Lactose Intolerance?

About 4 weeks ago I started getting really bad stomachaches mid-morning (I drink about 2-3 cups of coffee with a lot of milk in the morning along with egg whites for breakfast). One afternoon I had yogurt for lunch and got the stomach pains in the afternoon. Same thing happened when I had pizza for lunch. This doesn't happen when I have salads or turkey. It happens anywhere from 30 minutes- 3 hours after I eat and lasts about 30 minutes to an hour.

I started drinking lactaid in my coffee and haven't had morning pains anymore.

I went to an allergist and I am not allergic to eggs or milk. However she did mention I could be lactose intolerant. I have significantly cut down my dairy (sadly!) and haven't been having issues.

Has anyone else became lactose intolerant as an adult? What steps did you take with a doctor to become diagnosed? Does this sound like lactose intolerance?

Thank you!!

Re: Lactose Intolerance?

It started for me at age 18. I saw a gi dr and was diagnosed with lactose intolerance and ibs. If its something like 1 slice of American cheese I can handle that. Other things like milk and ice cream, I buy the lactaid brand. I get soy for yogurt. Other foods with a lot of dairy I take the lactaid pills. It is manageable.

Re: Lactose Intolerance?

I became intolerant around age 20.

I actually have never been to a doctor but know that I have it. If I overdue it on dairy, I am in big time pain, terrible gas, etc.

Lactose intolerance means you don't have enough of the enzyme in your intestines to digest dairy. You might have some enzyme, just not enough to handle a lasagna. That's why there are varying degrees of lactose intolerance.

Mine has gotten worse over time but it seems not all dairy products have the same amount of lactose.

You can go to the doctor but if you are having symptoms every time you consume dairy and with nothing else, you probably have it.

You can buy the lactaid pills and just use them when you want to enjoy. You will need to see what your tolerance is as everyone is different.

I don't have any problem with yogurt, I think the probiotics help?

Also, scientists have discovered this is the "natural" way to be. Humans were never really meant to digest dairy but through evolution, have become able to. The majority of the world's population (especially non Europeans) are lactose intolerant.

HTH

Re: Lactose Intolerance?

My Grandpa was, My Mom is and I was from age 15-19, for unexplained reasons I reintroducted it into my diet at 19 and have been fine ever since which is very weird.

For us if we had any dairy besides some parm cheese it wasn't just a stomach ache, but horrible runs for like 45m, the type where you are praying and want to die! Sorry tmi!

When my Grandpa was in his 70's he was finally able to tolerate pizza, my Mom is now 60 and she can have a bit of goat cheese here and there and is okay.

Basically if you are LI the double sugar enzyme that you should have in your stomach isn't there as much. So if you are truly LI you SHOULD be able to tolerate yogurt because the double sugar enzyme in yogurt is already broken down naturally.

It is common to start in your early to mid 20's too. When I was little my mom used to take the lactose tablets, but she found they worked most of the time, but not all the time. She figured it was her body's way of saying don't eat this.

From personal experience I can tell you I didn't eat dairy for 4 years and once I got used to it I had no problem. I would pull the cheese off pizza and eat it like that. We still have NO idea why I was able to tolerate it for the past 10 years no problem, normally it doesn't reverse itself.

I would suggest (esp if you are a woman and TTC) to not go overboard on the soy. I use almond milk which is delicious (still scared of cows milk). Also hard cheeses should be easier to tolerate. Ice cream, cream and milk were the worst for me. I still cannot eat ice cream because of what used to happed, I eat fro-yo instead.

ETA - Eggs should not negatively effect someone who is LI.

Message edited 8/12/2011 9:05:55 AM.

Re: Lactose Intolerance?

There are some studies that suggest that a majority of adults have some form of allergies to cow dairy.

I have very little cow dairy myself - i find that sheeps and goats milk cheeses don't affect me in the same way.

Re: Lactose Intolerance?

I started with lactose intolerance and IBS around age 15. I always would drink a glass of milk in the morning. I would get horrible stomach pains/gas pains and the runs. there are times I can eat dairy and be fine and most times I can't. Lactaid never worked for me.
I've had it for half my life at this point and it really stinks. when I go to a party its tough because almost everything has dairy in it so I either dont eat or I take immodium before hand (usually 3 at a time)
You will find sometimes you can tolerate certain cheeses more than others. I can tolerate cheddar better than american cheese.

Re: Lactose Intolerance?

I became lactose intolerant some time in High School. I get really bad stomach pains and get the runs if I eat a decent amount of dairy.

I don't take anything but try to limit the amount of dairy I have.

DH is also lactose intolerant and he takes Lactaid pills whenever he eats any kind of dairy. He still can't eat ice cream even with the pills so he just stays away from that.

DD#1 we believe is also lactose intolerant and has been since birth. She had 2 slices of american cheese for lunch yesterday and complained of her stomach hurting and had the runs all afternoon.

Re: Lactose Intolerance?

I became lactose intolerance in my late 20's. There are studies that show that like 50% of Jews are LI, and the percentage is even higher for African Americans and Asians.

A little milk in my coffee doesn't bother me, but once I ate ice cream without any pills on my dad's birthday - I figured we were celebrating, how bad could it be? I had gas pains so bad for 2 DAYS that I couldn't stand up straight. It was horrible.

Some tips:

The Target brand lactose-free milk is literally half the price of Lactaid brand.

The store-brand Lactase pills are also just fine (CVS, Target, BJ's, everyone has them) and are a little cheaper than Lactaid - but not much.

Lactaid Vanilla Ice Cream is AMAZING. It's basically Breyer's vanilla but with the (tasteless) medicine in it, so it's 100% lactose free.

All Cabot cheeses are 100% lactose free, as is Finlandia Imported Swiss. If you can tolerate a little lactose, almost all hard cheeses, especially sharp ones, won't hurt your stomach. Parmesan, cheddar, etc. will be okay. But STAY AWAY from ricotta, brie, things like that.

One last tip: my lactose intolerance is almost totally gone now that I'm pregnant. Something to do with my digestion going slower so that Baby can absorb more nutrients. So you could always try that!

Re: Lactose Intolerance?

Thank you SO much for all of your advice and tips!!

I'm going to try taking the pills and see if that helps. I love my dairy!

Re: Lactose Intolerance?

I have been lactose intolerant since I was 13.. Got worse in high school. Couldn't have any dairy at all. I stopped all dairy and by the time I graduate HS at 17, I had lost 50 pounds!! Now at 36, I can have some dairy and I am ok. Mainly cheese and yogurt.. When I was pregnant, I could eat all the dairy I wanted with no problems.. I take store brand Lactaid and it works great... My brother just developed it at 39 years old... And my cousin was older when she developed it...

Re: Lactose Intolerance?

Lactose Intolerant since a teenager, got worse to the point where I couldn't even eat anything made with milk when I was in my early 20's.

Took lactaid pills with anything dairy and they worked (Most of the time) Then my dr. who is also lactose intolerant, found Digestive Advantage for Lactose Intolerance. They sell it everywhere. You take 2 pills a day for 2 or 3 days then 1 pill a day there after (I need 2 pills a day - mine is pretty bad) and you can eat/drink milk products as much as you want without any problems! The lactaid pills, you have to take it each time you eat. With these, you take 1 a day in the AM and you're good all day.

I've been on them for 5 years and haven't had a problem since.