Dealing with lactose intolerance?

Hey everyone,
is anyone else dealing with this?
Has anyone here actually tried those Milk Gestant lactase enzymes from Twinlab?
I’m a bit hesitant to even try—dairy usually wreaks havoc on my system.
Does anyone know where I can find some lactose-free milk around here?

For me, it was actually pretty easy to just cut dairy out of my diet entirely—except for when I have it in my coffee. Honestly, I’ve never been a fan; I think I’ve actually found it kind of gross for as long as I can remember.

I'm pretty sure they sell lactose-free milk now, though I’m not entirely sure if it's widely available at places like Walmart here.
I don't suppose I was much help...

So, yeah—soy and rice milk are both totally lactose-free...

Just whatever you do, don't try making coffee with soy milk🤮

You eventually get used to it too😬Personally, I’d much rather deal with that than face the day without my coffee.

boldhound81, how do you feel about yogurt?

I’ve completely cut out dairy—even yogurt—because the pain was getting so bad I’d actually pass out sometimes. As for coffee, honestly, I’ve never been much of a fan, so that hasn't been much of an issue.
I’ve been sticking to Silk soy milk with added calcium, which isn't half bad. They make soy ice cream and yogurts too, but I never see those in any local Walmart around here. Does anyone know where I might actually find them?
Oh, also—has anyone ever tried oat milk?

I’ve dealt with this issue forever. I don't touch milk, yogurt, or any other dairy products.
I usually go for the Silk soy milk with added calcium—it works wonders for me—and that soy blend with almond and hazelnut is also top-tier. 👍Way back in the day, you could actually find soy yogurt at Walmart and it was absolute perfection,🙏 but they haven't carried it for ages. I've messed around with oat and rice milk too; they're totally fine once you get used to the taste.

boldhound81 said:I’ve completely cut out all dairy, even yogurt, because the pain was so intense I’d occasionally pass out.

Are you absolutely certain it's just a lactose intolerance issue? 🤔 Just an aside—most people dealing with lactose intolerance can actually handle yogurt just fine.😉

Are you positive it's just lactose intolerance? I mean—most people who can't handle lactose can actually manage yogurt just fine.

Honestly, I just have a really low pain tolerance 👎 so I start panicking and all that...
As for the yogurt thing, I know most of the lactose is already broken down, so I’m basically trying to build up the courage to actually give it a shot.

Does anyone here actually have an issue with yogurt?😕

A long time ago, Walmart used to carry soy yogurt and it was great, but they haven't had it for ages.

Oh, right—you can find soy puddings at Target—chocolate, vanilla, caramel—and they're actually pretty good.
I haven't tried those specific yogurts yet, but hopefully the soy selection around here improves a bit soon.

How do you guys deal with restaurants, bakeries, cafeterias, and those kinds of places where they rarely bother listing what's actually in the food?
Half the time, even at the grocery store, the labels aren't even complete—like, they’ll list "chocolate coating" as an ingredient but won't actually say what's in the coating itself. 😠

boldhound81 said:Hey everyone!
Anyone else dealing with this... or is it just me?

I’ve been handling things by just cutting out milk and dairy altogether... I mean, sure, if I’m out and about, I might grab a slice of pizza or something, but it doesn't really hit me that hard. I get a little bloated here and there, but nothing crazy...

boldhound81 said:Has anyone here actually tried those Lactase enzymes? Just wondering if they actually work...I'm still trying to wrap my head around this whole situation... just staring at the screen, waiting for things to make sense. It’s funny how life works sometimes, isn't it? One minute you think you have it all figured out, and the next... well, you know. Anyway, I guess I'll just sit here and see where this goes...Is that Milk Gestant from Twinlab?
I don't know... I'm honestly a little hesitant to even try it. Just thinking about the lactation part makes me nervous...I think I missed something there... just a single letter? If you were trying to ask me something, go ahead... I'm listening...It’s honestly pretty bad...

Why are you even hesitating? Honestly, the only reason lactose bothers you is because your body isn't pumping out enough lactase to break it down properly. If you just take some lactase, you shouldn't have any issues drinking milk at all... Is it actually effective in the real world? Who knows. I’m certainly not going to find out, since I don't exactly consider milk to be a health food anyway. Besides, those tiny amounts of lactose found in things like chocolate or a pastry don't really mess with me... Come on, be a little adventurous! Just try the lactase...

I’m obsessed with soy pudding—my little one absolutely devours it! 😁
Personally, I can't stand yogurt. The smell alone makes my stomach turn. (Seriously, it was such a disaster when I got a bad sunburn and my husband actually tried to rub yogurt on my skin 😬)
It's such a bummer we don't have those soy yogurts here. Has anyone seen them over in Austria or somewhere?

