Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => Other Health Discussion => Topic started by: Val.M on November 02, 2011, 07:38:21 PM
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Hi Ladies
Over the past couple of months I've become Lactose intolerant. So far, I've coped pretty well with Lacto-free milk and yoghurts :) No nausea, stomach cramps or excessive wind ;) But I really want to eat some cheese :sigh: I've tried the Lactose free cheese and it tasted like rubber ;D I've tried (hard) Goat's cheese but it tasted dreadful and was unbelievably expensive!
I just wondered if anyone else was in the same situation? I would welcome some advice on hidden lactose in other foods too..
Valxx
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I have a friend who avoids dairy and gluten (she has ulcerative colitis) so I'm often looking for alternatives for her, and recently came across this: http://www.buteisland.com/index.htm. I haven't tried it myself yet, but it has won awards and can be bought online, and some of the recipes look yummy!
I hope it helps :)
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Thanks Grumpy2008
This link looks promising! Initially I thought that it was aimed only at wholesale but the products can be split and paid for individually apparently - well I think that's the case with some of the suppliers.
I do wish some of the major supermarkets would make Dairy Free products more available. My local Morrisons and Tesco sell Lacto free milk and Soya Yoghurts and that's it ::)
Valxx
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Val I've been lactose intolerant for more than 10 years. A real pain isn't it?! I've tried the dairy free cheeses as posted by grumpy2008. I didn't particularly enjoy them, though found the flavoured ones slightly more palatable. I too miss cheese.
I have had to alter many recipes which has worked out so far. As for hidden ingredients, I was warned many years ago that monosodium glutamate is one of the worst as it can cover a multitude of flavours including anything dairy.
You are lucky you can tolerate the lactose free products, I can only take very small quantities of it. My dairy intolerance has got worse over the years unfortunately.
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hi ladies iv noticed for quite some time now every time i have yoghurts cheese chocolate or anything dairy i get mucus at the back of my throat and have to cough to clear it could it be intolerance to dairy?
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Lactose intolerance doesn't affect me that way at all. It's not mentioned as a symptom on the NHS website. It affects your stomach/bowels.
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Could be daisie, it is recommended that if you suffer from sinus problems such as post nasal drip to try cutting out dairy to see if it makes a
difference.
http://www.sinuswars.com/sinusinfection.asp
silverlady x
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thank you both for your replys it just seemed to be a bit strange doesnt happen with other things i eat it must be hard having to cut dairy out of your diets i just love yoghurts cheese and chocolate x
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Thank you for your replies Ladies :)
I definitely suffer from sinus problems but to be honest, going lactose free has made little difference to me in that area. The main difference has been with my stomach and bowels.... I don't feel sick in the middle of the night, or have stomach cramps now :) Also, the amount of "wind" I have, has reduced considerably! (Thank God!) Bloating and diarrhoea has definitely been much, much better too ;)
Unfortunately, I have had to cut chocolate out of my diet too ::) Had some the other day, for the first time in months - chocolate buttons, and they gave me stomach cramps and a horrible tingling sensation in my lips :( Definitely didn't feel right. Don't think I'll be trying any chocolate again soon...
Valxx
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Try dark chocolate Val. I buy 80% stuff from the supermarket. Though, some you have to be careful of as the odd one has milk in. It's a case of reading the labels, which is a real pain. Especially if you find something you can take, then they change the recipe and add milk to the ingredients. I've been caught out a few times with that.
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I was super lactose intolerant. I found that taking lactaid tabs (chewable) really helped, but it wasn't until I gave up Gluten that almost all my seemingly lifelong gut problems virtually ended. Amazing really. I can eat cheese and do almost daily and well you know I love my dark chocolate.
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That's very interesting Trey! I've read that Gluten intolerance can lead to Lactose intolerance - but that would just about finish me off I think ;D
I'm not sure if it's connected, but - I'm having a lot of pain in my fingers and toes of late, particularly in the early morning and it wakes me up :( Think I will have to make an appt. with new Gp - I hope to God he's more sympathetic than the previous one ::)
Valxx
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I have been wheat & Lactose intolerant for 19 years now....
I have been suffering wind and bloating recently and asked the doctor if I could get another Lactose intolerant test and she said that there wasn't one. I went onto explain that I have been diagnosed years ago by blowing into a tube and something was being measured, not sure exactly what and she said they don't do that anymore :-\
Rebecca
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Rebecca, is this it? Urea breath test. A urea breath test checks to see if you have H. pylori bacteria in your stomach. This test can show if you have an H. pylori infection. It can also be used to see if treatment has worked to get rid of H. pylori. The breath test is not always available. From Webmd
I think for Lactose Intolerance that Lactaid tablets (do they make it in UK) is a great solution.
