How bad is your Lactose Intolerance?

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Replies

  • jus_in_bello
    jus_in_bello Posts: 326 Member
    Also, does anyone know if Whey or Casein has lactose in it? I had a "Dairy Free" ice cream recently (Arctic Zero) and it had Whey protein in it and it seems like to me that would still set off my lactose intolerance wouldn't it? Because after eating it, I was definitely "paying the price". :cry:

    Are you sure it is a lactose issue you have and not a casein issue? I couldn't eat any dairy for a year because of gluten issue but I learned (later) it wasn't lactose I was having a problem with but casein, just something to ask the doctor.

    Almond milk, fake cheese, and nutritional yeast are awesome ways around lactose/casein issues. I actually developed a preference for vegan cheese/butter/yogurt which are all easily found in the "hippie" aisle at Giant/WF/Wegmans.
  • frogz21
    frogz21 Posts: 314
    Mine isn't too bad. My tummy will hurt sometimes and that's about it. I love cheese and yogurt though.
  • dmf711
    dmf711 Posts: 141 Member
    PS I have to say, I'm so thankful for finally having a comprehensive thread on here about lactose intolerance/allergies/solutions and workarounds. Every other thread is "omg sux 4 u no milk i luv it" or "i'm lactose intolerant YAY >endpost<" :grumble:

    Glad to see some optimism and suggestions for dealing with this!
  • My lactose intolerance seems to come and go. I know that sounds weird, but it's true. I figured out I was lactose intolerant when I was ten, and avoided dairy until I got to college. Then I figured out that I could tolerate it well, but now that I'm 28, it seems to be returning.

    I can eat yogurt, but milk, cheese and milk chocolate hurt my stomach.

    I'm finally getting it through my head that yes, these things will cause me discomfort and I am avoiding them now. It's taken several months to make that connection, sadly.
  • EccentricDad
    EccentricDad Posts: 875 Member
    Also, does anyone know if Whey or Casein has lactose in it? I had a "Dairy Free" ice cream recently (Arctic Zero) and it had Whey protein in it and it seems like to me that would still set off my lactose intolerance wouldn't it? Because after eating it, I was definitely "paying the price". :cry:

    Are you sure it is a lactose issue you have and not a casein issue? I couldn't eat any dairy for a year because of gluten issue but I learned (later) it wasn't lactose I was having a problem with but casein, just something to ask the doctor.

    Yeah, I've thought of that. It's hard to tell what's the real cause of my issue without health insurance. Sadly, you can't exactly get casein, whey, or lactose by itself and see which you have the allergy/intolerance to; so I just avoid dairy entirely for the most part (unless I'm being arrogant and do it anyways). But I do know that Gluten Free normally requires Casein Free too because they are large chain proteins. Just not sure how Whey fits in the bunch.
  • Awkward30
    Awkward30 Posts: 1,927 Member
    I'm not lactose intolerant, but my husband is...he just farts alot and I suffer worse for it! But gees! The people who have real stomach pains and even a little will affect you badly, I feel sorry for you guys! I didn't know it could be so bad, I just thought it was like for my hubby and it's just gassiness.

    This thread is making me feel less bad about my LI. Mine is mild cramps and socially embarassing. And I can have two pieces of pizza and be fine... or aged cheese. As long as I don't have dairy every day and only in small doses, I'm fine. And on occassion I'll have fro yo or something that I will react to because I forget that it's not worth it. Actually did that recently because I was in the ER all night and then the next day, I really wanted fro yo. I ate half a cup and had a tummy ache all day :(
  • EccentricDad
    EccentricDad Posts: 875 Member
    PS I have to say, I'm so thankful for finally having a comprehensive thread on here about lactose intolerance/allergies/solutions and workarounds. Every other thread is "omg sux 4 u no milk i luv it" or "i'm lactose intolerant YAY >endpost<" :grumble:

    Glad to see some optimism and suggestions for dealing with this!

