Milk intolerance do I need additional calcium?

[startswithanL]

Hello

Wondering if anyone can help me. About three days ago I got a horrific migraine and vomiting after eating a bowl of cereal with whole milk it was very random but ever since then when I eat anything rich in dairy/ milk I end up with let's just say a very runny tummy! Sorry tmi!

Does anyone have any experience of milk or dairy intolerance?

Since I have stopped all dairy and keeping a good diary, the days I'm not having milk I'm not having the runny tummy...

If I end up having an intolerance will I need to take additional calcium, I am a thirty year old mum of two and just worried about osteoporosis later on in life...

How can I have my intolerance confirmed? Would I need to pay for a test?

I have read conflicting things about having a milk intolerance and a milk protein intolerance apparently they are different I really am clueless as a former milk and dairy lover!

Bye bye lurpack crumpets

Many thanks

I cannot tolerate pure milk, but can eat yoghurt OK - worth a try as that will give you some calcium. Also cheese (which I cannot have because of migraines) I have not had milk for a very long time and the result is osteoporosis which is proving hugely problematical for me.

If I could go back I would indeed take calcium and vit D as a precaution. Too late for me now; but not for you.

Thank you so much sorry to hear that - I didn't want to miss it and regret later on. I will try yoghurt as well and see how my stomach is...can't believe it has suddenly come on out of nowhere!

I take a woman's supplement daily as well so need to check how much calcium is in those

My son can’t have dairy so the paediatrician prescribes a multivitamin and recommended oat milk as it’s fortified with calcium. The best thing to do to work out what’s causing this and the type of intolerance/allergy is to exclude the allergen for 2 weeks minimum and then progress up the milk ladder to see what you can tolerate.

There are lots of non dairy sources of calcium. Dairy produce is convenient and lots of people enjoy eating it of course, but it is not an essential part of the human diet. If you google for non dairy calcium sources you will find loads of information. You can take a supplement if you wish of course, but its not essential as there's plenty of foods with calcium in. Don't forget about vitamin D though. In the current nice weather you can probably get enough from sun exposure but there is quite a strong argument for most of us taking supplements through the winter months, whatever we eat.
However, I wouldn't immediately assume that you are going to have to totally avoid all dairy products permanently. The first consideration is whether you are reacting to lactose (the sugar in milk) or the protein. In babies and young children cows' milk protein allergy is relatively common and lactose intolerance is very rare, but in adults it is the opposite way round. In lactose intolerance the body doesn't
Make enough of the enzyme that breaks down lactose so basically the sugar can't be digested and sits in the gut and acts as a laxative, as well as acting as good nutrition for "bad" gut bacteria, upsetting the balance of bacteria in your guts. So you get bloating, griping abdominal pains and diarrhoea which is often really smelly and frothy. It isn't an allergy and doesn't cause any problems outside of the gut. It can be permanant or temporary. Temporary lactose intolerance is not uncommon after a diarrhoea caused by other causes, usually an infection, as the cells that make the lactose digesting enzyme can be damaged and take time to grow back. Cows' milk protein allergy on the other hand is an immune reaction and whilst it can cause diarrhoea there are often multiple different problems including things like skin rashes, wheezing, constipation and blood in the stools.
It is possible to develop either in adulthood, but it is commoner for adults to develop lactose intolerance than CMPA. If it is only your guts that are affected that would also suggest it may be lactose intolerance. If that's the case, you don't need to totally avoid dairy, you can just buy the lactose free versions instead. They contain exactly the same protein, fat, vitamins and minerals as standard dairy produce, its just the lactose that has been taken out. Some dairy is naturally lower in lactose anyway eg cheese contains a lot less than milk, but you can get lactose free versions of all types of dairy.
If it is CMPA you would need to exclude all types of dairy initially, but there are varying degrees of sensitivity and some people can tolerate small quantities, particularly of cooked or processed dairy where the protein molecules have been altered so the body is less likely to "recognise" them. CMPA is a bit harder to manage but these days there are loads of products and dairy free recipes around so it isn't that bad really.
Obviously the best thing to do is to talk to a health professional who can take a full history and give you individual advice, but if it is purely diarrhoea you are getting it might be worth trying some lactose free milk. If you don't react to that, it would point to lactose intolerance which would mean you wouldn't need to worry about your calcium intake really, as lactose free dairy products contain plenty. It might only be temporary too.
Hope you get to the bottom of things and feel better soon.

Iodine if you are not eating sea food/fish (dd's veggie and intolerant of milk)