I have 35 year history of stomach ulcers, gastritis and constipation.
I re-started atkins 3 months since and found my symptoms drastically improved.

One day I had a tiny binge after a bad day at work and ate a handful of biscuits, and was suffering really bad stomach pains for 8 hours.
This led me to believe I might have a wheat intolerance, and so I have'nt touched any since.( i might have a couple of oatcakes a day-10 net carbs)

However now I feel really weak, tired, with aching arm and leg muscles, and occasional carb cravings which can lead to chocolate binges. I work full time and its getting really difficult.

typical days food

coffee with cream (6 during day)
3oz chicken with mayonnaise and bacon
2oz crispy cheese (cooked in oven and drained)
riccotta with sweetener and cocoa powder and cream
2 oatcakes with butter and cheese.

I've been really honest with the food list, as you can see! I just don't want salad suddenly, or good veggies. but could probably be tempted by peas or carrots and would kill for a baked potato!

I want to feel better, what can I do?

started 175lb now 163lb not losing now due to chocolate.
PS get pain in back after eating. Had gastroscopy this year which found ulcer (again) and gastritis. Finished treatment.

You might look into gluten intolerance as an issue for yourself.

I think maybe you do have a wheat/gluten intolerance if a handful of biscuits can cause hours of bloating. I totally recognise that situation!

I don't know much about gastric ulcers, but do you think that maybe you could have candida overgrowth, due to the carb/sugar cravings?

But I also think your typical day's diet probably isn't really helping, either.

Based on what I've been reading on the subject (and I'm certainly not an expert!) this is what I conclude on your diet:

Coffee should be reduced to around 1-2 cups a day, if that much, as 6 sounds a lot. It's also a stimulant which is probably not helping your ibs to calm down. Not sure about cream but if it's dairy it might not help if you have lactose problems.

Re candida, the cheese, butter and bacon should be avoided (along with cocoa if it has sugar in it). Likewise peas, carrots and potatoes should be avoided as they are high starch items (which turn to sugar). It's hard to fight the chocolate cravings but important to remember that candida can cause these immense sugar cravings, so if you cut it out they will stop eventually.

Personally I've had IBS for about 15 years and didn't even know about candida, that it could be a factor, or that a low carb diet could help. I wish I'd known about candida before.

For the past month I've been strictly avoiding sugar, yeast and refined carbs and, although not completely 100%, it has made me feel a lot better overall, though I still have bad days.

It's a very depressing diet to be on and I'm sick to death of salads, but to be honest, since I've started it I am really scared of having any sugar at all, incase my problems come back. It'll be a major incentive, once things start getting better for you.

It's best to read around the subject and take the recommended supplements (caprylic acid etc). I also find digestive enzymes taken with food also help with food digestion, along with probiotics.

Good luck!

Thank you, I'm looking into candida, and I have a lot of the symptoms. Today was crazy at work so I went 12 hours without food and feel so good (normal) that I'm going to be really careful deciding what to eat.

I have a candida diet on my blog if you are interested. I cured my candida in 6 months but still have a wheat intolerance.... along with a few other things.

You mention stomach ulcers. Those have been determined to be caused by H. pylori bacteria.

http://science.education.nih.gov/ho...hlight=0,pylori


Kombucha is a powerful probiotic and may help with ulcers.

http://www.happyherbalist.com/analy..._kt_cornell.htm



From what you've said, I would get a course of antibiotics to kill the H. pylori and follow that with regular kombucha consumption. I wouldn't be surprised to find that a wheat intolerance set things up for that H. pylori to flourish.

Disclaimer: I'm not a doctor and don't want to play one on the internet.

I've had the test for H. pylori , and thyroid and diabetes recently, and they were all OK-guess I'm low carb for life!

I just started a candida blog recently, its going to be a mix of advice (from what I know) and my own personal experiences, like a diary. Only I fractured my wrist a couple of weeks ago and haven't been able to type much since! (even typing this is taking me ages with my left hand!)

Hope you find it useful anyway: http://ihatecandida.blogspot.com/