Can you grow out of being lactose intolerant?

[Mish19]

Can you grow out of being lactose intolerant?
I hardly need to take my Lactaid pills. Although I still haven't tried to drink real, normal milk yet.

 

[tiggersmom2]

Can you grow out of being lactose intolerant?
I hardly need to take my Lactaid pills. Although I still haven't tried to drink real, normal milk yet.

Most lactose intolerance does not manifest itself until early adulthood ( I became LI at age 26) and you do NOT outgrow it. It is very possible for a baby to outgrow a lactose ALLERGY but lactose intolerance is not outgrowable.....sorry, I wish it were, for both of us!!!

ETA : The reason you can not outgrow it is because you are missing the lactase enzyme.

 

[Mish19]

It started when I was around 18 and the symptoms have really seemed to lessen, weird huh?

 

[tiggersmom2]

It started when I was around 18 and the symptoms have really seemed to lessen, weird huh?

One reason for this is, you may have SOME lactase enzymes and as long as you take lactaid or only drink a small amount of milk, your few enzymes can handle that.

 

[Poohbear123]

I have had this since I was about 17 years of age. When I was pregnant with my DS I could drink ALL the milk I wanted, with DD no way. However, I have times when I CAN drink reg. milk, but not too often maybe once or twice every 3 months or so. Some cheese upsets me, some icecream but it depends. Today I had Publx Ice Cream and it upset me BAD!

 

[dancergirl]

I have been allergic (or intolorant?) since I was very young. In the past year or two (Im 17) it has gotten much better. Now the only time I get sick is if I drink a special coffee drink with a lot of milk and cream. I think I remember my doc. telling me that it was possible for someone young to grow out of it. Not sure about it starting as an adult and if it will go away or not. Good luck!

 

[luvdisney81]

I was allergic to it as a baby. Always had some problems although I have just become accustomed to it in my life. At 23 I have outgrown it a little since the teenage years. It used to be really bad then, but now I don't have to worry about it to much. Of course at Holiday time it is always worse since everything is so rich. I have to decided, fudge or Egg nog, a small glass of course.

BTW I have never taken lactaid pills, I hear they help.

 

[Michelina]

I'm LI, over the past few years (I'm 29) I seem to handle cheese a lot better but milk and ice cream still make me sick.

 

[Sleepy]

Milk used to give me migraines. Upon adulthood, it gives me migraines AND gas. No milk products for me! Lactaid doesn't work either.

 

[msdznyduck]

DD 14 was always a 'gassy' baby, not colicy, just noisy.....if you know what I mean. She would complain when she got older of having a tummy ache, and then the following bathroom trips. (but not always after drinking milk, or ice cream, etc) And then she would be fine for quite a while, and then she would start having symptoms again. At 10, she was diagnosed with LI, but like I said, it comes and goes.When she is having problems,it will bother her for a few months or so. As long as she takes Lactaid tabs (or pills) before she indulges in ice cream, pizza, etc. she is usually okay. She usually does, even if it hasn't bothered her for a while, cause you never know........