Lactose intolerance - testing, eliminating & poo advise please!? TMI warning!

[MayDayChild]

DD 4 is possibly lactose intolerant. I've always suspected but she isn't severe so I've ignored it.
She starts school in Sept and I've ordered daily milk.

So I thought it was high time I excluded milk for a fortnight. We've done lactofree milk, yogs and cheese but not excluded milk powder but we don't eat much processed food so maybe 2 biscuits have crept in and a packet of crisps.

I swear there's a difference in poo!
Different texture shape and effort required.
Usually she splatters and her urge is instant. Poo was fluffy edged, loosely formed, seems fatty and lots floats.

Two weeks later it sinks, less splatter, it's harder more solid and she is having to push it out which she never did before.

No other symptoms. No bloat or gas that I've noticed.
Do you think she is sensitive or intolerant?

Should I get one if those breath tests or poo tests from GP?
If it doesn't bother her should I remove lactose? If she had lactose would it harm her?
Not quite sure how to now proceed.

I cant offer any advice I am afraid but I am marking my place on the thread! I have a DS aged 4 with exactly the same symptoms! Started on the Lactofree milk and yogs on Sunday so probably a bit early to tell but I also think there has been an improvement already. Good luck x

Is it definitely lactose rather than cow's milk she's allergic to?

Def not milk. No rashes or reactions.
Just a suspicion I would dearly love to 'resolve'.

Hi Mayday just thought I would let you know that I had a longstanding appointment booked for yesterday with my GP for my DS to ask about all this. She wants to exclude lactose intolerance which she can do with a poo test apparently. She's doing this on the basis of my suspicion alone I think, as she said she hasn't done this test in over 20 years of practising as a GP! So we are sending a sample off next week. She did say that if that's negative she would want to refer to a paediatric specialist, as she is concerned it could be something else e.g. Coeliac etc. She also said it's better not to exclude something like lactose from his diet without specialist advice . For the sake of the test I have gone back to giving him normal milk and yoghurts this weekend but I am planning to go back to Lactofree after we have done the test. Hope this helps decide what to do next x

I'd have a word with the GP. That change in poo does sound like lactose intolerance to me (I have it).

When I was excluding dairy from my DS's diet, the GP said that excluding a big food group like dairy should only be done in the medium to long term with dietician advice. But lacto-free stuff is still dairy, just without the lactose, so I'm not sure that applies.

Thanks!
So I gave her milk this week first time in fortnight.
She had been much firmer. 12 hours after the milk, she ha back the urge for a poo which was actually a giant wet fart!
A good friend is a dietician and it was her who suggested to lactofree.
But having confirmed my suspicions, I was feeling very unsure how to proceed!
GP it is then! Let's hope they are understanding.
She isn't dry at night yet and seems to get frequent ish UTI so perhaps a referral isn't a bad thing!
I'll post back. Eventually! Dannygirl please do likewise?

That definitely sounds like it. The symptoms when you re-start dairy after not having had it are likely to be worse than the symptoms before you stopped it IYSWIM. Before I tried an elimination diet, I just had a bit of underlying tiredness & energy slumps. After a couple of weeks dairy-free I get really ill if I eat any dairy products.

Over a year ago my dd was having bouts of upset tummy/d and constipation - took her to the gp who suggested lactose intolerance - asked me to take her off all lactose but offered no advice on what was lactose and what milk protein...did no good so took her back after a few months and he advised I take her off gluten/wheat as well - did a coeliac test which was neg.

In the meantime I had to research alternative food, source calcium supplements and food supplements etc all myself - am so glad that some gps have more sense than mine did!

After about 8 months there was no improvement so I went private and saw a paed gastroenterologist who had been recommended to me who told me to reinstate her diet asap as she'd been off various foods so long and it hadn't made any difference to her, so there couldn't have been a intolerance/sensitivity - gah gah. Such a long time with no answers. what a nightmare.

Anyway - sorry - very long winded - sounds like your gp is on the ball,. Hope you get soem answers soon :)

Hi Mayday just to say we saw a paediatric gastroenterologist on Monday who said he didn't think it was anything serious, but agreed it would be worth cutting down on dairy for a couple of weeks to see if it makes any difference. So we are binning the cups of milk morning and evening, for the next 2 weeks, and if this hasn't helped he will refer DS for a blood test for coeliac. Not totally sure why he said to ditch the milk but keep yoghurts etc, but there we go. He said not to replace with Lactofree . We are off on hols on Sunday for 10 days but will let you know how it goes. Still waiting for Lactose poo test results from the GP. Good luck Mayday and Cocktail hope you get some answers soon too. Let's keep chatting! x

Saw gp today who made me feel I was exaggerating and unnecessary but I specifically requested lactose intolerance test. He finally agreed and referred but think our nearest testing centre is Kings London so not expecting an appointment soon!
But would rather know either way and think it's important for her adult life to have done all the necessary checks.
I'll be back in touch!
Thank you for sharing the journey x

So we went to kings fri.
Have to eliminate all milk for 6 weeks, no sign of a lactose test! Taken blood for three tests (3 pots).
Got two poo sample pots and no way to return them to a hospital 15 miles away. (1 1/2 hr journey public transport) No follow up appt for 6 months.
Feel really demoralised, we remove all milk products for 6 weeks but no advice on what to look for.
Re poo samples, not sure whether they should be her diet now, without the milk or after 6 weeks. What is purpose?
Why do doctors think they are gods and tell you nothing.
I don't understand why I have travelled to a hospital so far away for these steps, could have done that locally. Gp sent us there for lactose test.
Am feeling blue for my little girl.
School dinners are completely useless, no pudding alternative for her.

maydaychild do you have an update?

I'm starting my dd1 on a lactose-free diet tomorrow as it has got to the point where I have to do something as dds symptoms seem to be really bad over the last 2 weeks (and she's running out of pants poor girl).

She had a coeliac blood test done 2 days ago, so awaiting the result. I don't think she's coeliac though as I have my suspicions about dairy.