I've been on Ideal Protein for 3.5 months and have lost 30 pounds.

In the last two weeks, I've noticed that my mouth is starting to feel funny after I consume most of the products. I'm trying to think how to describe it, but my mouth feels kind of extra dry regardless of the water I drink, and my sense of taste is diminished over much of my tongue. It's the weirdest thing ever. It seems to be more or less constant now, but the severity varies.

It doesn't feel like an allergic reaction - it's not itchy - but it seems to be amplified after eating an IP food. No other symptoms. I eat mostly shakes and puffs and bars as a between-meals strategy.

Has anyone ever experienced that?
Thanks

Some find that they are extra sensitive to the sweeteners in some of the products, some are allergic to soy and can't use most of the products, and personally I had to be gluten free (which limits some of the products too - I couldn't have the puffs or bars at that time, but the shakes - not RTD - were ok for me). You might try getting an ingredient list from your coach to see if there is some correlation...
Liana

Checked with the coach, and she said the two things that were making me most allergic--the bars and the shakes--had the highest whey content. I just ate a cookie dough bar and all of a sudden my mouth is itching and tingling. I've never been allergic to dairy, so this is super irritating.

My coach suggested switching to soy ones. So I'm going off the packets for a week to get my mouth back to normal, and then I'll try to focus on just the soy ones and see how that goes.

Anyone want some delicious shakes and bars? Sigh.

See if your clinic will allow you to trade since it isn't just taste but an actual allergy involved here - or at least put you in touch with someone who is willing to trade some of the packets you can use. We had a basket at my clinic where you could bring single packets to trade for something else (for whatever reason). This worked great! If they have the boxes there they should be able to legally trade w/o charge since the ingredients lists ARE available right at the clinic. Hope you get 'er all figured out

Liana

I have learned over time that I cannot eat sucralose (splenda).
I'm down 42 pounds since May but it hasn't been pleasant at times.
When the vanilla crispy squares came out, my consumption of splenda went up, because I was eating at least two products a day at that point that had it in it.
Long story short, I was hangry about two hours after I ate any meal or snack.
Cravings were sometimes unbearable, and I was always jealous of others who said they were full and never had cravings. Then anxiety, jitteryness, and fatigue started. I really had no idea what was going on and started tracking my food on myfitnesspal looking for answers.

I was about ready to give up -weight loss had stalled. My coach is real nice and was there for me, but didn't know either.

So just as an experiment, I tried not eating anything that has "non-nutritive sweetner" in the ingredients and within 24 hours I knew. I was a different person. All the hangrys, cravings, and anxiety was gone. Energy back up, too. So for anyone who is struggling, you might want to try 24 to 48 hours without it in your diet and see if you feel better.

I have appreciated all the wisdom from this forum, and I wanted to "unlurk" and share in the hopes that I might help some one else.

I don't think its an allergy- I think its just some people are incompatible with some artificial sweetners.

My stats: 53 years old, 5' 2", beginning weight 208, currently 166. Goal 130.

Thanks,
Janet

Itching, tingling and numbness are signs of an allergic reaction. You can develop allergies later in life and do not have to be born with them. Be careful - you wouldn't want this to become anaphylaxis, due to repeated exposure.
Liana

TexasJanet, thank you for sharing this. I have noticed something similar - things with artificial sweetener trigger cravings and blood sugar swings- some thing more than others. The Quest bars in particular do it. I seem to be able to handle smaller amounts here and there, but if I get hungry and eat one and half bars, for example, that will do it.

Seattle I'm glad you figured out your issue. If your clinic won't take back the products and switch (I agree I think they should) - or at least put you in contact with another client that would want them - then you can ask here on one of the main threads if anyone want to buy them.