Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Join Our eNewsletter:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Did I Have Too Much Dairy?

LauraB0927

Recommended Posts

LauraB0927 Apprentice
LauraB0927
Posted

I never had an issue with dairy before my diagnosis (May 2012) and I used to drink milk like it was water and going out of style...but I cut out a good portion of dairy and now only limit my diary intake to a Weight Watchers low fat cheese stick and a cup of yogurt daily. Since I never had issues with those and always felt fine, I tried the Trader Joe's Strawberry Kefir yesterday (a very small amount, maybe 1/4 of a cup, just to see if I liked it). About an hour later, I was curled up on the floor with excruciating pains in my intestine area and had D for the rest of the night. I've NEVER felt that kind of pain before and the only thing I changed in my diet yesterday was drinking the Kefir. My GI system is still feeling a bit sensitive today...

I can tolerate milk in cooking, like when I make home made gluten free corn muffins or other recipes. I can also eat gluten free cheese pizzas without any problem at all. I know that we can become lactose intolerant, but I was totally thrown off guard by this. Here's my stupid question - was that way too much dairy/lactose for me? I'm assuming there is a higher level of lactose in the Kefir, but has anyone else had this issue? Will taking Lactaid pills help with this? I want to make sure I am getting my calcium and probiotics and was also hoping that the Kefir could be a filling afternoon snack combined with some fruit, as I'm trying to lose some more weight. Any suggestions would be much appreciated!!! :)

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


dws Contributor
dws
Posted

I never had an issue with dairy before my diagnosis (May 2012) and I used to drink milk like it was water and going out of style...but I cut out a good portion of dairy and now only limit my diary intake to a Weight Watchers low fat cheese stick and a cup of yogurt daily. Since I never had issues with those and always felt fine, I tried the Trader Joe's Strawberry Kefir yesterday (a very small amount, maybe 1/4 of a cup, just to see if I liked it). About an hour later, I was curled up on the floor with excruciating pains in my intestine area and had D for the rest of the night. I've NEVER felt that kind of pain before and the only thing I changed in my diet yesterday was drinking the Kefir. My GI system is still feeling a bit sensitive today...

I can tolerate milk in cooking, like when I make home made gluten free corn muffins or other recipes. I can also eat gluten free cheese pizzas without any problem at all. I know that we can become lactose intolerant, but I was totally thrown off guard by this. Here's my stupid question - was that way too much dairy/lactose for me? I'm assuming there is a higher level of lactose in the Kefir, but has anyone else had this issue? Will taking Lactaid pills help with this? I want to make sure I am getting my calcium and probiotics and was also hoping that the Kefir could be a filling afternoon snack combined with some fruit, as I'm trying to lose some more weight. Any suggestions would be much appreciated!!! :)

I'm not sure what's up with the kefir for you. Like yogurt, it has less lactose than milk and is advertised as having less lactose than yogurt. It does tend to be loaded with super high levels of probiotics, so maybe those upset your system. Maybe too much of a good thing. Probiotics make my stomach hurt.

LauraB0927 Apprentice
LauraB0927
Posted
  • Author

I'm not sure what's up with the kefir for you. Like yogurt, it has less lactose than milk and is advertised as having less lactose than yogurt. It does tend to be loaded with super high levels of probiotics, so maybe those upset your system. Maybe too much of a good thing. Probiotics make my stomach hurt.

Thank you so much for that advice! After reading your post, I made a call to my nutritionist (who is wonderful) and explained the situation to her and she seems to think it's the cultures too and said that some Celiacs cant tolerate the high amounts in the Kefir. I'll stay away from it for a long time (I dont want to experience anything like that again) and then see if I can work it in slowly. Thanks again!

dws Contributor
dws
Posted

Thank you so much for that advice! After reading your post, I made a call to my nutritionist (who is wonderful) and explained the situation to her and she seems to think it's the cultures too and said that some Celiacs cant tolerate the high amounts in the Kefir. I'll stay away from it for a long time (I dont want to experience anything like that again) and then see if I can work it in slowly. Thanks again!

You're lucky you have a good nutritionist who is familiar with celiac. Wish I could find one.

IrishHeart Veteran
IrishHeart
Posted

I agree ---and I would recommend avoiding kefir when newly diagnosed IMHO.

It's really hard on a damaged gut, despite the healing nature of it. I figured it would be a FAB idea for me, too.... but, nope.

( your story brought back a "fond" memory. :rolleyes: It lasted about 3 minutes in me before causing terrible cramping and it took about 10 more minutes before finding "the way back out"--any which way it could....and it wasn't pretty :lol: )

I have not touched it since and likely, I never will again.

I take probiotics in powder form and that works fine for me.

Glad you have a good celiac-savvy nutritionist!!

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):



    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):



  • Recent Activity

    1. Scott Adams
      - Scott Adams replied to yellowstone's topic in Coping with Celiac Disease
      3

      Has someone experienced discrimination because of their illness?

