lactose intolerance

Hi,

Im just wondering if I could be lactose intolerant...I really love eating dairy. But I feel that it makes me bloated and gassy.  I have IBS too, so not sure if that can have some impact.  I would like to know that if I drink milk..which one is better HOmogenized or Skim?  which would have less lactase? and what other dairy products are safer to eat?

[crystalfresh]

This is so easy to answer. :) You can test this your self. Normally a person lactose intolerant would have trouble drinking a glass of milk of any kind skim, whole, ect. All have lactose and have the bloating and gassy feeling. Also loose stool, smelly gas releases, irritation if very intolerant. This can last for days after ingesting this dairy product. All dairy has lactose, butter, icecream, milk, cheese, yogurt...ect.

So how do you now if your body stopped producing the sugars to break down dairy? Easy.

First stop eating all dairy for a few days.
Next, have a whole glass of milk 8 ounces. No more dairy after that.
Wait 2 days and see what happens. If you get gassy or bloating ect... it could indicate that you are.

OK So how do you prove it? There are pills that contain the sugars your body is missing. Many brands. I buy the ones with the lease amount of other stuff in them. I just want he active sugars. My personal favorite is called Lactose Ultra. Most supermarkets and drug stores sell them.

So repeat this same experiment.
First stop eating all dairy for a few days.
Next, have a whole glass of milk 8 ounces except crush 1-2 lactose pills up in the milk in to little chunks. I tap it with the back of a spoon. No more dairy after that.
Wait 2 days and see what happens. If you do not get gassy or bloating ect this time then the introduction of these sugars have helped you digest the dairy. If this is the case then yes you are becoming or have become lactose intolerant.

This is a very good test.

[crystalfresh]

Spelling error.  Lactose Ultra, should be Lactaid Ultra. Also when you do this test try not to have any other food in you 1 hour before and 1 hour after drinking the glass of milk. This will help get max results. If you start to feel sick drinking milk on an empty stomach then that too can indicate lactose intolerant. Also try your best to avoid foods with dairy in them. Many breads and other foods are cooked with butter even to lube the baking pan ect... Try to remove as much dairy as possible.

[crystalfresh]

If you find that you are lactose intolerant these pills should fix you right up. Just take them with each dairy meal. You can take more or less of these pills depending on how lactose intolerant you are. Because some people are only a little lactose intolerant meaning I am guessing they still produce some sugars but not enough any more. I could be wrong about that last part but some people need more pills and some need less. This can be experimented with. I found that if you crush them up you need less.

[crystalfresh]

I crush them up and sprinkle them over my pizza and eat them evenly with my cheese.

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,

What symptoms do you have? Lactose intolerance and milk allergy - which is allergy to the milk protein are two separate things.

What have you been diagnosed with?

If you are lactose intolerant you cannot have milk, other diary products and other products which have lactose in them.

If you have milk allergies you cannot take milk and other diary products , but you could still consume products with lactose in them.

I think it would be best if you could consult your doctor for a confirmed diagnosis and consult a nutrition specialist to draw up a list of things you need to avoid.

Let us know if you have any other doubts and post us on how you are doing.

Hope this helps.

Regards.

[kela712]

Hi,  thanks so much for the advice, I really appreciate it.  How long have you had this condition?   I would also wonder if Goats milk or goat cheese have the same effect.

I guess I should go and get tested for this.  

[kela712]

Hi,

Thank you for the advice... and I really am not sure what is bothering me at this point, but I I strongly feel that its dairy.  Everytime I consume a lot of it I start getting bloated, gassy, burping, rectal itching, some heartburn, loose stools, or constipation.  This month I have eaten lots of dairy, ice cream, milk, cheese, etc.
I love my dairy, and never had problems before, at least I dont think.
How do I get tested for this? is it extensive and uncomfortable?
Is it done through blood?
My sister has lactose intolerance too.
Im wondering if Goats milk or cheese would be a better choice.

thanks again.

[crystalfresh]

I think lactose is in all types of milks. However if you are allergic to cow milk the goat milk might be an alternative. This you would need to talk to an allergist about.

I started about 12 years old. I used to drink milk every day in school for lunch. I started to notice that afternoon after school I had to run to the bathroom with some gas and cramping. But the time I was 17 yrs old the same milk would pour out of me like water in the bathroom a few hours later. I needed a doctor to point out my problem. I didn't know how much dairy is in every day foods. Just a touch of butter on a baking pan is enough to trigger problems with me.

Testing for Milk allergy is easy too. They just scratch your skin with some milk serum and wait to see if it turns red. They can also do blood testing.

Good luck.

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,

You should consult a diet specialist and plan out a diet schedule for yourself.

You can read more about the condition at the following links -

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/lactose-intolerance/DS00530

and

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactose_intolerance

Let us know if you need any other information and post us about how you are doing.

Regards.

[kela712]

Hi,

So you had these issues as a child..it must have been so hard for you to control.
I know I just loved dairy in all form as a kid and still do, and really I think I havent had any problems until now.   I didnt know that a scratch on the skin can detect a milk allergy.  SO I just go to any Allergist?  I already have hayfever, but do they test for food as well?

THanks again