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Hi ValM, have they checked for Raynaud's disease (constriction/spasm of tiny blood vessels)? Often though people with this feel cold as well and sometimes they have a sort of blue tinge. Just a guess - I've known a few ladies with this. More a nuisance than serious.
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My nursing daughter questioned my lactose intolerance, in so much as that she though it was IBS. I believe the two can be mistaken for each other.
However, I am pretty sure I have an intolerance as it seems to fit the proper pattern of symptoms, whereby it hits me usually a couple of days later. Once I've had a few trips to the loo, everything goes back to normal.
Whereas, my understanding of IBS, the symptoms can go on for quite a while with severe stomach cramps, constipation, diarrhoea which I don't suffer from. Just a bit windy & a few cramps before I have to make a dash for it.
Maybe someone can solve this one for me.
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When I was lactose intolerant I got symptoms right away after eating the wrong stuff. When I took a tablet before I ate, very little problem. I used Lactaid milk and couldn't tell the difference between it and regular - I think they heat it or something to destroy the problem that intolerant folks have. IBS was, to me, like a round the clock condition. Had it for years after a ruptured appendix and oddly as heck, after a colonoscopy it's gone - something about having a kink unkinked during the procedure.
What I don't understand is why I am no longer lactose intolerant.
As to gluten I only eat oats and brown rice and avoid the other grains. Lots of Gluten free products in our grocery stores now - like flaxseed chips, crackers and so on. If I cheat I get IBS but only for a few hours.
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Yeh I was pretty impressed when in Florida, they went out of their way to make sure I didn't get anything dairy in my food. 2 weeks of bliss for my tum! :) Chefs would come out and would double check ingredients if necessary. Wish they did that here. :(
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My daughter has recently developed a mild lactose intolerance so she uses lactose-free milk (if she stays off ordinary milk she can still eat cheese and chocolate - she's happy!) - she tried soya milk at the doctor's suggestion when she first developed the symptoms, but didn't like it and now uses Lacto-free (not the uht version - the fresh one that is sold next to ordinary milk in the supermarkets). She says it tastes as good as ordinary milk, but smells funny! It's basically cow's milk with an enzyme added (lactase) that breaks the lactose sugar in the milk down into the sugars galactose and glucose, so no more nasty lactose to upset delicate tummies.
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Hi Ladies
Yes - the Lacto Free milk is fine for me too. I can't say I notice any difference in the taste but it is slightly creamier than the skimmed milk I used to drink. Supermarkets in my area tend to run out very quickly though and I frequently have to buy the UHT version which I'm not so keen on....
I felt very sick yesterday and instantly thought it was due to something I'd eaten but I'm pretty certain it was a virus now. I'm even more certain after a child at school vomited all over me this morning ::) Oh and she'd just drank her carton of milk too.... Oh well - all part of the job I guess! It was so bad, I had to go home and shower and get changed ::)
Valxx
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That time of year again, kids with bugs. Horrid isn't it. As for Lacto free milk & products I just wish I could use them. They didn't come out until several years after I'd developed the intolerance. Unfortunately, I cannot cope with any form of dairy nowadays. I went onto their website and they do have some lovely recipes though. Now I use the Rice products, great in baking! I have also bought a carton of Almond, which is supposed to be really nice, but I haven't tried it yet. Really dislike Soya, although still have the soya yogurts from time to time.
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Val.m try rice cheese slices,you might need to find a vegan shop and dairy free chocolate, in holland and barrett
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Hi, Val!
Yes - amongst my many sins, I'm lactose intolerant too. I was formally diagnosed about 10 years ago by my Consultant Gastro. It was a godsend when the Lactofree products became available, I can tell you! I tried soya milk and was very, very sick on it - couldn't keep it down!
About a year ago, I thought I'd be clever and try Hubby's regular semi skimmed milk for a couple of days. Never, EVER again....... >:(
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Val.M hasn't been on here since 2013 and the thread is from 2011!!! Maybe start a new thread as I'm sure there will be current members who might be interested?
Hurdity x
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Oh, blimey! Meno brain!!! Didn't notice, Hurdity! Yes - there must be more of us lactose intolerant types! :o ;)
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I'm lactose intolerant, well all dairy nowadays. It's a bummer for sure. I dislike soya milk, though as a hot chocolate it's not too bad. I use fresh coconut milk which you can get beside all the other dairy free milks.
