Stomach burning during an extended fast?

burning

#1

Hey all,

Just wondering if this has happened to anyone else. Been keto for 10 months (down 55lbs with 30lbs to go) and decided to do an extended fast (7 days) after the winter break. During the winter break I feasted keto.

I started the fast after lunch on the 1st day and everything went well, I was alternating between normal salt and morton’s lite salt to water/mild coffee/tea. On the second day, around lunch time, I started to get the expected slight hunger pain.

I can’t really handle the salty taste in liquids that well and I was worried I wasn’t getting enough salt because I was putting in so little. So, I read about a strategy of buying empty gelatin capsules and filling them with salt and taking it that way. I filled two “00” sized capsules (about 1000mg) of lite salt and drank it.

After about 15 minutes, enter intense stomach burning (not hunger). Like intense enough to actually cause a dull pain and hurt. The pain was felt in the middle back. I tried drinking more water and it aggravated it. I decided to just hold out, it lasted about an hour.

Once it passed, I was fine…until I felt the next slight hunger at dinner time. This time however, without taking any salt or drinking anything, the hunger feeling came coupled with the same dull pain at the same intensity. Tried drinking water again with salt and it aggravated it. Held out again and it lasted about an hour. I then thought if I slept on it, it would go away.

At 3am I woke up with the same burning pain again because I had some slight hunger. Drank some water with no salt, and again it increased the burning. This time the pain stuck around, in waves, it would go away for a while and right when I was falling back asleep, it would come with a vengeance. Couldn’t fall back asleep, so I began to do research on what it could be. Some theories pointed to the stomach acid becoming too strong during the fast due to detoxing byproducts entering the stomach (I don’t think it works that way) and suggested trying lemon water. Did that for breakfast and it did indeed subside the burning.

Now its lunch time, I’m about to start the 3rd day of fasting and again the burning pain comes back, with even more intensity. Almost as if my hunger pain had been replaced by this stomach burning with dull back pain. I decided to end the fast because this just didn’t feel right and was very uncomfortable. I had accomplished a 3-day fast months ago without any of this.

For the next two days, even though I was eating, my hunger pain was this new stomach burning with dull back pain. Until the third day when I got my old, non-burning, hunger pain back. Not sure what this was. Anyone else know what it might have been? I’m doing IF now (20/4) and have been fine.

My first suspect was the gelatin capsule, but I had used it before the extended fast without any issues. The only other thing I can think of is that the salt (in that amount) clogged a bile duct or something.


#2

You took over 1 g of potassium at once on an empty stomach. Concentrated potassium can cause chemical burns, which is probably what happened.

It’s better to take a little bit throughout the day.


#3

Apologies, let me clarify. Each capsule can hold 500mg, so 1000mg total. Of that, it’s 50/50 sodium chloride and potassium chloride. Then, of that, it’s about 50/50 potassium and chlorine. So the potassium is grossly 25% of the overall weight (250-300mg) of potassium.

For reference, V8 low sodium juice has 900mg of potassium per 8oz serving. So, I don’t think that’s the issue, but thanks for the response!


#4

Thanks for the clarification.

I still think it may be too much potassium at once though. In food, such as in a V8, it’s dilute.

My doctor gave me some 1500 mg potassium pills, because eating the 99 mg pills during fasting is expensive. If I take one of the 1500 gram pills on an empty stomach it feels like I’ve been punched, with similar symptoms to what you’ve described. If I take one with a fist-size meal I feel fine (only it makes me a little sleepy).


#5

Unless you’re deficient going into a fast, you probably don’t need to take supplements for a short fast (ie. a week). Especially if you don’t have any symptoms like feeling light headed.

As I continue to gain fasting experience, I’ve stopped taking everything except a multi vitamin. And occasionally a spoonful of salt when I have an episode of orthostatic hypotension.


(Andrew) #6

Back pain while fasting is usually kidneys. Again usually because we are over drinking to dull the hunger. The kidneys just can’t handle that much fluid. I would think salt would help you retain more fluid and help not flush too much out.

You have multiple symptoms so it’s hard to say. See if that correlates any to your experience.


(Chris) #7

On a week long fast I recommend sticking to salt only. If you get stomach acid problems (which to be sure, is not what I think this post is about), then apple cider vinegar can help too. I don’t bother with K and mag until past the 5 day mark, usually 7. Salt from day one.


#8

Hrm, good point, I’ll try spacing it out more.


#9

This is a new approach. Maybe I should wait until I have symptoms instead of preempting them. Good point.


#10

Ah! This could be it, I’ll be more focused to see what’s triggering it. Thanks for the input.


#11

Thanks for the insight Dread.