# Complan. Any better alternatives ?



## Dave7 (5 Oct 2020)

MrsD not being well has no appetite. She needs something and the old standby, Complan, springs to mind.
Neither of us has ever tried it or any alternatives......never needed it.
Any good suggestions ??


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## fossyant (5 Oct 2020)

Complan is more or less sugar with supposedly some vitamins in it. MIL has this for breakfast rather than cereal. It doesn't half mess her blood sugars up though (Type 2). We used to warn her about it.

Might be worth a juicer - you can then pop in what she feels like, got to be better than complan. We've got a Breville Blend Active - only £20 and comes with two drinks bottles. It basically blends the food in the bottle, remove from base, tip over and take the blender top off and put on a drink top. Zero mess. My wife uses it for making fruit drinks when not feeling too good.


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## vickster (5 Oct 2020)

@DCLane wife is a dietician.

Otherwise, it might be wise for your wife to discuss with the GP or practice nurse


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## Sharky (5 Oct 2020)

Ensure cans. 
Sweet or savoury. 
My daughter lived on these when she was catatonic.


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## MichaelW2 (5 Oct 2020)

Dave7 said:


> MrsD not being well has no appetite. She needs something and the old standby, Complan, springs to mind.
> Neither of us has ever tried it or any alternatives......never needed it.
> Any good suggestions ??



I have used complan when I was dangerously off food for a few weeks.
This year I had to have a liquid diet after surgery and used some of that suppliment powder from health shop, Vega brand vanilla flavour. Mostly pea protein.


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## DCLane (5 Oct 2020)

You'll find Complan's currently available in the chocolate/strawberry flavours rather than the 'meal' types - my wife's been sourcing them for her Covid rehab patients.

They're OK as an immediate substitute but she has them on feeds / supplements as needed. Soups / Ensure Plus and others are probably better according to her.


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## alicat (5 Oct 2020)

Nice dark chocolate. I'm no dietician but if anything can perk up someone's appetite it has to be that.


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## Dave7 (5 Oct 2020)

DCLane said:


> You'll find Complan's currently available in the chocolate/strawberry flavours rather than the 'meal' types - my wife's been sourcing them for her Covid rehab patients.
> 
> They're OK as an immediate substitute but she has them on feeds / supplements as needed. Soups / Ensure Plus and others are probably better according to her.


Interesting, thanks.
We are certain that we are both suffering Covid Long.......we are sure we had it Jan/Feb.
Can't tell you the last time we ate a cooked meal. 2 weeks ago we managed to split a ready meal (cottage pie) with some fresh veg.
MrsD sleeps all night, gets up and often is asleep again for 10.00.
She seriously needs some food down her.


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## DCLane (5 Oct 2020)

@Dave7 - if you're both nutritionally deficient then you'll sleep more. A GP referral to a Dietitian will help.


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## marinyork (5 Oct 2020)

There are millions of alternatives orderable in pharmacies. Complan is widely sold. Not all the complans have identical sugar (can't remember which way around from memory).

The alternatives. It all comes down to money. There's a game of cat and mouse between GP surgeries, pharmacies and patients between what is available, how much it costs and how much the GPs are willing to pay. Aymes was the trendy alternative that all the patients wanted to get and there were prescribing wars about it.

Your local pharmacy will have some liquid based ones in bottles stashed in their drawers. They'll probably sell you a bottle of each flavour to try. 

Really worth going to have a chat to them.


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## Daninplymouth (5 Oct 2020)

Could huel be of any use? It can be used as a meal replacement


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## Dave7 (6 Oct 2020)

DCLane said:


> @Dave7 - if you're both nutritionally deficient then you'll sleep more. A GP referral to a Dietitian will help.


Well we are definitely doing that.
Had my bloods taken today. Should get a call from the Doc in a few days.
On a positive note we both had a jacket potato with butter, pepper and cheese for lunch.


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## fossyant (6 Oct 2020)

Dave7 said:


> On a positive note we both had a jacket potato with butter, pepper and cheese for lunch.



Food of the gods - my wife's favourite food - she'd eat it every day given a choice. Me, I'd have to add beans.


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