Talk to me about dairy allergies....

[BlueStateMama]

I'm having a lot of GI problems and am getting a full battery of tests next week (endoscopy and coloscopy.)  Most of the symptoms (heartburn, nausea, reflux are pointing to GERD, but my mom pointed out something to me yesterday - I'm constantly very bloated, lots of gas, having trouble losing weight even though I'm exercising and watching what I'm eating. 

For those with dairy allergies what were your symptoms? 

I'm planning on trying an elimination diet - but should I get tested as well?  What foods have "sneaky" dairy in them?

Any info/experiences/tips would be appreciated - I'm really uncomfortable!!!   Thanks in advance!

Andrea

[SweetSilver]

Whey is the sneakiest ingredient for dairy, and if you are lactose intolerant one of the worst.  They put it in salami and most margarines, potato chips, you name it.  Of course, avoiding processed food helps this a lot.  Lactic acid comes from fermentation, not milk and is not a concern, as far as I know, and is an ingredient in some foods.  Some chocolate has "milkfat" in it, especially choc chips, and other candies.  But, again, unprocessed is best for food sensitivities.

Allergies (vs. intolerance) for dairy has more immediate symptoms, such as redness, whelps or hives on contact, swelling in lips, tongue and throat and nearly immediate stomach cramps and vomiting for severe cases.  Intolerance you will see more GI troubles, though these can be quite severe and excruciatingly painful for some individuals.

For a dairy allergy, you also have to watch out for ingredients like casein and to a lesser extent additives like natural butter flavor.

For the intolerant, some of us are only mildly so and can carefully consume some yogurt, butter and cheese if we don't go overboard.  Our bodies produce some enzymes to break down lactose, but not enough for the typical American diet.