<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>> When I first began taking kefir, I had this strange tingling, stinging, almost burning sensation in my insides. I also had fatigue and sloppy, smelly stools for several days after I started taking kefir. I thought it was the beginning of an allergic reaction to the milk. I almost stopped using it, but I kept drinking the kefir in fruit smoothies because I liked it so much, I had a really bad candida problem and needed the probiotics in kefir. Another list member told me she had exactly the same reaction, but when she gave kefir to her family none of them had a reaction, even her tender tummy hubby. She said also that it stopped her immune compromised son's chronic diarrhea. (WOW!) Just this morning, I called my doctor's office & told them about my experience with kefir -- how it relieved a chronic candida albicans and constipation problem. The nurse, who is also a colon therapist, was fascinated. She asked if I had a Herxheimer reaction. "Now that you mention it, yes, I did." I told her. I didn't associate the the above symptoms with a Herxheimer reaction. I thought it was a "bug" that caused my symptoms. Come to find out, those strange sensations signaled the beginning of an actual war in my guts between lots of "bugs." And the dumping of the foul, sloppy stools evidenced that the good guys had won the war! Hoorah! A Herxheimer reaction frequently occurs after a significant "die off" of candida albicans and other unfavorable micro organisms. Here is a website that explains what to expect after you begin a good program that conquers candida albicans overgrowth. It's a commercial website so they are, of course, trying to sell an expensive probiotic. I snicker now because my probiotic, kefir, is so cheap and more effective than any commercial product I've ever tried. . . and I've tried lots of 'em! http://www.flora-balance.com/whatotexpect.htm To learn more about kefir see this website: http://users.chariot.net.au/~dna/kefirpage.html#what's-kefir Commercially prepared kefir starters are avialable at health food stores. If they don't have it in stock, ask them to order it for you. Commercially prepared kefir starters lose their potency after a few batches, so a new kefir starter packet must be used for each batch if you want consistant results. But stable, self propagating kefir grains are available FREE through this website: http://66.46.11.99/clarkson/Show/Clarkson/kefir/default.asp You may have to contact several listed sources before you get a response, but keep trying. It's worth it! I should add here, that I initially started out using Yogourmet kefir starter and had the great results I've posted about (See: Candida and unexpected solution to chronic constipation). I believe that anyone who wants to try kefir would do well with this product as I did. You can also buy prepared kefir milk at the health food store. I got a headache from it. I don't know if it was because I can't tolerate the cow's milk it was made from or because it had other possibly offensive ingredients (FOS). But I've had NO problems and great results with the goat milk kefir. ~Valerie in Tacoma ________________________________________________________________ The best thing to hit the Internet in years - Juno SpeedBand! Surf the Web up to FIVE TIMES FASTER! Only $14.95/ month - visit www.juno.com to sign up today! * Visit the Celiac Web Page at www.enabling.org/ia/celiac/index.html *