Hi,

I've been reading messages now for a few months and have learned a lot
for which I'm grateful.  However, for every question that is answered,
two are left unanswered!  In addition, my research on LI has raised
yet other questions.  I'm hoping someone out there can answer at least
some of them.  Thanks in advance!

Here they are:

1.  What is the difference between LI and a milk allergy?

2.  I understand that lactaid is supposed to help everyone since it
    is exactly what your body is missing.  Ultra lactaid works for
    my daughter, but it doesn't seem to help me at all no matter how
    much I take.  I have to admit, because of the cost, I haven't
    taken more than 2 ultra lactaids at a time.  Does anyone know if
    lactaid just won't work for some people?  Has anyone tried more
    than 2 and had good results?  While expensive, it would be nice to
    know one could indulge on occasion!

3.  I will double up in pain if I eat 3 white chocolate chips, but I
    seem to have no problem with butter.  (In fact, I totally confuse
    people when I tell them I'm LI, but please give me butter and
    don't bring me margarine; they don't think margarine is dairy
    while butter obviously is.)  Milk fat in Hershey's special dark
    chocolate causes pain.  What's the difference between milk fat and
    butter?  Or perhaps more accurately, what's the difference between
    milk fat and cream?

4.  There's a researcher at Purdue who has studied LI for 16 years.
    He says that one way of treating LI is to start drinking milk in
    small amounts on a regular basis (and always with other foods) and
    slowly increase the amount--start with, say 1/4 c. and increase to
    1/2).  He says he has had good results with this approach.  It
    would be wonderful if it worked since LI is such an inconvenient
    problem (especially when you love desserts and are a vegetarian
    ;^)).  However, I'm rather timid about trying it since it sounds
    so potentially painful.  Has anyone heard of this or tried it?
    Has anyone heard of any successes with this method?  Here's a URL
    for info on this method.

http://purduenews.uns.purdue.edu/UNS/htmlarchive/html4ever/9912.Science/9912.Saviano.lactose.html

5.  Why are LI symptoms so unpredictable?  Sometimes I start burbling
    and hurting within 20 minutes of ingesting something with lactose;
    other times I don't have any pain, but I end up with gurgling
    intestines, flatulence, and or diarrhea (how lovely!).  Does it
    depend on how the lactose has been treated--for example, whether
    it's been cooked?

Well, I have other questions, but perhaps I should stop here for now.
Thanks again for your help.

Shira