person with lactose intolerance lacks an enzyme that is needed to digest milk sugar. When the person eats milk products, symptoms such as gas, bloating, and abdominal pain may occur.

A food allergy occurs when the immune system reacts to a certain food. The most common form of an immune system reaction occurs when the body creates immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies to the food. When these IgE antibodies react with the food, histamine and other chemicals (called mediators) cause hives, asthma, or other symptoms of an allergic reaction.

Introduction

Foods can cause a number of reactions, not all of which are allergic. Anyone can experience an adverse reaction to a food. The types of adverse reactions are as follows:

Adverse Reactions to Foods

Food Intolerance - where the immune system is not involved in the reaction

* Food poisoning

* Idiosyncratic reactions to food

* Anaphylactoid reactions (they act like anaphylaxis but there is no allergy-IgE antibody involved)

* Pharmacologic reactions

Food Allergy - when the immune system is involved in the reaction

* IgE mediated (classic allergy- tests are available) Non-IgE mediated

* Type III immune response- a serum sickness like reaction

* Type IV immune response- a contact dermatitis type reaction

Food Allergy- Facts and Figures

Food intolerance accounts for 80% of all adverse reactions to food.

Food allergy accounts for 20% of all adverse reactions to food.

Allergic reactions can be itching, swelling, rash, spreading hives, vomiting, diarrhea, breathing difficulties and in the most severe of the allergic disorders, anaphylaxis can lead to collapse and death. By definition, anaphylaxis is an allergic reaction which involves two of the body's systems (eg respiratory and gastrointestinal or skin). Anaphylactic deaths as a result of insect bites or penicillin are usually very quick - within minutes - and due to cardiac arrest, anaphylactic deaths due to food allergies are usually due to suffocation (breathing difficulties).

Food intolerance reactions can be the same as above, as well as:

airways (asthma, stuffy or runny nose, frequent colds and infections)

gastrointestinal tract (irritable bowel symptoms, colic, bloating, diarrhea, vomiting, frequent mouth ulcers, reflux, bedwetting, 'sneaky poos', 'sticky poos')

central nervous system (migraines, headaches, anxiety, depression, lethargy, impairment of memory and concentration, panic attacks, irritability, restlessness, inattention, sleep disturbance, restless legs, moodswings, PMT).

Symptoms of food intolerance can come and go and change throughout life.

[VydorScope]

Have you actually been diagnosed as a Celiac by antibody tests and endoscopy or was this a self-diagnosis?

Dx'd via related disorders (Anemai, Ostorposis, etc) and tripple run of the glutten challange. I am IGA deficient so standard blood test iwll never show postive and the complete panel is not covered by ins.

Does the dairy reaction happen with both whole milk and skim milk and does it happen with both cultured and uncultured dairy products? In my case, oddly enough, allergy testing indicated I was allergic not to the milk protein cassein but to the milk fat, a lipo protein. Neither am I lactose intolerant.

I only drink whole milk. I do not know for sure, BUT I do not think yogurt bothers me. I plan an OD run on yogurt next to see. Cheese is so rare any more that I can not say for sure. I some times ahve a peice of 2% (only thing store carries) string cheese with lucnh, and I do not think it bothers me.

I have never had a scratch test for food allergies, but am biased against it personally...would prefer a blood test for conventional IgE allergies. I had one done and all mine came back normal. The intolerance test is where mine showed up. So...yes, I am not 'allergic' to milk, but intolerant. If you tried lactose-free milk alternatives with no improvement, then I would vote for an intolerance. And if milk is causing you distress--then cut it out of your diet for sure.

Prehaps I should go back to that allergy doc and ask him if he can do the blood test. I will be seeing him tommorrow for my son's check up anyways (hopeing he has out grown his egg allergy for Easter!) Based on your sympton list it lines up better with intorlence.

*sigh*

[mmaccartney]

An immediate reaction is typical of an IGE (allergic) immune response. Though most milk allergies I've run into are hives, swelling, etc.

My families Immunologist (Allergist) recommends the skin prick test over the blood test. The reason is that the blood test can pick up "noise" in the system and obscure the results.

[Carriefaith]

Since you took lactaid and still got a reaction, I would guess that you probably have an intolerance or an allergy to casein the milk protein.

I have had the skin scratch test for milk, and about 4 zillon other foods (as many as they would let me take!) and all came back with no alergic response. So in theroy I should not be allergic, right? Or should I go back and ask for the blood test?

I had the skin prick test done for milk allergy (and other foods) in October 2003 and the results were negative for milk; however, I had a blood test done for milk allergy (and other foods) and the results were mildly positive. From my experience, I would suggest getting the blood test done.

[penguin]

I had both the blood IgE tests and the skin tests, and both were negative. The allergist said that he can do all the skin and blood tests, but the proof of an allergy or intolerance to foods is an elimination diet. Worth a shot, right? Ask the dr tomorrow if there's anything he can suggest.

Vincent, I thought at first that we were similar milk wise, but you're reactions are much stronger than mine. I feel crappy after drinking a glass of milk for 30 mins to an hour, and then I'm ok. It feels like I ate too much, for the most part. Lactaid milk doesn't give me that problem, nor does cheese or yogurt (although a yoplait nouriche this morning has me feeling a bit odd).

I hope you find your answers! Sorbets are often very good...and I sometimes eat my corn flakes with orange juice because I had a friend as a kid that was allergic to milk. She ate her cereal with OJ, and so did I when I stayed with her because her parents didn't keep dairy in the house! It sounds really strange, but it's actually pretty good. I'm going to have to try it with puffins...

Feel better

Oh, and maybe the chugging of the milk had something to do with it? Whole chocolate milk is awful rich! Maybe it overwhelmed the lactaid...

[terps19]

I was going to ask if you had tried the tests by Enterolab but since you dont produce the IgA then I think that maybe those tests are out the window right?

My Enterolab results were intollerance to the milk protien casein and gluten. I always thought that my problem related to milk was lactose intollerance but now I know that it isnt. However I started to suspect I had a milk intollerance when I ate icecream 2 days in a row after taking 2 lactaid pills. Well the first night I got a little bloated and the second night I had severe D. So after that I just decided not to eat icecream. I still make mashed potatoes with lactaid milk and now that I think about it I always do feel a little sick afterwards. I am planning on cutting out all gluten and milk in May after I go on my honeymoon, but I am starting to ease into the diet now.

I do believe another reply touched on this but I have a severe allergy to coconut. My syptoms are nausea, D and mad gas at first. Followed by itching, a tickle in my throat, trouble breathing and then to top it all off anaphalytic shock... I need to carry an epipen. So I highly doubt you are allergic to milk...you just get a reaction from it. Maybe try to drink Rice Milk (I believe Westsoy has a gluten-free rice milk) with your cereal etc. Rice Dream which is very good unfortunately has .02% gluten in it. I mean why would they put that little gluten in there... just take it out!!!! You can also try Soy milk but many people with food intollerances have reactions to soy. I hope I answered some of your concerns. Good luck with your next step in this painful process of trying to figure out your trigger foods.

[VydorScope]

Cant afford Entrolab, so realy kind of a moot point.

OKay, well then whats the next step? Try skim milk? THat would detrimine if it milk fat or caisen right? I guess I should jsut wati till I talk with the doc tommorow.

[VydorScope]

.

Prehaps I should go back to that allergy doc and ask him if he can do the blood test. I will be seeing him tommorrow for my son's check up anyways (hopeing he has out grown his egg allergy for Easter!) Based on your sympton list it lines up better with intorlence.

Ops wont be seeing him till next week....