Dairy and lactose intolerance

Have had Crohns for 40+ years. As I have aged I have become extremely dairy/lactose intolerant. I have extreme gas and can't find foods that are good for me and won't cause more gas. does anyone have these problems? If so, what do you eat? I am underweight and would like to gain a few pounds but protein and vegetables and fruits don't really add weight. thanks for any advice.

Thanks for your response. Lactaid pills and milk won't work for me. Mine is an intolerance to all dairy. Almond milk is fine. Soy bothers me, too. Crohn's is in fairly good control.

probably anything that may have been prepared with milk. Gluten will be my next thing to remove. I didn't test to have gluten intolerance a few years ago, but things may have changed. Thanks again.

I'm extremely lactose intolerant & have a casein allergy. I also get the bloating you describe and reflux. I manage it 100% with diet alone, but I'm extremely strict.

The smallest bit of casein will bring on an eczema flare on my eyelids (which is the only place I get eczema). As a result I eat zero dairy. I will use rice milk or almond milk instead.

I can tolerate Whey Protein Isolate, which contains no lactose or casein, but I choose to avoid dairy altogether. Not a big issue. just depends how willing you are to change your diet.

I have an issue with most fruits, but can handle (in small amounts, i.e. 3/4 cup) watermelon, rockmelon, strawberries, pear and most stone fruit. Try not to eat the skin- it's problematic for a lot of chronies.

Chances are you have Fructose Malabsorption but don't know it. Have you been tested? FM and lactose intolerance are very common. I have both.

As for weight gain, oats are the winner for me. I eat two cups (two dry cups cooked), with a rice protein powder shake poured over it every morning. It equates to around 800 calories (3360kj). I tolerate white rice (basmatti or long grain) fine and have 1-2 cups with chicken/eggs/egg whites for lunch/dinner. It is a lot of food, but I still lift weights and need to calories to maintain and build muscle.

Without carbs it's pretty hard to gain weight. Try the white rice and see how you go.

I am lactose intolerant too. I switched slowly to a vegan diet about a year ago. No dairy. I juice everyday this started gradual but eventually my body adjusted. I too use Almond Milk. Today I had smoked salmon, juiced and a couple figs. I am very strict and when I try and go back I feel worse. Granted I still have Crohn's symptoms but I am eating much better.

Hi, welcome EJAK!
I had a huge problem with gas until trying the FODMAP diet, which eliminates sugars that are hard for some of us to digest. Onions and garlic cause many people problems. I think a lot of us have IBS as well as IBD. There are Igg (delayed food allergy) tests available from naturopaths that can help you find out if you have other food intolerance. I found out that yeast, egg whites and beans are not my friends. A severely limited diet is no fun, but having gas bubbling away down there is even less of a hoot. (More of a toot.) Good luck!