I'm hoping someone here with personal experience can help me! I have been casein free for about 7 mths. I have Dx'd Celiac, but I never have been formerly tested for antibodies to casein. However, I know that 50% of Celiacs also react to casein, and my "allergic shiners" got better once gluten-free, but never cleared. As soon as I went casein free, they did.

I have never had any other symptoms from casein.

In the past month, I have had a Bacon Ranch Salad at McD's (supposed to be gluten-free here in Canada), which contains dressing with casein twice. This is the one case where I cheat.

Both times, I have had trouble breathing after, almost like an asthma attack. I also turn pale and become dizzy. The reaction is similar to a gluten CC reaction for me, but usually I do not have trouble breathing. Also, my blood pressure and blood sugar *did not drop* which is what happens usually when I am glutened. My most noticeable symptom was trouble breathing.

Now, I know it's possible to have both allergies and Celiac, and that a true casein allergy is rare.

Is there anyone here that simply has an "intolerance" to casein (neg IgE bloodwork) that has had similar reactions?

I just can't believe that all of the sudden I have developed an "allergy" like reaction to casein.

I have both a gluten and casein intolerance. Like you, I also used to have very dark circles under my eyes until I eliminated both. Oddly enough I didn't even really notice, others noticed and kept telling me how much healthier I looked and specifically mentioned the circles.

I'm luckier in that it's just an intolerance, and that I've found gluten to affect me much worse than casein. I also have noticed that the symptoms I feel when I eat gluten are different than the symptoms when I eat casein. Casein symptoms are more digestive related in that they cause my stomach to gurgle and growl at me like it hates me, I would also say that sometimes it is more difficult to breathe after I've eaten some dairy, but not always, and not to the degree that I get worried. Gluten symptoms are still digestive but more severe and I can feel more "pain".

Next time, why not try your own GFCF dressing on the Bacon Ranch salad and see if you get the same symptoms. Most fast food salad dressings, and really even storebought dressings have all kinds of bs in them (MSG, food starches, casinates), and most fast food products period have weird stuff in them (like the cheese on the salad, the bacon on the salad, etc..) You could always try to make your own bacon ranch salad at home with natural ingredients and a GFCF dressing to see if the same symptoms occur.

Hope that helps..

a true casein allergy is *not* rare - milk allergy (and it's to the protein - casein) is one of the eight most common allergies (in the US, anyway. chances are it's quite close, if not the same, for canada as well.)

what you're describing *does* sound like an allergy, as it affects your breathing. because of that, however, it sounds like it has the potential to be a serious allergy - one that you need to talk to an allergist about. the fact that gluten causes your blood sugar to drop suddenly as well also implies that you may be more than gluten intolerant, and may have a wheat allergy as well.

the reason I mention it, and encourage you to see an allergist, is that both of those reactions are ones that suggest a significant allergy, and one that, if you continue to have repeated exposures, could grow into an anaphylactic allergy, which can be lifethreatening. please get tested for both a wheat and milk allergy.

(I don't doubt that you are gluten intolerant - you can have that in addition to the allergies.)

Thank you both. I have suspected for a little while that I also may have a wheat allergy in addition to Celiac. I have always had pretty severe reactions. I just can't believe that I may also potentially have a casein allergy as well!

I do agree that I need to go for formal allergy testing ASAP. My fiance will kill me if he finds out I haven't gone yet. My reactions (oddly enough casein seems to be worse now than gluten) do seem to be getting worse and into "allergy" realm. I am strict about casein now.

Tarnalberry, thank you for letting me know that a casein allergy is *not* rare. I had always thought it was (except in small children)! I also really like Hustlingwheat's idea, I will try this if nothing comes back from the allergy testing. I will miss the convenience of being able to eat "normally" when out, but that's life! Oh well! What stresses me out is that I could eat the Bacon Ranch salad just fine before (salads at home as well, however I never added cheese or dressing with casein).

I was hoping to convince myself that this was not an allergy in any way. I should know better, but I just don't want anything else to worry about!

P.S. I also agree that there are WAY too many questionable food additives.

I react to casein in this way as well. It causes asthma symptoms in my 3 year old although she tested IgE negative.