Help!!! I'm lactose intolerant and CRAVING all things dairy!!It's a nightmare!

starryeyedtiger

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I'm super lactose intolerant. And was just offically diagnosed a few weeks ago even though i've been dealing with symptoms my entire life. To start off, i have a ton of stomach issues. GERD, (acid reflux,) , Hiatal Hernia, IBS(spaztic colon), and really really bad IBS. It gets sooo bad that if i so much as touch something with diary in it i bloat up like a good year blimp and i am sick for an entire day and a half. I'm taking otc lactose intolerance pills once a day, but it's not really helping. When the lactose intolerance symptoms act up- it makes my IBS a living hell- you don't even want to know
. Yet i have GERD soo bad that it's resulted in a hiatal hernia and me having to double dose my acid reflux meds. (not cheap! and not covered by insurance- i have a really nice doc that gives me extra pills once a month and i buy my prescription once a month to double dose). Nexium, Prevacid, Prilosec, Tums, Rolaids....none of it does a thing for me. The only thing that helps is a double dose of Zegarid- and i still have bad symptoms. The GERD is so sever that i can not take meds for the IBS because it will make the GERD worse...yet the acid reflux meds make my IBS worse. It's a nightmare and there's not much they can do about it. I'm going back to the gastro. doc in another month- if i'm not any better they're planning on doing surgery-
i'm not wanting that. Ok so here's the gest of my problem- Since i can not take anything for IBS...and the lactose intolerance pills do nothing- i get insanely sick when i eat dairy- which wouldn't be a problem - but that's almost all i eat and crave. I get these insance cravings for ice cream- it's horrible!!!! I don't know what to do- i really can't function lately with all these stomach issues. I have to have my ice cream. Yet my ice cream hates me
. A
And no- the soy stuff isn't an option. i can taste the difference.
Does anyone with lactose intolerance problems and huge diary cravings have any suggestions??? My best friend said that if had to choose between living till i'm 70 without touching ice cream or eating a pint of pink bubble gum and dying happily now i'd choose the latter option
. Lol, sad thing is she's probably right!
. I don't know what to do! My stomach is in pain at the moment, and yet i'm still craving pink bubblegum! It's a good thing Baskin Robbins is closed for the night at the moment- i have no ice cream self-control
. Help!
 

michelle mayall

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i sympathise i have chronic IBS dairy foods anything spicy and i know i will suffer i take merbentayl 3 x a day they are anti-spasmodics they stop the cramps but not the frequency so i usually take imodium i cope a lot better now than before the medication i still eat a little bit of what i like but i dont over indulge.
 
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starryeyedtiger

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Thankyou for the tip- i really appreciate your input! My cravings are unreal! Right now i feel like i'm starving! It's horrible- my stomach is never satisfied.
. My doc won't put me on anything for my IBS because it will interfear with the GERD meds i'm on and as of the moment the GERD is really threatening to my health to the point where i will probably have to have surgery soon. So i'm out of luck on IBS meds. I've found that imodium AD helps sometimes, but not always. I'm really glad to know i'm not the only one on TCS with stomach issues! Thanks for sharing! I hate to complaine about health issues, but at the moment, i'm really desperate for anything that will help- it's hard to function anymore. I know EVERY gas station within a 25 mile radious of my house
/ Thanks for the advice. And by the way, your Missy is adorable!
 

lookingglass

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I realize this may be a stupid suggestion, but how do you react to soy? Soy ice- ceam tends to have less of a reaction with people with IBS. Also, I've found through some research that it may not be the lactose that you are allergic to, it's quite possible that you are reacting to the bovine growth hormone that is fed to cows to produce more milk. I know that Ben and Jerry's doesn't use it, and if you get really creative, you can make your own ice-cream with hormone free milk.
 
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starryeyedtiger

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Originally Posted by lookingglass

