From: Michele Ferris <[log in to unmask]>
>I've suddenly become lactose intolerant and allergic to milk at the ripe
old
>age of 35.  Does anyone know of medical answers of why this would happen?

Lactose intolerance is common in most adults...we tend to lose the ability
to properly digest lactose as we age...

While I am not lactose (milk sugar) intolerant, I AM allergic to milk
protein; I developed this allergy in my 30s (I never had any allergies as a
kid), and still am allergic at the age of 48...


>Also, in your experience, if the allergy develops at my age, will it stick
>with me or perhaps be temporary?

If it's just lactose intolerance, you'll probably have that for the rest of
your life; if you have additional milk allergies (e.g., are also allergic
to milk protein and not just milk sugar), then it may be possible for it to
go away...some people have reported being able to go back to using milk and
milk products after a period of strict abstinence...but in your case, while
you may be able to get rid of the allergy to milk protein (if indeed that
is what you have), you would still need to use something like Lactaid
because of your lactose intolerance; I've never heard of anyone overcoming
lactose intolerance, only overcoming milk protein allergy...



June