Oh you poor thing!! I sure can relate to running to the powder room!!!

One can develop Lactose intolerance at any age... it's kind of like when people eat strawberries all their life and then one day they break out in hives..... it just happens.

I became lactose intolerant about 10 years ago-- and I LOVE milk and ice cream and cheese. but there is good news-- "lactaid milk" (if you crave some sometime) and "dairy digestive pills"-- which allow one to consume certain amounts of dairy and NOT get sick!

There are differing degrees of intolerance-- I am VERY sensitive. Can only consume small amount WITH a digestive pill and only ONE time per day. Some people like a sister of mine-- she just gets bubbles and bloating in her stomach.

There aren't any tests that I know of per say-- there is the elimination process-- in which you take certain things out of diet-- like dairy-- for 7 days then gradually introduce differing things to see how sensitive your system is to different types of dairy. I found an old book, coincidentally, at a used book store all about Lactose Intolerance--- I suggest either talking to your doctor or looking for a book on it or search the net.

Things to watch for besides milk-- ice cream(especially if low fat or skim-- the fat helps enable to digest lactose for those of us that are intolerant-- so the less fat the more upset stomach), cheeses (best to have aged cheese-- the lactose breaks down with aging), whip cream, caramel(yep it's made with milk) and get this -- some that are VERY sensitive can't digest popcorn!! that's how I am...... hope you aren't that sensitive.

well-- sheesh-- looks like a wrote a book!

good luck with this!!
you can PM me if you want to talk more about it.

fins