2 months in and exhausted

(Deanna) #1

Good Morning!

I’m about two months into my keto journey and had been feeling great until about two weeks ago. I got a really bad headache and nausea (I looked so bad they sent me home from work). I went home and literally slept for 32 hours. Since then, I have been exhausted and requiring 10-12 hours a sleep a night. All I have been able to do is go to work and sleep.

Does it take longer to recover from illness while on keto? Could the issue be my diet? I’m afraid if I go to the doctor they will automatically blame by diet, and I am losing so I don’t want to stop! Up until this point I had a major increase in energy and a decrease in anxiety/depression. I’m down 31 pounds as of this morning!

Does anyone out there have any insight/ideas?

(Robert C) #2

It sounds like you are not doing keto but instead calorie restricting while eating keto foods.
31 pounds in 2 months is probably too fast.
If this is the case - you may just be feeling the effects of excessive calorie restriction.
Also, as fat is lost, toxins are released in the body - at this high rate of weight loss your body may have just hit a level it cannot easily clear.

If you are calorie restricting - simply adding calories is the cure to avoid slowing your metabolism and the inevitable weight gain which follows. Alternating days or weeks of high calorie and low calorie will prevent the metabolic slowdown - as will a non-regular fasting scheme.

Finally, the headache, nausea and need for extra sleep likely has nothing to do with diet. I would only think that was the case if you changed your diet at that time (introduced a new food or restricted calories excessively).

(Door Girl) #3

Are you actually sick? I’m finally coming out of an incredibly terrible upper respiratory thing. It has taken over two weeks. People all over my area in the Northeast are coming down with particularly bad illnesses this year.

Also, are you keeping up on your electrolytes? Probably worth a check to make sure you are getting enough sodium, potassium, magnesium, etc. Good dark leafy greens can do a whole lot for you, but adding some No-Salt (potassium salt) along with your regular sodium salt to your cooking may help. I personally found that once I finally got Slow-Mag my already pretty good energy levels increased. Muscle cramps were my indicator that I needed for Mg.

(Robert C) #4

Also, I would not let your worry about having keto called out by your doctor stop you from going.

Simply do not mention anything about your diet until asked.

Headaches aren’t so unusual but nausea and sleeping for 32 hours are both unusual - focus on those with the doctor.

Let the doctor diagnose flu, food poisoning etc. or let the doctor order a blood panel to rule out other possibilities.

Making the effort will probably reduce stress - a good thing.

(Deanna) #5

I’m not restricting calories, I’m following the macros given to me from the KetoConnect calculator.

(Deanna) #6

Maybe I am just getting over a virus. I’m in Massachusetts, so it is beyond possible this time of year. I just stasrted drinking Ultima Replenisher (Electrolyte supplement) today, so we will see how that goes. I am going to make a doctor’s appointment and see if they find anything in my lab work.

(Robert C) #7

Then I would check with some other calculators to compare.
Keto used to help regulate your hormones will not cause that kind of weight loss in most people.

(Deanna) #8

I have just checked a few calculators and there is about about at 200 calorie range. I will try upping my intake this week and see if that helps. Thank you for the advice!