I recently developed lactose intolerance and I’m still trying to figure out which dairy products affect me. Yesterday I had one of my rumbles with dairy - ugh. I’ve done a lil’ research on LI, and mainly I’m looking for a product that I can take after I’ve started feeling sick. If I knew before hand I was going to be sick, I wouldn’t eat it! So, I haven’t seen any pill you can take after you start feeling sick, and I was wondering if these even existed.
I’ve read the LI threads that I could find, hope this topic hasn’t been covered.
I’m in the same boat. This morning in a fit of optimism, I went downstairs to get some chocolate milk to go with the cream cheese filled King Cake one of my co-workers brought today. That was over 3 hours ago, and my stomach is just finally starting feel normal again.
Anyway, I seem to remember there being a product similar to antacid call “Lactaid” or something like that. I’m going grocery shopping tonight, if I find it I’ll let you know.
Thanks andyman. All of the products I’ve found must be taken before or while you are consuming the offending dairy. And because I’m not always bothered I wouldn’t know when to take it and when not to.
This thread was covered just recently, but I can’t get a hit either in the archives. Well, we both suck
Now, as far as I’ve been told by my Dr., and some nutritionist-types, if you are able to ingest the Lactaid ( which is a registered trademark), or any other brand of lactase enzyme IMMEDIATELY before ingesting the first mouthful, you will do very nicely. Ingesting the enzyme after means that what you ate is going to enter your digestive tract ahead of the enzyme, and give you many of the symptoms we all loathe.
The pills are wicked small, I keep them in one of those Mini-Altoid metal tins, in my hip pouch. While I usually buy the Eckerd Drugs generic version of the tablets, I’ll deliver Lactaid Brand Web Site for it’s educational value. Aside from pimping the product, there’s some stuff of value in there.
Another sufferer here. As Cartooniverse pointed out, there’s really no way you can take a lactaid pill after the fact. The trouble is basically we are missing the enzyme lactase, which breaks down the milk sugar lactose. So those helpful little bacteria in our intestines will happily do it for us, resulting in symptoms with which you are probably all too familiar.
There are chewable pills on the market, which should be taken just before consumption. There are also tiny bottles of drops which you can add to larger containers of stuff like milk or yogurt. The drops need to be added a day in advance; they contain the enzyme which breaks down the milk sugar prior to your consuming the dairy product in question. Because the milk sugar is already broken down before you eat it, the product you added the drops to tastes sweeter. You may have a little trouble getting used to it as sweeter milk is also a sign that it’s going off. (And if you share milk with someone else you’ll probably have to start using separate containers). I’ve added lactaid drops to my milk since I found out I was intolerant about 15 years ago. You do get used to the taste, just like you can get used to low-fat milk. You can also buy already-treated Lactaid milk. Look for this next to the regular resh milk; it comes in cardboard cartons. Unless you live in the UK, that is, where the intolerance isn’t very well-known or experienced. I have my mom ship the drops over from the States.
You’ll need to work out for yourself which products are the worst offenders for you. I and most of the people I know with lactose intolerance find straight milk and ice cream particularly bad. I can do cream, cheese, and yogurt without any problems, but other people I know can’t.
I’ve been lactose intolerant for about 8 years now, and I have yet to find a post-ingestion pill. Basically, whenever I’m in doubt, I pop a pill. All the various lactase pills are pretty much the same. Get whatever is cheapest. All you really need to do is check the number of FCC Lactose Units. Generally they’ll either be 3000 units or 9000 units. I carry the 9000 unit type.
Now some bad news; food manufacturers put lactose, also called whey or milk sugar, into everything. I’ve even seen it as an inert ingredient in vitamin tablets. While you are discovering what you can and cannot eat, you might also want to carry around a couple of Imodium AD or equivalent tablets.
Also, as distasteful as this sounds, get plenty of fiber in your diet. Use Metamucil or some such if necessary. It will cut down on the urgency if one of your symptoms is diarrhea. It will have other benefits also, that you should discuss with your Doctor. (I don’t want to be giving medical advice here. I’m not a Doctor, nor do I play one on the boards.)
Here’s a couple of threads I remember about the subject,
('cause I shot my mouth off in there too.):
