Lactose intolerance - how long will pain last?

Hi - I am lactose intolerant... I have found this year that my tolerance level has dropped and I can consume less amount of lactose. I ate a small amount of Ice Cream yesterday and suffered major stomach cramps last night... I mean BAD. I called the doctor who suggested it will pass within a day. He suggest a laxative, which I did that helped a little.

I am still suffering from the pains 24 hours later... they are much less intense and have shifted lower.
I was wondering if anyone else suffers from this and how long they have to endure the cramps..?

If you are lactose intolerant, the cramping you feel is from bacterial fermentation of the milk sugar (lactose). Large volumes of gas can be generated, causing painful distention of the gut (bloating). Symptoms should pass soon after the gas does. It sounds like this is the case, since your symptoms decline with time and shift lower in the gut as the ice cream meal descends.

If you experience pain well after you have passed the gas and diarrhea (or if you aren't having gas), you should be checked for a sensitivity or allergy to dairy proteins.

It鈥檚 usually less then 24 hours, but it gives me diarrhea so it goes through me faster. Go with the laxative again, eat a bland, soft diet, drink water and don鈥檛 eat anything risky for a while. Good luck