Can untreated lactose intolerance lead to gluten intolerance?

Here is the scenario: Patient (teen) never could tolerate milk (but ate cheese & some dairy) and was put on a gluten free diet to help with persistent digestive problems. For a while gluten-free worked (& gluten ingestion bothered stomach) but eventually had testing (biopsies) & was told teen produces no lactase at all & needs to be dairy free (not gluten free) Wondering why gluten-free helped for so long & how it relates to lactose intolerance. Any ideas? Thanks!

If you keep exposing your body to something that it can't handle, it can respond by being able to handle less of everything else too. Processed starches and sugars can cause digestive problems in someone who is under stress, even if they have no problems with it under more relaxed circumstances. For example, I can eat whole grains without problems, but white flour can give me horrible heartburn, and I'm especially sensitive when I'm under stress.

Another factor may have been dairy ingredients hidden in the gluten based items. I cook from scratch as much as possible because of all of the junk that's hidden in the ready to eat stuff.

try taking a digestive enzyme. I too had a lactose intolerance,but after taking Natures Sunshine digestive enzymes for a couple weeks the problem was gone. The body loses enzymes as we age and this cause our bodies to reject certain foods.By putting the enzyme called lactese back into the body it heals. trust me, it works!

As someone who is gluten intolerant along with several other things I have read tons of studies on IBS, and Crohns among other things and I have never found a study that correlated the two of them together. Now I am not a doctor, and I don't mean to second guess this persons doctors, but I might think about looking for a second opinion especially if they are concerned about the diagnosis or for some reason don't trust the doctor.

I have had Crohns disease for many years, and have managed to control it through diet and drugs, but for years before I was properly diagnosed I heard every crazy diagnosis on the planet. I had a similar problem I would change my diet a little bit and feel better for sometimes months and then it would come back, so we would move on to the next thing, and so on. Now you indicated that biopsies were done, so I am guess they were done by a gastroenterologist. So your probably in good hands, and it is entirely possible that the first diagnosis was just wrong, in all fairness these issues are difficult to get a grip on, but if the diagnosis continues to change I would suggest a second opinion.

My question to u would be, was the teen on the gluten free diet at the time the biopsies were done? If they were, all testing is inconclusive and useless. One MUST be consuming gluten (usually for an extended period of time, 2-4 weeks usually) BEFORE any testing can be done bc without eating gluten the intestines will begin to heal and the doc cant see the damage done to the villa inside the intestines.
If gluten free helped for so long it is far more likely the have Celiac Disease with a secondary case of Lactose intolerance. It is very very typical for Celiac patients to at first be botehred by lactose but once the body completely heals from the damage done by gluten (by LIFELONG adherence tot he GF diet) they can slowly introduce lactose and some may be able to eat it again (some may not, they may also have lactose intolerance on top of the Celiac.)

I would highly suggest seeking a second opinion by a GI doc experienced in CD. Genetic testing may help bc u do not have to be eating gluten for genetic testing but its not as accurate as other testing (and many docs dont buy it).
go to www.csaceliacs.org and look under Local SUpport. Find the closest suport group in your area and contact that chairperson. They should be able to help direct u to a doc who is knowledgable about CD (every group has one doc on hand as an advisor).
Please feel free to email me for further info.