    Yeah, the rest of MFP will tell you that everyone is created equal, you aren't a snow flake, increase your protein, have a 40/30/30 diet, lift heavy weights, eat whatever fits your calories, and never eat under 1200 calories. Honestly, I feel like I give the forums something fun to do since I bring a huge variety of topics.
  • Starla_
    Starla_ Posts: 349
    I can have: hard cheeses, greek and plain yoghurt, butter

    In limited quantities: cream, icecream, white sauces

    I can't have: Milk, flavoured yoghurts, soft cheeses

    Milk is the worst for me, pain, sickness etc etc etc but I can have it in a white sauce if I have small amounts which I find weird.. maybe cooking with it changes it somehow? Dunno. I'm just glad I dont have to give up cheese lol

    And my Lactose Intolerance goes hand in hand with my Gluten Intolerance :)
  • EccentricDad
    EccentricDad Posts: 875 Member
    I can have: hard cheeses, greek and plain yoghurt, butter

    In limited quantities: cream, icecream, white sauces

    I can't have: Milk, flavoured yoghurts, soft cheeses

    Milk is the worst for me, pain, sickness etc etc etc but I can have it in a white sauce if I have small amounts which I find weird.. maybe cooking with it changes it somehow? Dunno. I'm just glad I dont have to give up cheese lol

    Oh yeah, that's an odd point. What's the deal with greek versus plain yogurt? I seem to remember being able to tolerate one of them just fine but not the other...
  • Starla_
    Starla_ Posts: 349
    I can have: hard cheeses, greek and plain yoghurt, butter

    In limited quantities: cream, icecream, white sauces

    I can't have: Milk, flavoured yoghurts, soft cheeses

    Milk is the worst for me, pain, sickness etc etc etc but I can have it in a white sauce if I have small amounts which I find weird.. maybe cooking with it changes it somehow? Dunno. I'm just glad I dont have to give up cheese lol

    Oh yeah, that's an odd point. What's the deal with greek versus plain yogurt? I seem to remember being able to tolerate one of them just fine but not the other...

    I digest greek better than plain, but as long as its unflavoured I'm generally fine with the plain stuff too.. as long as its all gluten free I dont know why I react more with the flavoured yoghurts.
  • EccentricDad
    EccentricDad Posts: 875 Member
    I can have: hard cheeses, greek and plain yoghurt, butter

    In limited quantities: cream, icecream, white sauces

    I can't have: Milk, flavoured yoghurts, soft cheeses

    Milk is the worst for me, pain, sickness etc etc etc but I can have it in a white sauce if I have small amounts which I find weird.. maybe cooking with it changes it somehow? Dunno. I'm just glad I dont have to give up cheese lol

    Oh yeah, that's an odd point. What's the deal with greek versus plain yogurt? I seem to remember being able to tolerate one of them just fine but not the other...

    I digest greek better than plain, but as long as its unflavoured I'm generally fine with the plain stuff too.. as long as its all gluten free I dont know why I react more with the flavoured yoghurts.

    I recently bought a yogurt with chicory root in it.... Chicory Root is added to a lot of the flavored stuff and anything with Chicory Root screws me up. I think I remember reading it's a secret fiber that gets added to things and is pretty poorly tolerated by sensitive people.
  • Birdie
    Birdie Posts: 256 Member
    I used to be able to tollerate some milk products if I took lactaid, even though I knew it wasn't just lactose but whey and casine that made me sick. But recently that changed. I can't have anything with even a trace of any milk protiens, not just lactose. I hate that even the medical community can't get straight what is an allergy and what is intollerence. Some say it's not an allergy because your throat doesn't close up, so it's just intollerance. Either way it sucks. It's a painful horible condition that can ruin your life.
  • Birdie
    Birdie Posts: 256 Member
    I can have: hard cheeses, greek and plain yoghurt, butter

    In limited quantities: cream, icecream, white sauces

    I can't have: Milk, flavoured yoghurts, soft cheeses

    Milk is the worst for me, pain, sickness etc etc etc but I can have it in a white sauce if I have small amounts which I find weird.. maybe cooking with it changes it somehow? Dunno. I'm just glad I dont have to give up cheese lol


    Oh yeah, that's an odd point. What's the deal with greek versus plain yogurt? I seem to remember being able to tolerate one of them just fine but not the other...

    I digest greek better than plain, but as long as its unflavoured I'm generally fine with the plain stuff too.. as long as its all gluten free I dont know why I react more with the flavoured yoghurts.

    I recently bought a yogurt with chicory root in it.... Chicory Root is added to a lot of the flavored stuff and anything with Chicory Root screws me up. I think I remember reading it's a secret fiber that gets added to things and is pretty poorly tolerated by sensitive people.

