Lower Back Pain

[Summit11]

I started the Atkins diet about two weeks ago and I've been in a large state of ketosis for a week now. For the same amount of time, I've been experiencing lower back pain. I assumed it was my kidneys so I increased my water intake, which helped, but I have to drink so much water now to get the pain to go away that it makes me sick. I'm literally glued to the bathroom all day because I'm drinking so much water. Is anyone else experiencing this?

[Karen]

With water intake, the general rule of thumb is 64 oz. of water + 8 oz. for every 25 pounds you want to lose.

Are you taking a calcium/magnesium and potassium supplements? It could be muscle cramping and these supplements will clear it up. If it continues, go to your doctor. It may be something not related to low-carbing. Better to be safe, than sorry!

Karen

[LC Sponge]

Notwithstanding what Karen has said, I experienced low back pain when I first started too. Really scared me. Turned out it was nothing. Must have been some kind of adjustment to the change in diet.

I've been on Atkins for almost 2 years - I still have both kidneys :)

[oregongirl]

Hi Oregongirl here, :confused:
I have also been experiencing lower back pain I figured it was because I really don't drink enough water........ I am trying to drink more water too see if it will help...............
Oregongirl :wave:

[freydis]

My back pain decreased significantly when I added a calcium supplement to my daily vitamins. It is a calcium blend, not just straight calcium.

[oregongirl]

Thank you.... for the tip...
I need to take calcium..
I should take my vitamins
I get so busy that I forget to
take them :(
Oregongirl

[nikkil]

I'm just finishing my 3rd week on induction and I had killer lower back ache, too. It's not kidneys, though, which are more in the middle of your back, just by the bottom of your ribs. Anyway, I take all the supplements suggested and still got it. I took Motrin IB for 2 days and it got me through. Maybe from sleeping so soundly??? :D lol
N.

[doris]

I too am experiencing lower and mid back soreness. I'm taking a calcium supplement. I'm getting a little worried. I'm not sure if it's muscular or one of my organs working overtime. I started Atkins Jan 06th. I have also noticed my vision getting blurry.

[lperk002]

I've been told that blurry vision can be a sign of diabetes... when I mentioned blurry vision episodes to my OB while I was pregnant, I was in for a fasting glucose tolerance test the very next day. Everyone should consult their doctor before starting a weight loss program - LC or otherwise - especially if you begin to experience symptoms that are unusual or that last for more than a day or two, or are causing you to lose sleep or causing general nagging discomfort. An undetected kidney infection (in no way related to LC-ing!) can be very bad news.

[gardensjoy]

This is VERY interesting to me!! I started Atkins Nov. 9, 2002 and just love it... feel great and losing well!!! Finally, a real possibility I can cope with this weight/low blood sugar struggle for the rest of my life. However... since the first week I've had very noticeable lower back pain too. Feels like something "internal", not muscular (or at least spinal,etc). I've never had it before. I thought it was kidneys and that scared me .. especially after I read about kidney disease/failure on the Internet!!!) I started drinking so much water, as I thought that was the problem, but it wasn't. (In fact, I think drinking so much extra water, that it was actually harder on my kidneys.) I've gone to my doctor twice for it. She feels strongly that it's not kidney, but ran bloodwork, and kidney seemed fine. (Choleserol was also down 20 points in two months!) She thought it was siatica (spelled?) or some muscle inflamation and gave me antiinflamatories to take for two weeks. They had no effect. It is pretty constant all day, but especially bad if I have any level of constipation. I've had a preventative colonoscopy a year ago and all was fine, so I doubt it's anything like that. I feel it especially when I'm getting in and out of the car, bending over to pick something up and generally, off and on all day. I know it is something to do with the LC diet... and at first I was very sad as I thought it meant I couldn't continue, but I have anyway. My doctor is neutral or lukewarm on the Atkins plan, but so happy I am losing weight that she seems supportive a bit more and has said she doesn't think I need to stop.
I don't know.... and have sort of given up and just take two Aleve every morning. Otherwise, I FEEL GREAT!!!!!! My head is clear, my energy super, not usually hungry... losing at a steady pace usually. I also had my gall bladder out (emergency) a month ago (which was completely unrelated to LC diet. It was very bad before I started LC.)
I don't know... one interesting thing was that after the surgery, I had to take several strong (routine) antibiodics.. so if this back pain was an infection, it would have been dealth with then. Still, they had no effect on reducing it either. (One note for those interested in water retention: I came home from hospital 17 (!!!) pounds heavier than I went in, four days earlier. I was shocked, as I had gone in with 20 pounds down from LC, eaten almost nothing the whole time I was there. However, I went right back on Atkins and within a week all 17 pounds were gone!! Had just been water even tho I hadn't felt swollen even?)
So, as I thought I was the only one with this back pain, and my doctor doesn't know, I thought it was just me and hope it doesn't turn out to be something serious as I want to continue LC for the rest of my life.
You can imagine my surprise to see this post just now on so many others with same problem?! I really don't think now that it is kidney or too little water, BUT I SURE WISH I KNEW WHAT IT IS!! Keep the info coming if you know anything anyone! I will try cal/mag and potassium and see if that helps. Thanks for that suggestion!
(P.S. I am new to forum and want to add a happy face and some fancy font, but I can't figure out any of that! Oh well!)
Sorry this is so long... hope it helps those of us with this problem.)
Cheer, Laurie

