Thoughts on my symptoms? page

[zizou]

Hi guys and gals,

Thought it would be worth a shot to list some of the symptoms i am feeling currently, and for the best part of a month and a half or so, in the hope someone with similiar experiences or knowledge can shed some light and point me in some directions.

Firstly, i concede i have digestive issues at hand, diagnosed couple years ago now which i have been dealing with and managing fairly well, with obvious ups and downs along the way.

-Comments by others on regarding pale/yellow-ish skin at times
- Sex drive lacking since adopting more primal ways of eating
- weakness and fatigue in leg muscles with 'crampy' feeling to them.
- lack of explosive energy and energy in general
- Sleep isn't all to great, in that i have no problem going to sleep at the same time everytime, but can't get a consistant full 7hrs without interruptions throughout the night

I have seen these symtpoms mentioned quiet a bit on these forums, the worrying thing is how some people like myself really only developed them after getting aquainted with the diet, perhaps there are some flaws that need adressing and conditions by which the diet will work for some and not others.

Had some blood tests done, suspecting mineral deficiencies at first. Came back normal, particularly curious about magnesium as my symptoms match mag deficiency. Turned out my iron levels were above normal range, which i correlated with higher than average intake of red meat and binging on dark chocolate for the week prior to test. Second guess was B12 deficiency but that also came back normal, at aroudn 600.

Anyone can share some opinions on what could be causing my symtpoms and any tests available? I can provide additional blood test markers for a few things if needs be. My GP recommends redoing iron studies test in a month or so to check that i am back in normal range. My gastro says he isn't concerned DESPITE me mentioning my symptoms and not feeling optimal! Was very peeved with his nonchalant attitude but at same time i cant blame him in a way.

[cheffy]

I'm no dr., but it sounds like a few possible things. Electrolyte loss/dehydration (on a low carb diet you lose water weight, and with that water goes some sodium, potassium, magnesium, aka electrolytes). Normally. When I feel these symptoms I make sure I'm hydrated, sometimes I supplement with the mentioned electrolytes. It honestly sounds like you're in deep ketosis. When I am doing a prolonged fast, and am in ketosis, it's very hard for me to sleep more than 5 hours. Try the supplements maybe, and a sweet potato or two wouldn't hurt some people sleep better when they have a little more carbs in their system

[Goldie]

I'm with cheffy about carbs and sleeping. If I get less than 20g of carbs a day, I sleep horribly; awake multiple times in the night. But a difference of 20g more, just 40g a day (especially if I make sure to have carbs with dinner), makes a big difference in how I sleep. I did my n=1 for about a month, and my results for this were statistically significant (sorry, I'm a stats geek!)

[zizou]

I'm no dr., but it sounds like a few possible things. Electrolyte loss/dehydration (on a low carb diet you lose water weight, and with that water goes some sodium, potassium, magnesium, aka electrolytes). Normally. When I feel these symptoms I make sure I'm hydrated, sometimes I supplement with the mentioned electrolytes. It honestly sounds like you're in deep ketosis. When I am doing a prolonged fast, and am in ketosis, it's very hard for me to sleep more than 5 hours. Try the supplements maybe, and a sweet potato or two wouldn't hurt some people sleep better when they have a little more carbs in their system

Hi Cheffy,

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Dehydration has crossed my mind, ever since reading Fiber Menace, i noticed i perhaps was overindulging in water. I was sick of going to the toilet so often, and basically pissing out pure white liquid! So i adopted a 'drink to thirst' mentality. Question is, am i listening to my body enough to interpret just how thirsty i am. I try gauge hydration by colour of urine, mine is slightly darker than straw colour, so perhaps i am a glass or two short. Should give it a shot aye. I hear you on the ketosis thing, but i have significantly upped my carbs to what i was doing at times during primal eating ways. I have parsnips, squashes, rutabagas and rice weekly and would have thought i am not bad on carbs. Definitley should be enough to be out of 'ketosis' which tbf i wouldn't even know how to tell if i am in ketosis

The sleep thing is annoying because, i fall asleep no problems, geniuinly tired and have a routine, but it's just the lack of consistant deep sleep that's darn annoying. And the leg muscle fatiguness/stiffness which do my head in followed by lower than normal energy levels.

