The Foodies Forum

MissMuppet · Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2009 11:00 am Post subject: Dairy Free

From next week I'm going to try going dairy free for a few weeks to see if it helps my latest attack of IBS... I have been looking online but what I need is a list of all the things I can't eat. So far I have:

Milk
Cream
Cheese
Butter
Yoghurt

Any help would be gratefully received?

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Nannyp · Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2009 11:41 am Post subject:

Chocolate
Look for lactose added to ingredients for cakes, bread, biscuits etc.

dingsy · Moderator Joined: 29 Apr 2007 Posts: 931 Location: Devon

I've been dairy free for a few years, and feel so much better for it. I use soya milk (which I prefer-shudder now if I go near cow's milk). I can manage small amounts of hard cheese but have to avoid softer varieties.

If you find going dairy free helps, then it would be worth experimenting a bit. Buy lactase tablets, which counteract the lactose, thereby enabling you to eat small amounts of dairy. It's all trial and error, and you will miss many foodstuffs. But it's a small price to pay. There is dairy free icecream-Swedish glace-which is surprisingly tasty, so there are alternatives. I don't use the soya yogurts though-don't like them at all!

MissMuppet · Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2009 1:11 pm Post subject:

I'm not sure whether to start soon or wait till I see the doctor again in a few weeks... maybe I'll just change my milk for the time being as I do have quite a bit with cereal.

Oh I don't know what to do now...

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dingsy · Moderator Joined: 29 Apr 2007 Posts: 931 Location: Devon

Why delay? If you feel that this is a potential trigger-do something about it-you're unwell a lot of the time, so getting to the root of it all as quickly as possible makes sense.
Within 36 hours of omitting dairy I felt better-it was like flicking a switch. Nothing would tempt me back to using dairy produce on a big scale. By using lactase, I can succesfully eat choc and cheese occasionally. But, I would rather never have them again, than put up with the damage they were causing me. Keep in mind too, that the longer ibs continues, the greater the chance of it permanently weakening your bowel-and that could be nasty.

MissMuppet · Posted: Sun May 03, 2009 11:48 am Post subject:

I'm not sure it is a trigger Elaine... I'm just clutching at straws to be honest.

I've decided to see how the next couple of weeks go as the tablets the doctor gave me might make a difference in that time. I don't want to eliminate something now just in case the tablets are working... and I've eliminated something I needn't have done.

I have bought some soya milk through, sweetened and unsweetened to see which I prefer in preparation for what might be...

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dingsy · Moderator Joined: 29 Apr 2007 Posts: 931 Location: Devon

Good luck with it, if you do try. As I said, the transformation can be virtually instantaneous. My body now has a built in warning mechanism which steers me away from wheat and dairy. Knowing just how wretched it can make me feel, it's no sacrifice to do without, believe me! What has your g.p. prescribed (sorry-don't feel you need to answer if I'm being too nosey, q19

)

MissMuppet · Posted: Tue May 05, 2009 12:17 pm Post subject:

At the moment it's Colofac which I have had before... to be honest I don't know if it's working but he wants me to continue with it. When I run out I have to go back and have more blood tests, at that point I'll speak to him about eliminating things from my diet.
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dingsy · Moderator Joined: 29 Apr 2007 Posts: 931 Location: Devon

To be honest, all that'll do is (possibly) relieve the symptoms. It won't get you to the root of the problem. It's only when you've identified and eliminated the triggers, that you'll get any long lasting relief. Sorry to be so disheartening, q17

arlyn9391 · Newbie Joined: 07 May 2009 Posts: 1