lactose intolerant and coeliac

[Annie456]

After various stomach problems i'm looking into the possibility of being lactose intolerant. I'm cutting it out of my diet for a couple of weeks to be sure before I go to my doc. I ended up in hospital a few weeks ago and they did a blood test which confirmed i didn't have coeliac disease but didn't mention other food issues - would a lactose intolerance show up in a blood test or in tests for coeliac?Just so i'm not wasting my time going down this route it would be good to know if it would have been spotted in a blood test for coeliac.
Thanks

[beryllium]

It wont hurt you to cut out lactose or at least reduce it.
I take it you had a little more done at the hospital other than a blood test?
ie: sigmoidoscopy? colonoscopy? basic X Ray? barium follow through?
yep, I've been there. St Thomas's hospital are very thorough lol....

So, back to your thoughts on 'what if?' I'm intolerant to a certain food? cut that out of your diet and see how you go.
You haven't said what your symptoms are.
Bloating and pain?
Blood Loss?
Diarrhoea?
Stressful situation you may be in? that's the cause of your tummy probs?
Have you been given any type of drugs to help with your symptoms? ie: merbentyl
B. xxx

[Surreylass]

i am fruitose intollerant and have to control my diet. I cannot eat apples, pears, nuts & bizardly diet coke !

If i eat anything i shouldnt i get bad stomach cramps which can send me to a&e.

First, change your diet and keep a food diary to see what triggers spasms.

[Annie456]

thanks for your replies. As far as symptoms go, it was blood loss that sent me to hospital but i have since been back for a colonoscapy. I think it's going to come back normal. Other symptoms are cramping pains (usually in the morning), diahorrea and wind. Since switching to soya i've had none of that but I have been warned that if i cut milk out completely then my body will really reject it when i start again so should i just have the occasional milk / cream / butter?

[beryllium]

Have you tried goats milk?

If you've had a biopsy and colonoscopy, then it should bring you back results.

I truly do hope they are clear for you.

In the meantime, if you find soya milk good, why reintroduce a substance that your body doesn't like?

Follow your instincts on this one, as only you truly know your body and how it feels.

Best of Luck and do lots of reading :-)

here's the NACC page for you to read.

http://www.nacc.org.uk/content/ibd.asp

B. xxx

[Annie456]

thanks, i'll give goats milk a try too as i'm not a huge fan of soya milk!
They took several biopsies - if I am lactose intollerant would it show in my biopsies then? I thought you could only diagnose it by having a lactose solution after fasting and measuring your breath / blood?

[beryllium]

My biopsies were to show inflammation. And that is what happened. I was put on mesalazine for several years with a diagnosis of crohns. I was an inmate at St Thomas's for a long time :-(. My blood loss was alot. I couldn't even take a pee without blood coming out of me.
Maybe? if you are lactose intolerant, they would have picked up some inflammation.
I had food intolerances tested at Harley Street because it was another thing to help me. It was thorough. And through a doctors recommendation.
It has helped tremendously.
I do love goats milk. I do avoid all gluten and wheaty products also. I do get relapses, but usually when other factors are involved other than food related.
Please please please read all you can on Inflammatory Bowel Diseases and get as well as you can, with the help of the hospital aswell.
If poss. let us know how you get on because it's yukky suffering with tum probs.
Hang On In There :-)
B. xxx

[Annie456]

Thanks so much for ALL your advice!! Just one more question - when your doc recommended you to harley street did you have to pay? And did they make the diagnosis or did that come from the hospital? So farthe hospital have been rubbish - mixed up my results and everything..
x

[beryllium]

I'm afraid I had to pay the Doc at Harley Street. It was around �350 for the consultation and tests. I have no idea now what the possible price would be..... :-(
Do you have faith in your gastroenterologist? if you don't feel you get on with that one then get a referal to another one.
My results and care came from the hospital. I'm talking at least 16 yrs ago here and Mr Jackson was his name.
Alas, sometimes we have to be very much in charge these days. Especially looking for medical help.
Stay in charge. Stay calm. Listen to what they are suggesting. If you feel you want food testing from them? and are prepared to wait, whilst you experiment in the meantime?. Then tell them you want it done.
1 other thing, at the peak of my hospital stay? I was only allowed to eat boiled chicken and plain rice lol.... and tinned pears.
Stay possitive :-) and in charge!!!
Health To You....
B. xxx