From day 1, packet 1, I had problems with diarrhea. In fact I often had "D" before IP...the explanation I got previously was that because I had polyps on my gall bladder, if I ate fatty foods in the amount greater then my gall bladder can handle, I would have the D. In addition, sometimes I reacted to lettuce in the same way, sometimes not, depending how my stomach felt, I guess...

Anyway, the "D" after some of the first IP packets I had, was immediate and fierce. But I noticed that after different one or two packets I was fine; so I went to the pharmacy (where the IP place is) and looked at the ingredients of the foods I had, and that is how I figured that I reacted to the ones that have soy protein in them (but soy lecithin and soy oil did not seem to bother me).

OK, so the next couple of days were great. I was now choosing only the "no-soy protein" packets and things seemed to go well. But then I started the "D" again...I figured it's lettuce and stopped eating lettuce completely and was better for a while.

Then, my troubles started again...sometimes a had a day of reprieve from "D" but almost every day I had it to a greater or lesser degree. But, I was so happy with my weight loss, and mentally and emotionally I felt amazing!! Lots of energy, a sense of calm, happy about how weight loss is progressing...you can see why I didn't want to stop the IP.

But, unfortunately, the terrible "D" just got worse, and it was starting to exhaust me and to worry me, AND I started to spot (it was not yet time for my TOM, I am still in the middle of my pill pack) and on top of everything I started to have this dull ache in the ovaries region, as if I was getting TOM...and I just couldn't take it any more.

So yesterday afternoon I went to the grocery store to buy some real food that I was craving. Since then to this morning I had Bran Flakes with Raisins and milk, cut up strawberries and banana in Greek yogurt (0% fat, high protein), 2 toasts with peanut butter and jam and glass of milk, and this morning oatmeal with added scoup of whey protein powder sweetened with acesulfame (sp?) potassium and NO sucralose.

My stomach and intestines feel GREAT. I had figured that I might be no-soy AND no-sucralose person... So my question to you is, what should I do now? Get right back OP, just making sure to choose no soy and no sucralose packets? Wait out a week and then get back on it the next week? I am thinking not only about the "D" but also the spotting (the "semi-TOM"), don't know if that's really "healthy"...I know a lot of us here endure the ongoing TOM or no TOM at all, but I'm wondering if waiting a week might make it go away... I need your advice!

Another thing to consider...

I had D issues when I first started too - very bad at times. After looking into it, and finding that magnesium is a laxative, I ended up cutting back on my cal-mags. I have just 2 at dinner. When things got better, I tried adding another one back in and same thing... So, for me the cause was the cal-mags, and I've been just fine sticking with 2 a day, rather than 4.

If the diet is really making you sick, I would stop and try something else. As great as this diet is for so many people, it may not be right for everyone.

Oh, I didn't know about the magnesium...but it did occur to me that perhaps the pills are giving me problems too, but haven't yet properly analyzed their influence. I will definitely cut those down.

You are right, I may end up having to admit defeat eventually, and do a different diet, I accept that.... But not quite yet - not before giving some modifications a try, because you are right, this diet really is cool - the weight loss is awesome, and even more awesome is the feeling of NO hunger/cravings/deprivation, and such a mental and emotional calm and energy. I loved feeling that, not so much the other... And thanks for the advice on cal-mags! Actually, in fact, I did hear somewhere, kinda long ago, that too much calcium can also give diarrhea (but it was so long ago, that I am don't quite trust my memory on that).

I am so happy I'm not the only one!!!!!!!!!!! I've been on 10 weeks and lost 51 pounds. Probaly around week six I started getting cramps and"D" after eating veggies a couples days a week. Sometimes so bad I had to lay down w/ a heating pad. It would last hours. Last week for 4 days straight I was getting the cramping and "D" after all food including packets. It was horrible. So I decided to go off that day. Had a small slice of pizza and a little coke. After 3 sips of coke the cramping vanished. I've been fully off since Tues. The first 3 days I was a little "gassy" w/ minimum tummy issues due to that. As of fri night I 100% back to normal.

I thought maybe it was to much soy too long of a period. On starting IP I had an allergic reaction to the EAS drinks. I assumed it was soy but haven't been tested. I tried the packets and seemed to be ok w/ those, but long term who knows.

I'm on vacation next week and was planning to go off IP for that week. So I decided to just go off through vaction and give my system a break. When I get I will go back to IP and see how it goes. I'm on alternatives and take 2 citrate mag pills a day so I'l cut back to one when I start and see if that helps. I've had awesone results and really want to follow the program to goal weight.

