We Trialed Cow's Milk Today

[Spectra]

Well, we trialed cow's milk today, I was advised to do so by the doctor as the allergy test result was so low.  I put 1 oz in his formula this morning at 10am.

1 hour later his nose was running really bad.  His congestion got worse and he was sneezing and snots were everywhere.  Still runny nose. 

I kept all the other food the same.  Other than the congestion he seemed fine, until bedtime.  30min after I put him to bed he woke up screaming and crying.  I tried many times to put him back down but he was inconsolible.   I tried to hold him, but he twisted and turned so much.  He was crying so bad he even threw up a little, not much though.  I tried to lie him on me, on the couch, but he was so upset.  As soon as I sat him up he stopped crying and fell asleep sitting up, his head resting on me.  I repositioned him to sit up and he woke up and sat there awake for 30min until he got tired again, and I put him back to bed.

He kept rubbing his cheeks and chin this whole time, something he use to do when he had bad eczema.  So far his cheeks are fine, but I know that it can take some time for that to kick in.

I don't know if all this fussiness was a reaction to the milk.  It was hours ago that he had the milk, 11 hours actually, could it really take that long to make him so fussy?  He's usually quite easy to put to sleep.  Before this it has been 5 months since he's had milk formula.

I do believe the congestion is a result of the milk, he was completely fine up until 1 hour after he had the milk.  Should I just try again tomorrow or consider this a fail?

[donna_issabella]

Personally, I would see that as conclusive, but knowing myself, I would wonder whetehr I was imagining it.

It took some time to reach the gut and irritate it, hence the delayed reaction this evening; the congestion about an hour after taking it in, also reaffirms the intolerance. That is a clear no, IMHO.

Watch and see tomorrow if he has any rash, either diaper or face/body.

Good luck for tonight. Henry is still not himself and it is 6 weeks after we tried. *Sigh*

[Spectra]

Wow 6 weeks! 

Yeah, I believe you are right.  He just woke up again 30min ago, had to hold him for another 30min.  I tried to feed him, to make sure that wasn't the problem, but he wouldn't take anything.  He's lying in his crib right now, rubbing his feet against the mattress, seems he can't get comfy.

[Spectra]

Well, he woke up two more times.  One where he just lied in bed moaning and whimpering for 30min before going back to sleep.  Then again at 5am where eventually he went back to sleep.  This morning he's worse.  Still runny nose, and soo cranky.  All he wants to do is sit with me on my lap and cuddle.  He ate half of his cereal and no formula.  He was awake for 1.5 hours and is now back to sleep.  I also checked his temp under his armpit and he has a fever of 100.

I called my general doctor and they think he just has a cold as allergies don't usually cause fevers they say.  So could it be that this isn't a reaction at all to the milk?  That he just happened to come down with something the same day? 

[Spectra]

Finally got through to the allergist and they think that he probably has a virus now.  After I thought about it I remembered that the kids went to this big Christmas party on Saturday, that's probably where he got the virus.  I've never seen him like this before.  Usually when my kids get sick it's just a cold, now I think he actually is sick sick.  He even trembles.  I do that when I am really sick.  Poor boy.  I just gave him some Advil to help.  He only seems to sleep for 30min before he wakes, so I'm going to try and sneak some coffee in.

Plus my daughter has started complaining about her nose running....

[Mydreamcametrue]

I don't know Melanie, but seems funny to me. 

You know when we first gave Tyler whole milk, well is was Lactaid - Lactose free whole milk.  Anyhow for the next 4 days or so, he woke up every morning covered in poop.  At the same time, Zach had just gotten over a tummy virus, so I blamed it on that. 

Finally I said enough and put him back on rice milk and it went away.  I tried once again and same thing happened. 

I think I would be really nervous to try again based on his history.  The test could have been so low because he has not been exposed to it in almost a year.

Please keep us posted.  Wendy

[donna_issabella]

I disagree with the fever! The whole histamine cascade is able to cause fever, how else do they explain a fever with teething. 

Might be a combination, but I would DEFINITELY NOT contribute all of this just to a viral infection, it is just toooo coincidental.

Henry did the same, he was 8-9  months at the time that we trialed milk the first time, in his cereal. His nose started running immediately - even on antibiotics at the time, and also had a fever. I thought it must have been a viral infection - did find it funny that he got sick whilst he was mending, KWIM? Anyhoo, a week later I admitted defeat and stopped the milk and the fever, the runny nose etc stopped a few days later. Funny viral infection, eh?

HUGS and good luck! Is a tough thing to deal with.

xx
DI

[Spectra]

Yeah, my daughter has it now and my nose is running real bad too.

[Mydreamcametrue]

So are you going to trail milk again once your colds clear up?

[Spectra]

Yes I will trial it again, but I'm going to wait until he's completely good again.  May even wait until after Christmas lol.

[Jimbob]

I think I would wait until after christmas if I was in your situation to be honest. I suppose it depends how long it takes your lo to get over a fail though really.

Kelly