I realize this may be a stupid suggestion, but how do you react to soy? Soy ice- ceam tends to have less of a reaction with people with IBS. Also, I've found through some research that it may not be the lactose that you are allergic to, it's quite possible that you are reacting to the bovine growth hormone that is fed to cows to produce more milk. I know that Ben and Jerry's doesn't use it, and if you get really creative, you can make your own ice-cream with hormone free milk.
That's not a stupid question at all. If anything, It is a much welcomed question- i just spent the past few minutes praying to the porcelin gods...so at this point i'm miserable and willing to try just about anything. I haven't really tried much soy, because it's a bit more expenseive than the groceries i usually buy....but it might be worth the investment if i can keep it down. I will definitely try the soy ice cream and see how i do. my ice cream cravings are unreal
. Thanks for bringing up the point on the bovine growth hormone- i'm going to research that and ask my doctor about it when i go. It's definitely worth looking into. Also one more question- is soy milk hormone free? or can i buy hormone free milk at a store like "Wild Oats" ??? i'm willing to do anything for my ice cream cravings. I need a recipe for pink bubblegum ice cream stat! I will have to research this stuff and borrow my sister's ice cream machine to make some homemade stuff and see if i can keep it down. The sad thing about today is that i didn't have any dairy all day long, and then tonight i went with my best friend for vietnamese food (my boyfriend is 1/2 vietnamese, so i eat asian food all the time). Anyways, i got my food (and it didn't have any dairy or grease in it, and was doing great until i ordered a vietnamese iced coffee
. It's coffee, sweetened condensed milk, and ice....i've been throwing up all night and sick as a dog
. The thing is for 21 yrs i've been eating whatever i want ( and i usually eat fairly healthy aside from the ice cream thing)...and now i'm really trying to watch what dairy and stuff i eat....but it's in stuff that i don't even think about like coffee- so it's hard to avoid it. Anyways, i appologize for rambling. Thankyou for your suggestions, i'm definitely talking to my doctor about them! I'm off to feed more foster kittens. I'm being summoned by them as i type
.
 

lookingglass

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Wild Oats is a great place to find hormone free milk! In fact, that is where I do the majority of my grocery shopping. Soy may be slightly more expensive than regular dairy, but if the alterative is throwing up all night, I'd say it's worth the extra dollar or two.

Also, at Wild Oats you can find a whole bunch of dairy free things, like muffins, cakes, and cheese. If it is the lactose that is the problem, the alternatives are out there.
Another stupid question, how are you with wheat gluten? If you have suddenly had an extreme sensitivity to lactose, wheat gluten is usually the next step in the allergy woes. If that's the case I'd go to an allergy specialist and get myself checked out. This could be the symptom to a underlying problem like celiacs disease.
Here's some info about that: http://www.celiac.com/index.html

EDIT: Your cravings could be from a lack of calcium. Have you tried taking a supplement?
 

rachey

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aaww you poor thing!! Im currently off work sick with a stomach ulcer or gallstones, so im having to cut out spicy food, alcohol, milk etc and it is hell!

See if its ok for you to have soya milk, oat milk or rice milk tho, you might be ok with them
 
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starryeyedtiger

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Originally Posted by lookingglass

Wild Oats is a great place to find hormone free milk! In fact, that is where I do the majority of my grocery shopping. Soy may be slightly more expensive than regular dairy, but if the alterative is throwing up all night, I'd say it's worth the extra dollar or two.

Also, at Wild Oats you can find a whole bunch of dairy free things, like muffins, cakes, and cheese. If it is the lactose that is the problem, the alternatives are out there.
Another stupid question, how are you with wheat gluten? If you have suddenly had an extreme sensitivity to lactose, wheat gluten is usually the next step in the allergy woes. If that's the case I'd go to an allergy specialist and get myself checked out. This could be the symptom to a underlying problem like celiacs disease.
Here's some info about that: http://www.celiac.com/index.html

EDIT: Your cravings could be from a lack of calcium. Have you tried taking a supplement?
I had a battery of allergy tests done about a year ago...and nothing showed up on those...but i do have contact allergies to wasp stings,dust, timothy hay, grass (if i sit on grass i get huge red rashes on my legs), smoke- goodness, i get the worst astmah attacks from that, penicilline, agumitten,codine,cephlosporins, and i'm super allergic to Silicone- haha no boob jobs for me
. (i wouldn't do that anyways though lol). I'm sure i've left an allergy or two out, but those are the main ones i can think of this early in the morning without sleep. I agree with you on spending an extra buck or two on soy if it will help- i'm willing to try it. I'm just not sure i'll like the taste, but i won't knock it till i try it
. I don't know the first thing about wheat gluetin. I will ask my doctor about it and research that along with your other suggestions. You have no clue how helpful you are!!!
I sincerly appreciate it. Oh and on the calcium note- i get more than enough
- my birth control pill has a ton of calcium, i eat a ton of dair- obviously part of my problem
, i take a multivitamine with a calcium in it, and i also take a calcium suppliment since i don't drink a lot of milk. So i definitely am not lacking in the calcium dpt. Although my body might be absorbing it weird. Who knows
. I forgot to mention earlier that i take steriods for my lungs as needed when my astmah acts up...i'm not sure if that interfears with anything, but since i'm going to the doc tomorrow, i'll check in on that. Well, i got all of my foster kittens fed and snuggled to sleep, so now i'm gonna hop in bed as well. Thankyou so much for your help! Oh, and i'm not allowing you to call your questions "stupid" anymore - they're anything but stupid!
They're very helpful! Have a great night!
 