[dognostril]

I have been on Atkins for about 2 months now, I have not deviated from the plan at all and stayed on the induction since I have only lost about 10 lbs. I started having serious back pain about a week ago, I am not prone to backaches or any aches for that matter so this has me worried that it has to do with the diet. It is lower back with sharp jabs, I am having a hard time straightening up and Aleve does not affect it at all even when I take two. I drink plenty of water and take a calcium supplement at night, I am concerned about all the other folks who seem to be having the same issue. I eat a lot of green veggies, salads and take a fish oil supplement too, so I don't think it is protein overload. Hope someone has some advice, I am wondering how healthful this diet really is.

[LStump]

Lower back pain can mean inflammation of any kind. Make sure you're getting a vit D supplement (people on the forum will argue how much you need.. I go with 2000 or slightly more per day when I remember to take it) and omega 3. And as others have said, you can't just take calcium. You need magnesium, as well.

Some of you have had kidney tests done and it comes back fine. What else are you worried about? Are any of you constipated or have PCOS? Gallstones? While LC does not CAUSE gallstone problems (low fat diets will), they can cause an overstimulation in the gallbladder and pain in that area... Of course I think if the pain is that severe, you'd hopefully be sitting in a doc's office!

[Luzyanna]

How are you feeling otherwise? Wondering if it could be just your 'insides' reacting to a high fat diet or even a sensitivity to something you're eating. Are you basically eating the same thing every day? I was sick for 8 months...it started off mild and got progressively worse til I figured out it was eggs causing the problem and I was eating tons of them on Atkins.

[Elizellen]

I went to the doctor with bad back pain this time last year and after blood tests it was diagnosed as multiple myeloma!!
I am not suggesting you have the same problem but don't wait too long before getting your doctor to check you over!

[WereBear]

One way to tell if it's muscle pain, or something else, is to lie on your back, on the floor, with your lower legs supported on a chair or couch -- you should be at right angles, and let your back settle into a flat position.

This takes all the stress off your spine and the supporting muscles.

[Firstlady1]

I am so happy to see this thread! I thought the back pain was just me!! It's weird...it's almost like a muscle pain...not pain from the kidneys. It's difficult to stand up straight sometimes....
I take magnesium, potassium, vitamin D, B complex, and chromium.....

[gtarman]

I went on the Atkins diet in the late 90's, and lost 30 pounds with little effort nor hunger. I, too, experienced lower back pain (only on the right side) that became increasingly worse. It turned out to be a very large and painful kidney stone episode. Possibly two reasons, according to my doctor: 1. I wasn't drinking nearly enough liquid, and 2. I was taking vitamin supplements that also contained additional protein, causing me to essentially "overdose" on protein.

Unfortunately, due to extensive domestic and international business travel, it was difficult to maintain the diet, and after two years of keeping the weight off, I slowly reverted back to the old ways and regained the weight. I'm now retired, and decided to try again. I'm in my 7th week, have lost 15 pounds. I have had a dull lower back pain for the past few days, this time on my left side. This morning I woke up with no more back pain, but the unmistakable sensation (only recognizable by those who've had a kidney stone) of a stone in my ureter (the duct from kidney to bladder) and it is parked not far from my bladder. It will probably drop into my bladder and be passed within the next day or two.

I don't want to create undue anxiety among readers, just the facts as I know them from my doctor and previous experience, so I'll mention that, according to my doctor, nearly everyone produces and passes a few kidney stones throughout their life, without ever knowing it because they are so small. However, low-carb/high protein diets tends to create more stones, due to the calcium that is removed from the body and passed through the urinary system, which collects and hardens in the kidney, and then breaks loose. Generally they are small enough that there is no indication of them, or just a mild lower back ache. Only when it is large enough to create interference with the diameter of the ureter, or urethra when passing, is it painful. In my first case, it was very painful passing through the ureter (it took more than a week because it its large size) but I had no pain, just a sensation, when I passed it. In the current situation, it appears to be small enough to be passing through the ureter with minimum resistance and, I suspect, will pass unnoticed.

I apologize for the length of this post, but wanted to provide enough detail to allay any fears and to suggest that a lot of these pains may, in fact be a small kidney stone working its way out. The only way to know for sure is to have an X-ray taken (as was done with my first one), but if there is only mild discomfort, no fever, etc. doctors generally don't order up an X-ray.

