potassium levels out of whack may cause palps.

Low carbing can wreak havoc with potassium levels.


believe other issues too (are you drinking a ton of water?)

btw, benadryl will stall you completely.

But if it were palpitations ( I get them allot, I have MVP), it usually doesn't cause skin to crawl (or tingly) and heat.

If it ISN'T hot flashes, I will have learned something new, cause it sounds SO much like it to me.

And yes, they can stop for a year or so and come back, happened to my sister.

skin tingly can happen when your potassium drops.

I wonder.... Seems I read somewhere that fat cells store hormones and toxins. Could it be possible that losing weight causes a small amount of stored estrogen to be released from the fat cells during the night when lipolysis occurs (as I read recently that it does), thus causing a heat flash even though it's been at least 3-4 years since I've had one related to menopause?

Low potassium could be involved as well, although FitDay says that I've taken in over 1600 mg today. Guess I should take some potassium pills at night? What's the optimal intake of potassium anyway?

J-lo, I'll probably call the doctor, but after I figure out what's going on. (lol) I want to be prepared ahead of time as she's extremely prescription-happy. I also do not have health insurance, so I have to be sure that I really need to go, first.

No kidding, why?

I wasn't losing before either.

Just an FYI from medical staff...
-a heartrate of 60-100 is considered normal
-a bounding pulse indicates the heart is pumping blood through constricted veins, which the blood flow through the veins is causing pressure-like friction...making you hot, which is not normal
-an episode of hypoglycemia makes you light-headed, dizzy, a pounding headache, and shaky
-menopausal symptoms are often irratic and spontaneous (could happen in the grocery store)

From experience, you are having cardiac issues and you need to speak with a cardiologist ASAP. my reasoning
1)The timing is regular
2)The severity has increased
3)The episodes are more frequent
4)It's causing you poor quality of life

You need to have a bloodwork up and it looks like and ECG

And FYI

High potassium causes heart palpitations
Low potassium causes muscles to twitch or cramp

On LCing we need to take in more potassium due to the fact that we drink more than adequate amounts of water. If you get muscle cramps...you need to supplement with calcium and magnesium.

Your symptoms do sound like hot flashes. I have been on low carb for several years and haven't had anything like this until about a month ago. My doctor, (I went for a checkup) asked if I was having night sweats yet. I told her that I did wake up in the middle of the night occasionally with a racing heart and when I wake up I can almost feel myself getting hotter. I toss off the blankets and fall back asleep. I will wake up in a little while freezing cold (because of no blankets and it's winter time). I have had the sudden bouts of sweat during the day too but not as much heart pounding.

don't forget that LCing releases fat to be burned, and guess what? Fat has estrogen in it, so when you release/burn fat, you've also got more estrogen floating around in your bloodstream again...so you maybe re-experiencing menopause symptoms merely because you have more estrogen than you've had for a long, long time.... now doesn't that just make your day?

If that were the case, I'd think of us female low carbers would be in a constant state of heat flashes while in losing mode. I have, however, read this could be the reason why some woman experience changes in their menstral cycle when they first begin low carbing though.

It definitely sounds like hormones to me as well.

It is the case. I *did* experience hot flashes when I started LC and was losing an average of 5+ pounds per week. I had all sorts of effects that are best explained by an excess of estrogen being released from fat cells. Today, according to blood tests, I am in only the earliest stages of perimenopause. The hot flashes stopped when my weight loss slowed down, as did hair loss.

My hot flashes had began to subside before LC, now they're back and worse than before.

Sagehill, did you ever find out what was wrong?

Liz, do you use progesterone cream? I'm having a horrible time with hair loss and scalp itching (which I've read can be a menopausal symptom.) I stopped working out hoping that my body would produce more estrogen with more fat and less muscle...crazy I know but I'm desperate.

I'm thinking it's diet-related, because it didn't happen over Thanksgiving. Makes sense to me, since digestion mostly occurs during the night. Now, I just have to figure out what triggers it. Might be estrogen-related as well, since I didn't lose any weight over the holiday.

Thanks for all the help!