I'm with cheffy about carbs and sleeping. If I get less than 20g of carbs a day, I sleep horribly; awake multiple times in the night. But a difference of 20g more, just 40g a day (especially if I make sure to have carbs with dinner), makes a big difference in how I sleep. I did my n=1 for about a month, and my results for this were statistically significant (sorry, I'm a stats geek!)

I'm stats geek too, but to be honest i think i am better off not calorie counting anymore as in reality it just isn't healthy! But i'd wager i am hittiing 100g carbs min on most days.

[heatherdarbs]

I was having the same issues, including the yellowish skin tone. I realized my protein was really high and once I reduced that and added more veggies and fat I started feeling regenerated, my skin markedly improved and I slept like a log. It took me about 3 months to figure this out, so shift things around for a few days and see if you notice anything. I also noticed that I would avoid things (primal things) that I craved; simply to keep the ratios in what I thought appropriate (mainly carbs). Once I ditched that fear is when my change in diet occurred, so it was actually in hindsight.

[zizou]

I was having the same issues, including the yellowish skin tone. I realized my protein was really high and once I reduced that and added more veggies and fat I started feeling regenerated, my skin markedly improved and I slept like a log. It took me about 3 months to figure this out, so shift things around for a few days and see if you notice anything. I also noticed that I would avoid things (primal things) that I craved; simply to keep the ratios in what I thought appropriate (mainly carbs). Once I ditched that fear is when my change in diet occurred, so it was actually in hindsight.

Great to hear you found success! I guess my high iron levels are a suggestion that my protein was too high. I have cut back definitly on my portion sizes, like you said i try look at my plate as a whole now, i like to aim for something like the Perfect Health Diet suggests. 150-200g of meat per serving and good amoutn of carbs and fat to fill me up.

I plan on getting some magnesium oil this weekend and try that out, see if i am infact deficient.

[Periwinkle]

My first thought was that there is something wrong with your liver, if you are yellow.

[sbhikes]

I really wish Mark would do a blog post about this since he just recruited so many newbies.

If you reduce your carbohydrate intake (and face it, everybody new to this has reduced them if they gave up wheat and grains), then your body is going to work completely differently in regards to sodium and hydration. Your kidnesy will dump water and with it, sodium and potassium. This will make you feel horrible and crampy. This water comes from all the glycogen your body was holding onto with your former high carb diet. Your kidneys were holding on to potassium. Now it all comes out because you don't need it anymore. You get a little out of balance at first until you adjust.

You need more sodium. You need to make sodium a regular part of your diet. It goes against everything common wisdom tells you. It goes against your doctor. But you need it. Your body works differently now. Sodium will help you feel better and it also helps maintain your muscle mass.

You may wish to take some potassium supplements and some magnesium (citrate, malate, *-ate) supplements, too. Do this for a while to help your cramps and make it easier to sleep. Do talk to your doctor first if you take blood pressure medication. You don't want to take potassium if you do.

Salt your food, learn to make bone broth, lick a packet of salt off your hand and chase it with a glass of water. You'll feel much better.

You can also feel better consuming more carbohydrate foods, but at this stage, your diet is so much less in carbs just from removing grains that you probably can't make up for all the current discomfort by adding fruit and potatoes. Even with more fruit and potatoes, your body is going to work differently than it did in the past.

[meeshar]

Your b12 is not "normal", by the way. Not terrible, but the standards in the US are very low compared to the rest of the world.

[namelesswonder]

Great to hear you found success! I guess my high iron levels are a suggestion that my protein was too high. I have cut back definitly on my portion sizes, like you said i try look at my plate as a whole now, i like to aim for something like the Perfect Health Diet suggests. 150-200g of meat per serving and good amoutn of carbs and fat to fill me up.

I plan on getting some magnesium oil this weekend and try that out, see if i am infact deficient.

150-250g of meat per serving? How tall are you/how much do you weigh?

I think that would be way too much for most people, for the whole day, not just a meal. 1g per 1 lb of lean body mass is usually the starting point.