Struggling with extreme fatigue and weakness - day 15 into keto

(Celine) #5

I’m eating 1700 cal a day.
I’m a woman of 5’7 122lbs

(Duncan Kerridge) #6

Ok just wanted to check you were not starving yourself, you’re not.

(VLC.MD) #7

No.

Everyone is different.

You quit cold turkey.
When alcoholics stop suppressing their brain with alcohol abruptly … they have a seizure. Maybe you had a sugar withdrawal “seizure”.

(Celine) #8

Yeah right. I was definitely expecting some kind of fatigue, but not that bad. I though my cold turkey strategy was a good move that would help be transition faster but apparently that was not the best plan for me.
I’ll incorporate a few more carbs here and there (maybe add in berries).

I do have a question regarding electrolytes. I know the keto flu is mainly due to electrolytes imbalance when ditching the carbs. Also the fact that my HR is that low seems to confirm I probably have electrolytes imbalance but I’m not really certain about going crazy on salt or not. I heard that electrolytes imbalance can also come from a too large quantity of sodium.
This morning I did get 2grams of himalyan salt. Is that a good move? Is that too much? I’m not sure

(Duncan Kerridge) #9

Are you taking any potassium? Some lo-salt will help you get some - don’t go mad, a quarter teaspoon is plenty.

(VLC.MD) #10

Make some Ketoade

(Kitty) #11

I went through that level of fatigue as well. I had to up my carbs so I could get out of bed. It’s been a SLOW journey for me working my way down from 80g TOTAL carbs to now at or below 20 and doing ok. I still haven’t experienced the energy people talk of, but I’ve only been in nutritional ketosis for 1.5 weeks. The best advice I can give is to try very small amount of carbs at a time, and then wait at least 1/2 day to see if it helps. In the beginning I only needed about 20-30g/day extra and then could get out of bed by afternoon. Note, vegetable carbs didn’t work, had to be fruit or starch carbs. That was JUST ME though. I was like you at HCLF WOE before. I really know what your going through! I don’t hear of it being that extreme very often, in fact I think you are the first. Good luck!

(Celine) #12

Thank you I’ll try to get my hands on that.

(Celine) #13

Thanks a lot for the recommendation.I’ll do that today.

(Celine) #14

I really appreciate the feedback and it gives me hope.
I came in this new lifestyle full of enthousiasm and motivation. I really want to get to that happy fat fuel mode so I do hang in there.
The day before switching to keto I was sill on my 200G + of carbs diet and went straight to 15G net carbs max a day without any transition.
I’ll have raspeberries and will do the ketoade drink.
Thanks a lot

(Kitty) #15

Keep me posted please!!

(Celine) #16

So I had a few carby snacks.
I got cottage chesse with raspberries and oats, with a total of 55g of carbs.
I didn’t get a chance to get the ketoade drink because I’m still at work but I can’t tell you I already feel way better. I’m not feeling like I’m on top of the world either, but I’m really less miserable than this morning.
Now I don’t really know what to do from there?
Should I go like you from like 80C a day (like probably today) to maybe what 70C tomorrow ? 60 ?
How did you do?

(Daniel Crispin) #17

Just a though here, have you cut out soda or other forms of caffeine?

Caffeine withdrawal feels exactly like what you are describing. It usually lasts about a week, just like Keto Flu.

(Celine) #18

No and I’m still having many diet cokes. I’m a sugar and a caffeine / diet coke addict. I didn’t cut the diet coke, I’m still having way too much caffeine everyday, even more since this keto flu has been hitting me bad.

(Kitty) #19

Right! I did the same thing by turning to caffeine. I had to go slower than what your talking about doing; more like 80 total carbs for a few weeks, then lower in 5g increments, one week at a time. Dr Atkins said 5g per week increments. Many people will disagree with me but that’s been my experience. I had to go to work and take care of my family. I was in bed for 24 hours straight one time until I finally had a little oatmeal and within 2 hours I was up and showering. I’m glad your feeling a little better. Try whatever feels right for you. We are all so different.

(Celine) #20

Oh My … I’m so happy I got your feedback. So yeah I totally feel you when you talk about 24 hours in bed. This state is so depressing to be honest. At that time were you already doing the slow carb decrements or was is because you did the cold turkey thing like I did?

So how long did it take for you to get into nutritional ketosis? I’m a bit worried that even though you have been low carb for apparently what seems to be quite a long time, you still haven’t experience that energy rush I’m so looking forward to.
You hear so many examples of people saying they got adapted in like 2 weeks, had just a few days of mild flu and then woke up feeling like a new self is born. Do you think that for some people the keto diet / meaning the ketosis state is just not working?

(Dan Morrison) #21

salt, potassium, and magnesium. eat more fat, hang in there

(Clara Teixeira) #22

You may be getting less salt than you think. Caffeine flushes a lot of salt out of our system. This doesn’t mean caffeine is bad but you need to up your salts to compensate! Measure out 2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp No-Salt every morning and try to have it used up by the end of the day. It may surprise you how little you have been consuming. And don’t forget magnesium! (preferably with malate in the mix)
You do feel a bit weak as your body learns to burn a different fuel source. But with time it gets way better!

(Celine) #23

Thanks for the encouragement

(Celine) #24

I have been definitely getting less sodium than that. I hope it will help me get through this to increase all my electrolytes. Thank you!