Question about allergies/ lactose intolerance

Ashley has been having problems with constipation again. I've had to give her the prescription stool softener a few times already this month, and I normally only have to give it once every few months. I have been doing the normal things... avoiding too much cheese and bananas and all the things that can make a person constipate. And, she's been eating lots of "p" fruits, warm cereals with fiber, and green veggies. The only thing I noticed is that she is drinking a lot more milk and eating more dairy products. Could this be the culprit causing her constipation problems again? Could she be lactose intolerant? I always that people with a lactose intolerance had the opposite problem. If so, is there a test for this... other than eliminating milk from her diet?

Hi Dee Dee,
Mary Beth was diagnosed with lactose intolerance this past summer. The test is a fasting test. It takes a few hours. The person drinks a substance, I think the nurse said it was lactose. The person then blows up a ballon like bag every so often. From the chemicals in the persons breath they determine if they are lactose intolerant or not. This test is easily done at a pediatric gastroenterologists office. MB has had gastro problems her entire life. Her peds kept treating them and I kept thinking they were not 'bad enough' to see a specialist. When in reality she has suffered all this time, when the simple solution would have been to remove lactose from her diet. My point is if Ashley is having gastro problems why not see the specialist and have things ruled out / in. MB fluctuated between constipation and diarrhea. Our GI guy recommends daily apple juice to keep Mary Beth regular. OR an apple or two a day. And it has been working. MB hates apple juice.

If you google lactose intolerance breath test you will get a better explanation than what I wrote above.

Oh.... for us an elimination diet did not prove that she was lactose intolerant, because their is lactose in so many things (like non kosher hot dogs) that getting the diet right takes time and dedication.

Katie is the same way as Mary Beth

Katie is highly Latose intolerant she took the test above and failed it misrably she was blowing in the balloon for 4 1/2 hours until her count came down.
Then after the test she was in bad shape in the pm and her GI doctor warned us it could happen she couldnt even go to school the next day
Katie has been on a Lactose free diet now for about a year or more plus along with a high fiber diet and she takes 2 pills over the counter for Lactose incase she does eat something with lactose in it.

Katies lactose problems were wet or hard stool along with pain ( labor pains where she would double over and cry

If you can get her tested thats the only way you will know.

If she was lactose intolerant she would have the reverse problem she would have diarrhea and a lot of stomach cramps. It probaly is something else that is causing the problem. But I would defianately mention this to your doctor.

maybe try the lactaid milk to see if that makes any difference. I am lactose intolerant and I use the lactaid milk and its great. If I eat cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt, ice cream, or any other dairy without taking a lactaid pill...I have major stomach cramps and diarreah