Drink lots of fluid. My doctor said it matters not what: water, coffee, tea, diet sodas, as long as it's low/no carb and calories, and take daily multi-vitamin supplements that don't include protein. Even then, he said, some people's systems do not take well to long-term low-carb diets and it's better that they not stay on them for life.

[bhghatesyo]

I can't believe I just read these. I have been having this too! I was doing lc last year and had this. I just restarted like 3 days ago and I already am having these pains again. My mother had gallbladder problems and had to have hers removed. I wonder if that could be the reason. Perhaps I will talk to the doctor and see about some testing

[Merpig]

I can't believe I just read these. I have been having this too! I was doing lc last year and had this. I just restarted like 3 days ago and I already am having these pains again. Interesting thread which I had not seen before. But I have noticed over the years that I *always* get bad lower back pains when I cut carbs really low - like Atkins induction or lower. For me ketosis always goes hand-in-hand with severe lower back pain. I always thought it was just something odd about me. It never goes away if I keep my carbs really low. But if I increase my carbs - say to 50g a day or better - the pain vanishes.

[bhghatesyo]

I actually just spoke with my mother because as i said she had her gallbladder removed years ago. i asked her about it and she said that her doctor at the time told her that fluctuations (spelling?) in weight tax the gallbladder and can cause pain. and the gallbladder is located kinda in the lower left back and that is exactly where my pain is. so hopefully it hurts because i have lost 6 lbs this week.

[noinwi]

The gallbladder is on the right side, just under the ribs. I have had mine tested and tested. It turns out that I have biliary spasms(Sphincter of Oddi dysfunction)that cause pain resembling gallbladder pain. This pain can radiate into the back, but in most cases it is in the mid to upper back near the shoulder blades, like someone is sticking a knife under your ribs and it's coming out near the shoulder blade(I've been having this fun since the 80s).
I haven't had lower back pain just from doing LC, but have a bad back already plus fibromyalgia for decades. I do notice that my lower back pain can be worse if I'm the slightest bit constipated, which, if not taking magnesium, can be frequent because I also have IBS-C(I'm messed up, I know!). I was too hard on my body when I was young and I guess it's paying me back now, LOL.
Anyway, wanted to share the gallbladder info.

[Merpig]

This pain can radiate into the back, but in most cases it is in the mid to upper back near the shoulder blades, like someone is sticking a knife under your ribs and it's coming out near the shoulder blade(I've been having this fun since the 80s). Yeah, that describes it exactly! I've had it (though not since the 80s, thank heaven). But yeah, a knife under the ribcage is just what it was like. And nothing like the dull lower back pain I get when I cut my carbs super-low.

[teresaw]

I remember that gall bladder pain well... I always thought of it as a spear going straight through me, just under the ribs , coming out between the shoulder blades... when it was bad, I used to get my husband to give my back a good beating with his open palm... like you would to relieve wind, but a bit more vigorously... it was a few moments of relief. Thankfully, gallbladder gone!..but not forgotten.
Now I have back ache from wear and tear.....sciatica.

[CMCM]

One day about 3 years ago I was struck by a HUGE and incredibly painful back spasm. It was the worst pain I've had since childbirth. I got stuck on the floor between my bed and a chest, and I could NOT get up without triggering more spasms. If it hadn't hurt so much it would have been hilarious. My DH had to pull me out of that tight spot via my arms, along the floor.

Well, long story short, I hobbled in to see a chiropractor who in one treatment helped things a lot, and he told me to do several specific yoga moves. I did them for several days and the whole issue cleared up quite amazingly fast. Basically, if you know any yoga what you do is get on your hands and knees and do alternating cat/dog poses. And some sitting twists, and a few other very simple and basic, slow things anyone can do. I bought some very very simplistic yoga DVDs directed at back problems, and whenever I feel even the slightest twinge in my lower back, I do about 3 minutes of these various moves and all is well. Very occasionally I do one of my DVD yoga workouts. I haven't had any serious back issues or any more spasms in the 3 years since this happened, and I do attribute that to the yoga moves I mentioned. Also....losing weight has helped, I believe.

[bhghatesyo]

its nice to know that others have these types of pains, Merpig-that is the perfect description i have seen a dull pain when i am super low on carbs. I have been having like 20 carbs this week since i am restarting. Mine is definitly low back, left side, closer to the middle of my back(spine). i have lost almost 8lbs thins week so i am just going to see what happens. if it persists i will see the doctor. Nothing is ever easy huh. I am going to try some yoga moves that sounds like a good idea tho. that way if it is muscular i can stretch it out hopefully. And maybe if i get throught induction and add some more carbs i can see if the pain goes away the higher carb intake i have.