Kristen,

I strongly suggest that you get a full food allergy blood test done.
I think that IBS is a catch-all for "we don't know what it is so
we'll just give it a name."  I had a food allergy blood test done
late last year (I, too, had recurring symptoms of diarrhea, horrible
gas, severe cramps, etc.) and found out that I needed to eliminate
all dairy, gluten, soy, eggs and a few other things.  Since I've
done that (I have a rotation diet for the other foods I can have)
my symptoms DISAPPEARED, except when I try a small
quantity of a food I shouldn't have.  I also feel that I'm getting
more out of my food.

A blood test is the only sure way to find out the true extent of
your food allergies (you may have more than you think--O did!)
The test I had covered 96 food groups and requires only one
blood sample.

Nancy


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>Hello!  About 5 years ago I stopped drinking milk and eating milk
>products because my allergist said those foods cause mucous.  I never
>had a problem with these foods before.  When I tried to re-introduce them
>into my diet, I got severe reactions (cramps, diarrhea, gas).  Now I
>cannot tolerate any milk products.  It seems that lactaid works pretty
>good, but sometimes I still get a reaction.  How can I find out if I'm
>lactose intolerant?  I was also diagnosised with irritable bowel
>syndrome.  Could these symptoms be IBS and not lactose?  It seems I
>always have an upset stomach.
>--
>Kristen White
>New Milford, CT