    Isn't Chicory Root a laxative? I guess that would explain the 'poorly tolerated' part.
  • Eve23
    Eve23 Posts: 2,352 Member
    I have all those symptoms and more. I do not use dairy whatsoever anymore. Occassionally I have a little and pay dearly for it. Here are a few things I have found helpful.

    One if I do by chance have some and as I have said I do get weak once in awhile, I have found a glass of water with some baking soda works wonders for the bloating.

    When I was very young I was totally allergic to milk, grew out of it like many do but while pregnant with my youngest son I became completely intolerant again. After a few years it became clear that even small amounts were not helping me. It took me awhile to finally break down and leave the cheese alone and the ice cream. Two of my favorites. I also gave up gluten, grain at the same time because of other symptoms. When I did this I went down 2 sizes in pants. I had been so bloated, and inflamed, and quite miserable it had messed with every body function.

    Casien is the protein in milk. Not sure if you were aware of that. It is often used as an ingredient on its own, so be aware of it.

    I now use almond milk. I stay away from soy as that is another allergy for me I had not been aware of prior to alleviating the dairy and grains.
  • I developed LI, or at least noticed it a few years after I finished high school, I was probably 20 or 21. It was only because one of my favourite drinks to have was a bubble milk tea, and I started wanting to throw up when ever I had it or even smelt it, I was so upset! Thats when I realised something was not normal and did some research.

    For a couple years I could still eat dairy and not suffer too much, some times were worse than others, but now I'm nearly 25 and I can't have ANY dairy otherwise I feel awful, bad stomach pains, constant bloating and all the other unpleasantness! Milk, yogurt, cream, ice cream, cheese....Dammit I love cheese! And cream! I found a lactose-free cheese called Mini-Chol which is good for melting on home-made pizzas, and also a lactose-free cream for cooking, but you cant whip it because it's been processed too much to get rid of the lactose, which is a huge bummer for me because I love whipped cream even more than ice cream! There is an ice cream here in Australia called Cocoluscious which is made from coconut and there are 12 different flavours, yum! I love rice milk and I also drink soy because that's the most common substitute if you go out for coffee. I sometimes have fetta cheese in salads but rarely and only in tiny amounts and haven't noticed too bad a reaction. Its just such a disappointment when you can't go out to a nice restaurant and have what you want on the menu because it has cream or cheese or milk in it! I went out for breakfast once and got scrambled eggs and didn't even think about them putting any milk or cream or butter in it and I was in so much pain afterwards!! It really just doesn't seem worth the pain most of the time.

    I didn't know you could get pills to help with LI until very recently. Can someone tell me if they are an over the counter type of thing or do you have to get a doctors prescription??
  • woodsygirl
    woodsygirl Posts: 354 Member
    I didn't know you could get pills to help with LI until very recently. Can someone tell me if they are an over the counter type of thing or do you have to get a doctors prescription??

    It is called Lactaid or Lactase Enzyme (brand vs. generic). You can usually find them in the digestive section of a store (near the tums, etc..).
  • beansprouts
    beansprouts Posts: 410 Member
    I can eat dairy because I always use lactaid at the slightest hint of trouble.
  • Pizza Hut has gluten free crust !!!! Eating gluten free is so expensive !!
    :sad:
  • EccentricDad
    EccentricDad Posts: 875 Member
    Pizza Hut has gluten free crust !!!! Eating gluten free is so expensive !!
    :sad:

    Make your own or just skip out on pizza all together. Pizza Hut gluten free crust is still made in a glutenful pizza oven using gluten contaminated utensils. You'd be better off finding a gluten free bakery in your area or making your own. Also, GF breads have little to no nutritional value, they are usually just empty carbs to satisfy a purpose. Better off just skipping pizza all together.

    Also this: cheese on pizza + LI =/= fun
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
    I can't drink fresh milk or when cold milk has been added to drinks such as coffee. Am fine with cheese, ice cream, yoghurt etc.

    I did read somewhere that introducing a tiny amount can help so I have been trying to eat a pot of yoghurt every day. Next spring, I will try milk in my coffee; if that's fine, I'll drink a glass of milk.
  • Willbenchforcupcakes
    Willbenchforcupcakes Posts: 4,955 Member
    I'm okay with lactose free milk, greek yogurt, and hard cheeses, as well as processed cheese, but regular milk, yogurt, and ice cream set me off. I also find that whey and casein in the concentrations found in protein powders sets me off, I did find a pumpkin seed protein powder for those days I'm running really light on protein.
  • LMBalfour
    LMBalfour Posts: 14 Member
    My lactose intolerance is severe enough that I react to the caramel colouring in beef stock cubes. Didn't think it would affect me so I went ahead and made soup with them. Needless to say I was so bloated I put on 10lbs in 2 days and looked like I was 6months pregnant from the swelling. The pain affects me immediately. Grrr...

