I'm not sure what's causing this, but I need suggestions. For the last few days now, about 1/2 hour after I get out of bed and start moving around, I get very weak in the knees and shaky. I feel awful, and like I'm going to throw up.

I feel it in my legs the most, very rubbery. I fix breakfast, but am unable to eat much of anything. I have to force myself to get down 3 or 4 mouthfuls. This is NOT pleasant! Actually, it happened at the store the other day too, and I had eaten a small breakfast ... but it was 1:00, so I bought some sliced strawberries and that helped some.

What's going on? Any ideas? I haven't been taking any vitamins, so this morning I'm going to start with a multi, and add more when I can buy them.

Any ideas on why this is happening, and what it could be? To me, it feels like low blood sugar ... so if it is, not sure what to eat for that. I was just tested for diabetes, and it came out negative... so.

Sure could use some help with this.
TIA
Diana

Sounds to me like all the symptoms associated with entering the state of ketosis -- particularly your lack of hunger.

How long have you been doing induction?

Sounds like low blood sugar to me as well. You may try eating a few almonds when you feel that way - they are one of the things that helped me during morning sickness phase in pregnancy. It'll probably pass in a few days but if it continues, I'd have your blood sugar checked by a doctor.

Oh and be sure to eat a meal with protein and some veggies after you are feeling better (something like a veggie omelet.)

You don't mention whether you have any caffienated beverages before this happens. I have found the longer I am in VLC zone the more sensitive I am to coffee, and i used to drink 3 mugs in the morning and tea and diet coke all day long just to make it through the days.

Also if you are taking ANY meds, you may find that they may be causing this to happen too, even if you NEVER had issues with it before. By all means look into it, but do not stop taking them without speaking to your Dr.
Hopefully they will be rational with your WOE.
Susan

My son has hypoglycemia, and even though, when the blood sugar gets low, there is a tendency to want to eat carbs to up it quickly, it's really more sustainable to eat protein - in terms of blood sugar stability, or protein with fat, like a handful of nuts. He makes sure to have some nuts with him, and maybe some cheese, and to eat smaller more frequent meals. It keeps his blood sugar more stable.

He's only twenty and not having to watch his weight, so he can have more carbs. He makes sure that when he eats carbs though, he pairs it with protein. And he tries to eat more complex carbs. So he might eat whole grain bread with meat and cheese and that works well. If he eats cereal in the morning, he also has some type of protein with it. He was also counseled to give up caffeine, which he's done, and he no longer eats sugar laden items, going for more complex carbs instead. Its remarkable how consistent his blood sugar has been since then.

OK, that's fine if it's ketosis, but I can't eat much of anything, and I have to force feed food to myself, which makes me want to vomit.

Then, because I'm unable to eat much, I get shaky and weak. UGH!

I've been doing induction for 2 weeks tomorrow. I did add strawberries yesterday for the sudden onset of weakness, and lost one pound, with no cravings.

And here's what happened today:

I went on trip with Jim, before I went, I had to force myself to eat 5 forkfuls of egg, onion and spinach omelet. 2 hours into the trip, I was very shaky and weak again, so we stopped to eat. I tried an egg and almost threw up. I was feeling horrible.

This was a small diner, with not many choices, and I was feeling VERY sick, so I decided to try a very small cup of oatmeal, no sugar or milk. I added a tiny bit of Splenda and some cream. I COULD eat that, and it didn't make me feel sick.

After 2 more hours, I ate another small amount of the oatmeal with cream. I felt very sick to my stomach for another 1/2 hour, but then started to feel much better.

I also wondered if it could be the Splenda.??? All though I've been using it now for over a week, and this weak sick feeling just started a few days ago.

So there you have it. I feel fine now ... but am getting a bit hungry, all though I'm not hungry at all.

Sounds like low blood sugar to me as well.

That's what I was thinking, but I just had blood work and one of the tests were for Glucose. My results were 99, which is right where they should be. Or is that something all together different?

You may try eating a few almonds when you feel that way - they are one of the things that helped me during morning sickness phase in pregnancy.

I did try eating some natural peanut butter, I was able to eat that ok, but it didn't help me feel any better. I do have almonds, I'll try them next time, but at the time this happens, I feel SO sick to my stomach, I can't get much of anything into my stomach.

It'll probably pass in a few days but if it continues, I'd have your blood sugar checked by a doctor.

Hope it will pass! Wasn't the test for Glucose, to check my blood sugar, I believe that's what he said it was for.?

Oh and be sure to eat a meal with protein and some veggies after you are feeling better (something like a veggie omelet.)

Yes, tonight I'm having a turkey burger (with eggs in it) and some spinach.
I just can't stomach raw greens of any kind right now.

Thanks for all your help.

You don't mention whether you have any caffienated beverages before this happens.

No, I don't drink any caffeine. If I have coffee, it's decaf.

I have found the longer I am in VLC zone the more sensitive I am to coffee, and i used to drink 3 mugs in the morning and tea and diet coke all day long just to make it through the days.

My tea is decaf also.

Also if you are taking ANY meds, you may find that they may be causing this to happen too, even if you NEVER had issues with it before. By all means look into it, but do not stop taking them without speaking to your Dr.

Hopefully they will be rational with your WOE.

Yes, I do take meds, for blood pressure, a water pill ... and Nexium. Why would my meds start making me feel this way?

My son has hypoglycemia, and even though, when the blood sugar gets low, there is a tendency to want to eat carbs to up it quickly, it's really more sustainable to eat protein - in terms of blood sugar stability, or protein with fat, like a handful of nuts. He makes sure to have some nuts with him, and maybe some cheese, and to eat smaller more frequent meals. It keeps his blood sugar more stable.

