I guess this would be an alternative plan?

I found that I have been very ill since starting IP. Woozy, lightheaded, feeling like I have a cold with no cold symptoms. So I went to the doc and told them that I am cutting out 1 protein packet at lunch and replacing it with real protein (chicken or turkey).

I've also discovered that when you are a very active person to beging with, this diet may just not be feasible for your body. I'm a very active equestrian in training-there have been times that I have not been able to ride because I was dizzy. I also NEED my heart rate up...and my blood pressure can't drop the way it has!

I've been hospitalized last year due to the Rooter (Reuter?) virus. My BP was 72. (the top #). I came THISCLOSE to not coming home. As in EVER. Low BP SCARES me.

So when I feel my BP drop, I need to lay down. To me-this is unacceptable. I'm 29 years old, very muscular with excellent BP (off the diet) good cholesterol and hardly ever get ill. I'm too active to be on this diet as is. So I made some changes and tweaked it. For instance, I have some carbs on the days I know I am riding. I eat more chicken and turkey and less packets.

I'm sure my doctor will not appreciate me telling her I need to cut back on the packets and amp up the food-after all, thats how she makes her money with IP-but I know my body better then she does.

Anyone else in a similar situation?

(fyi, I weigh 195 and am 5'3. Wear a size 12/14.Unfortunately, I have 40 DD breasts that contribute to my weight. I was put on IP due to PCOS and wonky hormones)

With issues and problems like you have described you probably need to go back to your doctor and discuss all of this with him/her. If you think they will not give you good advice because their only interest in this is the money from the IP packets- you need a new doctor. Medical advice should only come from a doctor that has examined you and is familiar with all of your health issues.
Lots of people here do modified versions of the Ip diet. Some do not use any of the Ip packets at all.
Have you read the ebook that is available online for free and written by the doctor that invented this diet?
Best wishes in getting help to find a plan that works for you.

I'm wondering if you're allergic to something in the packets. Soy, maybe? I too am an equestrian, have to keep two feisty mares in training for endurance, and yes, there have been days when I felt really knackered, but I think that was more to do with the heat and having sworn off Gatorade. Now I take more potassium and make sure I drink lots of water. I've had no trouble since, in fact have more energy than I did before the diet. Maybe there's something incompatible with your PCOS in IP? Definitely I think a good medical workup is in order.

When you refer to your "doctor," do you mean your IP coach? Is she an MD? Are you under the care of another specialist who might be more objective and better informed?

I wish you the best of luck. I know exactly how fit you have to feel to handle the little--or not so little--beasts. And I'm still curious - - what kind of riding do you do? What breed of horses?

(You know what it's like when you get two riders together...the rest of the world disappears. )

My doctor is the one who put me on IP. She's a GYN and just did ovarian surgery on me in July. I have a coach too, at the office, who works under the doc.

I'm not allergic to soy, actually the only things I cant have are eggs (not allergic, but straight eggs hurt), milk (lactose intolerant) and the skin on apples (weird, but it makes my tongue and gums itch).

I just dont think that this plan as is, is for me. I'm not hungry or having cravings per se, I just feel not quite right.

Meggie, I am an eventer. I have a newly retired Morgan cross (retired in August due to a career-ending stifle injury at a hunter pace in May). We've done xrays and Legend injections, Cosequin, Vit e and selenium, flatwork for a few months and he's still NQR. So he's retired to trails.

I'm going to try a 6 year old prospect this week. Which dovetails into this diet, because if she and I click, we're going into intensive dressage training for the winter and stadium into the spring/summer. I ride 3-4 times a week now, and nothing too strenuous given my geldings retirement. With the new gal, I will certainly need to get that heart rate UP and I can't have low BP while blasting over a cross country course. The sports dangerous as it is-I dont need to help it!

The prospect is a Welsh/TB. My guy is Morgan/black lab. LOL. I dont know what else he is. Definitely Morgan in there someplace. What have you got?

(and they are little, LOL. He's 14h and she is 14.2)

Woo-hoo!!

I am an ex-eventer, but I may take it up again. My daughter was also, then moved on to dressage. We used to train with Virginia Jenkins (now Rowsell). What level are you competing at? My older mare is half sister to Erin Go Bragh--she's by Erin Smithereen out of a lovely Irish TB mare. She's half retired now, which suits her fine; I blew out her left hind collateral suspensory on a 50-mile endurance race through the Pine Barrens in NJ--50 miles on a sand treadmill. I'm bringing along my young Arab/Saddlebred and it turns out she can jump! Who knew?? So we'll do a couple of hunter/paces this fall and maybe start at BN next Spring.

I ADORE Morgans. They all have PhD's, you know. And Morabs (Morgan/Arab crosses) make THE best endurance mounts. My girlfriend's husband has one and he is a national champion. Welsh/TB sounds like a great mix. My Arab, Pocahontas, is little--15.1 on tiptoes with new shoes. Molly, my Connemara/TB, is about 16hh and it really feels like riding a horse to be on her. She was totally feral and unmanageable when I bought her, but at 19 has turned into the perfect schoolmistress. Pokey, OTOH, feels like riding a kitten and acts like one. I have to say I love smaller horses now, though. Molly sometimes scares me with her power; Pokey never does. Go Bragh was all of 14.3 and won the Area II Advanced Championships at Rolex in his day.

