About to try 2 week fast for first time, has anyone with low blood pressure done an extended fast through their period?


#1

I’m a newbie to fasting but my wife used to do it as a teenager for religious reasons. She tried again this past fall but felt awful and had to stop as she was in college at the time. I found Dr Fung online after trying to find out what she did wrong and we read his book to get more information. We want to try a two week fast and have made some bone broth, almost cleared the house of food, and are as prepared as we can be. My period is due at the end of next week(we want to start Monday morning or Sunday night at bedtime if you will) and I’m not sure what will happen. It’s possible it will just wait(I had a high stress time a couple of years ago which made it disappear for 4 months so it’s nothing new to me!) but I’m a little concerned as I suffer from Hypo-tension or low blood pressure. Currently I figure I’ll monitor my BP and Blood Sugar and eat a lot of salt with or without broth. I know the signs of everything going bad so I’m ready to do something if I need to.

My main question is if anyone else with Hypo-tension has any info on extended fasting with Hypo-tension or fasting with periods with hypo-tension? Because I seem to be special or no one’s come forward yet as I haven’t found anything.


(Bunny) #2

Do you mean your not going to eat anything for two weeks?

How much do you weigh?

2. Orthostatic Hypotension Test:

All you need for this one is a blood pressure cuff. Lie down for 5 minutes and then take your blood pressure and make note of it (especially the systolic – top number). Then stand up and take your blood pressure again immediately.

The systolic pressure should naturally rise about 10 mm/hg when you go from sitting to standing. If the systolic pressure remained the same or it decreased, there is a chance you have adrenal fatigue. When we stand, epinephrine is normally secreted to increase the blood pressure to overcome gravity and pump blood towards the heart. …More


#3

230 even this morning, I’m 5’6" so I’m trying to curb my appetite and get rid of some comfort eating habits I’ve had for a while.

Yes, I’m not planning on any food for two weeks. I do plan on trying to add bone broth plus of course water and any noncaloric drinks. We’re big tea drinker so we’re a little overstocked in that area! Also eating some salt when needed.


(Amy) #4

I have low-blood pressure, and yes, it is an issue when I fast. I fasted often in my 20’s, and couldn’t make it past day 3 without passing out. Nowadays, I still get dizzy if I don’t consume a ton of salt. I do Intermittent fasting (I eat in an 8-hour window each day, and fast for 16), but have no need or desire to fast for longer than that.
I wouldn’t recommended a prolonged fast before becoming fat-adapted, but if you do do it, be sure to consume lots of electrolytes and salt. Bone broth is a great start!


(Jennibc) #5

Two weeks out of the gate seems pretty extreme. I have read, don’t know if it is true, that you have to build up to something like that. My blood pressure is on the low side of normal and if I do true intermittent fasting, where I just have black coffee in the morning, and only eat from noon or 1 PM until about 7 pm, after about five days I get fatigued and dizzy and almost nonfunctional. So I typically have about 200 calories worth of heavy cream in the AM and periodically, like today, I’ll just have my coffee black. Would you consider starting out with a 72 hour fast?


#6

Glad to know there a few more people out there with this problem!

I’m not fat-adapted yet though I used to be on the low carb diet so I know the concepts. My wife wanted to do the long one to start and see where it went from there. I’m up for trying it and couldn’t find any information online about people with low blood pressure to start(plenty of comments about it dropping AFTER starting a long term fast!)so I figured with bone broth and salt I’d give it a shot. Back when I did Atkins I used to get the dizzies every morning around 10 am or so and had to eat salt. But I messed up and did the diet wrong, I was supposed to add broth and salt of a certain amount, so I laid it to that.

I considered intermittent and figure I might try that after I finish the fast(whether I crash early or not!).


(Bunny) #7

Another question why would you not eat anything for two weeks?

What is your purpose for fasting for such a long time?

I myself would never even try to attempt something like that because it is really dangerous!


#8

To jump-start a diet after feasting all holiday break. Also to do it now so the worst days are out of the way before my wife returns to college. Because I’ve reading fasting after the first few days can feel really great. I’m not going to try longer than 14 days(I’ve read Dr. Fung’s book and they strongly advise never trying longer than two weeks) and I may stop early if I feel crappy. I do want to try intermittent later.