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starryeyedtiger

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Originally Posted by Rachey

aaww you poor thing!! Im currently off work sick with a stomach ulcer or gallstones, so im having to cut out spicy food, alcohol, milk etc and it is hell!

See if its ok for you to have soya milk, oat milk or rice milk tho, you might be ok with them
Goodness, that is a lot of milk options
. I wonder which tastes the best out of soy, oat and rice milk. Any suggestions?
 

lookingglass

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You can also try Almond milk as well. I haven't tried any cow alternative other than soy, so I can't tell you about the taste. Your best bet is to go to Wild Oats and walk down the dairy isle and take a good look. You will be overwhelmed with options.
As for your previous post, I'm betting you are chemical sensitive. Try eating some organic produce; you may see a better reaction and better absorption of food if there isn't any chemical junk to go along with it.
 

pushylady

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I'm lactose intorerant too so I can sympathise with you.
The advice lookinglass has given is excellent. I didn't know that about bovine growth hormone. I have noticed that organic dairy products taste so much better and are worth the extra expense.
Can't you get lactose free milk in the US? We have at least 3 different brands here. I find it's been a great help. I used to bloat up like I was 7 months pregnant after a bowl of cereal, now I'm fine. I used to drink fat-free So Good, but now I drink the lactose free milk - I prefer the taste.
Good luck with your doctors appointment. I hope you find something that helps manage your IBS, it sounds just awful.
 
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starryeyedtiger

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Thankyou everyone for the adivice! Lookinglass- you have helped me more than you know! I went to the doctor today, and while it was the pulmonilogist(i have astmah) and not my gastro. He is the one who origionally sent me to the gastro. and is very familiar with my stomach issues. He said my stomach was so swollen, it was insane! I told him- "welcome to my world"
. I told him my gastro. thought i was lactose intolerant and that i had spoken with some individuals who thought it might be a sensitivity to certain hormones in dairy and gluten. He said that all of my symptoms line up with a gluten allergy- which is horrible, because gluten is in EVERYTHING
. I'm also really sensitive to milk and anything with milk in it. As far as the IBS goes- there is still nothing they're willing to try on me because it will greatly increase the severity of my GERD- which is at outlandish levels...a normal PH reading for someone my age and size is 14...three of my readings from my Bravo PH monitioring tests were 98, 97, and 94...it's WAY too high. My pulmonologist agrees with my gastro., if i'm not better by the time my gastro. appointment rolls around in another month or so- i need to have the Acid Reflux surgery...that way i shouldn't have any more issues with acid reflux..and then i can be placed on meds to manage the IBS symptoms. We'll see...I'm really scared to have another surgery- i've been through soo much medical stuff in the past 3 yrs that its' insane
. I don't want another surgery, but if it's necessary and it will improve my quality of life i'll consider it as a last resort. / So anyways after my doc app. i went to Wild Oats and talked to a nutritional specialist there...she agreed with my doctor when i told her my symptoms- she thinks it's a gluetin allergy as well....so she was soo sweet and walked me down every isle and showed me all of the gluetin free products. All i have to say is - EXPENSIVE!!!! It's horrible to really need products because others make you ill, yet you can't afford the price difference. At one point she was showing me dairy free, wheat free, gluetin free bread- it was $7 for only a tiny tiny loaf- there was no way i was buying that! So i bought a gluetin free mix and i'm going to make my own and see how that goes. As far as produce goes, i eat a ton of spinach, romaine, corn..i never have problems from that, so i'm not worried about it, i'll just buy that at the normal grocery store because it's less expensive.- just the dressings that concerned me! But i did wind up finding gluetin- free dressings that supposedly taste really yummy
! Yea! I never did find gluetin free crutons, so if anyone knows of these, please fill me in!
i love crutons! I also bought my first gluetin free frozen pizza and ate that for lunch- it wasn't horrible....but it will take some getting used to. I'm still waiting to see if it makes me sick( i just ate a few minutes ago). If not, i will definitely get more. There are a lot of options at Wild Oats- but not enough...it's really hard to find stuff that's gluetin free AND dairy free- i foud a ton of stuff that had one or the other, but not much that didn't have eithor..i guess that will come with time when i get used to shopping there and the industries create more products that are easier on people with certain allergies. I also bought one thing of soy cheese (chedder kind), pita chips- which rock! I loved those before i had diagnosed stomach issues. Soy Silk Vanilla milk- i've yet to try it but i will when i have cereal. I also bought dairy, hormone, gluetin, and wheat free cereal- it looks pretty good. I also got some gluetin free pasta made from brown rice ( i love rice, so i'm willing to try that) and some gluetin free spaghetti sauce- although i have to be careful with that...tomatoes and my GERD issues aren't a good mix. Oh, i got soy yogurt to try (apparently stonybrook farm has a soy version of their vanilla yogurt which i thought was cool- stonybrook farm is my fav brand of yogurt). And best of all- ICE CREAM!!!!!!!!!!!
I was a happy camper! I got soy ice cream that's completely gluetin free in Chocolate Peanutbutter Swirl, and Rocky Road- the texture is different, but it's still ice cream so i'm happy! So hopefully now, i will see a difference in how i feel after i eat the gluetin free food..if not, then i'm back to square one. I'm keeping my chin up! hopefully this will work. It really helps that wild oats marks all of their foods that are gluetin free- especially since that was my first time shopping there specifically for those items. The people there were sooo helpful!
I just wish the prices were more reasonable....it's way to expensive for my wallet....but i guess in the long run if i'm not sick all the time i'll save money on not going to the doc
. It's a trade off. Thankyou again everyone for the advice- i really need it because i'm still clueless about shopping for gluetin free and dairy free items. Your help is sooo appreciated!
I really appreciate everyone listening to my questions and offering advice! Ya'll are sooo helpful !Thanks everyone!
 

