Anyone here lactose intolerant?

[Jenn]

And, if so, how did you confirm it?

I've been struggling with on and off tummy troubles for the last year - they occur about once a month. I eat/drink alot of dairy. I think I've ruled out other things like IBS because I don't have abdominal pain. I work with a woman with IBS and she compares the pain to labor pains, and I'm certainly not having that.

I just have that "something I ate didn't agree with me" type of thing going on - but once a month is too frequent in my opinion. It all started following an intestinal bug I had last summer that lasted about a month. That went away, and now these occurances once a month or so. I read that intolerances to gluten and/or lactose can follow an episode like that.

I have a doctor's appt on 9/11 (ominous) and I will be discussing with her.

In the meantime, any suggestions/advice?

 

[Dax]

My DH is lactose intolerant. Whenever he eats any kind of dairy product, he gets really bad stomach issues and can spend large amounts of time in the potty...

But everyones intolerance is different

 

[chesirechik]

I am and so is my brother. I think we had some kind of test when we were babies. Like Dax said, everyone's intolerance is different.

I can't drink milk, eat ice cream and certain chocolates, along with lots of other stuff. But I can eat cheese and can tolerate some foods (like Mac & Cheese) that have milk in them

My brother on the other had cannot tolerate ANYTHING with milk, lactic acid, etc in it.

The best thing I've found to do is just avoid the foods you know make you sick. There are also various over the counter meds that are supposed to help your body break down the lactose if you eat ice cream or something. They never helped me, but I someone I work with uses them with great success, I think it's called LacAid or something close. GL with your doctors appt.

 

[UrsulasDaBomb]

Lactose intolerance SUCKS big time. I can't have large amounts of anything with milk in it or I'm spending the rest of the day/evening glued to the toilet. I can have a little bit (one glass of milk, one scoop of ice cream or two-three slices of pizza)but if I overdo, I'm in big trouble. About 20-30 min after I overindulge, my stomach begins to rumble and I get really bad cramps and nausea (which is how I know I've overdone it...). I hope the dr tells you it's not Lactose intolerance. I know it can be controlled to a degree with pills (like Lactaid) but I don't like to even take aspirin if I can help it. I've just learned to avoid milk products and eat pizza sans the cheese.


Gayle(UDB)

 

[doxdogy]

My DH suffers from it. The lactaid doesn't really help him much. He gets stomach cramps and time in the bathroom. He has just learned to eat ice cream and cheese in moderation.

 

[Robinrs]

Both my son and I are. Gives him the runs, makes me violently ill. I have no problem with cooked or aged cheese at all.

 

[katerkat]

Hmmm, I have - I think - IBS and I wouldn't compare the pain to labor. But then, I've never been in labor. What I have done is track my food intake and all mitigating factors. For example, I can have ice cream just fine inside. But ice cream and being outside in the heat will trigger an attack. So, by writing everything down, I can show the doctor my chart and see if there's a pattern.

 

[DonnaS]

There are several different tests that the doctor can order for lactose intolerance. I would ask for her to order one of them as I hate to have someone omit dairy if they aren't really intolerant.

This site gives some information on the tests.

http://www.gastro.org/public/brochures/lactose.html#Tests

 

[Maleficent2]

all to differing degrees

we all can eat cheese, some milk
but creams do us in.

Lactaide works for us.



Mal

 

[ByTheSea]

Lactaid (or the generic - it's all the same) works for me about 60-70% of the time.

I am severely lactose intolerant. I have learned where all the "hidden" dairy products come into play... butter on bread/buns/sandwiches is a sneaky one. I can most easily (with the help of Lactaid) tolerate aged cheeses, or yogurts with active cultures. If the dairy has been dried/processed (like Mac & Cheese, or cheeto's) it's no problem. If it's well baked into something like bread or cake, it's no problem. But not croissants, way too much butter to handle.

Sometimes it's more severe than others, sometimes/often Lactaid just doesn't work (and I'll take at least 4-6 extra strength pills if eating dairy).

Good idea keeping a food dairy, that should help you figure it out.