I’m doing it mostly for weight loss and to curb appetite. For so long because that’s what my wife wants to do and I’m keeping her company. I’m honestly not sure if I’ll make it 14 days but if I can make it to Friday at least that should help work a little of the cravings out of my system as well as shrink my appetite a bit.


(Bunny) #9

I’m a pretty big risk taker, but self-control and very careful consideration reduce risk of “danger” for me!

Some words by Dr. J. Fung…

Dr. J. Fung: “…Certainly I use extended fasting as well, but generally limited to 7-14 days, only in the appropriate person and with supervision. Clients are always instructed to stop immediately if not feeling well, and we also check in with them regularly. Longer fasts have more power, but more risk. To me, there is no reason to fast for 30 consecutive days just for the sake of argument. Why not do 4 separate 7-day fasts instead? It will have roughly the same beneficial health effects with far less risk. …” …More


#10

My hormonal status is likely different than yours since I’m in my forties. I still have periods, but they are shorter compared to when I was younger. Fasting does not seem to effect it.

I’ve fasted extensively over the past 18 months. In the process of losing 80+ lbs, I ate on average every 4-10 days. My longest fast was 21 days, which I did a few months ago, at BMI of 24.

My normal blood pressure is about 90/60. It has been this way all my life, and I don’t usually have any symptoms. When I fast, my BP can drop a bit further, sometimes down 10 points. Most of the time, I don’t feel any different, but episodes of light headedness when standing do increase. They only happen occasionally and only during extended fasts < 3 days. It lasts only a few seconds and then I’m back to normal.

There has only been one time when my body was not able to compensate for my stupidity. In the midst of a multiday fast, I did a heavy resistance training workout followed by 30 minutes of HIIT. I left the gym and walked to a Walmart across the street. While shopping I felt like I was going to faint. Fortunately, the pharmacy area has seats. When I recovered a bit, I used their BP machine (my reading was 60/45). I still exercise during extended fasts, but not intensely.


(Bunny) #11

Another nice read by Dr. J. Fung:

“…We have kept the feasts, but fear the fasts. They have become demonized. And we have paid the price. …” - Feasts and Fasts – The Cycle of Life – Fasting Part II


(Bunny) #12

I like to do HIIT in three or four 5 minute intervals at separate times and that’s it for the day, no other exercise other than a few reps with weights, the reason for this?

Note: I use an elliptical cross training machine to do this which is a lot like riding a bicycle!

Weight Loss vs. Building Muscle?

According to all the research when you stack them all up and compare all the data it is the short bursts of exertion, not the duration of physical exertion that creates weight loss in the recovery period (sleep)!

People who continuously exercise for long durations actually do nothing in the way of weight loss (according to numerous research studies) if they over-exert the body then eat a lot of carby food or even keto foods, not sure why that is though, but may have something to do with the way HGH, IGF-1, lactate and glucose et al… interact?


(Brian) #13

You might consider some shorter fasts first. Have you done even a 2 or 3 day fast recently?

If you came here and told us you wanted to to a 25 mile run but haven’t run at all for years, you can imagine we’d be concerned for your well-being.

Fasting can be a great tool. I just question whether a 2 week fast right out of the gate when you’re not fat adapted yet is a recipe for something less than as healthy as you’re thinking.

Whatever you decide to do, I wish you the best.


(Katie the Quiche Scoffing Stick Ninja ) #14

I would not suggest a 14 day fast to anyone who is not fat adapted.


#15

Thank you to everyone who replied, I’m going to see how it goes. I will certainly be back when done, early or otherwise to give my results!


#16

It ended up being a 48 hour fast. My blood sugar was 79 on the second day and I felt fine throughout. I did drink several glasses of salt water make with Himalayan salts throughout the day as well as two cups of broth and one cup of plain black coffee. An important discovery for us was that my wife was the one who was addicted to sugar which is why we called it off early.

My blood pressure stayed steady but I never reached my period, so it’s hard to say what would have happened then. We plan to cut most of our carbs and try again this summer.