Solving Milk Allergy Problems: Digestion of Gum Sweets

[Adder_Noir]

Hi,

I have quite a severe milk allergy. If I eat or drink something containing milk I get bad sleep & excessive dreaming, and bad gas and bowel problems plus low energy.

I ate two bags of very nice and very tasty gum sweets about 4 weeks ago. They were cola bottles and cherry gums and my word they were beautiful. Unfortunately it turns out they both had milk in them. Problems started straight away and have largely stopped in the last couple of weeks. However occasionally I get bouts of unpleasantness again which I know is not due to anything I'm currently eating as my diet is mega strict and I eat very healthily indeed. Is it possible due to the very unnatural nature and texture of these gums sweets and the high amount of milk and man-made stuff in them that my body is still digesting them? I've never reacted well to unnatural foods. I once heard someone say this was common to people with rare blood groups like mine B+. A bit like the difference between a pedigree dog and a mongrel breed. The mongrels being more resilient and better off. Wouldn't know anything about that though.

I'd appreciate any help, I can't think of anything esle that could be causing it!

Thanks

 

[hypatia]

You should probably go see your Doctor, because the symptoms you describe could be anything from Crohns disease to allergies or Irritable bowel syndrome. There is just to many possibilities. Seek medical help.

 

[Monique]

It might take some time for your body to recover, I don't know how long IgE remains in your circulation after the milk-exposure. Keep a close watch on milk in your food. I think it will be very useful for you to write down exactly what you are eating and when you are having these unpleasant symptoms, it is something that will be very informative for your doctor as well.

 

[Adder_Noir]

Hi, I've had several blood tests and they've all come back fine. I've not been diagnosed with anything. It's just an allergy. I know the symptoms caused by milk exposure and that's what I'm experiencing now it's just gone on for longer than normal I think perhaps due to the nature of the foodstuff I ingested holding it in my digestive system for too long.

 

[Moonbear]

Hi, I've had several blood tests and they've all come back fine. I've not been diagnosed with anything. It's just an allergy. I know the symptoms caused by milk exposure and that's what I'm experiencing now it's just gone on for longer than normal I think perhaps due to the nature of the foodstuff I ingested holding it in my digestive system for too long.

How have you determined it's an allergy if your blood tests have all come back fine? Blood tests would identify an allergic reaction, and an allergic reaction wouldn't last that long after exposure. Foods that are NOT digestible pass through the gastrointestinal tract fairly quickly. It should be out of your system entirely within 24 hours. The symptoms you describe sound more like a sensitivity than an allergy anyway. But, given the duration of symptoms, perhaps it is something else. I'd suggest you seek a second opinion, perhaps from a gastroenterologist, if such symptoms are persisting and your regular physician has not identified a cause. Some G.I. ailments are diagnosed by exclusion (i.e., everything else tested has come back negative) or frequently misdiagnosed because they have very similar symptoms to other ailments. It can take time and persistence to get an accurate diagnosis of G.I. ailments.

Though, also consider more simple explanations, such as stress. Sometimes you don't even realize you're responding to stress with such ailments until you're out of the stressful situation (i.e, finishing a course, or graduating from university).

But, pretty much, if G.I. problems are lasting a month, you have probably not been properly diagnosed yet. Again, this is not necessarily because you have a bad doctor, but rather that these sorts of symptoms are common to a lot of ailments, so it's very difficult to sort it all out to find the real culprit.

 

[Adder_Noir]

Hi!

I've had a milk allergy for years. I used to get big red splotches on my legs as a child and as soon as I went to a dietician they recommended I stop taking milk. The problem completely vanished. I also had very bad problems with my sinuses and ear infections as a child and these completely stopped when I stopped drinking milk. Sinus problems are a common issue amongst children with milk allergies.

I was not tested for allergies I was tested for general things such as Iron count and the like. The problem seems to have gone in the last day or two anyway which is great. It is a pain having a milk allergy but the upshot is it forces me to eat very healthily which is great.

I might go and see a gut specialist after what you said. Thanks for the advice

 

[Monique]

How do you know that you still have milk allergy? (you can grow over allergies or get new ones).

 

[jim mcnamara]

Also, consider google for 'intestinal transit times'. There are a lot of factors that affect how long it takes for food to go in and waste to come out - pH and osmolarity, bulk volume and so on.

Unless there are pathogen/parasites involved in your problem, then anything that occurs solely from food ingestion - lactose intolerance is actually a genetic trait, if what you have is lactose intoleance - that last beyond 72 hours or so is probably something secondary to the actual problem. For example, you may have altered intestinal flora for the worse, or you may have another food allergy you are unaware of. Which is what Monique is saying, as well.