Lactose Intolerance?

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Teardrop81
Teardrop81 Posts: 132 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I was lactose intolerant as a baby/child. I believed that I'd grown out of it, but I'm beginning to wonder.

If you have mild lactose intolderance, what are your personal symptoms?

Thanks! :smile:

Replies

  • TeachTheGirl
    TeachTheGirl Posts: 2,091 Member
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    I haven't had any symptoms. I've actually been reading about it in PaleoFantasy; I guess I'm lucky because I'm of European heritage. =B
  • emlee01
    emlee01 Posts: 102 Member
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    Hi! I seem to have grown lactose intolerant as I've aged. As embarrassing as it is to admit, my symptoms have included increased flatulence and, in the worst case, diarrhea. I have tried lactase supplements and lactose-reduced milks to no success. It's a real shame, since I had such a fondness for ice cream and cheesy Italian dishes. (sigh) By the way, I am African American, and I understand lactose intolerance is frequently seen in this demographic.
  • Teardrop81
    Teardrop81 Posts: 132 Member
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    Hi! I seem to have grown lactose intolerant as I've aged. As embarrassing as it is to admit, my symptoms have included increased flatulence and, in the worst case, diarrhea. I have tried over-the-counter rememdies and modified milks to no success. It's a real shame, since I had such a fondness for ice cream and cheesy Italian dishes. (sigh)

    I also love dairy foods, especially cheese! I wonder if the gas is just a normal side effect of the cheese or if its a sign of intolerance. I use to get debilitating cramps when I was a kid after eating dairy or drinking milk. I stopped getting those as a teenager, but sometimes (not every time) experience slight discomfort.

    Thanks for posting! :flowerforyou:
  • blueboxblues
    blueboxblues Posts: 73 Member
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    I've gone in and out of periods of lactose intolerance since I was a baby. I don't even know if that's possible, but it went away when I was about 7, came back when I was about 12, etc. Now, it only bothers me if I eat a RIDICULOUS amount of dairy in a sitting (like when I mixed flavored cream cheese in with my plain Greek yogurt - still worth it). I just get stomach cramps; they either wear off or I'l take Advil or Pepto or something for them. When I was a kid it made me really gassy, though. Luckily that side effect has also worn off, apparently.
  • Lisa_Rhodes
    Lisa_Rhodes Posts: 263 Member
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    I was lactose intolerant as a baby/child. I believed that I'd grown out of it, but I'm beginning to wonder.

    If you have mild lactose intolderance, what are your personal symptoms?

    Thanks! :smile:

    I don't really have symptoms unless it's milk, ice cream, sauce, anything on the heavier side. Cheese and yogurt I have no issues with. Now the one type of milk I can drink w/o any issues at all is the low-temp pasteurized milk. When milk is high or ultra pasteurized, it kills the lactase enzyme, which helps with digestion. I wasn't aware until I started reading up on raw milk and it's not freely available where I live, so I started to drink the low-temp and no symptoms whatsoever.
    However, when I do have symptoms, it's gas, diarrhea, and stomach cramping. Sucks bc dairy is the one thing I refuse to give up!
  • lilRicki
    lilRicki Posts: 4,555 Member
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    severe gut rot/pain, extremely loose stools, nausea


    Edited to add: really bad gas and bloating
  • jellyMom
    jellyMom Posts: 11
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    my symptoms are not the usual...I get break outs from lactose:( When I stay away from it my face will get really clear, but if I cheat my face & neck look terrible. It's awful because I love dairy!!
  • Lisa_Rhodes
    Lisa_Rhodes Posts: 263 Member
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    my symptoms are not the usual...I get break outs from lactose:( When I stay away from it my face will get really clear, but if I cheat my face & neck look terrible. It's awful because I love dairy!!

    are you sure it's lactose intolerance and not an allergy? I love dairy as well and would hate to have that!
  • fannyfrost
    fannyfrost Posts: 756 Member
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    I am Lactose intolerant, but really don't like cheese or milk. I think because I was intolerant my whole life and just didn't like it because it caused issues. Gas it the most tolerable. I have actually had it where my intestines felt like they were on fire, think heartburn in the lower abdomen. I take lactaid and it works (still get the gas now and again). However, these days there are a lot of alternatives for many dairy products, including the following:

    Almond Milk (even my husband uses it in his cereal and he is picky as all hell)
    Soy or Almond milk pudding
    Coconut milk ice cream (OMG the chocolate was amazing)
    Soy ice cream

    Since I am not fond of cheese, I haven't tried any Soy cheeses. You can also find Soy yogurt, which really confuses me. Check out Trader Joe's, Whole Foods or a local Natural Food store. Soy and Almond milk are available in most supermarkets.

    Oh and if one Lactaid doesn't work for you, try 2. However, once you start taking it before dairy, if you are lactose intolerant, you can NEVER eat dairy again without it. I used to be able to tolerate a little, maybe some yogurt, but NOPE not anymore.

    FYI, peppermint tea will help with the symptoms.
  • hm9589
    hm9589 Posts: 10 Member
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    I'm not a massive dairy eater as it always made me feek a bit icky but was on holiday and got a cheese pancake with chilli and I felt really bad it was only then telling my doctor he said it was and intolerance to dairy I get like lil ricki extreme nausea and feel like my insides are rotting or corroding also get the urge to sleep. I drink a lot of tea and coffee with just a splash of milk and if there is even a tad to much makes me feel very nauseous. But the lactose free milk is very good but never tried the cheese.
  • DCruz83
    DCruz83 Posts: 99
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    I've been lactose intolerant on and off, but only on a mild level... usually I'll feel bloated or nauseated. I can eat yogurt and cheese just fine, ice cream it depends on the brands but milk is a big no for me... then again, milk on it's own grosses me out for so many reasons that I wouldn't have it anyway.
  • Luna3828
    Luna3828 Posts: 21 Member
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    I’ve known I was lactose intolerant for years but paid it no mind until I had severe issues. Just recently my stomach got bloated like I was 8 months pregnant!!! I fell so very uncomfortable and in pain. I called my gastroenterologist and he scheduled me for an ultrasound of my liver. Previously I can lab work done by my PCP and Cardiologist and both said I had a Fatty Liver which I mentioned to my gastroenterologist. Anyway he did say that just because lab work says you have a fatty liver does not mean you do and that only an ultrasound can verify that diagnosis.. So ultrasound revealed I did have a Fatty Liver with no fluid which is great. So Dr recommended I follow a Low Lactose Diet! Milk and all diary gives me severe cramping and diarrhea. Now I need to be mindful that everything I eat is low lactose, lactose free and diary-free. When you start looking at what to eat it truly becomes a nightmare! So I ordered this book to help with the unknown:

    “A Step-by-Step Guide to Stop Bloating & Heal Your Gut: Clean Low FODMAP Diet with 101 Clean, Unprocessed, Super Healthy Mediterranean-Ιnspired, Gluten-Free Recipes, Dietitian Approved” by Aliki Economides.

    I googled Low Lactose and found great info. Then I checked WW to see if there was a Lactose Group but there was none. Then I checked MyFitnessPal and found 4-5 groups. So thank you all for ur input. Learning from each one on what works, does not work, symptoms and thoughts really does helped me..thank u!

    Though I’ve had it for years, it was just recently diagnosed. My journey begins to make better choices for better health!
    .

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