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I was lactose intolerant for about 5 years before realizing I was in fact celiac. Once I cleaned up my diet (to a now completely gluten free one), I was again able to digest cheeses, most milk, yogurt, etc. I still go through phases of being lactose problematic, however I have found that mixing some kefir in with my morning smoothie has really helped. Think of it as super-bacteria filled yogurt! I am not saying you are necessarily celiac - hopefully you'll get a good doctor that can help you sort it all out, but just suggesting you try some kefir and see if it helps. The bacteria is supposed to help improve gastrointestinal health and whatnot. Good luck, and be patient! Some days are better than others :-)

I had volcanic "bathroom" issues every time I ate cheese, milk, and eggs for about 8 years. I took Lactaid, but it did absolutely nothing. Then I read John Sarno's book, "The Mindbody Prescription: Healing the Body, Healing the Pain". Turns out I just absolutely hated my life, and in order to not have to face it my mind created a physical ailment to keep me distracted.

After 2 years of psychotherapy, I can now eat anything I want - especially goat's milk, manchego, and omelettes with Brie... :)

Sporadic lactose intolerance is not necessarily "lactose intolerance". Make sure your **mind** is ok!

@jpolk, you are not off base, which is why I said in the post, "I probably should have started with a well-aged Parmigiano-Reggiano, which has very little lactose left in it after all that aging..."

I had my gall bladder removed in 2003 due to stones and 'disease' (I was 29 at the time) AND had an onset of lactose intolerance at the same time.

Certain foods, generally those that are fattier, go through me very rapidly due to the bile not being there in sufficient quantities. However, over the 6 years, I've become less likely to get sick that way. I don't know if it is being more careful or just adjusting. Still, in many cases, if it is something I really enjoy, I go for it anyway.

I do take a lactase pill, but not daily, only when I have more than a cup's worth of dairy. I can have a glass of milk or cheese, in most cases, and not have the lactose issue. I am more likely to have the gall bladder issue since there would be the fat as a problem. (ie, with pizza).

Get the right diagnosis. And even if it something like lactose intolerance, I daresay you can still eat things you enjoy in moderation. Frankly, I'd rather be uncomfortable in the bathroom a few minutes if it means not giving up things I really enjoy.

@jamieforrest, I may not be off-base, but I should certainly not simply skim (sorry) articles during work hours and then chime in. I hope you have luck with your experiments in finding cheese you can eat.

I have a friend who is, what I'll call, "lactose-sensitive." In her adult years she has come to the point where she's unable to eat most dairy products. That is, until she went to Italy and tried some over there. No reactions. According to her, based on ethnicity (Caucasian - European ancestry) she should have the genetics to handle the dairy, so she thought it was weird that the Euro varieties didn't produce any adverse effects, but the American types did. Her idea was that it could have something to do with the amount of processing in the American foods (hormones, antibiotics, chemicals, pasteurization, etc) that might contribute to her ills.

She is a doctor, but doesn't have the training to be able to diagnose these issues w/o seeing a specialist on her own. As we've seen with a lot of people here - it depends a lot on the individual. I know a few people who can enjoy milk, cheese, and yogurt all day, but cream will do them in. No ice cream, whipped cream, half and half, etc. THAT, I find, is unexpected.

I had an incident with taleggio a week ago that left me worrying that I was lactose-intolerant (though prior to that my only stomach upset in that vein was eating perhaps too much Ben & Jerry's one night in college!), but I think for me, the issue was eating such a young cheese on an empty stomach. The first time I had it in any measurable quantity outside of a slice or two it was after a hearty meal and meant as a dessert, and I felt fine. The same happened with the pizza we made with it--it was the last pizza we had after a bianca and a small sausage, mozzarella and sauce version, so we ate little. The problem happened the next day when I had it for lunch--I was, to little surprise, starving, and the pizza just did a number on me! I've had cheese since to no issue, so I'm going to go the route of "treat young cheese like a dessert, and all will be well."

I'm with Mr. Chin. There are certain dairy things that I can eat, and certain ones that I absolutely can't. Ice cream is fine. Yoghurt is fine. Cheese is fine. But milk, either cold from the fridge, or warmed in a latte, will do me in. I used to drink a lot of milk in college, and the class after lunch got progressively more difficult during junior year. Then after a trip to the far east senior year, on which I was the only person not to have, um, issues, I came back to the local convenience store, got a hoagie and a pint of milk. Wow.

Most people blamed the hoagie, and given their general reputation for "quality," I was inclined to agree for a while until my next glass of milk. No good, man.

Aren't bodies mysterious?! I had a few years of serious lactose intolerance (apparently caused by a nasty bout of flu), but it spontaneously started improving after about four years and now doesn't bother me at all! Although seeing a doctor seems wise, you can also test by eliminating all lactose-containing foods for at least a week (which gives you a better idea of what baseline "feeling ok" is) before trying a challenge. If you're concerned about psychosomatic symptoms, you could try having a friend give you a glass of milk without telling you whether it's Lactaid or not :)