Has anyone experienced any depression or headaches as a result of this WOE ? Its not due to my TOM either, or is it just life..........

Actually, I always feel it the first couple of days when go on iduction, and it goes away when I'm in ketosis. That's my personal experience.

Wa'il

hi Sandi,

Sorry you're feeling so tough. Stick with the lowcarb, and drink lots of carb & calorie-free fluids to flush out the ketones (a frequent cause of headaches). Wa'il is right, it's usually transient.

Please check out the Health Issues forum, for some information and ideas about depression and SAD (seasonal affective disorder - lowcarbing is recommended for being helpful) http://lowcarber.org/forum/showthread.php?threadid=140 , http://lowcarber.org/forum/showthread.php?threadid=262 , and http://lowcarber.org/forum/showthread.php?threadid=346

Sorry you're feeling so yukky. Spring isn't so far away, if you think in terms of weeks, officially, March 21 is only 7 and 1/2 weeks away. Hooray!!!!!!!!

You'll do fine ....

doreen

I have been having headaches and am considering increasing my carb intake. Weird thing is that I have been very careful about the carbs I am eating and am still having a problem staying in ketosis. My weight dropped three pounds in the first three days and has not move for the last three weeks. Do not have depression, though, except when I see the scale has not moved.

Atkins recommmends staying at Induction level for only two weeks. You seem to have achieved ketosis just fine, so upping the carbs would be a good idea. The recommended method is to increase your carb intake by 5 grams per day for a week, then another 5 gm per day for the second week, etc...... until you are no longer consistently in ketosis, ie, two or three days in a row. Then, you go back to the carb level of the previous week that you WERE in ketosis, and that is the level you should stay at for Ongoing Weight Loss (OWL). You may find your OWL level at 30 carb gms (typical for most women), or more or less. Our bodies are all different.

On the subject of headaches, since you are in ketosis, as you can tell by the test strips (and the lovely, tasty breath .. ) make every effort to DRINK UP!! Flush those babies out of your system! Of course, pure, plain water is the best, at least 6 to 8 cups a day over and above whatever else you drink. A few folks cannot or do not like to drink water, so make sure to drink, drink, drink lots of calorie and carb-free liquids. COFFEE is NOT carb-free. Some of the "herbal" teas/ tisanes might be a better choice.

STress and worry, of course, make yer head pound too. Pamper yourself, and don't expect to lose 30 lbs. overnite. You'll do fine in the long run.It is perfectly normal for the level of ketosis to fluctuate from day to day, and even at different times during the same day. And women will often have differen levels depending on the time of the month. Many lowcarbers only test once a day, at the same time. First thing in the morning is the LEAST accurate, while late afternoon/early evening is MOST accurate (because of increased activity and fat-burning).

About your weight loss, unfortunately women often have a tougher time shedding lbs, and you sound quite petite to start with, so double-whammy! .. .. Stick with it. How are your clothes fitting? Are they a little looser? And what does the measuring tape say? The scales don't tell the whole story. I've posted some articles on Weight Loss Stalls and Plateaus. Please check them out http://www.lowcarb.ca/tips.html While you're there, also check out the section on Hidden Carbs, you might find some surprises! You might be eating more carbs than you think.

Don't be discouraged, you'll do fine. Stick with it, and keep us posted on your success!

Doreen

Thanks very good for your helpful input. In fact, my doctor took my blood pressure and told me he thought I was dehydrated, which I found hard to believe because it seems all I do is drink! Here's how he made that determination. He took my blood pressure while lying down and then had me stand and took it again. The first number dropped by about 12 points and the second rose a few. When the first number drops like that, it indicates possible dehydration. So, to make sure I am drinking as much as I should, I am starting with a full gallon jug each day and emptying it.

Also, I was not in ketosis this morning and I should have been, based on my diet. Others have mentioned they have not done well ketosis-wise if they ate the Adkins bar. I ate one yesterday for breakfast, but I also ate a candy bar from LowCarbChocolates.com. It was incredibly good--just like the real thing and only 3 carbs, sweetened with maltitol--but it may have been the culprit and not the Adkins bar (I hope not, much rather give up the yucky Adkins bar.

Sure is tough to lose weight when you are 46 and going through menopause!

Gee, 46 is awfully young for menopause. I'm 42 - in my family, menopause doesn't happen till mid-50's. Now, MENTALpause, that's a different story. That hit at age 29.. *LOL*

Don't get hung up on the ketone sticks. As I noted, the morning is often the least accurate time, because your body has been sleeping and the urine has been sitting in your bladder all nite. For the record, some lowcarbers NEVER achieve ketosis, such as those following Protein Power and Carbohydrate Addicts diet, but the weight is lost just fine.

Hmm, it would be best to choose your daily carb allotment in the form of high-fiber veggies, salads and a little lowcarb fruit (berries, melon, etc) rather than candies and snack bars. Just a suggestion. It's nice to have a treat once in a while, but 3 carbs is a LOT to waste on a candy, when you're only eating 20 carbs a day. And by the way, maltitol IS a carb, and yes it will affect ketosis and fat-burning in most people. Not everyone, mind you - some lowcarbers can indulge once in a while with no problem. But many find these "sugar-free" treats are the culprit for causing a stall. Try going for a week or two just eating whole, natural food - lean meat, veggies, salads etc, maybe an ounce of cheese or some nuts for snacks - and stay away from the desserts, treats....... even heavy cream and cheese has some carbs, so limit how much dairy food you eat too. A couple weeks won't kill you!!!! Then, see where you're at, and maybe you can incorporate a treat or two per WEEK into the plan.

The blood pressure thing is called "Postural Hypotension". Good for you to keep up the fluid intake. Another helpful thing is to add some potassium to your diet. The best food sources are leafy green vegetables, which just happen to also be low in carbs... ... Also, try using a salt-substitute such as NoSalt or HalfSalt. You can buy these at any grocery store. These contain potassium chloride, and you can sprinkle it on your food just like regular salt.

You'll do fine, take care!!

Doreen

[Edited by doreen T on 02-02-01 at 12:27]