Complan

I couldn't get on with Complan, it didn't give me cramps but I felt faintly nauseous and not quite "well" whilst I was using it.
Is there a specific medical reason for taking it or are you just wanting to make sure you are getting a nutritious diet?
There are other replacement meals such as Huel and Nupro which you could try, but if your GP has suggested Complan you'd be better off going back and explaining about the cramps first.

It's predominantly milk, oil and syrup, all things that cause bloating, cramps and possibly diarrhea.

Complan has been around for years and I have never known anyone who liked the stuff... I wonder why the NHS still recommends it?

Oh heck.. will stop using it..not been well since Nov 1st and lost a lot of weight..just thought it may help 🤦🏻‍♀️

My husband has a severe low weight problem and has Ensure and Altraplen drinks with no problem.
He also drinks fortified milk. This is a pint of whole milk with 4 tablespoons of Marvel dried milk powder whisked in. No tummy cramps with any of this.
Two Ensure drinks and the fortified milk give him 1200 calories and any food he manages to eat as well is a bonus.

PS Have you talked to your GP about your weight loss and tummy pains. I would advise that first.

I bought Complsn for my father and it gave him chronic diarrhoea .
His GP prescribed the NHS alternative and he couldn't tolerate it either.
He became so choosy and refused to eat full meals .
I also have a problem with Complan .
My father liked to eat little and often and I'd fill tiny bowls with cubes of chocolate,cheese ,grapes and nuts.
As I age I also prefer to graze on smaller meals .

See the GP a.s.a.p.

If you need the (additional) calories/nutrients, get your doc to prescribe Fortisips and Forticups. They do not like to do this as they are only available on prescription and if the can tell you to take Complan it saves NHS funds.

I also got some lovely supplement fruit drinks from Holland & Barret which make a great ice lolly.

I bought Ensure Plus on Amazon. The vanilla and the coffee flavours are good. Use as a supplementary drink. 300 calories each.
But do see your GP first to find out why you have lost weight and feel ill.

As others suggest, it might be a good idea to try and see your GP if you’ve been losing weight since November.

Is there a medical reason for taking Complan? I remember my Mother taking it as she got older and we felt her diet was questionable . I think its effectiveness is exaggerated. Nothing like a good wholesome meal.

As we age - our enzyme production changes and diminishes .
It is thought that certain blood groups are more prone to this alteration .
Genetic factors come into play .
Sometimes suddenly and sometimes slowly foods which we tolerated before cause flatulence,bloating,pain and cramps and diarrhoea .
Lactose/gluten intolerance ,IBS ,
Crohns and diverticulitis runs in my family ( my older cousins have ended up with colostomies and ileostomies )
and has affected two of my children from birth .

Now I have to plan ahead if I'm going out.

I've found those meal replacements a disaster.
Ensure and Complan caused my father severe diarrhoea -
So please try them out before you spend a great deal of money buying them from Amazon .

Taking antibiotics aggravates the condition as the natural gut floral is disturbed .
Natural yoghurt can restore the balance .
Many older people have poor appetites and are reluctant to cook properly.
Certain medications alter their sense of taste .

I now keep a food diary .
I'm slowly changing my diet .
I received no support from my GP surgery .

If all these nutrition food supplements are milk based, what can the lactic intolerant have in their place?

M0nica

If all these nutrition food supplements are milk based, what can the lactic intolerant have in their place?

You can get plant based alternatives.

Are there any food supplements that are not based on milk in any form?

I cannot drink milk. I am currently nursing an upset stomach after thing I could get away eating some soft cheese this weekend.

My childhood was made hideous by the determination of teachers and nurses to make me drink my free school/hospital milk. I dodged, they made me drink it, I was sick/ill and I was in more trouble for, according to teachers/nurses, deliberately making myself sick, so my aversion to milk now goes well beyond the actual affects of the lactose, the sight of plant milks andthe thought of drinking them, also make me feel sick. I certainly could never drink any.

