Question:
Since my RNY 7 months ago, I have been unable to tolerate dairy products....

Is this a common side-effect? Will the nausia ever go away? I'm having a hard time getting enough protien every day.    — Tracey D. (posted on November 30, 2000)

November 30, 2000
Next week I will be 6 months post op. One of the first things I noticed after the surgery was that I could not tolerate milk. The lactose in milk is actually a type of sugar. Because of the way we are "rearranged" inside, the sugar goes directly into our bodies. The nausea you experience, as you are probably aware, is the dumping from that sugar or lactose. Try soy milk....the taste is not bad...you can get it in chocolate, vanilla, or plain.
   — twenc

November 30, 2000
I haven't had milk for 6 years! Wow, have I ever missed out on a LOT of suagr and not much else. If you want to get a lot of protein in small package, have you tried the protein supplements yet? Not Ensure or one of those high sugar ones, but the various powders that mix with water? You can often get your entire day's worth of protein in two 4 oz tasty drinks. Most milk substitutes are high in sugar, too. We malabsorb the fats and protein in them, but WILL get all that sugar!
   — vitalady

November 30, 2000
Yes, this is very common. Lactase is the enzyme used by our bodies to digest lactose (milk sugar). Lactase is produced in the first section of our small intestine. Since most RnY's bypass that first section of small intestine, we have a hard time with milk. Soft cheeses like cottage cheese or velveeta are high in lactose and should be avoided. Powdered milk and ricotta cheese are also high in lactose. Other dairy products may be ok. Hard cheeses, like cheddar and mozerella don't have much lactose in them, and yogurt is somewhat reduced in lactose. You should avoid all dairy products for a week or more and see if your symptoms go away. Then you can gradually introduce cheeses and yogurt back into your diet. Hope this helps.
   — Lynn K.