How do you deal with your lactose intolerance?

[Sundaymorning]

Do doctors prescribe medicine for lactose intolerance? I am trying lactaid and it works just a little bit. I will either be seeing a doctor soon (although my case is not extreme), or I will just avoid milk products all together.

What do yall do if you have it?

[2SidestoStories]

Sorry, I don't mean to imply that it's neato that you're lactose intolerant...actually I just learned a whole lot about lactose intolerance the other day in one of my anthropology courses. The statistics are that approximately 60% of the world's adults are actually lactose intolerant to some degree, because the gene that affects lactose tolerance, once we reach age 6, mutates itself out of existence. Wiggy, no? I won't go into any more of that stuff though...

 

The truth is, both of my kiddos are Lactose Intolerant; my son seems to be more negatively affected right now than his sister, which is strange because he is younger. It's apparently extremely unusual if not downright abberational for such young people TO have lactose intolerance. They're soy kids, though. That is generally how we deal with it. That, and the occasional cheating with cheese

 

Do you enjoy yogurt? If so, that's a great source of calcium and milk proteins, but it is lactose-free due to the bacteria called acidophilus (sp?) that actually digests the lactose for you. Pretty neat stuff, that...and as far as I know it's actually marketed separately, if you're brave enough to pour a heaping spoonful into your belly prior to consuming dairy products.

 

There are a lot of soy- and rice-based dairy alternatives even in your general supermarket these days, and from my experience, they're dandy. You can even buy it in "ice-cream" form!

[midwestconfusion]

I was not LI in my youth, but in the past few years I was diagnosed with IBS and a year later with LI. I still enjoy dairy products, but only in the privacy of my own home and in moderation. I love milk, but do drink skim and only one glass a day of up to 10 oz. I also don't "sip" it. I can't do that. I have to "Top off" my meal by "guzzling" the milk, otherwise, if I sip, I ultimately find myself experiencing horrible stomach pain and have to cease eating.

 

I have taken Lactaid with minimal relief; however, the chewables are not as effective as the pill and sometimes you need to take more than 1 pill at each meal. You must take it with the first bite of dairy too.

 

I do not have much trouble digesting cheese as I do other dairy products. I cannot eat yogurts or any yogurt based products. I can't drink products like Slim Fast, Ensure, Boost...heck, a Boost actually sent me to the emergency room!!!

 

So for me, the LI isn't too much of a problem as long as I stick to eating dairy at home! I REFUSE to "go soy". I think that stuff is absolutely disgusting!! Tried it and BLECHT!

[brashgal]

Yogurt seems to work, didn't realize it was because of the bacteria - interesting. Breyers makes a lactose-free vanilla ice cream also - slightly different in texture from their regular vanilla ice cream but still pretty good.

[spencer]

ive had this over 20 years. even when i was a kid a hated milk and would only drink skim or chocolate. i have been turned on to lactaid now for 6 years.

wow.. i cant beleive i can eat ice cream and cheese again.

for the record i could always eat hard cheddar, the soft cheeses are a no no. actually everything, but yogurt, that contains dairy is a no no. no pizza, ever, no cheese sauce,

no 'cream of brocolli soup', yum, i remember i use to like that.

i still dont eat anything with cream, still scared i guess, skim milk or non fat milk im getting use too, with lactaid, of course.

 

yogurt has never given me any problem, i always eat the one with acidophillis and lacto bacillious, (stoneyfieldfarms). this has been my sanity and my luxury food, no lactaid needed.

 

acidophillis pills will help also if you take a couple of pills before you eat.

i can usually consume a bowl of cereal w/skim & no lactaid. but everything else I take 1 or 2 pills with. my body seemed to build a tolerance for the lactaid, if i eat a lot of dairy products regularly i will have to increase my lactaid.

 

dealing with lactose intolerance is not that much of a problem.

now try to find products without 'partially hydrogenated oil', almost impossible, only organic, non- processed food for me.