When do you start feeling great on Keto?
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CoconuttyMummy wrote: »(...)
Did anyone else struggle with stomach upsets or sickness when you 1st started eating high fats?
Awfully so. I had very little fats before, never liked the taste/texture of fat. But my problem was also that I started cold turkey, from a vegetarian high carb to LCHF. I think in the beginning I was forcing myself to eat much more fat than what was necessary. I saw everywhere that you were supposed to get at least 70% fat and to me that meant volume.
Stupid, I know, I was drowning everything in fat. This was before I found MFP but if I had started measuring/logging correctly I would have noticed much sooner that I had increased my fat intake enormously just by changing from high carbs to meat/low carb veggies. What clicked it for me was this post: dietdoctor.com/dinner-diet-doctors That looked like normal food, not the fatty mess I was forcing myself to eat!
When I stopped eating too much fat everything started going well, all my digestive issues cleared and I understood the feel good factor everyone talks about.
It looks like you are much more knowledgeable than I was so your problem is unlikely to be just too much fat too quickly, as was mine. But if you're feeling unwell from fat why don't you lower your fat intake for a few days? You need fat to control hunger, not for keto. It is my understanding that to get keto adapted you only need to control your carbs and, to a lesser extent, your protein. As long as you're eating enough calories and are not hungry you don't need to force yourself to eat more fat.
Sorry I can't be more useful, I'm hoping someone will know more. I'm sending you good vibes... hey, can't harm!
::flowerforyou::0 -
Thanks so much to you both - the support really means a lot.
I think what im going to do is stick to the 5% / 15g carbs for a few more days (i cant deal with thinking "i went through nearly a month of keto-hell but dropped out just before i turned the corner), but..... im going to try raising my protein a little because ive only been reaching about 50g protein (15%ish), and for 25% protein i should be eating 90g. Im wondering if too-low protein is causing the muscle aches and cramps (this is just thinking out loud - i have no knowledge whether too-low protein levels can cause symptoms like mine?)
And i do think ive been overdoing the fats a little, so im going to tighten up on those just slightly.
If non of this works within the next few days i will have to admit defeat and raise my carbs to anywhere between 30-45g a day (10%-15% carbs).
This is one last-ditch attempt to get the macros right and start feeling 'alive' again on keto. I dont want to have to say this woe is not for me, but if all that fails to get me back on my feet, i will have to accept that keto is not for me.
Cant say im not trying! Yoy yoy yoyyyyy!
Thanks again peeps for being so lovely and helpful through this dietary nightmare!0 -
CoconuttyMummy wrote: »Thats very interesting, Twibbly. Its great to hear youve nailed down what was causing your symptoms and that you're feeling so good lately. There's hope yet!
My list of symptoms are as follows:
1) tiredness & constant lack of energy no matter how much i sleep
2) muscle aches & bone aches that never go away. Painkillers dont touch it.
3) physical weakness (and i used to be strong but now i have no power whatsoever particularly in my upper body)
3) bad moods, depression & anxiety
4) constipation and diarrhea (sometimes at the same time!)
5) random stomach pains and bloating after eating
6) lots of trapped wind
7) strange body odour
8) hairloss (ive lost 50% of my hair volume and my hairline has receded like male pattern baldness)
9) body always cold
10) pain & swollen thyroid area (looks like i have a man's adams apple this past few years) but tests come back within normal range (although i am towards the borderline of hypothyroid, just not low enough for treatment)
11) dizzy spells
12) periodontal disease (that refuses to clear up, for past 4 years, despite countless antibiotics and good dental hygiene - although i do smoke).
13) burning in my muscles with only the slightest exertion
14) mental fog, confusion, slow reaction time, general dulling of intelligence compared to me at normal functionality.
Do these sound like food allergies or anything familiar to you?
Its nothing obviously medical because ive had every test under the sun - bloodtests, xrays, ecgs, mri's, ultrasounds, and the little camera up my nose into my throat (ENT clinic) and down my throat into my stomach or wherever they go (GI clinic). Everything has come back negative.
I was really hoping very low carb keto would sort these issues out but it seems something is still causing it.
I think i'll try going totally dairy-free for a while and see if that helps, although i do feel like im clutching at straws and fumbling in the dark a little.
