I am a 53 yo male (tough to admit the 53 part). I am a religious atkind guy. I have been on the diet for 3 years. I originally got on to try to stop my sleepiness. I fall asleep afetr almost every meal and I have driven off the rioad many times. I get sleepy if I get really hungry and after meals.

In Atkins recent books, he suggests you take you temp 3 or 4 times a day and if it is below normal, be tested for thyroid problems. I checked and my temp is always below normal by 1 or 2 degrees. I was checked for thyroid but it is fine. The doctor tried to put me on Paxol (Prozak). I am not taking it as I think he ignored my physical symptoms. I have noticed that if I am falling asleep during the day or very hungry my temp is very low.

If anyone has any ideas as to what can be causing thgis, I would appreciate it as this condition has really hurt my life for almost 30 years and is getting worse.

Thanks to all.

Not sure, maybe Doreen can clue us in on a cause.

Are you getting enough water though? I know water helps regulate the body's blood circulation, thereby controlling how cold or hot we feel.

Have you checked with a specialist for sleeping disorders? That would be my next stop.

Thnaks for the reply. I havre had the big sleep test and do not have narcolepsy or apnia. I do drink a lot of purified water - a gallon or more per day.

Tony, a low rising body temp that does not get much higher as the day progresses is a classic symptom of an underactive thyroid. Body temp should be it's lowest in the morning before you rise, it's highest in the late afternoon and then lower at night before bed. If yours does not change much over the day this is cause for some concern - especially if waking temp is below 97.8 F.

The typical blood test for TSH can often come back 'normal' or within the 'normal' range while you still exhibit symptoms. Often other tests are required, such as a Free T4. You should also find out what your lab or doc considers to be 'normal' for a TSH reading - sometimes the range will vary.

Here is a link the a very good resource of information on Hypothyroidism and thyroid disease - you should do some reading and perhaps look into getting a few more tests to reasure yourself

About.com/hypothyroidism

Also, you should know that one of the safety checks that our bodies have when we lose a lot of body fat is a slow down in the production of Free T3 that is made by the thyroid - this is done by the body to prevent 'wasting away'. Sometimes a slow down in loss cannot be avoided.

Hope this helps you
Nat

hi Tony,

Indeed, a chronically lowered body temp. is one of a number of symptoms of low thyroid, including generalized fatigue. If you've truly been low thyroid for decades, since that's how long you've been symptomatic, then other symptoms would've manifested by now ... review this checklist for hypothyroid symptoms to see if it applies to you.

My first reaction to your post was NOT low thyroid, but reactive or functional Hypoglycemia. In fact, I suggested this to you in a previous post a couple of weeks ago . Drowsiness after eating or after prolonged period without food, even to the point of passing out and/or nausea; feeling cold and clammy, especially the extremities; difficulty losing weight; anxiety ... etc, etc, etc. The problem isn't about low blood sugar, the problem is that there's too much insulin. In fact the disorder would be more correctly called Reactive Hyperinsulism. The high insulin will of course make the blood sugar drop too low .. resulting in drowsiness, weakness, chills. As well, high insulin levels will make losing fat weight extremely difficult. Thirty years ago, Hypoglycemia was believed to be more common than it is, and was a "popular" diagnosis. Since then, doctors have swung the other way, and a few even deny that it exists as a bona fide diagnosis.

It might be worth buying a small blood glucose meter. They're relatively inexpensive, and can be found wherever diabetic supplies are sold, including WalMart - you don't need a prescription. Monitor and record your sugars several times through the day ... first thing in the morning (ie, after fasting all night), before all meals and at 30 min, 1 hr, 2 hr and 3 hr after meals. Do this for several days ... Keep a careful record of your results, including how you're feeling at the time. It would also be helpful to record exactly what you ate and how much.

If you are seeing a pattern of the blood sugar dropping quickly 2 hrs after a meal, to the pre-meal level or lower, then this indicates the pancreas are oversecreting insulin in response to the rise in blood sugar. Note that eating protein will cause a rise in blood sugar, while fat is neutral and has no effect on either blood sugar or insulin. What you're concerned about here isn't a high blood sugar reading, since you're eating low carb. The sign to look for is the too-rapid DROP in blood sugar after eating.

