lactose in allergy meds?

[deckchariot]

dd2 is MSPI, and ebf, so I've been dairy/soy free since April.  I just noticed this morning that my allergy meds (zyrtec) contains lactose.  Now I know lactose isn't the same thing as casein, the milk protein, but is it going to cause a problem for dd2?  I've been taking it because zyrtec is safe for bfing, and earlier, I had a really bad case of hives and my dr wasn't sure if it was fungal or allergy-related, so I started taking zyrtec.  dd2 still does have occasional mucousy poops, but her eating is better, her reflux is controlled on meds, and there isn't any blood in her stool.  Should I cut out the zyrtec because of the lactose?

[JennŠ]

Or change to the liquid version?  I just checked ours and it does not appear to have any in it.  Not horrible tasting either.

[deckchariot]

I don't know that I've even seen a liquid version...I'll have to look.

[JennŠ]

Walgreens has one, Wal-Mart, probably several others.

[Edesanja]

I remember Kirry (huntersmummyinoz) getting a medical answer about this - I can't remember the exact details why but the gist was medicinal lactose was different that food lactose because it doesn't include any milk protein and so shouldn't be a problem. I used teething tablets for J which contain lactose and treated it like a food challenge just in case but he was fine with them.

[deckchariot]

I actually just noticed her PREVACID has lactose in it....seriously?!  I'm going to ask my ped on Monday at Katie's 6 mos appt.

[huntersmummyinoz]

so she's not allergic right, rather intolerant?? if that's right then she is more than likely fine on lactose. lactose is the milk sugar so usually isnt a problem for mpi, milk/cassein/whey/etc are issues because they contain milk protein.

and as jenny said, i Q'ed my paed and dietician a lot on this as wanted to used teething powders with lactose, and pharmaceutical/medicinal lactose must not contain ANY milk protein what so ever (at least in australia). whereas food grade lactose is often ok, but cannot guarantee no milk protein.

[deckchariot]

yes, it's MSPI, so then she should be ok?  I'm going to wait til Monday to restart the zyrtec for me, but at least that makes me feel better about the prevacid.

[huntersmummyinoz]

should be fine, unless she is also lactose intolerant, BUT you'd think she would have reacted to her meds then. treat the zyrtec like a food challenge for 3 days just to be sure

[deckchariot]

what would that look like?

[huntersmummyinoz]

ds2 has multiple intolerances (still soy and salicylates but 'think' he is all good on full dairy recently  , and were able to add back wheat and egg early on), so we treat any new food/substance as a challenge. i give the new food for 3 days (or 7 days if likely to cause a reaction eg. wheat, egg, yoghurt), no other new foods/substances or any changes in routine, for those days. then keep an eye out for his typical reaction signs, for him these could be rash (whole body or just spots on face/forehead), mucous poo, irritable, nw or busted naps, refluxing, etc). if he has a definite reaction, i stop immediately, if it's a maybe then i either keep going for a few more days to see if anything further or more conclusive develops or stop it and rechallenge in a few weeks. HTH

[deckchariot]

yes, that does help!  I'm going to wait til things settle out from the hurricane.  Hopefully that will be soon!

[~*~Louisa~*~]

most tablets contain lactose its in the coating

[deckchariot]

and we have power, so now we can settle back into a routine and I'll try the zyrtec again and see....

[huntersmummyinoz]

good luck