Pain ..From kidneys to knees

(M.) #1

Firstly Hi , sorry to be introducing myself in such a rotten way.

I experienced Keto flue when I first attempted the Atkins diet many years ago and it was calve pain that eventually led me to quit. What I describe below is different.

Last year I came to the Keto diet (about 3 months) and did not experience any real side effects apart from mild energy loss at the very beginning.

I started again on the diet some 10 to 15 days ago. The first five or so days were casual as I reduced my carb intake by abandoning bread milk and potatoes and the like after which I began to measure and monitor my food more religiously. I have been happy and full but find it hard to eat enough protein, however I have been within tolerance of macros since taking record. I rarely have gone above 15g of carbs. It’s not intentional it’s just the way I’m eating. This is different to last year where I certainly remained closer to 20 sometimes slipping above.(there was steady weight loss ).

The point of my post.

For the last three/four days I have been experiencing severe pains (cramps) from waste down, largely around my hips and thigh muscles and buttocks mostly to the rear. However at night if I turn this pain will momentarily ease but then it drains like a sludge gravitationally to the direction I have turned. It comes and goes in waves and there is intermittent relief.

Having searched the forum I see that there is a thread describing pains very similar for those fasting. I’m not fasting.

I have been increasing salt intake and started to take magnesium. I have increased water a lot but in someways this worsened the situation as I was peeing so frequently. This morning after a bad night, I decided to immediately increase my carbs and drank a pint of milk. This seems to have given some relief. I know this most likely set me back but I can’t hack the discomfort and feeling so unwell.

Is it normal to experience this if your not fasting?

(Rebecca ) #2

Hello. I experienced a lot of night time leg cramps at the beginning. I began adding Trace Mineral drops to my cider vinegar tonic everyday and have not gotten them since.

(Karen) #3

Might be a need for potassium. Might need to check with a doctor

(Windmill Tilter) #4

Could be cramps, could be something else. Might be a good idea to see a doctor about this given the severity and persistant nature of the symptoms you’re describing

(M.) #5

Thank you for the good advice.
I have decided to halt my Keto journey for a few days at least and allow everything to settle down.
I have eaten a few more carbs and the pain has definitely eased and getting better. If after a few days things have returned to normal I’ll try again but try to keep to 20g carbs. If not I’ll reluctantly make a doctors appointment …
Thank you gurus .
Your a good bunch around here I’ve been reading a lot and I’m impressed by your civility to one another :blush:. Thank you.

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #6

The so-called “keto flu” is actually symptoms of a lack of sodium. We need about 4-6 grams a day, which translates to 10-15 grams of table salt (sodium chloride). When we eat carbohydrate, the rise in insulin instructs the kidneys to retain water and slow down the excretion of sodium. When we switch to a low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet, the kidneys return to the normal rate of excreting sodium, so we need to work a bit to keep our salt intake up. Since the mechanism that regulates the level of sodium in our body is interrelated with the mechanisms that regulate the levels of calcium, magnesium, and potassium, if our salt intake is a bit low, then the other minerals get out of whack, as well.

I suspect that if you were to go low-carb again, but kept your salt intake up, you would not be experiencing this pain. However, if you continue to experience it, whether low-carb or not, you really need to consult your physician.

(M.) #7

Hi Paul,
I had been increasing my intake of salt from about Tuesday last I think taking a teaspoons of table salt in water. But I hadn’t realised quite how much extra we need.
I just weighed out 15g and that’s a lot more than a teaspoon. When last year I tackled this I was eating closer to the 20g carbs , I may well have been getting more salt there and I haven’t been compensating enough now. Hopefully in a few days when I try again I’ll be more prepared.
Thank you .

(Bunny) #8

Almost sounds like kidney stones?

(M.) #9

Ooo I hope not, but thanks for the heads up

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #10

Ten to fifteen grams of table salt is 2-3 U.S. teaspoons. But don’t forget, the recommendation includes the salt already present in our food. I personally find that I don’t need to measure out salt (and it helps that I have loved—LOVED—the taste of salt since early childhood), because if I don’t get enough, I get constipated and start having migraines, and if I get too much, the result is, well, not diarrhea, but very much the opposite of constipation (I will refrain from inflicting the details on you, lol!).

Many people on these forums enjoy the taste of different kinds of salt and will keep a small dish around to take tastes from throughout the day. To me, it’s all just salt, so I put it liberally on my food, and that seems to work. Do what works for you.

It also helps to stay hydrated, by the way. Ignore all those recommendations about getting 8 gallons a day or whatever—just drink to thirst, and you’ll be fine. I get most of my liquid in the form of coffee (and occasionally, herbal tea), but I also enjoy Seltzer or club soda, because it’s cheap and the carbonation adds a bit of zest. Tap water is sooooooo boring!

(M.) #11

I’m a fan of water , even tap water . Coffee has always given me headaches even though I like the occasional one. I drink tea but when not trying to control my weight I’d drink milk until the cows came home left for a vacation and came home again. And there in lies my problem …