What's next if your lactose Intolerant?

Question

I have always loved milk ,well not white milk but chocolate .I would prefer that over anything. And when I got to Ninth grade something changed.I started to become gasy ,get stomach pains ,have diarrhea and be bloated all the time .For awhile I hated going to school because of my stomach.I mean these syptoms came on suddenly .So I went to my Doctor and she thought I had acid reflux and just taking those pills literally made me sick. So she sent me to an Gastro Doctor who thought I had an Ulcer .And put through many test when she diagonse me with IBS. And from there she gave me some pills and the discomfort didn't go away .So my mother called her and it would have taken me 3 almost 4 months to see her .Thank God my sister was also having stomach problems and went to see her and that is where my mom told her that the pills weren't working.Doc suggested I had bacteria in my intestines and go get tested for lactose intolerant and it that's not it she said i have to have an nerves stomach

Answer 1

Well I am lactose intolerant and I can tell you it's not the end of the world. I love love LOVE dairy but, I can still eat it, just in moderation. There are pills out there called Lactaid. I take those before I am going to have dairy and it helps to digest it. There is also soy milk and rice milk if you want to give those a try. Lactaid also makes a milk as well. The lactaid isn't too terrible, tastes like watered down milk. I couldn't like the taste of soy milk or rice milk though. So, I just stick with the regular milk and my pills. I love it too much to give it up.

Answer 2

My husband is lactose intolerant. He uses the lactase pills when he just has to have a dairy product (cheese, yogurt, ice cream...he doesn't drink milk any more at all). He really likes the vanilla flavored soy milk and even puts it on his cereal and in his coffee (when he has some, which isn't very often). They also make a chocolate variety. Or trying mixing chocolate syrup into it yourself. Remember, if you eat milk chocolate...it has milk in it.
There is milk "hidden" in many commercially prepared products, even some breads. So read labels and be sure to take lactase before eating them.
Lactase is the enzyme that helps you to digest lactose (milk sugar). Some people stop producing this enzyme as they age. Some people never, ever produce the enzyme. When lactose is not digested in the stomach and small intestines, it gets into the large intestines where the bacteria that live there digest it. Problem is that they turn it into gas!
Enjoy your life and your food. Just be smart about it.

Answer 3

In answer to your question "What's next if you're lactose intolerant?" you will have to determine the extent of your intolerance. Lactose is a milk sugar that is normally digested by lactase, an enzyme produced naturally by the body. When production of this enzyme drops, lactose isn't completely digested and causes the intestinal problems you have had. They occur primarily in the small intestine, where most digestion takes place and not in the stomach.

If you are still producing some lactase, you will be able to handle limited amounts of dairy products. There are also commercial products - lactase enzyme tablets you can buy to add the enzyme when you consume dairy. There are many lactose-free dairy and non-dairy products on the market - milk, "ice cream", etc. If the lactase production has completely stopped, you will not be able to handle even small amounts and even enzyme tablets may not help.

Avoid all dairy products and if your symptoms stop, it's likely that lactose intolerance is the problem. Avoid lactose and avoid the problem. If you turn out to be lactose intolerant, know that this is extremely common. I, myself, am completely intolerant and unfortunately no lactase enzyme helps me.

Answer 4

First of all drink a lot of water to minimize the effect of whatever it is. It will be easy to see if you are lactose intolerant just by cutting out milk products for a few months. You might have an allergy to something else so go ahead and find out if this is a problem.

You might want to cut down on other, hard to digest, foods as well: beans, cabbage, too much beef, fried foods. Once you find out what it is you can add some of the stuff you love back.

Answer 5

Hi. I actually would seek a second medical opinon and ask to get tested for Celiac Disease, bc your story sounds exactly like mine!! First thought it was lactose, then IBS, put on pills, didnt work, etc. You could be lactose intolerant but its much more likely to be Celiac Disease. CD is an autoimmune disease in which the person cannot digest gluten, a protein in wheat, rye, and barley. 1 in 133 ppl have this disease and it is HIGHLY hereditary and genetic. Meaning if you have it your parents and siblings should be tested.
Please feel free to email me with any other questions and follow the links I provide for mor einfo.
Amy

Answer 6

Sounds like some kind of food intolerance indeed.
Usually it's Milk, Wheat/ gluten, Soy, Eggs, or Yeast.
Cut out one at a time for at least 10 days and see what happens....

Answer 7

Not lightly ,it might but you will reonise it quickly. Lactose is good for babies so i would start him off on regular milk to begin with. you could always brestfeed

Answer 8

Try experimenting yourself by eliminating some foods which you think MIGHT be causing problems. If you go 2 or 3 days with no milk or other dairy problems, this might be your answer.

Answer 9

They have pills for Lactose intolerancy, like LactAid.

Answer 10

My daughter was on a gluten free casein free diet. (Casein is in dairy products). She drank soy milk and rice milk. I was on the diet for a while myself. They tasted pretty good. Especially the chocolate "milk." ;)