Lactose Intolerant - looking for questions/answers

[cruiser]

I recently became lactose intolerant (can't drink milk products). I've gone to my doctor and his advice was simple...if you know it's bothering you, stay away from it. My question back to him was: Could I have a virus or something in my body that could be causing this? He figures not.

It started in April of this year...I went on a 10 day cruise...hit various countries...and when I got back to Canada, found out that my body can't handle milk. I've tried other dairy products (cheese in sandwiches or small amounts of cream in tea) and am ok, but if I eat the wrong thing, I get a sudden burst of diarreaha and have to hit a toilet within 10 seconds (literally).

I'm wondering if anyone else has ever experienced this or is lactose intolerant. Any advise or questions/answers that I should be asking my doctor.

Cruiser

 

[let's review]

The Gall!!!

I had a gall stone that was misdiagnosed by my blockhead doctor as lactose intolerance. Absolute agony for hours at a time, but no action either end (much as I tried). Sonogram at ER found it. Consider a second or third opinion.

 

[cruiser]

I'm lucky as I don't have any pain for hours at a time....the only thing is that if I do have an "attack", I go and take two immodium and that seems to clear it up within a few hours.

 

[bigben]

It sounds strange that the lactose intolerance came on suddenly like that. The cause of lactose intolerance is that the body isn't producing the enzyme that breaks down milk sugar (or isn't producing enough). I'm lactose intolerant, but I always assumed it was a genetic condition, not "caused" by something.

 

[Jodie]

Lactose intolerance and food allergies can come and go throughout your life, and they can evolve.

You might not be lactose intolerant, but rather allergic to casein, lactoglobulin or whey, or any number of the hormones and antibiotics found in dairy products.

Your doctor's advice (if it bothers you, stay away from it) is good. Another thing you can do is completely eliminate all dairy from your diet for two weeks, then try introducing various dairy foods one at a time to see how you react to them. This way you can figure out exactly what bothers you and what doesn't.

It would also be worthwhile to try organic dairy products, in case it's not the dairy itself you are allergic to, but some of the crap that is found in commercially-produced dairy products.

 

[oppai]

Humans are meant to become lactose intolerant when we stop feeding from breastesses. Because we generally continue with dairy products many people do NOT become intolerant.
Did you have dairy while away on your trip? Many people when they stop for a period of time will become lactose intolerant. Of course it is worth checking for other issues and getting diarrhea within 10 seconds sounds a bit extreme.

If you ARE lactose intolerant it's certainly not something to worry about. Milk and dairy products actually aren't a great source of calcium for us as we have a hard time processing it (leading to high instances of calcium deficient issues in countries that get their calcium from dairy whereas as countries that get it from other sources (seaweed etc) have less issues.

Definitely worth a second opinion but not a big deal if you are intolerant.

 

[nixnix]

Lactose intolerance and food allergies can come and go throughout your life, and they can evolve.

You might not be lactose intolerant, but rather allergic to casein, lactoglobulin or whey, or any number of the hormones and antibiotics found in dairy products.

Your doctor's advice (if it bothers you, stay away from it) is good. Another thing you can do is completely eliminate all dairy from your diet for two weeks, then try introducing various dairy foods one at a time to see how you react to them. This way you can figure out exactly what bothers you and what doesn't.

It would also be worthwhile to try organic dairy products, in case it's not the dairy itself you are allergic to, but some of the crap that is found in commercially-produced dairy products.

+1 good answer Jodie

 

[Banger77]

Definitely get a second or third opinions cause they might see what your doc didn't.
I thought lactose intolerance was a gradual condition that slowly develops, not 10 day bang you have a problem.

 

[Harmony-bc]

Cows have 4 stomachs with which to digest the milk. Humans have one. Goats have one.

I have always been a little lactose intolerant, because I was breast fed. My parents were health food nuts and fed me goats milk. I like vanilla lattes, but pay for them. They cause bloating. I am slim, then I drink a very yummy vanilla latte and instantly, I am fat, lol. About 4 or 5 hours later, I am slim again.

I can eat as much cows yogurt as I want because it goes through a process that makes it easier to digest for humans. Other than that, I eat all goats milk products. Goats have a very similar digestive tract as humans. Humans are not meant to consume cow dairy product.