Am I NOT Lactose Intolerant Anymore? Was I Ever?

[Jennifer]

For years (about 20 years) I've been told that I'm lactose intolerant yet recently my fiance and I have bought chocolate milk pre-made from the store (straight milk nothing non milk about it) because we both love it and haven't had it in forever. I was prepared for the consequences of the sharp pain of feeling like I swallowed broken glass and diarrhea for the rest of the night but it didn't happen. I drank a HUGE glass of it and not only did I not get any pain from it but my stool was fully formed. WAT? Drank it again the next day and the many days after that and nothing. Has my body started producing lactase (enzyme that helps digest lactose) again or was I never actually lactose intolerant to begin with?

Anyone experience something similar with milk or any other food?

 

[handle]

Lactase is mainly produced in the mid small bowel...and inflamation reduces expression of the enzyme. Maybe you never were intolerant but simply found it hard to digest when inflamed?
I have a better chance with milk products when I'm feeling well, definitely.
Glad to hear you enjoyed the yummy choc milk.

 

[Jennifer]

I've been in remission for years though with little to no inflammation. :/

 

[Cat-a-Tonic]

I'm lactose intolerant but different dairy products affect me differently. Cheese and milk just kill me, but I can eat butter and ice cream with absolutely zero problem. Most of the women in my mom's side of the family are lactose intolerant but we're all different - we all have different dairy products that cause massive symptoms and ones that don't do much at all. My mom can eat cheese just fine but yogurt and cream (like cream-based soups) affect her badly. I don't know if any of us can drink milk but I'll ask around at the next family get-together. Anyway, that was rambling but my suggestion is to try other dairy products and see how each one affects you.

 

[Jennifer]

I'll do the gallon of milk challenge! Just kidding lol. I've never had too much of a problem with ice cream and cheese etc. mainly just anything that involved straight milk.

I guess I was wondering if your body can go back and forth from intolerant to tolerant.

 

[littlemissh]

Its very common to lose your lactose intolerance over time. In children that are lactose intolerant, once they have been on a lactose free diet diet for a year or 2 , lactose is very gradually introduced and most are able to tolerate it. Many people can become temporarily lactose intolerant after sever gastroenteritis (again partic children) and after a few months are ok.

Interesting because there are some who feel that crohns may also be triggered by certain types of severe gastroenteritis like salmonella/campylobacter...though not temporay in the case of crohn's...shame!

 

[Jennifer]

I've never heard of that. Where did you get your info?

 

[littlemissh]

I see a lot of children with lactose intolerance. The Paeds and dieticians always reintroduce lactose after a period of time and it is very often successful. The same doesn't apply to nuts, etc. The temporary lactose intolerance post infection is in the medical textbooks etc.
There is a recent link to 'medical therapies in ibd' which mentions the possible link with crohns post severe GE.
If you want I may be able to hunt out some references if you are specific which bit you are interested in.

 

[Jennifer]

I never actually stopped drinking milk (never went more than a few months without it). So I'm more interested in adults going from intolerant to tolerant. Whether I was in remission or in a flare, milk always gave me a lot of pain diarrhea etc. But now that doesn't seem to be the case. I'm not sure if the information I seek is out there.

 

[RFarmer]

For years (about 20 years) I've been told that I'm lactose intolerant yet recently my fiance and I have bought chocolate milk pre-made from the store (straight milk nothing non milk about it) because we both love it and haven't had it in forever. I was prepared for the consequences of the sharp pain of feeling like I swallowed broken glass and diarrhea for the rest of the night but it didn't happen. I drank a HUGE glass of it and not only did I not get any pain from it but my stool was fully formed. WAT? Drank it again the next day and the many days after that and nothing. Has my body started producing lactase (enzyme that helps digest lactose) again or was I never actually lactose intolerant to begin with?

Anyone experience something similar with milk or any other food?

I'm lactose intolerant as well, and have spoken to many dieticians on the subject... The enzyme lactase is placed in the guy by little cils (hairs) in the intestines... People with lactose intolerance don't have enough of this enzyme at one time to deal with milk or other high-lactose things. HOWEVER, for some reason, people often are able to digest milk or lactose after a long pause from any lactose. Like, someone gets diarrhea everytime they drink milk. So they stop for three months, and have a celebratory ice cream for something. Oftentimes, the first initial reintroduction of lactose doesn't produce any symptoms.

I have no idea why. It could be that lactase somehow builds up in the gut, and isn't immediately passed as stool. It could be that the bacteria which cause the diarrhea and gas (happens when they get at the lactose) lose their... ability? desire?... to eat the lactose. Not sure. But I wouldn't immediately believe that one drink means you're no longer intolerant. Ease into it. It does happen, that people regain tolerance. But not often.

 

[Mark24]

I was lactose intolerant the last 20 years. Last September I was on a very strict diet of no lactose. When I stopped the diet I was no longer lactose intolerant. I have been able to drink glasses of milk and eat ice cream as well as others. Before if I had it I would have extreme problems. I was able to take the lactose pills and that worked well. I'm happy to be no longer intolerant. I would suggest others try this, if it works for you then great.