<p>I haven’t been officially diagnosed, but I seem to have lost my ability to digest dairy products after what seemed like a stomach virus. This has happened to me before, but I guess I just want some support. Dairy products are my comfort food.</p>
<p>You can precede dairy with Lactaid pills to supply the missing lactase. They work, but my son didn’t like the taste and often felt it wasn’t worth it. It’s not unusual to become lactose intolerant after an intestinal event but it’s not necessarily a permanent change,</p>
<p>Well, that’s what I’m hoping Wellspring.</p>
<p>Most people who consider themselves or are lactose intolerant don’t have an official diagnosis. I do. It’s not a big deal: take a pill. I didn’t understand the taste point unless it refers to the lactaid milk. </p>
<p>There are suggested ways to test and build tolerance. These basically mean try a little and see what happens. Some suggest starting with yogurt.</p>
<p>The taste? You shouldn’t taste lactaid pills. </p>
<p>You can pick up a giant pack at your local supermarket. They’re fairly cheap. Just take them before eating and you’re good for a half hour. I take them and while I still can’t consume large amounts of dairy, I can tolerate most :).</p>
<p>Developed it in my early 40s (same thing happened to my brother). Had to give up drinking milk, yogurt, and Breyer’s ice cream. Can still have some cheese, some sour cream, a small amount of real cream, and some brands of ice cream without any significant trouble. You just need to do some trial and error to figure it out.</p>
<p>I switched over to soy milk for a while for stuff like cereal and smoothies (trying to get my calcium). Then started having thyroid problems… gave up the soy for almond milk, and the thyroid started working okay again. So sticking with almond milk for my calcium now (but I don’t drink it "straight). I miss milk, though. :(</p>
<p>Calcium can also be gotten from many types of green vegetables. Of course, vitamin D (usually from a little sunlight exposure on the skin, or consuming fish) is needed to best use calcium. Those concerned about osteoporosis should note that weight bearing exercise is helpful in prevention.</p>
<p>Cheeses are my favorite thing and Greek yogurt and cottage cheese and whipped cream. I guess I would need a giant bottle of lactaid pills. Who wants to give up pizza?!</p>
<p>I was very lactose intolerant, or at least had trouble digesting dairy, for much of my adult life. One spoon of high-end ice cream, and you didn’t want to be near me.</p>
<p>Then I went hard-core gluten-free. And after about 6 months, I was cured.</p>
<p>It is apparently not an uncommon change when you go gluten-free. Just putting it out there.</p>
<p>ETA: I should add that I am no longer 100% gluten-free, although I try to go at least every other day with no gluten. And I am still cured.</p>
<p>Still good on pizza & whipped cream for some reason (I don’t really question the things I am lucky enough to still be able to eat!). But not Greek yogurt, and I really miss cottage cheese. :(</p>
<p>I have no trouble if I stick with Natural half/half, Activia light peach yogurt, natural feta, a slice of swiss, and a small bowl of Edy’s 1/2 the fat vanilla bean ice cream. </p>
<p>I cannot have milk with vitamins added (one day i will learn what chemical is being introduced with the vitamins) nor can I have shredded cheese because of the chemicals added to reduce clumping.</p>
<p>I have also heard wonderful things about going gluten free (including the reduction of inflammation in your body)</p>
<p>Well, i’m wondering about the gluten too.</p>
<p>Well, there’s his trouble-- he had chewable lactase. The doc said yogurt was okay because the lactose was already broken down by the fermentation.</p>
<p>All cheeses are not the same. The older the cheese, the less lactose remains. Most lactose-intolerant people are fine with Parmesan, but many become violently ill from ricotta. Sometimes what people think is lactose intolerance is actually related to fat content in dairy products, and those people do fine with skim milk, for example, which of course is not usually the case for those who are truly lactose intolerant.</p>
<p>I can’t drink a glass of milk or have a bowl of cereal with milk, but I am fine with putting milk in my coffee, eating any kind of cheese, yogurt and ice cream. YMMV.</p>
<p>Are there better lactaid pills?</p>
<p>I can eat Greek yogurt and hard or aged cheeses such as feta, parmesean, and romano. Dairy alone, such as a bowl of ice cream? NO! I also cannot tolerate whipped cream, or any young cheeses and dairy foods such as mozzorella, ricotta, or macarpone (severe reaction). I eat goat cheese with no reaction.It seems as if people have various levels of tolerance. </p>
<p>If you want to be safe, particulary when away from home, be vigilant.</p>
<p>Just buy the lactaid pills in bulk. I have not had much success with them and have determined that my intolerance is more severe than most. I’ve learned to do without most dairy, but I can tolerate butter in small amounts when it’s on bread or in another food. you’ll have to experiment to see what works best for you.</p>
<p>Interesting- I had never heard about the fat content. </p>
<p>Though I’d rather take pills for the rest of my life than suffer through skim milk. :eek:</p>
<p>Like baseball said, just buy them in bulk. Any off-brand will do. My doc says they’re all pretty much the same. I know some people buy them at Costco (or your similar bulk store) for cheap.</p>
<p>I’ve been using Lactaid for years, also buy the milk for my coffee/cereal. Sometimes it doesn’t work, but it usually makes it better. I found after menopause it got worse, but that I read is normal. Dairy Ease is also another supplement.</p>