This really does sound hormonal, bolded especially, though the others could go that way as well as to a number of other causes. #10 could be thyroid nodule/s, which may or may not be worrisome, but need to be looked at via ultrasound. (You can have those even with a normal standard blood test.) Have you seen an endocrinologist, or just your GP? .
(I have nodules. My GP didn't catch them. Another doctor at a walk-in clinic thought my neck looked funny, and sent me to an endocrinologist, who ordered ultrasounds and then a fine needle aspiration biopsy. Mine turned out to be benign, but sometimes they're not, and that's not always caught through the standard tests most GPs order. I'm not trying to scare you, it's just worth looking at again more carefully, imo.)
Other symptoms could be autoimmune-related, in which case a rheumatologist is the person to see. But I think that thyroid needs looking at again.0 -
Thanks Tomatoey - i'll try and get an appointment with a doctor soon. I need to get a list of all the tests i need to ask for.
Thanks again. x0 -
Well i never... FINALLY the scale has moved.. and in the right direction, too! I awoke this morning to a 4 pound loss. WOOHOOOOOOO!
And i dont feel too shabby either today. Had really bad stomach cramps and bit of sickness, but it passed within 20 minutes or so and now i feel quite normal. Not brimming with energy but *thank God* not as terribly poorly feeling as i have been. I dont want to get over excited incase its a flash in the pan, but im hopeful that im through the worst and that finally my weight will start decreasing regularly again. I can only hope, pray and cross every finger and toe available to me.
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CoconuttyMummy wrote: »Thanks Tomatoey - i'll try and get an appointment with a doctor soon. I need to get a list of all the tests i need to ask for.
Thanks again. x
When you do, stress your thyroid. So many posts here have wondered about your thyroid (low, hashimotos...)
And congrats on the visit from the whoosh fairy!0 -
Will do. Ive had my thyroid checked several times (blood tests, scans, xrays etc) but no harm in checking one more time.
Haha, yup the Whoosh Fairy came at last. I must have been a good girl, finally 0 -
CoconuttyMummy wrote: »Thanks Tomatoey - i'll try and get an appointment with a doctor soon. I need to get a list of all the tests i need to ask for.
Thanks again. x
No worries Congrats on your whoosh, and good luck! 0 -
In no way am I an expert or equipped to give medical advice, but so much of what you post sounds like the thyroid he!! I've been dealing with. Not a single doctor ever seemed concerned about my thyroid, even with all the symptoms I would give them (which I had no clue at the time were related to thyroid as well). After years and years, it took an ultrasound for something entirely different for it to be discovered I had a thyroid nodule. If I had only known then what I know now..... *sigh*
I hope you can find a doctor that will do thorough testing on your thyroid...and hope even more that it ends up not being a thyroid issue. In the meantime, though, I would suggest doing some studying on the subject here on the internet. There's so much info out there! And there's so many having these same symptoms.
No matter what woe you end up with, the main factor is to feel better and be able to function day to day. Got my fingers crossed you can get there soon. 0 -
I totally agree. Ive had these symptoms for about 5 years now and after reading a little on the net i became convinced it was a thyroid problem too. I was terrified that it could be cancer but thankfully not. During this time ive had at least 3 sets of bloodtests, an MRI, Ultrasounds, various X-Rays, a camera up my nose & down my throat, and a camera down my throat into my tummy - All my results came back negative (except for borderline hypothyroid which apparently is still within normal ranges, just lower end of). Doctors started to treat me like a hypochondriac - told me there was nothing wrong and not to worry - despite my symptoms continuing to be concerning and having a negative influence on my life. I thought it was thyroid problems of some sort - all of my symptoms fit and i suffered with constant tenderness, swelling and discomfort of my thyroid area. After some research i decided to try supplementing with Lugols (Iodine drops). I started at a low dose and increased gradually to where im at now - 30mg. I cant be 100% sure if this is helping me, but since starting the Iodine the pain, swelling & discomfort in my adams apple area has subsided significantly and i now only have slight tenderness & get the odd twinge. Also, my weightloss started to progress once i began taking Iodine, but i also cleaned up my diet around the same time, so that's inconclusive.
