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Lactaid Anyone?


ErraticBinxie

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ErraticBinxie Explorer

I have recently become lactose intolerant. I have been coping with it pretty well. I haven't cheated and I am strictly soy milk now.

I am however wondering about products like Lactaid. I would really like to eat cheese just once in a while and I bought Lactaid but I am afraid to try it. I know that a lot of people on this forum are also lactose intolerant and I am just wondering if anyone has tried products like this before and what kind of results they have had. I have had bad Pepto experiences (I was addicted to it for about three months) and I don't know if this stuff will have similar results. Any thoughts would be appreciated!


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jmengert Enthusiast

I'm also lactose intolerant, and I drink Lactaid milk frequently without problems. I also emailed them and confirmed it was gluten-free.

I'm not sure about the Lactaid pill. I used it pre-gluten-free without problems, but I had to take twice the recommended dose for it to "work"--but again, that was all pre-gluten-free.

Good luck!

francelajoie Explorer

I use extra strengh lactaid chewables all the time. They work great.

wolfie Enthusiast

I use Lactaid Ultra when I eat things with cheese (love cheese and can't seem to part with it). I don't go as far as to drink a glass of milk or eat yogurt or ice cream though. It does appear to work well for me with the cheese.

ebrbetty Rising Star

the lactaid ultra seem to work only some of the time for me, seems a lot of ppl say the same thing..I ordered some online from a LI site, they're from England, work great!!

jenvan Collaborator

Lactaid tabs and chewables are gluten-free. I don't do milk now b/c of casein intolerance...but back in the day, lactaid worked pretty well for my lactose intolerance. If you're unsure, just start with small amounts of dairy at first as a trial.

aikiducky Apprentice

The way Lactaid works it contains the enzyme needed to break down lactose. It's an enzyme that your body used to produce naturally, and apparently doesn't anymore, since you've become lactose intolerant. So you don't need to worry that you could get hooked on Lactaid or anything, it's not that kind of a drug.

Pauliina


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ErraticBinxie Explorer

Thank you all SO much for your input. I feel a lot more confident in it now and it also helps me to reconcile the fact that I now have two intolerances! Thanks again and good luck to you all!

Jen H Contributor

I tried the Lactaid milk and had bloating and an upset stomach after drinking 1/2 a cup. However, it was the first time I've had milk in 8 months. I'm going to try it again in a few months. If you are looking for a gluten-free Lactose free cheese, Cabot cheese is gluten-free. It also says "0g lactose" on the back of the packages.

ebrbetty Rising Star

kraft shredded cheddar is also lactose free

MySuicidalTurtle Enthusiast

The lactaid pills work for lots of things with me but not for milk nor cheese. The Lavatid milk doesn't work with me, either.

melly Rookie
I have recently become lactose intolerant. I have been coping with it pretty well. I haven't cheated and I am strictly soy milk now.

I am however wondering about products like Lactaid. I would really like to eat cheese just once in a while and I bought Lactaid but I am afraid to try it. I know that a lot of people on this forum are also lactose intolerant and I am just wondering if anyone has tried products like this before and what kind of results they have had. I have had bad Pepto experiences (I was addicted to it for about three months) and I don't know if this stuff will have similar results. Any thoughts would be appreciated!

lactaids good i drank it w/ no problems i would be fine w/ lactose intolerance if it didnt mean no ice cream so you can tell i had no trouble drinking it by the way im back on regular milk and still doin fine

Guest Robbin

I take lactaid and so does my son, but still can't drink milk. We take 2 extra strength and works good for cheese with us. Take it after you eat a bite of the food first. :)

skinnyminny Enthusiast
kraft shredded cheddar is also lactose free

How is the Kraft chesse lactose free I am new with the lactose thing?

Guest Robbin

I wondered about that too :unsure: Anyone?

ebrbetty Rising Star

on the back of the package it says "0 lactose per serving" I have no problems with it.

denipark Newbie

My daughter just did a little science fair project using lactaid. As a disclaimer, I don't know if you can extrapolate this info to how lactaid works in the stomach, or on dairy products other than milk. Anyway, she found that the lactaid worked SIGNIFICANTLY better on whole milk and did not work at all on skim milk. She tested whole, 2%, 1% and skim milk. She crushed a lactaid ultra, stirred it into the milk, waited a set time, and then tested with a glucose strip. She did it three times with each variety of milk. Something to think about....

jerseyangel Proficient

Gee, that is interesting. I don't use it as I am dairy free. My son uses it, usually just when he eats ice cream. Your daughter may just be on to something ;)

  • 2 weeks later...
GlutenFreeAl Contributor

Very hard cheeses (ie Parmesan and cheddar) contain very little lactose (next to none), so manufacturers are allowed to put 0g lactose on them.

I have been lactose intolerant for years and cannot have regular milk or ice cream, even with Lactaid pills. However, small amounts of hard cheese are fine with me.

I also can eat Romano (sheeps) cheese with no problems.

It's hard to live without cheese, isn't it?

momandgirls Enthusiast

Lactaid pills don't work for everyone - neither my daughter nor I can tolerate dairy, even with lactaid pills or lactaid milk. I noticed the 0g lactose on the back of Cabot, too - I was at the factory when I saw it - there is still lactose in the cheese but the FDA rules state that foods with negligible amounts of lactose can still be called lactose free. Most people with lactose intolerance are ok with them - but not everyone. We are off all dairy entirely - I actually find that harder to contend with than avoiding gluten.

teeta Newbie

Wow! I didnt realize how many people can't tolerate lactose. When I was two and was diagnosed with celiac disease I couldn't have lactose, but that was just because my cilia on my intestine had flattened and the tips broke off (which controls your lactose tolerance). Once my cilia grew back I was fine. I don't know how long all off you have been off gluten, but it's something to consider.

StrongerToday Enthusiast

There's also a product out called Digestive Advantage - you take just one pill a day, you do not have to take one with every meal. The product is gluten-free - I called to verify it. I tried it a few months ago as I was retesting dairy, but still had some gas. I do play to retry it soon.

mart Contributor

Lexi, try the Lactaid Fast Act chewable pills - it won't hurt. They work great for my 7 year old son. He takes 2 of them, per his doctor's recommendation. They taste delicious too (vanilla). He never gets stomachaches when he eats cheese and ice-cream if he takes these. They are very safe, and as someone else mentioned, they aren't really a drug, but an enzyme.

I am also extremely curious about the Kraft Cheddar Cheese!

  • 2 weeks later...
num1habsfan Rising Star

I drink lactaid milk (very expensive, but good), and try to have the extra-strength tablets on hand in case i'm away from home and gotta eat milk :P .. for butter i eat fleshmanns or however you spell it, they have lactose-free butter.

~lisa~

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