Medicine for lactose intolerance

Lactase enzyme products can help split lactose when taken with a dairy-containing meal. They are a convenience for some people, not a cure. Medicines aimed at gas or diarrhoea may reduce discomfort but can hide a pattern that needs investigation. Symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating and loose stools can also arise from infection, inflammatory bowel conditions, irritable bowel syndrome or milk allergy. Treatment therefore depends on the cause and the person's age, health and other medicines.

Discuss a suitable product with a pharmacist or clinician and follow its label. Keep portions manageable, compare lactose-free alternatives, and record how your body responds. Avoid taking someone else's prescription or using several symptom medicines together without advice. If dairy is being reduced, plan other sources of calcium and vitamin D; Nutrition Counselling may help. A clinician can decide whether Food Intolerance Testing adds useful information.

Arrange a review if symptoms are frequent, progressive, unrelated to dairy, or associated with weight loss, blood in stool, fever, nighttime waking or repeated vomiting. Seek urgent care for severe abdominal pain, fainting, dehydration, swelling of the lips or tongue, or breathing difficulty. These signs need prompt assessment rather than more self-medication.

Ask which treatment matches your symptoms, whether your medicines or health conditions change the choice, and how to check that your diet remains nutritionally complete.