sarahp

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I discovered I was lactose intolerant about a year ago, and gee it was a wonderful discovery. I would start doing really smelly farts at work and getting stomach cramps and running to the toilet about lunch time and I had no idea why. I eventually realised it was milk from my cereal.


I was going through bottles of antacid because I had no idea what was wrong. I tried soy milk for a while and just didn’t like it, then discovered lactose free milk. I get Lucerne fat free lactose free milk from Safeway. It’s a little more expensive than regular milk, but it’s worth it
I don’t know what sort of lactose intolerance tablets you’re on, but with mine you’re supposed to take them with the first mouthful of dairy everytime you consume dairy – not just once a day. It will just break down the lactose in your stomach for a short time. So if you have more dairy an hour later, the lactase enzyme has been used up, so you need another one (I think that’s how it works). I still find I get some bloating and cramping, but I daresay there’s small amounts of lactose in things that I eat without realizing – you’d be amazed how many things contain lactose (including medication!!). I have tablets in my purse, at home, in the car…. Everywhere I might need them


Oh and I haven't needed the antacid for ages
 

ocicat_steph

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i'm tired and can't be bothered to read all the posts lol but have you tried goat's milk?
 
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starryeyedtiger

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I've been taking "digestive aid"- you take it once a day every day for lactose intolerance. I tried the pills you take with every first bite of food and hated them...they even made me sick (it's just because i have soo many stomach issues at the same time )...So i'm taking the one a day pill, and it's not doing much , but it kinda works.
go figure.
 
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starryeyedtiger

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I haven't tried goats milk- i'm going to try the soy stuff first because it's easier to find in the grocery stores around town. We don't have a HEB store in memphis to my knowledge...but it sounds like a good store
. Also, at the moment, i'm starving! I only got the basic necessities at the store earlier so i'm hungry now and really not wanting to eat the glueton free stuff. I'm going to try a little bit of the ice cream and see how that goes.
 

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Oh man, something in my lunch must have contained lactose... I've been having "issues" for the last 6 hours!!!

I can imagine what it must be like have gluten issues as well!!!

Hopefully you can find plenty of cost effective ways to eat yummy foods still.
 
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starryeyedtiger

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Originally Posted by sarahp

Oh man, something in my lunch must have contained lactose... I've been having "issues" for the last 6 hours!!!

I can imagine what it must be like have gluten issues as well!!!

Hopefully you can find plenty of cost effective ways to eat yummy foods still.
I understand the "issues" thing full well! Last night i accidently had some coffee and it had sweetened condensed milk in it- (you know, things you wouldn't even think of if you're not use to a lactose problem.) and i drank it. I was sick on both accounts if you know what i mean. When i woke up this morning i was still really sick
. By the time i got to the doc, he checked out my stomach and said i was swollen beyond belief- i was like "tell me about it"
It's horrible. Right now i'm starving for something good- i just ate the soy ice cream (just a little bit) and i'm eating some mixed nuts at the moment.
I'm really trying not to eat something that makes me sick tonight. Thanks for keeping up with the threand and for your story. It's really hard having these issues now, but i'm glad i have all you sweet folks on TCS to talk to about it
. That's awesome! Lol, and as far as cost effective goes- i'm literally making a list of EVERYTHING- with or without gluetin and dairy...if it makes me sick i won't eat it...but if it doesn't i will save some money and keep eating it. Popcorn, Strawberry Fruit Bars, and mixed nuts seem to not make me sick so far...so i can buy the normal brands (and knock off's
) of those and safe a little money that way
 
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