Originally posted by anitram
yolland, how did you go about figuring out you could have non-cow milk?
Through trial and error...aided by knowing from experience that a small--and I mean SMALL--amount of cow's-milk product, particularly in lower-casein forms such as butter or cream, would not likely cause me anything worse than bad congestion and a headache. (Larger amounts cause hives in my throat and the need for an epi shot.) So, I started by cautiously trying a few sips of goat's milk, noting no ill effects, increasing the amount a little and noting the same result, then going from there. Goat, sheep, and camel milk have all gone over well. Water buffalo milk, I did not have success with, perhaps because they're so closely related to cows...so, no
mozzarella di bufala for me. I would be wary of trying yak's milk for the same reason. I've never had the opportunity to try reindeer, mare, moose or donkey milk, although there are places where people drink these as well.
Regardless, I never travel without my Epipen--as you know, if one is prone to anaphylatic-type reactions at all, one should never assume that just because no such reaction has occurred in a while, that it therefore won't happen again. It
is true though in a significant number of cases that people with allergies to cow's casein prove not to be allergic to goat/sheep/etc. casein, i.e., they are allergic only to milks of the genus
Bos. If you're at least curious about the possibilities for experimenting, which being an intrepid traveler you probably are, then I would suggest first asking your allergist what s/he thinks, weighing in your own experience of how quickly and intensely and from how much exposure your reactions set in, having your epi ready, and going from there. Always try lower-casein products (e.g.--not cheese!) first. Admittedly I did not consult with an allergist first myself, but that was risky and stupid--s/he may well know things about the biochemical patterns evinced by your past reactions that you should know but don't.