Did you have any GI "issues" transitioning to raw milk?

[LilacMama]

I am "sampling" a half-gallon of raw milk from a local farm while I consider buying a cow-share. I've never had raw milk before (other than an unpleasant taste 6 years ago!) this. I drank a whole glass on Friday evening when I brought it home. I really liked the taste. I was getting so excited about it. Then all day yesterday I had nausea off and on and a very "Gurgly" stomache. I also had weirdly colored and loose stool (TMI, sorry!!). Today I'm still a little "off" in the stomach department.

I do remember feeling like this sometimes for a day or two when I travel to a new place (outside the U.S.) -- I always figure my body is adjusting to totally new bacteria.

So, was I contaminated? Or is this normal for transitioning to raw milk with all its new bacteria? What should I do?

[Junegoddess]

Have you been drinking pasteurized milk up until now? I ask because if I had those symptoms, I'd be certain I was allergic. But I have a lot of food allergies, so that's the first thing I think of.

The gurgly, rumbling tummy also sounds a lot like lactose intolerance... which can also lead to the yucky stools. Raw milk's lactose is easier to digest, but still bugs some people. In that case, you'd need to stick to fermented/cultured dairy.

[LilacMama]

Thanks for replying! I'm sure it wasn't the lactose because I drink pastuerized whole milk regularly, without any problems. I also drink plenty of pastuerized half and half in my coffee. I don't eat a low-fat diet in any way. So, it's wasn't the fat content.

I rarely have stomach problems, so this is somewhat unique and directly correlated to that milk. I just need to know if it's normal or a big red flag.

[ursusarctos]

I rarely drink milk at all, but neither pasteurized nor raw give me stomach issues.

If I got some raw milk and had that kind of reaction I might try getting myself used to it over a week or so, in case my stomach just wasn't used to all the living things in the milk (possibly with a different batch, maybe that particular one was contaminated?) and if that didn't work then I would assume it's somehow being contaminated in production and not buy raw from that producer anymore.

[Junegoddess]

Originally Posted by LilacMama

Thanks for replying! I'm sure it wasn't the lactose because I drink pastuerized whole milk regularly, without any problems. I also drink plenty of pastuerized half and half in my coffee. I don't eat a low-fat diet in any way. So, it's wasn't the fat content.

I rarely have stomach problems, so this is somewhat unique and directly correlated to that milk. I just need to know if it's normal or a big red flag.

Well, pasteurized milk has all the lactose and no lactase at all, so if that doesn't bother you, it couldn't have been the lactose in the raw milk that caused the problem.

Maybe it was the natural bacteria... or maybe the milk had some bad bacteria. How long did your symptoms last?

[FernG]

My brother always gets loose stools and cramping when he drinks raw milk (goat or cow, he's tried 3 sources) for the first time after a break of a month or longer. This has never happened to anyone else in my family, but it always happens to my brother. After 1 or 2 days, he is fine and can drink the milk without GI upset.

In contrast, my DH has loose stools unless he drinks raw milk everyday. If we have been out of milk for a week or so, the loose stools come back. The first day my DH drinks a glass of raw milk, he gets soft, formed, healthy stools.

[LilacMama]

junegoddess, the symptoms probably lasted about a day with some very mild stomach gurgling the next day.

So, I did bite the bullet and drink another glass of the milk this morning. SO YUMMY. I feel okay right now. If I still feel good on Tuesday morning I'm going to sign up. I think I probably did just have a little tummy "culture shock" (get it? haha).