Make a milkshake with ice cream and crack an egg in it. Once it’s blended you’ll never know. Full fat or jersey milk, full fat ice cream and an egg.

M0nica

Are there any food supplements that are not based on milk in any form?

I cannot drink milk. I am currently nursing an upset stomach after thing I could get away eating some soft cheese this weekend.

My childhood was made hideous by the determination of teachers and nurses to make me drink my free school/hospital milk. I dodged, they made me drink it, I was sick/ill and I was in more trouble for, according to teachers/nurses, deliberately making myself sick, so my aversion to milk now goes well beyond the actual affects of the lactose, the sight of plant milks andthe thought of drinking them, also make me feel sick. I certainly could never drink any.

I hated school milk. I vividly remember sitting next to a boy who actually liked it so we swapped bottles when the teacher wasn't looking. I'm not allergic, just don't like it to drink. I have a splash in coffee and I cook with it but can't stand it to drink on its own!

I'm currently on ozempic for my diabetes. That seems to have altered my taste for many things as well as reducing my appetite. I've gone off lots of things I used to like and worry about getting enough nutrients but I concentrate on getting at least five fruits/veg a day and enough protein. After that if all I can face is chocolate, so be it, chocolate it is! I've reduced my dose and it is getting more manageable but I don't want to come off it altogether as I've finally reached a weight I'm happy with and don't want to risk putting it back on.

M0nica

Are there any food supplements that are not based on milk in any form?

I cannot drink milk. I am currently nursing an upset stomach after thing I could get away eating some soft cheese this weekend.

My childhood was made hideous by the determination of teachers and nurses to make me drink my free school/hospital milk. I dodged, they made me drink it, I was sick/ill and I was in more trouble for, according to teachers/nurses, deliberately making myself sick, so my aversion to milk now goes well beyond the actual affects of the lactose, the sight of plant milks andthe thought of drinking them, also make me feel sick. I certainly could never drink any.

I take Ensure and first of all they gave me the milk based ones. They didn’t agree with me and I couldn’t take them.
I don’t know if me being vegan for six years had anything to do with it but they caused me to vomit. I tried to return them to the pharmacy but they couldn’t take them back once they had left the pharmacy.
On learning the reason why I was returning them the chemist told me that they did the Ensure in a fruit juice form.
I then went back to the drs and had it changed for the fruit based ones. They still contain milk protein but you can’t taste it. They come in a few different flavours such as lemon and lime, orange, apple, peach and fruit punch.
I’ve tried numerous other fruit based supplements all prescribed by my hospital dietitian but these are the only ones I like.
I asked her if there were any savoury type supplements I could take as an alternative because I sometimes found the drinks a little bit rich and due to chemo altering my taste found them a bit too sweet sometimes.
So now I am also on a savoury powder/soup type of supplement which is a nice change from the juice.
They come in potato and leek, chicken, and savoury veg. All gluten free but a bit bland so I add salt and garlic powder to bump up the taste.
Hope this helps.

The powder based supplement sounds really interesting for my DH. Can you tell me the name of it Hippychick57.
I agree it is such a shame unused meds cannot be returned. DH has unused milk supplements which tasted really too thick and almost gritty. He has a better one now. Altraplen. Even the dietician couldnt take them back. The reason is in case they had been tampered with. I also buy Ensure from Amazon which he likes.

@Helterskelter The powders are by Aymes. ActaSolve.
Yes it’s a shame they can’t take them back because of the fear of them being tampered with.
I gave mine to my skinny dbro who is trying to gain weight. The other alternatives maybe a foodbank or a Facebook community page. They are so expensive to buy.
I’ll try and upload a picture of the box if I can remember how to do it. Hope this helps.

Thank you I will google them.

HelterSkelter1

Thank you I will google them.

Good idea. It wouldn’t let me post pictures of the box, one side was the name and another side was the ingredients.
I hope you have better luck googling them.