Just started. Need some advice, reassurance

(Jax Kovak) #1

Hello. I’m Jax, I’m 60 years old and I started the carnivore diet 8 days ago after about 2 months of low carbs. I work out by walking a minimum of 3 miles a day.

The reason I am here is because I have started to experience some lower back pains that seem to come and go. Sometimes I feel a little nauseous as well. As far as I can tell this could be oxalate dumping, but at my age I’m a little concerned and wanted to get some input on the matter.

Iv done low carb before (when I was younger) and had great results, and the low carb and now carnivore that Iv been on have been just as good. I don’t go for tracking weight as such but I have clearly lost a fair bit of weight and aside from the symptoms above I feel great.

I drink only water (about 5-6 pints per day), eat beef as steaks and ground beef, a little lamb, pork and chicken, and once or twice a week a couple of eggs. I use iodised Himalayan pink salt and take an electrolyte supplement that contains Sodium, Calcium, Potassium and Magnesium.

I have seen information that suggests a little baking soda in water can help with the back pains, but like I said, Id like to get some input before going any further.

Thanks for reading, and I look forward to seeing any comments.

regards

Jax

(Peter - Don't Fear the Fat ) #2

Hi Jax and welcome to the Forum :blush:

Well done on getting back to a healthy diet. Sounds like you’ve got a good idea on strategy but don’t take my word on anything, I’m new lol
Are you sure the back pain is related to diet? You didn’t tackle wild animals or over stretch lifting stuff?

(Jax Kovak) #3

Hi, thanks for replying, no, Iv avoid wild animals and I spent 15 years as a strength athlete starting at about 19, so I know how to lift things! :wink:

As far as I can see the only thing that has changed is the diet which is why I’m asking about it here. I have a pretty good handle on things when it comes to the nutrition, and I’m aware of oxalates and what they are, where they come from etc, and Iv seen reports that this pain, nausea could be oxalate dumping, but Iv no experience with it, so I came to a place where people might well recognise the symptoms and know what they are talking about.

Regards

Jax

(Allie) #4

Way back when I started, I went through a phase of low back pain & had ongoing symptoms of a UTI without there actually being one. A combination of the baking soda in water and a reduction in protein (so increased fats) sorted things for me and I’ve had no issues for a very long time now.

(Bacon is a many-splendoured thing) #5

It seems to me there was a thread about lower back pain on this site a while ago. You might try doing a forum search on “back pain.” (The search function here works pretty well, as opposed to the search function on certain social media sites, which is designed to be dysfunctional.)

Oxalate dumping is a possibility, as well. If a cup of tea or a piece of fruit resolves the pain, then that is a sign it is indeed oxalate dumping. Were you ever vegan at some point? That increases the amount of oxalate your body has to deal with.

The sensation you identify as nausea: is it a real sense of being about to vomit, or just a sort of queasiness? If the latter, it might simply be a sign that you’ve eaten enough for a while. You can put the leftovers away and save them for your next meal.

Don’t overdo the electrolytes. A bit of salt may be sufficient to keep everything else in balance. And eventually, you may find yourself not even wanting to salt your food. Let your body guide you in this. If you crave salt, have some; if you don’t want salt, don’t have any.

Most carnivores find that the diet works better if they don’t try to fast. Three meals a day, and all the meat they want (note that it’s “want,” not “can stuff down their throat,” lol!). Don’t overdo the water, but don’t underdo it, either Drink to thirst.

(Jax Kovak) #6

Thanks for the replies.

Ill do a search and see what comes up, thanks.

Iv not tried a cup of tea to see if that helps, and if that’s a reasonable test then I’m happy to give it a go.

As for being a vegan, no. Iv always been a meat eater, and Iv done a low carb keto diet before but not experienced the back pain, although at the time I was training in a gym quite heavily so I probably wouldn’t have noticed.

The nausea does not feel as if I’m about to vomit, its a queasiness that is unpleasant, but I’m not likely to hurl. Thing is, when it happens it can do so after a relatively small meal, which is strange because I’m a pretty big guy and can pack it away when I want to.

Noted on the electrolytes. I planned to cut them down and finally out anyway, but figured that as I was just starting it would be a good idea to make sure everything was in order. I don’t really crave salt, but I do like the taste on my food. I try not to overdo it anyway, but again, its the kind of thing that I would gradually cut down on anyway.

