What Are The Symptoms Of Lactose Or Gluten Intolerance?
Also, I frequently have diarrhea that usually last for a few hours and may not
reappear for 2-5 days.What could be causing this? I have tried to relate it to
a particular food or beverage but as yet have not been successful
frequent diarrhea has many causes
Detailed Answer:
Dear XXXX
I can understand your concern
First of all i would like to inform you about gluten sensitivity enteropathy or celiac disease that is basically autoimmune disease . In this antibodies are formed against the epithelial lining of intestine .This causes damage to absorptive surface of small intestine and patients are very sensitive to gluten containing food such as wheat barley and rye . It has various presentation such as ..
1 . chronic diarrhoea
2 . flatulence
3 . bloating and cramping
4.this may present with various symptoms of vitamins and minerals malabsorption . Such as night blindness due to vitamin A deficiency . Osteoporosis due to vitamin D and calcium deficiency or bleeding at various sites due to vitamin K deficiency .
5.anemia due to iron vitamin B12 and folic acid deficiency .
So now we can see it has varied presentation and can be diagnosed with various antibodies detection test but definitive diagnosis is by small intestine biopsy .
Symptoms of celiac disease response very well to gluten free diet.
For lactose intolerance it may be acquired or congenital . There is an enzyme called lactase that is found in superficial surface of intestine responsible for diagestion of lactose .some time it is absent since birth and child is not able to digest milk. some time with age it's formation decreases or any pathology causing damage to those lactose producing cell causes lactose intolerance . So it is only for milk and milk products .
Patients present with
1 . diarrhea
2 . flatulence
3 . bloating etc.after consuming milk and milk products . If you stop using these then symptoms subside .
Apart from these two very common causes of diarrhea, we have few other malabsorption syndrome.such as
1 .tropical sprue
2.whipple disease
3.abetalipoproteinemia
4 . chronic pancreatitis etc.
apart from this irritable bowel syndrome and intestinal malignancies can also present with this.
So I would like to suggest you that if you have chronic diarrhea , you should discuss this with your physician because complete history ,examination and if needed few investigations are required to reach the correct diagnosis and management .
You are welcome .
Detailed Answer:
Dear XXXX.
You are welcome .
If you have any other concerns please feel free to message .