Breaking IF diarrhea (42 hrs)

(Auden) #1

Help! I’ve had 3 bouts of diarrhea in the 2 hours since I broke my 42 hr IF with normal keto food. If I keep doing IF 42 hrs 3 times a week, will this get better? Does the body “adjust” to fasting and stop the diarrhea?

I took a digestive enzyme pill when I broke the fast, but it didn’t help. I’ve heard to take chia seeds in water, but that sounds really unappetizing to me. Keto and fasting are hard enough.

Should I start with like a fibrous salad? Should I just eat a steak and no veggies?

Thanks!

(Jay AM) #2

What did you break your fast with?

(Auden) #3

2 pieces of bacon, green beans w olive oil and Parmesan, ground beef w/rao’s marinara, 3 keto chocolate chip cookies, 2 shots of espresso with some heavy cream and sugar free choc syrup. In a 1.5 hour window.

#4

I’m fasting 16:8 but having the same problem. I read that it’s better to ease back into eating after a fast with something small. Eating a full, heavy meal, as I have been doing, may be the culprit.

The meals I’m eating (keto) are typical for my pre-fasting life, but now I’m getting full faster, and not stopping when I’m just satisfied, and heading to the bathroom about 45 minutes later.

I’m going to experiment with controlling my portion size; only eating to satisfaction. For me it’s a mental thing. I feel like I haven’t eaten in a while and feel like I’m making up for the missing food.

Today I started with one Brazil nut. I was OK for an hour. Then one olive. I was OK for another hour. (This sounds weird, but I was out on my walk, then grocery shopping.) In the car on the way home I ate 3 slices of bologna. Fine still. Then a bit later when I got home I had a bowl of leftover roast beef, broccoli, mushrooms in a cream sauce with 2 eggs on top. I probably ate about a 1 cup of food, maybe 1 1/2 cups. After eating I was instantly exhausted (another story), took a nap, and woke up and had to run to the bathroom. :frowning:

This article is about people having trouble after Ramadan, but the outcome is the same.

A YouTube video byDy Ann Parham I watched talked about this being a transient stage as your digestive system adjusts to keto, but I’ve been keto for a couple months. Are you new to keto or IF? I’m only 3 days in on IF.

(Auden) #5

Thanks for the links! I’m new to IF. I think I’m going to try breaking my fast with protein and butter next time and see if that helps. I think I will look at Dy Ann’s other YouTube videos too. I definitely think experimenting with foods could be helpful, or just even it will pass - kind of like getting over keto flu. I really liked the video saying if you can get through it and tweak the IF and don’t give up. Bc I was totally ready to give up!

#6

I’m glad you enjoyed the links. I’ve been devouring everything I can find.

May I ask why you’re doing such a long fast, 42 hours, if you’re just starting out? (Not challenging you, just wondering what your thinking is, as an IF noob.)

Let me know if you discover the answer to the tummy troubles!

(Auden) #7

I’m gonna send you an email!

(Jay AM) #8

So, the culprit might be your digestion assistance pill or that huge meal. Try breaking your fast with light amounts of protein first, then add a bit of fat, then veggies if that’s part of your food. Before you take the pill, get through some of your food, take it, wait 20-30 minutes and then continue the meal slowly. I take a pill because I don’t have a gall bladder and if you take it too soon, too late, or eat a bunch immediately after, you can get undesirable effects. Try eating over 1-2 hours to break the fast, taking time to see how you feel.

(Auden) #9

Thank you for the info! Maybe it was the pill. I got it because I’ve had this problem before, but never this bad. It happened at the next meal too (but I didn’t take the pill this time). I actually did a third meal today and that one was fine. Frustrating!

I will have to slow down. It’s hard, as you know, because I’m hungry! Also, I have a toddler so taking my time is hard, but having to spend so much time in the bathroom is way harder!

(Ethan) #10

Since July, I’ve done about a dozen 5-day fasts and two 7-day fasts, along with several 2- or 3-day fasts. At first, I had diarrhea during the fasts. Then I only had terrible diarrhea right after breaking a fast, lasting about 4 hours. This got better and better over time. I still may get occasional diarrhea when breaking a fast, but it’s not nearly as bad, urgent, or long lasting as before—and often I don’t have any issues after breaking the fast now.

(Auden) #11

Yay!! Thank you - this is exactly what I was hoping to hear. So just as you fasted more, everything got better gradually?

(Steve) #12

It’s funny - I just actually had the same experience - just did a 42 hour fast and had crazy diarrhea after.
(started a few hours after I broke my fast and lasted another 4-6). Fingers crossed - this is the next day - hoping it’s over or my exercise in the park might be cut short. :slight_smile:

btw…isn’t IF the fasting that we do between meals and EF is when you fast for more than one day?

(Ethan) #13

It was actually sudden. I got used to needing to
be at home for several hours after breaking a fast. One day, nothing happened… sometimes I get a few issues now, but it’s 1/10th of what it was before.

(Auden) #14

I’m sorry you don’t feel well, but I’m glad I’m not the only one! I just called it IF because that’s what I read in the book I’m working from (The Obesity Code). But you’re right - when someone says “IF” I think of 24 hours or less

(Robert C) #15

Just an idea - your list starts off with what looks like good whole foods (bacon, green beans, ground beef) but then you throw on processed and/or fake foods and dairy (cookies, heavy cream and chocolate syrup) along with espresso (which might be “moving things along” - maybe break fast in the evening and skip the caffeine?). Humans were never built to handle cookies and insulin spiking 0-calorie sweeteners. Probably best to skip those right at the beginning of trying to restart your digestive process.

(Auden) #16

Yes. Such a bummer - but I’m going to stick to meat and butter next time to see if I can prevent this. I guess the keto treats will have to wait for special occasions from now on

(Robert C) #17

Also, Dr. Fung recommends against eggs (you didn’t list eggs - this is just general). I found (the hard way) that no eggs at the beginning of breaking a fast is a good idea!

(Auden) #18

I’m so glad you mentioned that!! Eggs and bacon were on my mental list of “probably safe” foods :rofl:

(Brandy Fischbach) #19

Even before keto, I always noticed that my stomach would get upset if I didn’t eat until late afternoon. Once I ate, it was horrible. I still have that problem. Not sure what causes it, but you are not alone. :slight_smile:

(Nina) #20

This morning I ended my 2nd 36-hour fast, drinking only water. The first time I had no issue resuming food the next day. This morning I broke fast with 2 hard boiled eggs and a teaspoon of no sugar mayo. Within an hour I was in the bathroom, same with my 2nd meal (chicken leg and sautéed zucchini). Is this normal?