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I want to thank everyone for their responses and good wishes regarding
my long period discomfort. (The full text of my original question
appears at the end of this email.) The overwhelming majority of
responses I received indicated that it was highly likely that the gluten
that I ate 6 weeks ago brought on lactose intolerance because the cells
that produce lactase in the gut (to digest lactose) live on the end of
the villi that are damaged when we ingest gluten. Nearly all of those
who suspected lactose intolerance recommended avoiding dairy or trying
Lactaid products.

A handful of responses indicated that the problem could be casein and
not lactose.

One response suggested that the symptoms I've had are consistent with
pesticide or heavy metal poisoning. Another made a very good point about
seeing a doctor to rule out parasites, as it is all too easy for us to
blame gluten for all of our gastrointestinal worries.

Several people are experiencing similar problems in themselves or their
children. I feel for you. In my case, this past month and a half have
been worse than before I stopped consuming gluten. I have resolved to
drop dairy products from my diet for at least as long as it takes for my
gut to heal again. I'll miss cheese, in particular, but I understand
that many of you are able to tolerate lactose again once your villi have
a chance to heal, so I look forward to that.

Thanks, again, to everyone for their help.

> About a month and a half ago, I ate something that very likely
> was made with flour. Between a few days and a week after eating it, I
> had the most severe reaction I've ever had: very bad diarrhea,
> depression, achiness, terrible bloating and gas. I seemed to recover
> after a week or two, and felt fine for a week and a half to two weeks.
> Then suddenly my symptoms came back and I was unable to pinpoint the
> reason. It also became very hot around here at that time, and I noticed
> that when I exerted myself I became very dizzy and nauseous. I
> attributed it to the heat, but this has happened a few times since then.
> I'll be fine for a few days, then get terrible diarrhea and bloating
> with nausea and dizziness (these last two happening mostly after I've
> exerted myself, though sometimes as little exertion as descending a
> flight of stairs).
>
> I think that these subsequent episodes have happened after I've eaten
> milk, ice cream, or sour cream. Is it possible that the gluten-ingestion
> episode a month and a half ago has made me extra lactose sensitive for
> all this time? Or is it just that now that I've been gluten-free for a
> few years the reactions are more severe and take longer to pass?

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