Keto Flu Incident--Not for weak stomachs!

bellaehret
bellaehret Posts: 5 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I've been on the keto diet for a week and a half. I've lost eight pounds so far and have been feeling amazing, high energy, sleeping better, my depression has dissolved. In the past I only ate carbs every single day, hardly any protein or greens. So why does this happen to me?

I'm minding my own business at work and next thing I know I throw up. I've been drinking 8-9 glasses of water a day, eating balanced wholesome meals that adhere to the diets rules, I exercise every day. If anything I would get lightheaded here and there. Has anyone else ever experienced the keto flu to this extent? And any keto experts know how I can prevent this from happening again?

Replies

  • LyndaBSS
    LyndaBSS Posts: 6,964 Member
    I don't do keto, but am wondering why you're not eating greens and proteins?
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
    Nope, never heard of anything more than a headache and general aches, maybe some nausea, but not actual vomit. And those usually happen right at the beginning.

    Did you add new foods?

    Has anyone else around you been ill?

    Do you have any abdominal pain that could indicate a gall bladder issue or appendicitis?
  • strongwouldbenice
    strongwouldbenice Posts: 153 Member
    Eating a whole lot of fat in one sitting can make me feel nauseous and like I want to throw up sometimes, was it out of nowhere or were you feeling sick beforehand?
  • TrishSeren
    TrishSeren Posts: 587 Member
    LyndaBSS wrote: »
    I don't do keto, but am wondering why you're not eating greens and proteins?

    In the past she said she didn't :)
  • shelbydodgeguy
    shelbydodgeguy Posts: 194 Member
    Selendraco wrote: »
    don't forget your salt. Throwing up is not part of keto-flu.

    This. Salt and magnesium are important when you cut carbs, also potassium to a lesser extent.


    I'd suggest checking out these groups:

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/394-low-carber-daily-forum

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/1143-keto

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/127202-keto-support-group

    Plenty of knowledgeable folks there who can help with keto/low carb questions.

  • NovusDies
    NovusDies Posts: 8,940 Member
    It stands to reason that if nausea is a symptom that vomiting would happen for some people. If it is an isolated incident I wouldn't worry about it too much.
  • shelbydodgeguy
    shelbydodgeguy Posts: 194 Member
    bellaehret wrote: »
    If anything I would get lightheaded here and there. Has anyone else ever experienced the keto flu to this extent? And any keto experts know how I can prevent this from happening again?

    Electrolytes.

    6 cups water (~ 1.5 l)

    The juice of one medium lemon ( 55ml)
    ½ tsp potassium chloride or lite salt
    ¼ tsp Salt
    2 tsp Natural Calm magnesium supplement
    Optional: 2 squeezes of Water Enhancer ( Fruit Flavored, Naturally sweetened with Stevia)

  • Emmapatterson1729
    Emmapatterson1729 Posts: 1,296 Member
    edited August 2019
    I have felt nauseated and light headed once on keto...

    On a day I didn't get enough calories before work. I usually don't eat first real meal until 1-4 pm. Left for work at around 4 pm, rushing to get out the door and didn't eat. Had only had a fat bomb around noon and coffee in the morning. (Usually at or just over 1000 calories by that point, leaving myself around 500 calories for dinner). By 6 pm, I felt like I was going to vomit and very dizzy the rest of the night at work.

    The only other time I have felt nauseated (but no light headedness) ended up being food poisoning from eating undercooked ground beef.


    A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS:

    How many calories did you log that day before throwing up?

    Or did you eat anything questionable 24-36 hours prior to throwing up?

    As mentioned in above comments:

    Keeping electrolytes balanced while on keto is very important especially in the beginning. Magnesium supplement, increased sodium, increased potassium.

    In my house, we take 250mg magnesium daily.
    Cook with sea salt.
    And add a very light sprinkle of potassium salt substitute on our cooked foods.

    Electrolytes being low can cause light-headedness.

    https://drbubbs.com/blog/2017/1/top-3-mineral-deficiencies-on-a-ketogenic-diet-and-how-to-fix-it


  • COGypsy
    COGypsy Posts: 1,363 Member
    Keto was horrific for me. Waves of crippling nausea, nasty burps, constipation and eventually a great deal of vomiting. I think I stuck to it for maybe 2, 2 and a half days and felt sick for more than a week.
  • imaginemary
    imaginemary Posts: 39 Member
    Healthline lists vomiting as a symptom of Keto flu. It comes on fast too. I got the Keto flu last night, my first night on the diet, and it was wicked bad, nearly felt like I was going off an opioid (I went through withdrawal from oxy after back surgery). Keto flu is similar. Skin crawling, nausea, insomnia, leg spasms. Ghastly. I read up on it and decided to taper off carbs! I had a midnight bagel and felt better again. 🥯 Today is better - had 13 g of carbs instead of 0, well, not counting the midnight bagel, which was emergency treatment.
  • Gisel2015
    Gisel2015 Posts: 4,189 Member
    LyndaBSS wrote: »
    I don't do keto, but am wondering why you're not eating greens and proteins?

    Reading the original OP, I don't think that @bellaehret said that she was not eating veggies or protein:

    In the past I only ate carbs every single day, hardly any protein or greens.
  • voncovenhoven
    voncovenhoven Posts: 25 Member
    Someone recommended magnesium supplement -500mg once per day. It took care of my keto flu symptoms. I also drink lots of water. That was at the end of week one. Now three weeks in I have weird sores inside corner of my mouth. I’m going to start multivitamins
  • LyndaBSS
    LyndaBSS Posts: 6,964 Member
    imaginemary wrote: »
    - had 13 g of carbs instead of 0, well, not counting the midnight bagel, which was emergency treatment.

    Meaning you didn't log the bagel into your food diary?

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