Who runs this forum? Are we allowed to put pictures of our pets up????

I have horses too. Love them! Mine are quarter horses and thoroughbreds.
I am doing an alternate ip plan because of sensitivity to gluten and sucralose. I have also had times on this diet where I was light headed or dizzy. I have been adding salt and drinking more water when that happens but sometimes it still lasts a whole day. I don't know if maybe it is just part of the weight loss experience. They say that fat stores toxins so when your body is dissolving and excreteing fat it is possible that your body has to eliminate these toxins as well.
You could try backing off and then easing back by adding one packet at a time and then waiting a few days before you add another. You could talk to your doctor about using other protein sources like tuna or chicken, instead of the other packets for the first few weeks. Just ideas.
Enjoy those horses!

Meggie,
We were ready to rock at Groton House-elementary-and BN for their summer classic. Had a few local CT's scheduled to dabble in N and then N for the Fall classic. I was hoping to get him to the big Myopia show this fall, but with the blown stifle...such is life. He was THE best CC horse...dressage, eh...but we were working with a GP trainer in MA and he was coming along quite nicely.

LOL on the Morgans. My pony has his pony days and horse days. As of late, he's pony all way (such as being asked to side pass or simply transition into the trot from a walk-both hinds off the ground with ugly pony face). Stick him on the trails, he's golden! Differant guy all together. I still will probably get him out to a few hunts, 2nd field and bypass the jumps. Unfortunately he thinks he's Gem Twist over fences...which is how he blew his stifle in the first place. Jumped a 20" vertical like a 10' spread. Was 3 legged lame the next day.

Cheesecake,
I still feel like crap into 3rd week. I have this head cold thing going on with a horrid cough...I have never been ill for 3 weeks. My body doesnt feel sick...just like I have a wretched case of congestion with no snot? COugh, cough. Its awful. Feeling dizzy too. Perhaps it is the sucralose?

With horse #2 becoming a very possible reality, and training board at 1k a month, I need to get the Myoplex shakes (EAS). Half the cost of IP, and go that way. My doc will understand, the money etc etc.

I told my husband I think I have scurvy LOL from no fruit. I was half kidding.

Hi LBM,

Re dizziness: If you are making sure to get all your salt in, are you sure you don't have a low grade fever causing the dizziness? What you describe reminds me somewhat of when I got pneumonia.

Re EAS shakes: you don't want the Myoplex shakes, you want the AdvantEdge Carb Control shakes. If you check the nutrition info there's a difference in the carbs, also in the price--from what I've heard on the threads the AdvantEdge is less expensive (can't get it here, so can't tell you for sure).

Sure hope you feel better soon.

Jackie

This sounds very much like an allergic reaction -- similar to the one I had until I found out I was allergic to soy.

Linden, turns out I am allergic to WHEY. Which is in pretty much every IP food. I researched the reaction-and lactose content-yep. Ran out to GNC and got some soy protein powders. I've had 2 and I feel AWESOME. I actually slept last night, the wretched tickle in my throat is GONE and no more dry cough. No headache either! Not dizzy or woozy. I don't know why I did not question the whey. When I started the program, I did note that I was lactose intolerant. In fact, the questionaire asked me if I was. I asked the doc if I would be ok-she said yes. False.

So I think I will be thrown off the program through the doctor. I literally cannot eat ANYTHING they have. Every product has whey or whey isolates-milk proteins or a derivitive of.

So it cost me $23 for 24 servings of GNC brand soy protein drink mix. Thats a lot cheaper then IP!! And I have about 18 packets to return, which I can for a refund.

PS those fabulous shaker cups? At GNC. My little one from my doc was $7. You can get one twice that size at GNC for $8.

The snot is coming out now, productive cough. Sorry for the TMI but it is clear, somewhat yellow, no sinus issue or cold.

I am so happy I figured this out...and as a bonus, I'm wearing jeans I could not fit into last summer!!

Wow, I'm so glad you got to the root of that, LBM. I figured it was an allergy of some sort. So you can still do IP, just with this alternative. Stick around. I want to know how that dynamite little Welsh cross of yours does!

Thanks Meggie! I can't wait to meet her tomorrow! I have a very good feeling about her, last time I felt like this I was waiting for my gelding to be delivered from NY (bought him sight unseen, yikes!). My instinctive bells are ringing away that this is a GOOD thing!!!

I will still keep with the diet with the soy, though I do eat a real meal at lunch, with chicken or turkey. Sometimes beef if I feel frisky. Still eat my salad and veggies too, and take my vitamins.

Well, I'm awfully sorry about the allergy but I sure am glad you were able to put your finger on a source.

I can't tell you how much I'm enjoying the horse chatter. My son's last pony (14.1) was Morgan/quarter horse cross with the most beautiful, flowing gait in the whole state of Virginia -- jumper and 3-day eventer. Lovely nostalgia.