      Regarding the discrimination you asked about, it is a lot more easy now to discriminate when you're supposed to answer whether or not you have celiac disease on job applications, and from what I've seen, MANY companies now include this question on their applications:
    2. Scott Adams
      - Scott Adams commented on Scott Adams's article in Spring 2026 Issue
      2

      When Home Isn't Safe: Celiac Disease, Cross-Contamination, and the Right to a Gluten-Free Space

      It's too bad relationships end because of this disease, but I suppose that being healthy may be more important than being married or living with someone who isn't on board with the gluten-free diet.
    3. Flash1970
      - Flash1970 commented on Scott Adams's article in Spring 2026 Issue
      2

      When Home Isn't Safe: Celiac Disease, Cross-Contamination, and the Right to a Gluten-Free Space

      This is a huge topic. My ex husband didn't care. Even though I had my own area where his food wasn't allowed, I'd find crumbs. I was always constantly cleaning. I threw a lot of food away because I wouldn't be sure if he had contaminated it. It really showed what a narcissistic person he was and is. Now I'm in my own home. Much better. I do have dogs...
    4. Russ H
      - Russ H posted a topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      0

      Fiber-Metabolizing Bacteria Could Boost Gut Health in Celiac Disease

      People with coeliac disease have an altered gut biome compared with those who do not, which may be associated with gut inflammation. Although the gut biome recovers on a gluten-free diet, there are still significant differences at 2 years. In a mouse model of coeliac disease, supplementation with the soluble dietary fibre, inulin, increased the number...
    5. suek54
      - suek54 replied to Ginger38's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      46

      Shaking/Tremors and Off Balance

      Hi Ginger38 Well done you for pushing through the pain barrier of eating gluten, when you know each mouthful is making you poorly. I went through the same thing not long ago, my biopsy was for dermatitis herpetiformis. Result positive, so 95% certain I have gut coeliacs too. But my bloods were negative, so very pleased I went for the gluten challenge...
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      133,941
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      10,442
    Sensible
    Newest Member
    Sensible
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.6k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Scott Adams
      Has someone experienced discrimination because of their illness?

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Regarding the discrimination you asked about, it is a lot more easy now to discriminate when you're supposed to answer whether or not you have celiac disease on job applications, and from what I've seen, MANY companies now include this question on their applications:  
    • Russ H
      Fiber-Metabolizing Bacteria Could Boost Gut Health in Celiac Disease

      By Russ H · Posted

      People with coeliac disease have an altered gut biome compared with those who do not, which may be associated with gut inflammation. Although the gut biome recovers on a gluten-free diet, there are still significant differences at 2 years. In a mouse model of coeliac disease, supplementation with the soluble dietary fibre, inulin, increased the number of beneficial microbes and reduced gut inflammation. Inulin is used by some plants as carbohydrate store, it is a complex polymer of fructose in the same way that starch is a complex polymer of glucose. Inulin cannot be digested by humans but serves as food source for some gut bacteria. Inulin is present in many vegetables but the richest sources are (g/100g): chicory root 41.6 Jerusalem artichoke 18.0 dandelion greens 13.5 garlic 12.5 leeks 6.5 onions 4.3 The Scientist: Fiber-Metabolizing Bacteria Could Boost Gut Health in Celiac Disease    
    • suek54
      Shaking/Tremors and Off Balance

      By suek54 · Posted

      Hi Ginger38 Well done you for pushing through the pain barrier of eating gluten, when you know each mouthful is making you poorly.  I went through the same thing not long ago, my biopsy was for dermatitis herpetiformis. Result positive, so 95% certain I have gut coeliacs too. But my bloods were negative, so very pleased I went for the gluten challenge and biopsy.  Hang on in there. Sue
    • Scott Adams
      Has someone experienced discrimination because of their illness?

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      When symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, or low energy change how we interact, others sometimes misinterpret that as disinterest, rudeness, or negativity—especially if they don’t understand the underlying condition. That doesn’t make their behavior okay, though. You don’t deserve to be treated poorly for something outside your control. Often, it reflects a lack of awareness or empathy on their part, not a fault in you. It can help to explain your condition to people you trust, but it’s also completely valid to set boundaries and distance yourself from those who respond with hostility. Your experience—and your reaction to it—makes sense. The most common nutrient deficiencies associated with celiac disease that may lead to testing for the condition include iron, vitamin D, folate (vitamin B9), vitamin B12, calcium, zinc, and magnesium.  Unfortunately many doctors, including my own doctor at the time, don't do extensive follow up testing for a broad range of nutrient deficiencies, nor recommend that those just diagnosed with celiac disease take a broad spectrum vitamin/mineral supplement, which would greatly benefit most, if not all, newly diagnosed celiacs. Because of this it took me decades to overcome a few long-standing issues I had that were associated with gluten ataxia, for example numbness and tingling in my feet, and muscle knots--especially in my shoulders an neck. Only long term extensive supplementation has helped me to resolve these issues.      
    • Scott Adams
      HLA-DQ2 POSITIVE it's nothing

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Being HLA-DQ2 positive doesn’t diagnose celiac disease by itself, but it does mean he has the genetic potential for it, so it absolutely deserves careful follow-up if symptoms or concerns are present. You’re right that celiac is often downplayed, but it’s a serious autoimmune condition—not an allergy—and it can affect the brain, nervous system, and overall health if untreated. Given everything your son has been through, you’re doing the right thing by advocating and asking questions. I would strongly recommend getting a full copy of his records, and if possible, consulting a gastroenterologist who understands celiac disease well so you can get clear answers and, if needed, proper testing and monitoring.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.