It's a spectrum. You are actually lactase insufficient. You need that enzyme (made/delivered in your small intestine) to digest dairy. Some people still make some but not enough and others make less/none, etc. Just go to your drugstore or even supermarket and get some Lactaid http://www.lactaid.com/ I buy their milk too so I can have cereal and milk in my coffee, etc. Sometimes you don't need anything extra, if you space when you eat dairy (or some people can eat some things, like cheese or yogurt, but not others like milk). I was okay unless I had cereal multiple days in a row. And, watch out, chocolate has lactose in it so remember to take a tablet before you eat chocolate or you'll get the stomach ache. Read ingredients because lactose is in a lot of things (I found out the hard way a couple Easters ago when I was given a chocolate bunny with caramel inside; caramel is LOADED with lactose!) But look at your vitamins and any calcium supplements you take, etc. because lots of them have lactose so need to be taken with the enzyme pill, at the same time (doesn't have to be taken early or with food or anything silly; it's not medicine but just the enzyme that isn't produced enough). I had to change my thyroid pill brand because one of the additional fillers in the one I was taking is lactose and it was giving me the problems you describe :-)