I'll try that next time (all though I hope it never happens again!), nuts and or cheese. Smaller meals? LOL .. I think 4 bites is small enough. LOL I just can't seem to eat much lately... and therefore the problem.

He's only twenty and not having to watch his weight, so he can have more carbs. He makes sure that when he eats carbs though, he pairs it with protein. And he tries to eat more complex carbs. So he might eat whole grain bread with meat and cheese and that works well.

I'd do the whole grain bread, but not sure I should yet. I've all ready started adding berries, well once, and will start in a day or two. I ate oatmeal today, because that's the only thing I could find at the diner to eat, and was able to get down. So bread probably isn't too good yet. You think?

If he eats cereal in the morning, he also has some type of protein with it. He was also counseled to give up caffeine, which he's done, and he no longer eats sugar laden items, going for more complex carbs instead. Its remarkable how consistent his blood sugar has been since then.

It's great he's doing that! So glad it's working for him!

Just to let you guys know what happened today ...

It was a very bad experience, and I hope it doesn't repeat itself!

Woke up at 5, lots of energy, but 1 hour later I was feeling a bit weak and shaky again. I made a cheese & onion omelet, and could only eat 5-6 bites, before I became very sick to my stomach.

Went on short trip, 2 hours into the trip, became EXTREMELY weak and shaky, legs were like rubber. Stopped at a diner, tried to eat eggs, couldn't get them down ... and I was feeling SO bad, that I ordered a small cup of oatmeal plain. I put a little Splenda on it and cream. It was SO good, and I could eat that.

1 hour later, was feeling a bit weak again, so I ate the remaining oatmeal. I remained shaky and EXTREMELY sick to my stomach for another 1/2 hour, then I felt fine.

About 4 hours later was very hungry, yet not hungry. LOL
I made 2 small turkey burgers and spinach with butter. I was able to eat ALL of it. I then had a very small dish of raspberries with cream. Was able to eat them fine, and so far so good.

I have NO idea what's wrong ... I will talk to my doctor about this though, just to make sure. It will be interesting to get on the scales in the morning, to see if I gained, I would think I would, after eating oatmeal AND berries.

Ah well, in one hour, I'll turn 57 ... oh my! Where DID the time go? LOL ...

Nite Nite everybody

I have the same symptoms...very cold and shivery and weak first thing in the morning...I'm fine if I eat something and get exercising.
I was told I had hypoglycemia when I was around 10 years old...but haven't had it checked in a long time.

The feeling sick when you eat is all a part of being in deep ketosis. Eat what you can, when you can.

I like to eat yoghurt and berries if I'm feeling yucky. So soothing.

Ok, so maybe it's just me but something that seems to be coming up here a lot in your description of your issues is eggs. Have you tried eating something else for breakfast? It just seems from what you have described that you get very ill after eating eggs. Eggs are a notorious allergan. Just a thought. Really hope you feel better!

Low-carb eating reduces one's overall blood sugar in general anyway - even if there's no blood sugar problem to begin with.

As such, even a person with 'normal' blood sugars may experience symptoms similar to those of hypoglycemia, even though what they're experiencing isn't actually hypoglycemia - it's just that the body isn't used to the lowered overall blood sugar level.

I had a few instances like this - and my doctor says that my blood sugar is entirely normal, but that it is lower overall - and that even a 'drop' within normal ranges can cause sort of a temporary 'psuedo' type of hypoglycemia. There is no 'hypoglycemia' - just that the body is trying to get used to the newly lowered overall blood sugar level.

It'll pass (within a few days) - in the meantime - the only thing that helped me during these very temporary instances was eating more regularly - even going so far as to keep little snacks in my purse. A little ziploc of almonds or whatever. Eating overly high-carb foods isn't going to help because all you'll do is spike your blood sugar in the opposite direction, and then send it much lower again once you resume your usual low-carb eating habits.

Trying to 'fix' this with higher carb foods seemed to help, for about an hour, but then after that - I'd feel 'icky' again. I soon realized that regular meals/snacks of low carb foods helped more than trying to 'fix' this feeling temporarily with higher-carb foods. This is NOT to say that berries are a bad thing - I eat these and with no negative effect on weight loss...just that maybe the oatmeal may not be the best idea at this stage in your journey.

You know how they always talk about the sugar roller coaster, or the so-called 'crash' that happens after eating sugar? Well, trying to 'fix' these yuckies with high carb foods will basically do the same thing - only perpetuating the problem. Your body won't adjust to the newly lowered overall blood sugar level you've acquired as a result of lower carb eating if you're trying to 'fix' it with higher carb foods.

Does this make any sense? Feeling icky - because your body is adjusting to a minor drop in overall blood sugar levels (a good thing from a health standpoint) - only to try and correct for this by reversing course? You won't get a chance to adjust to the new and much better blood sugar level.

All that said - this *will* pass within a few days. Eat more often if need be, but don't send your blood sugar in the opposite direction.

Hope you feel much better soon.

Hi Sandollar: sorry you have some of the same symptoms, it's not very pleasant. I just wish mine did go away after eating, problem here is, I can't EAT when this happens ... and feel sick to stomach allot during the day and have to force myself to eat. 'sigh'

I'm hoping that's all this is, deep ketosis ... cause it sure feels BAD when it happens, and the rubbery leg thing and overall weakness scares me allot.

Yes, last night I had raspberries sweetened with Stevia and some cream poured over, oh my ... did that taste GOOD. I'm happy to report this morning, I did NOT gain anything from that ... or from eating the oatmeal, and I STILL have no cravings ... actually not very hungry this morning.

HUGS!

I don't think I have an allergy of any sort to eggs, since I've always been able to eat them. But when I feel sick and weak, NO food appeals to me, well, accept for the oatmeal and berries did. I can eat eggs at times, I just have to have an appetite.

Thanks