Question:
Why can I eat cheese, but not drink skim milk?

I can eat any kind of cheese all day without a problem, but 2 oz. of skim milk will send me to the bathroom. According to the label, skim milk has 12 sugars per 8 oz. Is that enough to send me over the edge? And are there no sugars in cheese even though it's made from milk? Leslie 265/184/? Open RNY 6/17/03    — Leslie R. (posted on November 5, 2003)

November 5, 2003
When I was lactose intolerant I was told some people can eat cheese and yogurt, others have problems with it. I just stayed away from it all. It is something in the makeup of the cheese and yogurt that makes a difference to some. I couldn't eat anything with whey in it either. The problem could be based on the sugar content rather than the lactose content for you or it could be you are one of the individuals who are lactose intolerant but can handle cheese.
   — [Deactivated Member]

November 5, 2003
How is lactose intolerance treated? Fortunately, lactose intolerance is relatively easy to treat. No treatment can improve the body's ability to produce lactase, but symptoms can be controlled through diet. Young children with lactase deficiency should not eat any foods containing lactose. Most older children and adults need not avoid lactose completely, but people differ in the amounts and types of foods they can handle. For example, one person may have symptoms after drinking a small glass of milk, while another can drink one glass but not two. Others may be able to manage ice cream and aged cheeses, such as cheddar and Swiss, but not other dairy products. Dietary control of lactose intolerance depends on people learning through trial and error how much lactose they can handle. For more information see: <BR><BR> http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/lactoseintolerance/index.htm
   — [Deactivated Member]

November 5, 2003
I am the same way since surgery. I use "Lactaid" milk instead of 'regular' milk... seems to work fine.
   — star .

November 5, 2003
Leslie: Sounds like lactose intolerance. From my Healthwise Handbook, it states that cheese is much better digested by people who are lactose intolerant since most of the lactose is removed during processing. It also states that yogurts made with active cultures provide their own enzymes and cause fewer tolerance problems. I eats lots of cheese & when I have to have milk, I drink Lactaid.
   — Amy A.

November 5, 2003
sounds like you are either mildly lactose intolerant or dumping on the sugar in the milk. I vote for dumping, myself. Once I was past six months out, I could tolerate milk better. I still dump on it if I drink more than a couple of cups in one sitting... For some reason, the sugar in the milk gets absorbed faster than the sugars in the cheeses... perhpas because it is liquid?? Try eliminating milk for a few days, then try a 1/2 cup serving and see what happens. If you still dump, then try the lactose replacement or get a lactose pill... you may not be able to drink milk for a while, though!
   — Sharon m. B.

November 6, 2003
I'm the same way but I'm pre-op so I'd say I don't thinks it's dumping. Cheese is great but I can have no part of milk of any kind. I drink soy milk tastes great it only has 7g sugar and 6g protein (Silk brand vanilla), and the best part no running to the bathroom. My kids love it too. Ok I guess I'll stop I'm starting to sound like a commercial. But honestly I won't go back to regular milk. :o)
   — vllgmz4