Could It Be The Milk ?

[jacq]

Can't find anyone with this problem but it is really worrying me. It sounds so stupid but since i read that humans should not drink cows milk as they can't digest it properly i have started getting terrible stomach cramps and can't keep off the loo :blush: . I only have to have a small amount in a cup of tea and it starts, if i have weetabix for breakfast it is agony and i have now started avoiding milk all together and only drink squash.The problem is i am not sure if it is all in my mind or not, a friend suggested that i may be intolerant but at 38 surely i would have had symptoms before. My doctor is no help and if ever i go he takes one look at my medical history and says it's because of my anxiety. I am now starting to avoid giving my kids milk incase they get the same problems but i know they really need the calcium. I dread going out now incase there is not a toilet nearby, as this makes me more anxious and needing the loo more. Above said friend has suggested that i try a dairy free milk which number 1 will help the symptoms if i am intolerant and number 2 may help with the anxiety about drinking something that was never intended for human digestion, so i bought some alprosoya from asda. I have never tasted anything so disgusting!!! Is there anyone who has tried a dairy free alternative that is a bit more tasty. I am not a vegtarian so this isn't a moral problem i just can't stop worrying that milk is bad for you, strange as it sounds.

Jacq x

[barbie]

Lacto Free tastes just like milk - well it IS milk just filtered until it has less than 0.5% lactose in it.

It might not be the milk. Although cows milk is not suitable for everyone, many many people have it all their life and are absolutly fine! If it wasnt safe for human consumption it would not be sold ANYWHERE, trust me. Milk is intended for babies, human babies have human milk, kittens have cats milk, calfs have cows milk, etc, because milk from the mother has special nutrients etc to boost the immune system. What can happen is that with age you can become intolerant to the lactose in other animals milk, hence why cats and dogs shouldnt be given cows milk. Not everyone gets this intolerance though!

However, cows, goats and sheeps milk are very popular for drinks, cheeses, for use in cooking etc etc. If they were dangerous to us they would not be used.

It could be that reading about it has triggered an anxiety attack that has made you have an upset stomach. Or it could be that you have a bug but it just so happens that its started at the same time as you read about the milk thing.

Please try not to worry, easier said than done, but you are not going to poison yourself or your children by drinking milk. At worst you may have become lactose intolorant, and switching to non dairy products may help. Dont forget this means cheeses, yogurts, butter, cream etc so keep an eye out for labels when shopping.

I have IBS and try to avoid too much dairy as it gives me cramps. Buts thats the worst it does!

[cattttt]

Try any of these: goats milk, soy milk or rice milk. All a bit more expensive, but worth it if you react to cow's milk. You could also try organic cows milk, as it may not be the millk itself, but the stuff they give the cows to increase yield or the antibiotics they give them or the stuff they clean the tanks with. Just a few ideas.

[jacq]

Thanks for the replies, i am going shopping tonight so will definately look out for some of your ideas. Lacto Free sounds worth a go and i am not bothered about paying a bit more if it stops the worry, may get the whole family to give it a go as the kids are nearly both teens they are not that dependant on milk and don't drink that much only a bit on cereal, they have never drunk it as a top up as they were both breast fed till after 2 years so never really got a taste for it - but i realise they still need calcium and have been googling products with calcium, never realised so many products contained it. Also found out strangely that being lactose intolerant doesn't usually give you symptoms eating yoghurt, cheese etc, because of the bacteria thats used to culture it apparantly, so could be why it's only the milk affecting me!. Seems that everytime i pick up the paper these days there is another warning about some product or other and doesn't matter how long i have eating it i still panic that it is going to affect me !.

Thanks Jacq x