How do you guys handle eating out at restaurants, bakeries, or cafeterias where they don't really list the ingredients?

It's tough. The absolute worst is when they sneak dairy into pastries or bread 👎 Or when I grab a bag of snack puffs thinking they're plain, only to realize they're cheese-flavored once I've already ripped them open and started snacking on the bus 🤣

Soy yogurts have this somewhat distinct😬 taste profile.

I still find this whole thing about intolerance and excruciating pain a bit hard to swallow, if you don't mind me saying.🤔I really hope you've had a chance to get checked out by a doctor, just to make sure there isn't something else going on under the hood.

And honestly, it never even crossed my mind that chocolate syrup often contains milk, so you’d naturally want to steer clear of it. Especially when you're grabbing something at a cafeteria or a local bakery.
Usually, if something is free of dairy, gluten, peanuts, or soy, they'll label it clearly right on the package. It's stated loud and clear.😁 Of course, that convenience comes with a much higher price tag.

Nobody really stopped to think that chocolate syrup might actually contain milk—which would be a reason to avoid it by default.

Well, it’s not like it *always* has milk in it. There are plenty of cases where the ingredients are just chocolate—no dairy if it's dark—or cocoa mixed with vegetable oils. Though, I guess you're right that the dairy-free stuff usually costs way more. A while back, I saw this organic Kinder Bueno-style spread at Whole Foods that was lactose-free and gluten-free, but a 12oz jar was going for about $17👎. I tried it; it wasn't bad, but they pulled it from the shelves—probably because nobody was actually buying it...

Soy yogurts have a pretty specific taste.

Once you get used to the taste of soy, it's not a huge deal, but man, it is expensive!!!!!!!!! A carton of soy milk runs you about $5.00😠

You can find about a dozen varieties of those Kinder-style treats at Walmart. The one you’re thinking of is most likely Carobell; you can usually pick it up at any local health food store.

If that ingredient is truly a dealbreaker for you, then you'll basically have to steer clear of everything in the grocery store.

Allergy-friendly products are pricey, though they tend to be a bit more affordable here in the States than what we deal with back home.
Now, just imagine if you were dealing with all that on top of having Celiac disease.😉 Or if you have a little kid with a legitimate milk allergy, not just an intolerance.
Nobody has ever died from an intolerance.😁 Aside from some bloating and a run to the bathroom, that's about it.

You can find those at Walmart for about $12. That Kinderlada you're talking about is probably just Carobell—you can usually pick it up in health food stores.

Thanx Noemi! 🙂
And I definitely agree with the point about allergies versus intolerances.

I don't deal with that particular issue myself, but I know they have an entire line of products like that over in Italy under the Silk brand.

We all deal with this at home. I can't stand the warm stuff, no matter what. Plus, I have some annoying allergies. You can make yogurt from goat's milk, and I stick strictly to sheep's milk for cheese. As for soy, oat, or rice milk? They're just bland. We stopped consuming them entirely for a while, though we've had a little bit lately with the 0.9 version.
One more thing: allergies can show up as anemia, and respiratory allergies are also linked to milk consumption.

Saw some Alpro soy puddings at Billi today. Vanilla and chocolate flavors.

boldhound81 said:Has anyone actually tried the Milk Gestant lactase enzymes from Twinlab?
I’m too scared to even try it because lactose absolutely wrecks me.

Lactose is basically just milk sugar. It becomes an issue if your gut lining isn't producing enough lactase—the enzyme responsible for breaking it down.

For people dealing with lactose intolerance (whether that means low production or zero lactase in the intestinal mucosa), there are a few ways to handle it:

- Taking lactase tablets.

- Drinking lactose-free milk, where the sugar has already been broken down into glucose and galactose.

- Cutting out dairy entirely.

Some folks can handle cheese or yogurt just fine; others can't.

Soy milk is a solid alternative, especially if it's fortified with calcium (most big brands, like Silk, aim to match the calcium levels found in cow's milk these days).

Rice milk or almond milk can also work as substitutes.

These alternatives tend to be lower in fat than dairy, and while they offer decent protein (soy wins here, while almond and rice are lower), they often come loaded with extra sugar and artificial flavors. There's usually a reason people avoid those additives. If you can track down—and get used to—a low-sugar soy milk, it's a smart move.

I stick with Silk Soy Milk—it’s fine by me. It does have sugar, though it's brown sugar. I gave the sugar-free versions a shot, but they didn't really do anything for me... 👎
As for other brands, I haven't found much worth drinking besides some SchneeKope soy milk—honestly, it was better than the Silk stuff—but now I can't find it anywhere 😢so if anyone happens to know where it's stocked, let me know....
I tried rice milk too, but I have to admit, I wasn't a fan.