May I Ask...why No Dairy?

[skyyblues]

I am new to this and I am doing my best to go gluten free - still need to de-gluten kitchen - and I notice that many of you have also removed dairy. I am still broke out severly on hands but stomach feels better than it has in 20+ years!! It has been 2 weeks and only made 1 big mistake while eating out, which I paid for the next 2 days. I know the skin issues will take some time but wondering if milk and cheese could be doing something I am not aware of. I appreciate all the great info you folks have provided me so far and you seem to have a lot of patience when it comes to answering ?s so thought I would ask. Thanks......

[rinne]

Hi.

Depending on whether or not the villi are damaged it may be more or less easy to digest dairy, for some this changes over time for others not. You may or may not be affected and of course the easiest way to figure it out is to cut it out.

My understanding is that if you cannot tolerate cow dairy and continue to eat it you will continue to feel badly and it will delay the healing process, perhaps someone who knows more can say more.

I have been dairy free for three and some years and every two months or so I try to reintroduce cheese, so far no success. I am able to digest home made goat yogurt though and many who are intolerant to cow milk can handle goat milk.

Here's hoping that gluten free alone will remedy your problems, it does take time.

[psawyer]

There are two reasons.

First, celiacs with intestinal damage usually have lactose intolerance. This is because lactase, the enzyme needed to digest lactose, is produced in the villi. Until the villi have recovered, an intolerance to lactose (milk sugar) is common. In most cases, it is temporary and goes away when the villi regenerate.

Second, a large number of celiacs are also intolerant to casein (milk protein). This situation is usually permanent.

While there are some dairy products that are lactose-free or very low in lactose, all dairy products contain casein. Hard cheeses are generally lactose-free, as all the lactose is consume in the cheese-making process.

So a common recommendation is to avoid dairy at first. Once you have been gluten-free for some time, try reintroducing dairy.

Welcome to the board.

[mimommy]

Many newly diagnosed celiacs are also dairy intolerant, at least in the beginning stages of the gluten free diet/healing process because the villi in the small intestine are damaged. The villi are the finger like projections in the bowel wall that digest and absorb nutrients and become flattened/damaged by the auto-immune response the body creates to fight the toxin (grain proteins). The villi are also responsible for processing the proteins and sugars in dairy--casein, lactose and lactase. Some celiac patients find they can go back to eating dairy later on, after the bowel has healed. It is even a good idea to avoid all dairy products during and after a bout of the "flu" or any intestinal symptom--at least, that's what my doc told me.

[Nancym]

A lot of people intolerant of gluten also have issues with dairy. It's probably a good idea to at some point eliminate dairy for a couple of weeks and see if it makes a difference in your health.

[skyyblues]

Thank you all for the information. I went to the endo doc yesterday. I am scheduled for a endoscopy and colonoscopy on May 12. I cried when I agreed to go back to eating "it". I went to dinner last night and started to break out Been in the bathroom twice already this morn and pains are horrible. I am not sure I will make it 4 weeks. I am taking pics so I can show the doc in case it gets to where I can't stand it anymore. I will keep the appt. even if I can't stay on the regular diet just to rule out any other complications. Holding stomach and itching but wish you all a great day!! Thanks again.