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Rebecca, is this it?
I think for Lactose Intolerance that Lactaid tablets (do they make it in UK) is a great solution.
Another who is lactose intolerant, just bought some of those tablets today, thank you for suggesting them. worth a try.
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I buy mine in H&B. However, I find that sometimes even that isn't enough. I avoid dairy & only take as a precaution to lessen any possible symptoms from hidden/undeclared dairy produce. Went to an afternoon tea prior to DIL marrying our son. I warned place beforehand. They gave me a plate of sandwiches which were supposed to be dairy free & cakes also. I was so ill later that evening. Complained & they assured me sandwiches were definitely dairy free, but they then said that cakes may have had dairy in them. Grrrrrr!
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Hi sparkle,
Have you ever heard that star anise is very effective to relieve trapped wind? I learned that in a vegetarian cook book. They recommended to add it when cooking all cruciferous and brassicas that are rich in sulfur and can cause flatulence in many people. There's this lovely Portuguese dish called "caldo verde" made of potatoes, kale, garlic and olive oil (the original non veggie has calabresa sausage) but the aftermath is not so lovely... adding one single star anise (each one with 8 seeds) and letting it cook for a while and then removing it (too strong flavour) was enough.
Star anise tea is also very effective and tastes/smells good (well, I like it).
I don't think I am lactose intolerant but I surely have a very lazy lactase (enzyme), whenever I drink milk I have gases and mild diarrhoea. Processed milk (yogurt, cheese) don't have any effect.
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Devastatingly so, yes Sparkle! I'm sure Cubagirl can confirm the same. It's pretty dramatic when we get 'spiked' with dairy! My Consultant said I was fortunate in that I can tolerate the Lactofree products, as they still contain a small trace of lactose and some of his patients are so sensitive that they can't even go near them!
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There was an interesting item on BBC radio 4s medical programme, I think this week or last week.
I forget the name of the programme, but it is with Dr Mark Porter.
It was about lactose intolerance, and from what I can remember concluded that far fewer people are intolerant than was believed and those that are can usually tolerated small amounts, particularly in products like cheese.
I will take a look as see if it's on iplayer.
Found it.
'Inside Health'
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b088fmp7
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When bad, the diarrhoea is explosive. Sorry if that's too much info. I've been fortunate & been near a loo, but fear I may not one day. It really is quite awful when it happens.
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My daughter and grandson are both intolerant/ allergic to dairy products, not just lactose. My daughter was over all healthy growing up, but had minor ailments. As an adult she had breathing difficulties which did not respond to asthma medication. Her doctor told her that she couldn't possibly have asthma as a result, despite a strong family history. She had other less serious symptoms e.g. Dripping nose. A nutritionist helped her identify dairy and eggs as the problem. After eliminating them from her diet, her breathing etc improved considerably and she finds salbutamol effective on the rare occasions she needs it. However, if she inadvertently consumes dairy or egg, maybe cross contamination, she has violent diarrhoea within half an hour and can feel off colour for a couple of days. It was easy to identify her son's problem with dairy, as he did not have any through her milk. When she carefully introduced dairy into his diet, he began to have diarrhoea, severe nappy rash, vomiting, just as she had had as a baby. Fortunately eggs are no problem for him. My DD has problems accessing lactose free medication. She has to be vigilant when she is prescribed medication by gps or in hospital. For example when had preeclampsia. She was given medication with lactose in it and had to make a fuss, which is worrying. The pharmacist in her local town is brilliant and has gone to war with her GP on her behalf and sourced the appropriate medication. Many medications do contain lactose and vaccines are often derived from eggs. Lucky my DD is a healthy young lady. Long may it continue.
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Ju Ju I feel for your daughter in her endeavours trying to get lactose free medication! It's a blooming nightmare. Chemist once told me, "Oh but it's such a minute amount!" It may well be, but no fun if you are lactose/dairy intolerant. I cannot get GPs to put a warning note on my file. So every time I need something new, they get out their "bible" and leaf through pages to find something. My asthma got really bad once & I had to see asthma nurse, she twigged straight away, the preventer inhaler had lactose in. She hadn't prescribed it, GP had. I used to drink so much milk as a child, but no problems then. Suddenly in my mid teenage years even the smell made me nauseous. Often wonder if my childhood consumption caused the problem.