Steve and Irma,
    I stay confused!  I've tried figuring this out by myself because the Dr's
here are not helpful at all-Gainesville GA.  They just laugh at you or look
at you like you are crazy. If you don't fall into the realm of their everyday
patients, they don't want to deal with you.
    Yesterday I had the gastroscopy, which went fine.  The Dr. found no
ulcers, hernias etc. and said it was acid reflux.  I was so out of it from the
meds, but in my hazy mind I told him maybe I needed to go back to my culprit food
diet that maybe it was still food that was bothering me. I said I'd kept a
food journal for years.  He laughed and said maybe that was my problem, as if
it's all in my mind.  Yea right.  Makes you want to call them at home in the
middle of the night when your sick all night.
    Sorry, they make me so angry.  People like me just fall through the
cracks.   So back to the question of proteins vs lactose.  Steve, I will read your
website. I know I've looked at it before, but you absorb different information
as you read things in your progression of knowledge and experience.  I'll
read it again!
    Beginning about 1983 using a culprit food diet I stopped all obvious milk
and was much better.  Things were manageable.  I kept getting sick now and
then (once or twice a month instead of all the time), so continued my journal.
Other things kept bothering me including the "non dairy" lactose free items.
So, after I stopped ALL milk I've been ok most of the time. I did that last
fall (thanks to this site) by use of the pareve Kosher symbols or calling the
companies.  After 30 years I finally figured out a diet I could eat, but now have
the heartburn swallowing problems. It's most discouraging.
    As I said, I ASSUMED that I'm intolerant to all milk.   I have been to at
least 5 Dr's. over the years, and went to the allergist twice.  He didn't do
any of the blood tests, which I assume is what you are talking about Irma? He
did 40 skin stick tests including lactose and casein.  I was not allergic to
either.  So he said I was intolerant to milk not allergic.  I did ask my
general Dr. one time about those blood tests.  She said she couldn't do them and I'd
have to go elsewhere. So here I am-still frustrated.  Thanks for your input.
I'll go read your site Steve.  Maybe that will help.  Irma, I'll also look
further on the auto immune reactions.
Thanks so much!!!!!!
Judith