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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by CareBear04 on October 31, 2004, at 1:54:40
here's another question-- has anyone tried Ensure shakes? several of my drs have suggested them, but they look pretty gross, and i have been avoiding them. i don't know what's wrong, but i've been sick for almost six weeks with some time in the hospital, and i've involuntarily lost about 15 lbs, which for me is not good. it could be that my body needs more intake right now, but in any case, my appetite has shut down, and i have throat problems that make it really painful to swallow. i was drinking a lot of smoothies with vitamin boosts for awhile, but since my throat has gotten worse, anything hot or cold or strong in flavor has been hard to tolerate. if anyone has had Ensure before, i'd really appreciate it if you could tell what it's like or which flavors to go for or avoid. thanks!!
Posted by Waterlily on October 31, 2004, at 10:50:47
In reply to anyone tried Ensure?, posted by CareBear04 on October 31, 2004, at 1:54:40
My 12 year old likes Ensure just fine. She prefers vanilla. I haven't tasted it though. I heard there is a new juice version that tastes good. She's now on a formula-only diet to induce remission of Crohn's disease. She drinks it during the day and then puts a nasogastric tube down at night to pump in the remainder of what she needs to get to 2000-2500 calories. Insurance pays for the home health since the formula is her only source of nutrition for the next 6 weeks. You might want to check into this, especially with your sore throat and weight loss.
Posted by jujube on November 2, 2004, at 12:02:00
In reply to anyone tried Ensure?, posted by CareBear04 on October 31, 2004, at 1:54:40
I drink two Ensure (chocolate) or Boost every morning. I started last fall when I was really down with iron deficiency and had a hard time eating. I now have them every morning, with some toast or a piece of fruit. I like the Ensure, and find it tastes pretty good. Boost is the same type of thing as Ensure (meal replacement shake), and I find it tastes better than the Ensure. If you are trying to get more nutrients and protein, I would suggest the "High Protein" or "Plus" or "Plus Calories" versions of either the Ensure or the Boost. These will give you a bit more protein, etc. For me, they really are great, particularly when my stomach is messed up and I am having a hard time eating. Sometimes I even have one mid-afternoon just to tide me over. No fuss, no muss.
Tamara
> here's another question-- has anyone tried Ensure shakes? several of my drs have suggested them, but they look pretty gross, and i have been avoiding them. i don't know what's wrong, but i've been sick for almost six weeks with some time in the hospital, and i've involuntarily lost about 15 lbs, which for me is not good. it could be that my body needs more intake right now, but in any case, my appetite has shut down, and i have throat problems that make it really painful to swallow. i was drinking a lot of smoothies with vitamin boosts for awhile, but since my throat has gotten worse, anything hot or cold or strong in flavor has been hard to tolerate. if anyone has had Ensure before, i'd really appreciate it if you could tell what it's like or which flavors to go for or avoid. thanks!!
>
>
Posted by fayeroe on November 3, 2004, at 22:44:13
In reply to anyone tried Ensure?, posted by CareBear04 on October 31, 2004, at 1:54:40
one of my patients loves the chocolate ones. she has it mixed into a smoothie with strawberries, half and half and ice cream. she's gaining weight on those.
Posted by jlbl2l on November 13, 2004, at 4:49:36
In reply to anyone tried Ensure?, posted by CareBear04 on October 31, 2004, at 1:54:40
Hello -
I have CFS and Fibro and also used Ensure for a little bit 9didnt notice a difference, but i liked some of the tastes!
Anyways, I met a friend who had worked for the company that makes Ensure. He told me that they use the cheapest ingrdients (vitamins/minerals) and that it is contaminated very often, and the soy or milk quality is very bad. He said this is how Ensure makes profit, but consumers do not know the real story.
Its just like a dietary supplement - you dont know what your getting. Check your Ensure bottle - It probably contains, for instance, magnesium oxide. Do you know why? Its the cheapest form of magnesium to make, and I am sure Ensure knows, but its a known fact that magnesium oxide is THE WORST absorbed version of magnseium. Same with B12 (cobalamin) Many manufactuers use (cyancobalamin which actually can asorb somewhat, better in injections but almost worthless as a supplement. There are 3 forms of B12 - methycoblamin, hydroxycoblamin & cyanocoblamin. If you did NOT know this, cyanocoblamin is the cheapest to make, and that "cyano" prefix stands for cyanide my friends. B12 need a group attached to the front to be absorbed and cyanide isn't the form I would use - least absorbed, increases cyanide levels (not majorly, but if you are immune comprmised it can be hard to get rid of it).
Hydroxycoblamin on the other hand obsorbs much better and the hydroxy atom simply converts to water. Downside for the companies that make these : it costs more to make hydroxycobamin.)
the methylcoblamin version is now more often on vitamin store shelves for sublinugal and other forms of use, so they are catching on - but don't expct low prices.
One last thing, you may want to get a throad/nasal culture / urine and blood tests for pathogens. I have CFS/FM and the stories I hear from people who "DONT" have CFS/FM ranging from migraines, to acid reflux, to arthritis and so many conditions - even just fatigue or acne are often just plagued with underlying viral or bacteral infection that could be treated easily with antibiotics,antivirals or natural treatments (accupuncture, supplements etc..)
Sorry if I babbled. I study Neuro/Endocrine function and neuropyscopharmacology & homeopathy/naturopathy a little too much!!!
Well, I hope i didn't annoy you with this long post! Good luck..
JLB
email me for anything
jlbl2l@gmail.com
Posted by jlbl2l on November 13, 2004, at 4:58:30
In reply to INSIDE negative info about Ensure.... » CareBear04, posted by jlbl2l on November 13, 2004, at 4:49:36
I forgot to comment on your weight loss. This is typically a sign of a pretty nasty (serious) viral or bacteral infection (unless you are on medications such as topamax or other drugs that could promote this weight loss)
Honestly, many people would love to lose weight - 15 IBS would be perfect for me, but it is worth investigation from an immunologist and endcrinologist. Many viral infections cause weight loss, such as AIDS, but so do many other "minor" infections, but its worth going to the aforementioned speclists IMO.
All the best,
JLB
jlbl2l@gmail.com
Posted by CareBear04 on November 16, 2004, at 14:33:04
In reply to INSIDE negative info about Ensure.... » CareBear04, posted by jlbl2l on November 13, 2004, at 4:49:36
Hi everyone, JLB and others...
Sorry for not responding. I just got out of the hospital, and it was not a good experience. I did get my questions about Ensure answered. I like it better than Boost, which they gave me dozens of, all Vanilla, so i was really sick of it. Because I'm 21 and female, they looked no further than the seemingly obvious and out of nowhere at discharge concluded that I was anorexic, though I'd been expresing concern all along and for weeks about the weight loss. Infection could well be a possibility, not just of the throat but also b/c i needed an indwelling foley catheter for 10 days. i'm not sure what else to say except that i appreciate your responses. thanks, cb
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