I don’t really fast, although if things carry me along in the morning Ill sometimes only eat one meal a day rather than my usual two. Ill keep this in mind and take out some chicken wings with me if it looks like I might get swept away.

I do tend to drink to thirst, but I also tend to drink a fair bit of water as I sweat a fair bit too, especially in the summer time. Iv noticed that I’m needing to pee more often too, although that is apparently a side effect of ketosis, so I’m not too worried.

Very many thanks for the comments.

Regards

Jax

#7

Sorry to hear this.

Water is perfectly fine…we can’t live without it freind.

I’m baffled, nothing sticks out.

Any changes in your lifestyle recently?
(BTW, none of my business, so tell me to get lost if you want! Just trying to help buddy.)

(Jax Kovak) #8

Hi. Thanks for replying.

No, other than the diet changes there really is nothing else. I did about 2 months of low carbs and then hit the carnivore diet in an effort to clean up and lose some weight, and, hopefully, as a permanent lifestyle change.

I wouldn’t dream of telling anyone to get lost when I have asked for input so no worries on that score!

Regards

Jax

#9

I don’t know buddy.

But I’ll look into it,

I need more info. Habits?
You are nauseaus?

You drink still? I’m an EX alcoholic, and I don’t judge mate.

(Jax Kovak) #10

Hi, thanks for the reply.

Habits? No. Quit smoking quite a while back, drink here and there, mainly whiskey when I’m in the US but not excessively, never really been into drugs at all.

Yes, I’m feeling a bit nauseous, not upchuck bad, but uncomfortably queasy. Its not all the time, and not always after eating and it passes fairly quickly but it does seem to be at the same time as the lower back pain, which kind of comes and goes.

Regards

Jax

#11

Tell me…and this may sound weird; on a Friday night. Apologies!

But, have you ever listened to the Rolling Stones live?

(Jax Kovak) #12

Ha! That IS a strange question, but yes, I’m pretty sure Iv heard some live stuff. Why?

#13

Your avatar, Jumping Jack Flash.

:wink:

#14

You show up second lol.

All good intentions btw.
Check it out.

The Rolling Stones - Jumpin' Jack Flash (Official Music Video) [Makeup Version] - YouTube

(Jax Kovak) #15

You mean a comment? Not sure to be honest, I don’t see it if that’s the case. The image is actually Cassidy from The Preacher (https://dc.fandom.com/wiki/Proinsias_Cassidy_(Preacher)), been using it for years. :+1:

#16

I know…but I jest brother!

(Bacon is a many-splendoured thing) #17

That is probably a sign of satiety, then. Your body may be telling you it just doesn’t need any food right now. But I bet if you smelled a steak cooking, you might find it tasty, am I right? The mechanism is designed to keep us from over eating, but remember that we evolved under circumstances where a kill would last for only so long, and then everyone (except possibly the children) would be fasting until the hunters brought back more meat.

The carnivore advice I’ve seen all advises three meals a day, no fasting or time-restricted eating. I’m not entirely sure why, but I do know that in the first several months or so, the standard advice is “eat more meat!” Let you body adapt to the diet, and then it will sort itself out.

Yeah, as we shed extra glucose, we don’t need to store water along with it. The excessive urinating should stop eventually. I find my bladder capacity is enormous, compared with my pre-keto days. I used to have to get up at least twice during the night. Now I often sleep straight through, unless my breathing wakes me up (it’s a bad year for allergies), and then I become aware of my bladder, lol!

#18

Yep.

I read that illustrated novel too. Nuts.

#19

Kovacks.

Are you ready for Alexander?

(Jax Kovak) #20

Yes, iv seen this myself. Not entirely sure if it counts, but usually I eat a breakfast, a dinner and then I snack (on meat) a bit later on. That’s about as close to three meals as I get, two being my habit for many years now, and Id find it really hard to make three full meals.

The water thing is a pain but I remember it from keto years ago, so I know it will stop, its just weird when it suddenly starts. As I’m a bit older I tend to wake once in the night anyway, so it that stops Ill be golden!

coopdawg
If you mean Iron Fist Alexander from Elden Ring then no, don’t play it. If its something else I’m lost! :rofl: