I tried to introduce cow dairy products into my diet this week. The reason I wanted to was not for health but for convenience. I wanted to be able to eat normal cheddar cheese. Up until now I’ve been eating goat milk cheddar cheese and goat milk yogurt only.
I bought some organic cow’s cheddar cheese the other day and tried a little bit. I didn’t seem to have any symptoms so I had more. And more. Pretty soon I’d eaten a fairly decent sized chunk of cheese. Then the itching started. I broke out in hives all over my chest! What the heck!? I ate cow dairy products my entire life with no reaction like this. I had a food allergy test done showing no signs of allergy. Mind you, I hadn’t eaten any dairy for about a year and a half at that point. But I really didn’t expect an allergic reaction to a food. I’m always reacting only with digestive issues. Strangely enough, even though I broke out in hives, I had no tummy troubles at all. And I had quite a bit of the cheese too.
I’m fine with staying on goat dairy products for now. I know it’s healthier for me. Goat’s milk has more of some nutrients and is much easier to digest (proteins and fat). I like my yogurt and goat cheddar cheese. I just wish I could have cheddar cheese at restaurants or friend’s BBQ get togethers and such. I’m not sure if I’d be willing to deal with itchy hives again just for some cheese.
Sigh.. still haven’t added new things into my diet, since both squash and cow cheese is out. Hopefully my next attempt will turn out better.
Update: I’m pretty sure it was not the cow’s milk cheese that gave me the reaction. Not sure what it was!
I have been on the SCD for 5 years and I used to get those damn hives that you talk about after I would eat certain things. They were little ones I would get two or three in one specific place on my arm or leg and they would go away in about 30 minutes as long as i didn’t itch or touch them. They were about the size of a pencil eraser and it looked like a blister. I also would get weird rashes from time to time and they would go way. I never really could pinpoint what caused them….but I think it was certain sugary things, eggs, and things like that. Dermatologists had no idea either. I think it has to do with die-off of bacteria or bacteria in general. Don’t forget that the skin is the largest organ on your body and it’s the bodys means or eliminating toxins. Needless to say I don’t have that problem anymore. i took about 2-3 years for it to stop and occasionally I’ll get a little one here or there…but they are pretty much gone. None of the things bothered my stomach either. I just said the hell with it and ate. You will find that many people with IBD have skin issues in some way….makes me think it has to do with bacteria. I think I’ve changed my flora in a good way and that explains the reason I don’t get these rashes anymore. Thought you would be interested in hearing that your not alone and keep to the diet and maybe it will eventually subside like mine did.
Craig
Craig, Thank you for sharing that. I didn’t realize this was common and I thought I was never going to be able to have cow dairy products. I hope I have significant healing in the coming months and years, so that I’m able to tolerate it again. I’m certainly going through die-off or detox or something, I have red bumps that seem like acne all over. I hope things get better quickly.
I probably won’t do like you and just eat it anyway. I had over a dozen large welt-sized hives on my chest that itched for a while (I couldn’t help but scratching). I don’t really want that again any time soon!
Thanks a lot for your input,
Kat
Sorry to hear about your hives. I do think there is still hope though that you will be able to have cow milk later in this whole process.
I got hives twice just from the stress of seeing a GP before – LOL!
I’ve had a few interesting days by the way, both IBS-wise and in terms of food. Will tell you about that later. 😉
Take care now!
Hey Ulrika!
I’ve never had hives before, it was so weird. I hope it doesn’t happen again. Maybe it was stress, who knows. I’ll give another cow dairy attempt in the future. I’ve been so busy the past 2 weeks I can hardly breathe. Lets hope for some lazy days of summer soon…