Why am I one of the few people in the world whose lactose intolerance is expressed as constipation and acid reflux? Are those two symptoms listed anywhere on any description of lactose intolerance anywhere? I never considered lactose intolerance before as a possibility for the problems with my digestive tract, but I've been off dairy for 5 days now and my abdomen is completely pain free for the first time in years.
Why aren't these symptoms listed with the others? Is it so rare? Diarrhea is the main symptom and I never get that, so I never even considered that the chronic lifelong constipation problems might be related to my love of milk and other dairy products-- but now that's clearing up, too, now.
If dairy sends my whole GI tract into spasmodic dysfunction, why the heck does it taste so good? Why do I get symptoms that don't match anything *normal* for the condition. Why aren't we told that 75% of the world is lactose intolerant, and that 25% of those of European descent are the same? Lactose tolerance after weaning is a rare mutation, not a normal condition.
How the heck am I going to learn to cook without milk? I tried pancakes this morning made with buttermilk (which should be lactose free) for the first time in 5 days, and I had constant burping with acid reflux all morning. Arrrrgggggghhhhhhh! Now I'm going to have to adjust my favorite pancake recipe for no milk at all- if that's even possible.
And I won't use soy products- they are phytoestrogens and I don't need more hormonal interferance. I'll get some lactaid, for when there is no other choice but I'm going to have to change just about everything about the way I cook. At least with the bakery products. Since this *stuff* causes me so much pain, I see no need to run it through my system anymore. It's not food.
Arrrrrrgggggghhhhhh.... And yes, I discover this a year and a half after I buy some cows that are dual purpose in nature- so that if we need to, we can milk the cows. Fat lot of good that's going to do now. Milk = pain. If I can't even consume buttermilk baked into something, they might as well be beef cattle.
Anyway, I'm glad I figured out the problem, but am frustrated with the solution. As I was considering giving up eating giving up milk (and cheese and pizza! ) isn't that terrible.
But milk was my favorite food. How could my body be so wrong?
edit: I thought "who's" looked wrong! I fixed it.