Lactose Free Diet

[Mooria]

After watching some of Embrassing Fat Bodies last night, and realised that i have a lot of the symptons of a lactose intolerance.
Can anyone help me on going about having a lactose free diet, and recommendations and how long i should give it for sysmptons to clear so that i know that this is the cause of my symptoms.
TIAx

[pastafreak]

I suppose you could try eliminating all dairy from your diet for a week-then re-introduce gradually. Start with milk,then hard cheeses,etc. Make a note of how you react-bloating,diaorhea,etc.
But really-maybe see your GP to start would be the best thing to do.

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Lactose-intolerance/Pages/Introduction.aspx

[Sqad]

I agree with pasta....see you GP and he will arrange a lactose tolerance test.

Self diagnosis is fraught with hidden dangers.

[Mooria]

Thanks Pasta/Sqad - didn't realise that there was a test, just thought that you had to cut everything out and see if there was a difference. Will try and arragne an appointment with the doctors - probably won't me for month thn, that seems to be the appointment times at our drs.

[Mosaic]

While agreeing with the above, I think from observation that simply cutting down on milk is good for you provided your diet remains balanced. Humans weren't designed to drink cow's milk, lord knows what was occurring when then first tried it out. Most people in the world don't drink it.

[Eve]

I've had problems tolerating it in the past on and off and am going for the test in a few weeks - basically just drinking some stuff then breathing into a little machine every so often for a couple of hours.

I had a test for small bowel bacterial overgrowth a few weeks ago which is done in a similar way. It was negative so off for the lactose one.

[friedgreentomato]

I had to on the advice of my dr give up all dairy products for 6 months, did it , managed, got better.

So he said I could start re introducing it slowly!! Went straight out and ate a clotted cream tea - spent the rest of the weekend being really ill!!