You're right about the importance of being able to function day to day on any woe - the human body is an amazing machine and it tells you loud and clear if something is wrong. Im trying to listen to my body and work out exactly what it needs to function successfully. Nutrition is key. I believe if you keep making small changes to your macros, and pay attention to your body, eventually you will come across a woe that could heal you. I have hope 0 -
FINALLY.. i feel great today!
I've been taking the higher doses of potassium & magnesium, and drinking 2 big mugs broth through the day and today ive felt really pecker. My hunger is starting to go down and satisfaction is up, and guess what? I felt so good that i dragged my bloke and son out on an hour and 20 mins walk after dinner! I know this doesnt sound much, but i havent wanted to move for a lonnnng time. Ive got so much energy i could walk for another 2 hours. This is such a huge difference to me barely being able to drag myself up the stairs the past few weeks.
Im really really really relieved, and pleased that i stuck with it through those hooorrible weeks of adjustment. I thank you all so much for helping me through it. Right now i feel so happy & healthy and like it may well have all been worth it. What a turn around! Now if the scale will keep moving down regularly all will be well with the world 0 -
Awesome!!0
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SO glad to hear this for you!!!! Yes, broth was crucial to my survival that first month or two!0
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*happy dance*
Thanks so much Deksgrl & Knit.
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Coconutty...it sounds like hypothyroid to me too. I was just diagnosed last year after years of being told my thyroid is fine. Most doctors just test for T4 and TSH. Have them check your T3 levels and for antibodies. These do not show up in regular screenings.
Thanks for this thread. I was going to ask the same question. I have not been doing this WOE long - just 10 days. I am losing weight like crazy but still feeling sore, bloated, inflamed, cold, etc.0 -
Yay!!!!!0
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CoconuttyMummy wrote: »FINALLY.. i feel great today!
I've been taking the higher doses of potassium & magnesium, and drinking 2 big mugs broth through the day and today ive felt really pecker. My hunger is starting to go down and satisfaction is up, and guess what? I felt so good that i dragged my bloke and son out on an hour and 20 mins walk after dinner! I know this doesnt sound much, but i havent wanted to move for a lonnnng time. Ive got so much energy i could walk for another 2 hours. This is such a huge difference to me barely being able to drag myself up the stairs the past few weeks.
Im really really really relieved, and pleased that i stuck with it through those hooorrible weeks of adjustment. I thank you all so much for helping me through it. Right now i feel so happy & healthy and like it may well have all been worth it. What a turn around! Now if the scale will keep moving down regularly all will be well with the world
YAY for you!!!! I'm soooooo very happy to hear this!
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Coconutty...it sounds like hypothyroid to me too. I was just diagnosed last year after years of being told my thyroid is fine. Most doctors just test for T4 and TSH. Have them check your T3 levels and for antibodies. These do not show up in regular screenings.
Thanks for this thread. I was going to ask the same question. I have not been doing this WOE long - just 10 days. I am losing weight like crazy but still feeling sore, bloated, inflamed, cold, etc.
Thanks toadqueen, i'll ask for those specific tests.
Sorry to hear you're still feeling off-it - it does take some of us a lot more to adjust than others - but GREAT news that you're dropping the weight readily. I wish my flab would start to melt
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Coconutty...it sounds like hypothyroid to me too. I was just diagnosed last year after years of being told my thyroid is fine. Most doctors just test for T4 and TSH. Have them check your T3 levels and for antibodies. These do not show up in regular screenings.
Thanks for this thread. I was going to ask the same question. I have not been doing this WOE long - just 10 days. I am losing weight like crazy but still feeling sore, bloated, inflamed, cold, etc.
Thanks toadqueen, i'll ask for those specific tests.
Sorry to hear you're still feeling off-it - it does take some of us a lot more to adjust than others - but GREAT news that you're dropping the weight readily. I wish my flab would start to melt
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I am thrilled for you, @CoconuttyMummy! Way to stick with it!
I'm feeling much better, too, though I've increased my carb allowance to the point where I'm not sure I'm in ketosis at all anymore. Around 50g carb per day. I've started getting severe leg cramps at night, so I'm getting serious today about broth and potassium/magnesium supplements.
So glad to hear you've reached the "boundless energy" milestone! You are awesome.0
