Why Does My Lactose Intolerance Keep Getting Worse?

I am lying on the floor with intense stomach pain...No, not Appendicitis or kidney stones, I am dealing with lactose intolerance. A problem that keeps getting worse for me as the years go by.

The intense stomach cramps seem to happen more often and last longer. I realize it occurs after I eat my favorite Greek yogurt. But isn’t this type of yogurt supposed to be OK as it is strained more?

So I thought. I used to be able to handle Kefir or Greek yogurt for that very reason. But now, nothing with any kind of dairy sits well with me.

As I am writing this, I am awaiting an Instacart delivery of lactose free yogurt and lactose free cottage cheese. I am going to give those a whirl, because ladies, we have to have our calcium! I have been a caregiver, so I know how important strong bones are, so you don’t end up in a wheel chair.

The worst part of this journey is that it is going downhill fast! I used to be able to eat ice cream, drink milk and enjoy any tyoe of yogurt I liked. But the older I got, the less my body tolerated,

These days, I watch my son devour a Dubai chocolate waffle bowl from Cold Stone, while I eat spoonfuls of strawberry sorbet.…Not the same.

Apparently, though, misery loves company. Because a lot of us, shall we say, women of a certain age (and men apparently) have trouble digesting milk.

Why? Because as you age, you produce less of the enzyme necessary to digest dairy. According to this article by the American Academy of Gastroenterology, our condition is called Acquired Lactase Deficiency:

“Many individuals acquire lactose intolerance as they get older. It is estimated that approximately one half of adults in the United States have acquired lactase deficiency. This condition is due to a normal decline in the amount of the enzyme lactase present in the small intestine as we age. Although lactose is an important part of the diet in infants and young children it represents only 10% of the carbohydrate (sugar) intake in adults. However, individuals who are lactose intolerant may not be able to tolerate even small amounts of this sugar in their diet.”

So, how do you still get enough calcium? And please don’t tell me through certain vegetables. Those aren’t the easiest on my stomach either. I can tolerate some, but eating too many isn’t an option.

The article suggests taking a supplement to help you digest lactose. I have tried that with limited success. You have to take those tablets right before you eat dairy, and often I forget. It’s not like you can take it in the morning with your other supplements.

What I have had luck with is almond milk that has been fortified with calcium. Look for the ones that say, “contains 50 percent more calcium than milk,) or something to that effect. The label appears near the top of the carton.

I tried the lactose free yogurt before and didn’t stick with it, because I have to add my own flavoring. I missed the yogurt that came with mix-ins!

This time, I am going in full throttle. I will learn to love lactose free yogurt (mixed with some maple syrup. It’s actually really good) and lactose free cottage cheese. No more aged Swiss cheese for me. (And for a while that was easy to digest.)

What’s really strange is that when I was on a cruise ship a year ago, I was able to eat soft serve ice cream with no consequences. My son thinks that’s because it is really airy.

I don’t think I will try it again. Intense stomach cramps and bloating is not worth it.