Stomach Issues - Spencer,IA

Wean out the dairy... if the symptoms stop, than you are likely lactose intolerant or have a dairy allergy. That is a good way to test it out.

Lactose intolerance and dairy allergies are two totally different things though. So, you may still be able to have dairy, depending on which one you have.

For example, if it is lactose intolerance, you may not be able to have milk b/c of the milk sugar proteins, but you can have some dairy like cheese or yogurt b/c the casein is already broken down in those dairy products. Especially helpful are dairy intolerance pills.

Some more info here that explains it better (and correctly!)
http://www.healthkicker.com/703956409/dairy-allergy-vs-la...

Ulcers are usually accompanied by burning pains and such, and don't usually manifest through stools... more info here:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/peptic-ulcer/DS00242/DSE...

Definitely could be an allergy or intolerance. Studies are showing that adults are developing food allergies or intolerances later in life. You could try cutting the dairy out of your diet to see if your symptoms improve then slowly reintroduce dairy or keep a food journal to see if there is a connection between what you eat & your symtoms.

Signs of ulcer - burning sensation, black stool (blood), and more discomfort when hungry than full (empty stomach means stomach acid is attacking the ulcer b/c there's no food to absorb it)

Signs of lactose intolerance - you named 'em.

Mine is also "adult onset". It started in my late teens/early twenties - couldn't drink a glass of milk anymore. Terrible stomach cramps and then sitting on the toilet.

A few years later, I had to give up cereal when the cereal no longer could 'cover' the milk.

Couple years ago....ice cream. No more ice cream.

Skip the doctor - go to your grocery store and buy 1/2 gallon of Lactaid. it's either in the milk aisle, or the section with all the vegan/organic/glutten stuff.

Drink a glass of that. If it's all good - you're lactose intolerant. If you still got symptoms - then I'm stumped! :)

Momma L said it perfect.

Your body changes as you age, so an intolerance or allergy may develop.

It does NOT sound like an ulcer. A chronic upset stomach that may or may not be paired with bloody stools and reflux sounds like an ulcer.

As Momma L suggested, cut out dairy. If the symptoms stop, you can make a pretty educated guess here.

If the symptoms persist, it's time to see your doc.

I always find it so absolutely hilarious that the first thing people automatically say when a person complains about dairy products is, you must be lactose intolerant (meaning your body can't digest the sugars in cow milk).

A person can become ALLERGIC to either the casein or the whey protein in cow milk at ANY time in his or her life; you don't have to just be a baby or a small child to develop the allergy.

If you have lactose intolerance, you can take an over-the-counter pill that will allow your body to digest the sugars so that you can continue to still eat and drink cow milk products. However, if your lactose intolerance is severe, even that might not cure all of your problems.

If you have an allergy to either casein or whey protein in cow milk, then the only way to stay away from being sick, feeling bloated, having diarrhea or constipation, or any of a myriad of other issues a person can have from an allergy is--you have to STOP eating ALL cow milk products. Period.

Taking probiotics is absolutely wonderful and is a great way to put good bacteria into your colon/gut, whether you have an issue with dairy or not. I take one every morning and every night, as does my daughter.

However, IF you have a cow milk ALLERGY and you don't quit eating cow dairy products, you can develop a LEAKY GUT, which will break down the barrier between the gut and your body and allow nutrients and other bad stuff to "leak" out of your gut and into your body, where they can cause further damage, not the least that your body will lose vital nutrients, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and amino acids it needs to properly function. If you continue to eat cow dairy products for years and years and years--even though you shouldn't, because you are allergic to them--then your body will be an easy target to develop other food allergies and other food intolerances.

If you're having issues with dairy, I urge you to go to a doctor and find out for sure if you are ALLERGIC to cow dairy products or if you have LACTOSE INTOLERANCE. Either way, staying away as much as possible from eating anything with cow dairy in it will be the best thing you can do for your body.

im like that too. i take probiotic pearls (sold at walmart). they work great! if i dont take them i really notice a change in one day.

My hubby recently developed an intolerance to all dairy. His issues were extremely painful bowels. Some loose stools, but mostly pain. My hubby went through a battery of tests and had a doctor want to REMOVE his intestine and come to find out he has a problem with dairy! His new doctor said allergy testing does not catch an intolerance, so they skipped that. He said it's extremely common to develop allergies and intolerances as you age. He had us cut all dairy out, which is hard because dairy is everywhere - lunch meat, hot dogs, many breads, etc. Then he told us to slowly add things back in and check for a reaction...to figure out if it's the casein in dairy or the lactose that he is having issues. Unfortunately for my hubby it appears to be any and all dairy. These peppermint pills have helped a lot of discomfort he has been dealing with... http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002UDK4Q/ref=oh_o00_s0.... Probiotics don't work for him, they caused him more discomfort. He has also added this soluable fiber to his daily regimen. His gastroenterologist recommended this.

Sounds like an lactose isssue. Yes take probiotics, preferrably one from a wholefoods or suppliment store from the refrigerated section. Those have more, better & live cultures.

My husband has lactose intolerance & any dairy is an issue without lactaid etc. My son also has it but to a much lesser degree. More like you are describing. He eats dairy but not too much. If he is going to have a larger serving or more than one in a day he takes lactaid. However he still sometimes gets stinky & stomcah issues. When that happens we take him off dairy for a few days & put him on probiotics to get his system back in line.

I've never met a person who doesn't know something is very wrong from the PAIN when they have an ulcer. Some people think they are just having heartburn but usually the pain is what shows you that it's an ulcer. I know when I have one. They hurt! Think of it as an OPEN sore somewhere in your GI tract all that lovely bile and acid hitting it. OUCH! Think how sore your throat can get from vomiting.

That does sound like some sort of an intolerance or allergy and if you've figured out it comes from dairy you can actually just do what your doctor will pry suggest. Cut out all dairy for 2 weeks and see if the symptoms go away if they do you have your answer.... Dairy is no longer your friend. Yes it can happen when you didn't have it all your life. Allergies for that matter require exposure. The more exposure the worse they get. It's an immune response to something it doesn't like. Whenever the offender is introduced the system goes into attack mode to get rid of it.

But I'd just cut all dairy out of my diet. It's becoming more and more common to have an allergy to dairy or intolerance. It's one of those things they are debating... what exactly is causing this significant increase. It'll pry end up being something insane like something in the water! They'll figure it out in 20 years and we'll all be like damn it! lol