    I've found quite a few lactose free brands in the States (I'm from Canada) that taste like the real thing!

    Lactaid Ice Cream from Winn Dixie - even my dairy eating family members were into this during our vacation in Florida.
    Cabot Lactose Free Cheese - Tastes like the real thing, has good texture, is naturally lactose and gluten free as well. They have flavours like Hot Habenero and Pepper Jack. The flavour is a little bit sharper than normal cheese but you get used to it after a while. Check their website as they have a tool where you put in your zip code and it shows the places in your area that carry it.

    Natrel also makes Lactose Free cooking, whipped and coffee creams. I buy these from Walmart. They have Lactose Free chocolate milk and white milk as well that are very close to the real thing.

    Check out your local Whole Foods for Lactose Free chocolate chips by 'Enjoy Life'. A little bit different tasting, but awesome in baking.

    From what I've heard, Cool Whip is LF as well.

    Udi's Gluten Free products are almost always LF. My coworker suggested on of their LF double chocolate muffins cut in half with cool whip and cherry pie filling in the middle...mmmm.

    If anybody else has any questions on LF products let me know! I've tried almost everything, LOL. These are some of the brands I've stuck with because they 'taste like real'.

    Enjoy! :)
  • LMBalfour
    LMBalfour Posts: 14 Member
    I forgot to mention! Yogurts. Lactaid makes a good LF yogurt which you can find in the dairy section of Wegmans. Walmart also has some good ones from Yoplait! Tastes like the real thing!
  • camckinney
    camckinney Posts: 61 Member
    I am in the process of determining if I'm lactose intolerant. I thought I was having issues with my gallbladder, but after they ran a lot of tests, they think it's lactose issues and maybe wheat. So to see if it is, I have to begin a lactose free diet. This is will difficult as I love to have cereal and cheese. I use milk all the time. I've read some of your posts, and will come back to read the rest so I can figure out the best way to do this. Thanks, glad this post is here. :)
  • corn63
    corn63 Posts: 1,580 Member
    Right now, it's just straight milk or MASSIVE quantities of ice cream/cheese.


    It started out as just milk though. Seems to be getting worse as I get older:(
  • ttknowles01
    ttknowles01 Posts: 255 Member
    We should like. Add each other.

    PROTEIN HELP THAAAANKS!

    Anybody here love almond milk? Because it's one of my best friends.

    I love almond milk!!! Couldn't process lactaid or soy milk, so it is a staple for me. I can only do frozen yogurt and ice creams that aren't too creamy (ColdStone is a big no no lol). Cheese is ok in limitation. I'm good with chocolate as well.
  • BruhManFif
    BruhManFif Posts: 136 Member
    Mine isn't so bad. I can't do regular milk or ice cream, though sometimes I will throw caution to the wind for ice cream if it's Blue Bell. I can have cheese, but not too much of it and the processed kind will destroy every fiber of my being. No problems with yogurt or chocolate, though I rarely eat them.

    I usually get lactose free milk and now I'm trying almond milk (which is taking some getting used to). I can't take the pills...they make my body want to wear my stomach on the outside :sad:

    EDIT: I recently have become unable to eat bread products without getting sick (upchuck city limits). Random and annoying since I love sandwiches, soft tacos and the like. I'm not sure if it's a newly developed gluten allergy or not. I just know it's complete crap :grumble:
  • mine is periodic. literally. when I get my period, I am lactose intolerant. painfully so.
  • Mine is terrible too! Same symptoms + get rashes and spots all over my face! Honestly, I've just learned to deal with it over the years and take soya alternatives for everything :) hope yurs gets better and doesn't get on your nerves!
  • Illona88
    Illona88 Posts: 903 Member
    I just avoid anything with lactose in it, basically. I don't have the pills.

    I do eat Gouda, because with that the lactose has dissolved completely during the ripening process.
    That's true of a certain type of cheddar too, but I can't remember what it was called.