You might want to check out this article on Reactive Hypoglycemia and this one Hypoglycemia.

In general, following a low-carbohydrate program should bring relief to the symptoms. However, it's important that you spread your carbs and protein intake evenly through the day. Avoid saving up the day's carb allotment for one meal, even if it's within Atkins-permitted limits. Make sure you have some fat at every meal, to slow the absorption of glucose and protein. Don't go hungry ... you should be eating frequently, every 2 hrs, and having protein snacks between meals.

If you choose to monitor your blood sugars, and the results are abnormal, a consultation with an endocrinologist is in order. Untreated hyperinsulinism can lead to insulin resistance, elevated cholesterol and liver problems.

Hope you get to the bottom of this.

Doreen

WOW. Thanks for your reply. I did note your previous reply and I do believe I have hypoglaecemia. However, even though I am on a very low carb diet (I am averaging 10 grams per day) I still have probelms and no one seems to know what helps people with this condition other than low carbs and frequent eating.

You are correct, I do have high cholesterol and elevated liver enymes. When I got on Atkins 3 years ago, I felt like a million buck for a few eeks and then it passed.

I will take you advice and test myself for glucose. I know from my symptoms that that is a problem. Can you tell me why would my isulin level still be screwed up with the diet I am on. I take no artificial sweeteners or cafein and still I am losing slowly or stuck and I feel like hell almost every day. Do you have any suggestions I can try?

I will try the glucose testing.

Thank you very much. You are the only person I have consulted who is listening and doesn't think I am nuts. My doctor prescribed paxol just to shut me up.

Hi Doreen,

When you refer to treating hyperinsulinism, are you talking about something other than adjusting the diet?

Allison

Hey Tony, Before I attempt to answer your question, just let me clarify that I am NOT a nurse. I do, however, work at Canadian Blood Services (office admin.).

When donors come in, a lot of times they will request a drink of water or juice while they are waiting to see the Nurse as part of the screening process. We are inclined to ask that they wait until after the nurse has taken thier temperture, because fluids can artificially lower core body temperature. We do it because if someone has a fever, we don't want them to donate. But that may answer your question.

I noticed that you drink a lot of water, as do I, and I always feel a little colder than most people around me.

Get some tests done to be sure, but if they don't find anything wrong, I wouldn't worry too much.

Cheers,

For cases of Primary Hyperinsulinism, where the pancreas is oversecreting insulin on an ongoing basis, yes other treatments and drug therapy may be necessary.

In the case of Reactive Hypoglycemia, where the pancreas over-reacts and pumps out too much insulin in response to the rise in blood sugar after a meal, generally dietary modification is sufficient. The sites I provided links to, above, have a little more information about this.

Note - these conditions are to be differentiated from too much insulin - Syndrome X that results from chronic excess carbohydrates and high blood sugar.

Regardless, too much insulin, from whatever cause can and will lead eventually to the Syndrome X problems.

Doreen

Thanks for drawing that distinction Doreen. Easy to get these things confused. Sometimes it seems like we need degrees in physiology and endocrinology to properly understand and implement this wol.

Allison

doreen,

Thanks for the information about the rapid rise and fall of bg levels being the culprit. I did two tests with the blood glucose meter and couldn't determine which one was the bad result because they were both so different. One is a rapid rise and fall, the other is a slow rise and slow fall (which appears to be the good test). I was testing to see if artifical sweeteners are slowing me down and stalling me (it appears they are). Here's the results:

Test 1:
Starting bg (5:30 a.m.) 75
Drank 1 can of Diet Coke
15 minute wait 80
15 minute wait 70
15 minute wait (6:20 a.m.) 76

Test 2:
Starting bg (7:13 a.m.) 77
Had 2 pieces of low carb bread, 3 sausage patties, 2 eggs, 1 slice of cheese
15 minute wait 81
15 minute wait 93
15 minute wait 104
15 minute wait 100
15 minute wait 97

I am excited to possibly see the scales going down again. I know I can have the artificial sweeteners to maintain, I just don't lose very quickly at all using them!

Thanks for the information.