I've already mapped out my plan if the intestine issues come back though. I'll still follow the plan but instead of the packets I'll suppliment it w/ real food. In the end I'll be taking in a couple hundred more calories (still under 1200 total) but also more protein. But I really hope my body lets me stay IP.

Good luck w/ you!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'd go to your doctor and get some answers. The fact that this was happening before IP may mean that something else is going on in your body. The polyps on the Gall Bladder answer doesn't make sense because it happens after you eat lettuce, which has no fat. Sometimes our bodies are trying to tell us something, and you need to listen.

Crohn's? Allergies? Maybe just the gall bladder? Whatever it is, I would get some definite answers. 3FC is great, but don't forget about your doctor for some of the more serious questions.

The magnesium could very well be the culprit - it can have that effect, and if you already have a sensitive system that may just aggravate it. I also agree that talking to your doctor is the wisest route - rather than play trial-and-error on what you may or may not have sensitivity/allergy to, let your doctor run tests to get a more definitive answer.

Regarding TOM, that's most likely related to the fact that when you drop weight you release estrogen into your system. We store estrogen in our fat cells. More frequent TOM, or wonky cycles (my TOM disappeared for 2 months and then showed up, and came back again 2 weeks after that). So I wouldn't necessarily worry about that part.

Don't call it "Admitting defeat" - IP may or may not be the best program for your body. It's only defeat if you give up on your commitment to lose weight completely. If this program isn't the best for you, another one probably will be. Hold on to your conviction to get healthier, and you'll be fine!

I will be interested to know how you'll do when you re-start, be sure to post, or private message me? I decided to give it one more day, for a total of 2 and half days off plan, and then start again but only use non-soy and non-sucralose packets. I will probably have to supplement that with regular protein powders for variety eventually. Also I will cut down the cal-mags. Then if that goes well, I might put one of those things back in to check if it gives me trouble again. Frankly I never liked the taste of sucralose, so taste-wise I am not too sorry to stop eating those except for couple of them that were tasty (the collagen ones). Thanks, have a great time on your vacation, and good luck to you too in continuing that awesome weight loss you've had so far in such a short time!!

Oh I finally figured out how to do the multiple quotes, yay!! SMB, you are right the lettuce thing doesn't really fit in with the explanation about fat, but when I was first told about the polyps after an ultrasound, I looked up some forum, can't remember where/which one, but it had to do with gall bladder and a few of the ladies with their gall bladder removed or with polyps on it, said that they react to lettuce the same ("D"), so I wrote it off to some quirk of the the gall bladder effect...I haven't really thought too much about it.

The lettuce thing was kind of a progressive issue with me; at first I couldn't digest lettuce that was not organic, but organic ones were fine. Then I seemed to have trouble with romaine, but butter lettuce was fine. Then it was kind of hit and miss, sometimes I'm fine and sometimes not. I actually love lettuce and when I made it (prior to IP), I made a huge bowl - 2 full big heads with oil, salt, lemon juice, and a bit of water. Maybe the quantities do kind of take their toll. Since IP my whole gut system seemed to go into sensitivity overdrive and everything pissed it off - even water. Pretty much anything I put in seemed to be rejected. And I craved grains, like oatmeal with wheat bran that I like to make, and raisin-bran cereal, it's like intestines are saying "we need grain bulk to calm down".

Heh, I am not admitting defeat on the whole losing weight issue. But was only saying that I *might* have to give up on IP, however not without trying out a few more tricks that might make it work. For example, the magnesium is now a prime suspect, along with the sucralose.

As for the doctor, yes, I will make another appointment, but the last time I brought up the D question, I was advised to use metamucil to "soak up the juices" ...sorry for the grossness factor....

Thank you everyone for your suggestions.

LOL no such thing as TMI here And it's funny because my doc recommends Metamucil for me too, just for the exact OPPOSITE reason - to get my "juices" flowing

You may want to get your gallbladder checked out again. I had mine out in March 2009. When I was having issues, I got some advice from my aunt who is a dietitian. She told me to go low fat and then to watch eating lettuce. Sometimes, she said eating lettuce would bother you the most.

I had no problems once I quit eating the fat. But my sister had the opposite problem before she had hers out. She could eat fatty foods, but the low fat foods bothered her.

There are packets with no sucralose, and alternative products sweetened with whey protein. If you are willing to stick with a limited range of food for the sake of weight loss that may work.

Alternatively the dukan diet uses regular food in a similar way to ip...you could consider that.

The mg is an issue for me too. I take 2 at night.