I have read quite a lot over recent years about the benefits of cutting certain food groups out of your diet to ease fibromyalgia symptoms. Personally, I didn’t give it much gravitas and went on with my day thinking I had these pains and needed to get on with living my life with them. The main one: does dairy affect fibromyalgia or will switch to a fully vegan diet help?

That was until my sister suddenly became quite ill. We ended up being back and forth to the GP and hospital for many tests yet over time; nothing seemed to help her. Until she did a little bit of googling and came across something called Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), this is when stomach acid flows back into your oesophagus. The acid can irritate the oesophagus, causing issues. Apparently, this encapsulated all she was suffering from once other issues had resolved and were no longer a problem.

Once she discovered this tidbit of information, she decided to go dairy-free. It removed all the pain she was feeling and nausea and helped her get back to full health with some relatively minor dietary changes. She suggested that going dairy-free would benefit me and help my fibro symptoms. I was still on the fence over does dairy affect fibromyalgia.

Does Dairy Affect Fibromyalgia?

Again I was extremely dubious, yet I couldn’t discount how dramatically her health changed almost overnight. Yet I still needed more persuasion and something to it me over the edge. I mean, I loved my coffees and cheese on toast and could I really live a full dairy-free life? I am addicted to chocolate. Milk chocolate. I wasn’t, and I’m still not ready to give that up.

It would be late 2020 when I finally took the plunge. I started off trying almond milk-based ready-made cold coffee drinks to assess whether I would taste the almond milk. My sister swaps between almond milk and coconut milk.

I wasn’t instantly repulsed and decided to make the change and go diary free to help my fibromyalgia symptoms. I tried some hazelnut milk first from ASDA in my coffee, and honestly, I didn’t eat that much cheese to be 100% bothered by this, but I didn’t jump right in and try vegan cheese alternatives at first.

Does going dairy-free ease fibro symptoms?

At first, I didn’t actually notice any difference. I actually think it was a couple of weeks in before I noticed any changes. You see, for a long time, I had been suffering from this nasty intermittent pain just under my left breast. It would feel like my insides were twisting and being ripped out. It could be excruciating. I’d had scans and tests, and they all came back showing nothing to cause those type of pains in that place. Could it be as easy as finding the answer to the question; does diary affect fibromyalgia once and for all?

Except after switching to dairy-free for fibromyalgia, I realised it has stopped. I still get a dull ache now and again, but the horrendous pain had stopped. Could it have been the dairy and all along I was actually showing intolerance to dairy products? That and a reduction in IBS symptoms proved that yes, dairy was playing a part in causing me excess pains that worsened my fibromyalgia symptoms.

Dairy-Free Changes to My Lifestyle

These days, I east minimal cheese products. Having tried vegan cheese and not being a fan, I avoid milk and dairy products. I swapped my morning Tassimo caramel latte for an Americano with self added almond milk or hazelnut milk, and I cut out ice cream – not that I ate a lot anyway.

I still eat chocolate, and there is still the occasional dull ache where that specific pain used to be. Still, for now, I am thrilled with the difference going dairy-free has made to my life and my fibromyalgia symptoms and will continue this going forward.

In conclusion; the answer to the question, does dairy affect Fibromyalgia symptoms for me was a resounding yes. Although I appreciate everyone is different and making dairy-free changes won’t benefit all  people with Fibromyalgia