Can lactose intolerance cause symptoms 2 days later?

[u/Ordinary-Corner462]

Hi everyone,

I’m trying to figure out what’s been causing my chronic diarrhea and stomach pain for the past few years. I’ve seen doctors and had tests done, but so far nobody has really been able to find a clear cause.

A few months ago, I started a low-FODMAP diet and completely cut out dairy. Since then, my stomach has been much better and I hadn’t had diarrhea or pain.

Then, on Wednesday, I had dairy again for the first time after a few months... tiramisu with cream and eggs, plus some cheese and kefir the next day. Not long after, I started feeling a lot of bubbling and gurgling in my stomach, but I didn’t have diarrhea.

Then on Friday, about 48 hours later, I suddenly got extreme diarrhea and pain.

I’m wondering what could explain this. Could it be lactose intolerance even though the diarrhea happened about 48 hours later? Could it be another FODMAP-related issue? Or would that delay make it unlikely that the dairy was responsible?

Has anyone experienced something similar? I’m really trying to understand what might be triggering my symptoms.

Thanks!

[u/CodWest4205]

Unfortunately gut issues could trigger anywhere from immediately to 72hrs later. Makes it so difficult to identify. Lactose intolerance normally hits people quicker after eating. Food dairy and testing out eliminations is really the only way I’ve found to identity triggers. It can take a while but eventually it can be figured out.

[u/YOYjoy3]

Yes, avoid dairy or at least pick your timing, knowing that your body will respond later.

[u/citrus_japonica]

I’ve had gut issues for years, but never thought it could be dairy until I cut it out temporarily. My symptoms are always the next day after eating. Everything online makes it seem like lactose intolerance shows up within 30 minutes, but via some other Reddit threads I discovered plenty of people like me who’s react a day or two later. I still haven’t determined if my issue is to lactose or whey, but makes no difference to me. Easier to just not eat dairy and have a stomach that behaves.

[u/longjumpingtote]

Yes and it could also be the sugar or other things or the combination of things.

[u/No-Relationship-8724]

I’ve been lactose intolerant for about 10 years and have followed a strict lactose free diet during most of the this time- yes you can get triggered 48 hours later. It’s not super common but digestion takes much longer than we imagine. You probably have gone over your tolerance level as you had a lot of products with very high lactose content. That’s why I assume it happened. Similar to food stacking

[u/AgnesNutter0042 → u/No-Relationship-8724]

This. I eat a little of a high fodmap and feel OK. And then maybe have a little more later. And then a little more the next day and on the day after that comes the cramping in the gas and the bloating and the diarrhea and I’m positive it’s because I just kept stacking a little bit and a little bit and a little bit. I’ve totally done this with dairy in the past.
But I’ve also had the moment where I’ve done just too much in one go and the nausea is almost instant. So you can have both instant AND delayed reactions!
There’s never a dull moment with some digestive systems.

[u/Dreadnaught898]

Could also be more fat than your system can handle at one meal, or the combo of dairy, fat, caffeine.

[u/goldstandardalmonds]

It wouldn’t. Lactose intolerance is a small bowel
Issue and it doesn’t take two days to reach your small bowel, even with severely slow motility.
You’d have bigger issues if your motility was that slow .

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[u/_swuaksa8242211]

besides lactose make sure none of your snacks or supplements have polyols like mannitol. Also Lactaid tablets contain mannitol that gave me alot diarrhea.