ext_19925 ([identity profile] byslantedlight.livejournal.com) wrote in [community profile] ci5hq 2019-04-18 05:01 pm (UTC)

I don't think this is the same kind of migraine - in fact I'm not even sure if I should call them migraines really, but they're definitely more than headaches. They're definitely related to lactose rather than just chocolate too - in fact I can eat lactose-free chocolate with no problem!

For years and years I had headaches and painful sinuses and so on, and I thought it was some kind of chronic sinus infection, but a few years ago I went to stay with my cousin for ten days and when I got home I realised I'd barely had a headache the whole time. The only difference to normal was that she didn't eat dairy, and so I'd barely had any while I was there. So I experimented - and sure enough, if I avoided dairy then I didn't get headaches any more! I looked it up, and apparently it's a less-common version of being lactose intolerant. Most people get funny tummies if they're lactose intolerant, but some of us get severe headaches. The annoying thing is that I think eating dairy must have given me a little immunity back to it, because I had constant headaches but they were relatively low-grade. Now if I accidentally eat lactose without first taking lactase enzyme (which is what deals with the lactose), then I get a massive headache and am maybe even sick with it (like yesterday - blargh!)

Apparently everyone starts off lactose tolerant as babies, but gradually gets less tolerant - except that there was a genetic mutation at some point, and now lots of people remain tolerant of it. But not me, sadly! I try to be careful, but sometimes there's unexpected dairy in something (even when the ingredient list says there isn't). I even found out that there was dairy in wine sometimes, because they use milk to "fine" the wine (make it smoother) - since then I've bought vegan-friendly wine, and now that doesn't give me headaches either!

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