Fat Intolerance

Hi,
I was hoping to get some answers about a problem I've developed over the past year or so.  I have been experiencing adverse gastrointestinal symptoms after I eat a meal that contains high-fat dairy products (full fat ricotta, cream, etc.) and/or butter.  After eating a meal containing these items within 15 minutes I experience extreme cramping, bloating, and diarrhea.  At first I thought I may be lactose intolerant but I drink skim milk and eat cheese on a daily basis with no problems.  My overall diet does not normally contain a great deal of fat.  I rarely eat out, typically cook with small amounts of olive oil (I almost never use butter), and buy low fat/fat free dairy products.  I was wondering if my long term avoidance of these types of foods is related to my current problems tolerating them?  The symptoms don't appear to be associated with the overall fat content of the meal overall because I can eat a cheeseburger and a plate of french fries with no problems.  They only appear with the use of high fat dairy products and butter.  Any ideas as to what might be going on?

[patient915]

Welcome to the gastroenterology community!  These are not the symptoms of a fat intolerance.  It seems like you figured out your problem and you just can't tolerate high fat foods.  If you wanted to try eliminating all lactose from your diet for a few weeks, that might also be a good idea.