New to carnivore but not to keto, hypoglycemia has gotten worse

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #22

If we are making ketones, our need for Vitamin C is minimal. You don’t need to be supplementing with it. (Also, taking too much Vitamin C can have serious health consequences, I just found out.) The reason we don’t need it on keto/carnivore is that the β-hydroxybutyrate the liver produces reactivates the body’s endogenous defences against oxidation, which elevated insulin had turned off.

Moreover, it has been known for at least five centuries that eating fresh meat (as opposed to sausages, smoked meat, or ham, etc.) prevents scurvy all by itself. The British Navy settled on providing its sailors citrus fruit instead of fresh meat, simply because sacks of limes and oranges were easier to transport than live animals, on those cramped wooden sailing ships. That way, the ships could stay out at sea for many more months before returning to port.

(l) #24

I have heard about that, yes. The reason I took such a high dose was only because of the tumor. The treatments I was offered were contraindicative in my situation, so I looked for other solutions. Since I still felt great after 3 years of doing it, and it had gotten smaller, I figured I would continue. I am seriously rethinking my vitamin c intake since starting carnivore and for now I am taking very small amounts, closer to “normal”.

After reading some more I keep coming back to potassium and whether that could be causing my symptoms. I’ve also read about people messing around too much with potassium supplements specifically and ending up worse from it.
If I can bother you with one last question, would you suggest leaving the potassium alone on this diet? That’s my “gut feeling” so to speak, but at the moment I am very unsure. I assume I’m getting some from the bone broth and the beef, but not sure if it’s enough.

#25

Maybe see an endocrinologist?

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #26

Potassium, calcium, and magnesium are regulated by mechanisms that interlock with the regulatory mechanism for sodium. In the absence of carb intake, we need more sodium, for various reasons. However, a lot of people on carnivore (but not all) often find themselves eventually not wanting to put salt on their food, and they seem to be fine.

But for now, I’d suggest keeping salt intake up a bit, and see how it goes. You are probably getting a fair amount in the bone broth, and might not need to add much to your food. If you make your own broth, simmer the bones for around 24 hours, until they are brittle and crumbly. That usually gets potassium (and magnesium) out of the marrow and into the stock. (And the bones are fun to crunch on.) You can also get potassium by using “lite” salt, which is usually half sodium chloride and half potassium chloride.

Potassium is tricky to mess with, since too little and too much can both be fatal. So be a bit careful when messing with it. If you have some reason to believe that your potassium is out of line, consult your physician to see how to proceed.

(l) #27

If you mean for the disease, I’m on a 3-4 month long waiting list, and there are no good specialists for the surgery that might be needed in my country. I’d have to go abroad which is difficult when bedridden and a last resort if things get really bad.

(l) #28

I do add a lot of salt because so far I like it. I will also try to see if we can cook the bone broth longer. If I continue to feel unwell I’ll ask for some blood tests.
I’ve been able to avoid eating for 2 hours the past 2 days in the morning, which is an improvement. I read eating fewer times during the day is one way to get rid of hypoglycemia in the long run.
Thank you!

(l) #29

I just wanted to update for anyone who might read the thread later on and say that I feel a lot better now. Went without food for 8 hours today without issues!

#30

It sounds like you have a lot going on. 16 days into any diet protocol is going to have its challenges, generally speaking. Do you still have cancer? I do know there have been a number of very small studies that suggest cancer subjects responded well to doctor-supervised keto diets. Results of these studies should be published this year or next year. I am not aware of any cancer studies on the benefits of the carnivore protocol. I am assuming that cancer is your main issue.
Some cancer hospitals in the US regularly treat certain tumours with high-dose IV vitamin C.
Please keep in mind that those of us who respond to your questions and offer advice are not medical doctors, so take what we say with a grain of salt. Having said that, we only want what is best for you. I wish you nothing but the best in health.

(l) #32

Hi ffskier, my thread might’ve become more visible after my update. The hypoglycemia has improved a lot now, just to be clear.

To answer your question, I do still have cancer. The last time they checked it hadn’t grown, and the time before that in 2022, it had become a little smaller after a year of strict keto + high doses of vitamin C orally. I didn’t tell my doctors about my diet and they said they couldn’t explain why or how it had gotten smaller.
During that time I also made no other positive changes. I actually made a lot of negative changes (like becoming bedridden after medical injury) and it still got smaller for the first time in years. I am in Sweden but have also heard of some hospitals and doctors in the US using this approach with keto and vitamin C, which is why I decided to try it.

My biggest issue is actually my medical injury, rather than the cancer. I have a spinal leak with severe symptoms that never healed caused by a lumbar puncture. Being bedridden from that has made my health deteriorate a ton. I suspect that is what has lead to hormonal imbalance, which has now lead to an additional edocrine issue, which is the reason for me changing it up to carnivore.
The only issue the cancer gave me was a mildly/moderately painful foot, which really is a non-issue in comparison to my current situation.

Yes, I understand no one here is giving medical advice. Just looking for others with similar diets and who maybe know more than I do. I am aware some of my choices are controversial and might seem like I’m gambling with my health, but I’ve lost all trust in my doctors. The reason I’m laying here is because of them. Partly because of the lumbar puncture but more so afterwards their refusal to give me the standard treatment, which would have very likely fixed it right away.

Thank you for the kind message.

#33

In most Western countries, doctors would do an epidural blood patch. It is still considered invasive but has a high success rate.

Keep in mind that oral doses of vitamin C are different an act more like an antioxidant, protecting cells from damage from compounds. IV vitamin C not only provides a higher level of antioxidant protection but can also produce hydrogen peroxide at higher doses, which can attack infections and cancer cells, or so goes the theory.
. Lastly, if your cancer is considered low extremity, then be aware of any sensation of a hot foot. This could be a sign that the cancer is growing or has come back. It is known as the “Evans Sign” or “Hot Foot Syndrome.”

(l) #35

I’ve been begging them to do a blood patch specifically for two years because there is every reason to do one on me. I read up on it a lot during the years I’ve been bedbound. I had one initially after a lot of arguing. They then pressured me to get up and move too soon and it blew the blood patch (not enough time to coagulate, etc etc). When I asked for a new one they refused and still do to this day despite it being riskier for me to remain bedridden than get another BP at this point.
It was an obvious case for giving me another and I got that confirmed through a second opinion later from a specialist. I had every typical symptom (and some more severe less common ones, like thunderclap headache) and it was severe. I also got much better temporarily from the first BP.

Yes, I understand taking it orally isn’t ideal. I wasn’t sure how safe it was to get IV vitamin c on my own so unfortunately didn’t do it. I am hoping I can somehow get that done at some point in the future.
The tumor is in my upper spine, but maybe it still applies if it’s hurting my foot? I will keep it in mind though, thank you.