TMI Question about stomach issues

[Melaine]

Ok, this time it's for DH. This has been happening more lately but is not an entirely new issue. He is having diarrhea and sometimes stomach cramping. This is not a bug, but possibly an allergy or sensitivity or something else. At first, I guessed it was related to greasy or fatty foods. It seemed to happen more often after we had eaten out. Over the last week or so, we've been paying more attention and I can't figure out a pattern for why it is happening. For instance, it seems to happen sometimes on days when he hasn't actually eaten much at all. I thought it could be lactose intolerance, but he tends to drink a lot of milk and it doesn't seem to be an immediate trigger. Here are my questions:

Could it be lactose intolerance even if he seems ok for the 24 hours after having, say, a glass of milk/yogurt/ice cream? His mom did have lactose intolerance. Does it ever develop later in life?

If we did some kind of elimination diet, what would be the common things to eliminate first?

Thanks for any tips/advice or internet diagnosis!

[Momof3Labs]

DH was diagnosed with lactose intolerance around the age of 36. He would only get sick periodically, but it was violent when it happened. It would build up in his system for a while and then - ahem - explode.

I would first try using Lactaid pills and/or avoiding milk, ice cream, cheese and similar dairy (cooked/baked dairy never bothered DH) and see if things improve.

[Melaine]

Thanks Lori. Interesting that you say it would build up. I didn't think about the effects hitting all at once regardless of what was just eaten. I didn't think of Lactaid so we will try that along with the basic avoidance for a few days. Thank you for the help. He will probably set up an appointment, but I'd love to try to pinpoint the cause between now and then.

[wellyes]

Here's a link for you http://ibs.about.com/od/ibsfood/ht/eliminationdiet.htm My first thought in reading your post was IBS.

I agree with their suggestion to start with a GI and think of gluten and lactose first. DH went from being OK with gluten to completely unable to eat it in his mid-20s (runs in the family). He had mild lactose intolerance his whole life but it is getting markedly worse as he gets older.

Gluten intolerance is by far the hardest to try eliminating if you're not used to it. Rice, cornmeal (grits/polenta) meats, fruits and veggies only is my suggestion. There are tons of 'hidden' gluten-intolerance triggers (oatmeal, for example) so you have to be really careful.

[BelleoftheBallFlagstaff]

If fatty foods trigger, could it be a gallbladder issue?


Gluten/wheat are often eliminated early on to rule out Celiac.

[zag95]

I was going to suggest gallbladder- does he have anyone in his family that has had it out???

It can present differently in different folks- for me it was eating more greasy "restaurant" type foods, and things that had fat in it- .....

GL on diagnosis....

[DrSally]

I cut out dairy for 2 years when nursing DS and had temporary lactose intolerance after I reintroduced dairy into my diet. It lasted for about 7 months and was not fun. Major gas, diarrhea, cramping. Really bad. I suppose one way to figure it out would be to try some lactaid for awhile and see if that helps.

ETA: IBS, as pp noted, is also a possiblity.