I had an appendectomy about 5 weeks ago,ever since then i have been experiencing lactose intolerance.are these things be related?never happened before

Mgt: This also may occur as a result of infection. Please make sure that the wound site is clean, and if you have a fever, see your physician.

The basics: Lactose intolerance will occur when the enzyme needed to process the sugar is depleted/lost from the brush border (absorption surface) of the small intestine. It can occur naturally as a genetic trait or transiently after insults to the gut, like an infection or gut trauma (appendicitis) . If you avoid lactose for a week or two the brush border should regain the enzyme.