From VA, I agree, depression is very serious and absolutely should be treated.

However, people should be informed about the side effects of the drugs that they take and decide for themselves whether those side effects are worth the benefits of that particular drug, or whether some other drug, or non-pharmaceutical option, would be preferable.

I wasn't telling Linda Love NOT to take SSRIs -- goodness, that's a decision for her & her MD (IF in fact she IS taking an SSRI -- which we don't know -- I was just thinking ti was a possibility).

I was simply pointing out that these drugs have side effects. I did so because in my experience, healthcare professionals do NOT disclose this common side effect of SSRIs.

Means you are actually online on this site.

I thought perhaps...but mine was not lit so it threw me off. No jokes about that now please! I have started to have some muscle twitches, spasms or whatever the last few days. I increased the potassium, magnesium and calcium supplements about a week or so prior and wonder if I have been taking too much, if that is possible. Going to get some testing done to see where my electrolytes are at this week.

I do a LC blowout about every 10 to 14 days
which consists of good food just add some bad things

for example
I made a LC meal for friends Saturday
Deep Dish Pizza Quiche....LC
Salad with dressing....LC
Merita High Fiber Bread...Not really LC (5gm per piece)

and for dessert heavy whipped cream on atkins chocolate brownies with straw berries

it was delish but I loosely added up all the carbs for me that meal and it was around 40-50!!!!!

ouch that is more than 2 1/2 days for me
but damn was it good!!!!!

Thanks, good people. I really appreciate your help, but I gotta stop laughing first. Someone asked if I was taking SSI..R or Depressants and lo and behold, next think ya know I'm getting warned about the side effects from taking them. Too funny, but thanks. That SSI...R looks like either social security comes in pill form now? Or I'm ingesting Nazi Emblems (for what?) that cause my weight to stall. Sorry, guys I don't won't even pretend to know what the latter (ssi..r) is.

I thought it was cute, but I'm not depressed and I haven't been prescribed nor do I take any medications besides my daily supplements which consists of CLA (conjugated linolenic acid) which is a fat transporter to help you lose inches; Evening Primrose Oil (for hot flashes); GNC High Potency Women's Formula Multivitamin w/o iron, CoQ-10 (heart rhythm regulator) and L-Carnitine (works in conjunction with Co-enzyme). I drank so much water yesterday, I think I brought in the tide.

It's disheartening knowing the Atkins' Diet is unforgiving. I regained the weight bc I didn't take it seriously enough and allowed outside interference to undo my progress. It looks really silly written down how a person can just give away power like that.

I could easily join the naysayers and shout "Atkins doesn't work", but the truth is--it's not working for me anymore. But I promised myself I would give it three more weeks then say goodbye forever to this WOE.

I do great when I workout and watch my food choices. I've always eaten low carb. I don't crave potatoes, bread, and it's been months since I've eaten a sandwich.

Last night was a shock. I never thought I would get physically ill from eating carbs. I was sick so many times that I didn't fall asleep until 1:00a.m.

I gave it an honest try. I see what the next three weeks bring before I finally shut down the show. Thanks to all.

I unintentionally did that - had a few days in a row of high carbs. Snacks w too much sugar, my weakness. I automatically assumed that was a bad oh well, gotta lose 3 lbs, I'm sure, from that. What a pleasant shock, to see that week I actually lost 7 lbs! I do have to take in more carbs now, I can have up to ~80 a day, bc I work out 5 x a week.

Linda Love, I'm glad you're not depressed. I hope your carb blow out give you a whoosh and reinvigorates your faith in this WOE.

There's something else you might try. Have you looked into the "fat fast" in the Atkins book? Definitely check it out. It does work to jump start folks who can't get their bodies to metabolize stored fat.

Good luck.

Thanks, but I can't experiment right now. I'm still recovering from last night. Bayrat--you are too cute.

I may not be losing any weight this time around, but I do know a lot about this WOE and the cramping is due to lose of potassium and magnesium. Just take the recommended dosages listed on your pills.

When I used to wake up with (charlie horses) leg cramps, I knew the diet was working and I just went out and bought some combined supps (saves ya money) and I was fine. If you take too many, they're usually flushed out with the urine.

It's good you're getting checked. Don't be weak and listen to the physician trying to discourage you from your WOE. Good luck.

I don't know Linda, it may be added stress in my life at this point that is causing the cramps and such, once before the doc said that could happen. I had been drinking additional caffeine in the form of Vanilla Diet Coke and just happened to think of that, so it's back to my two cups of coffee in the morning and no more. Seems when I am off working on a project as I am today, I don't get it as badly. Regarding those supplements, each one seems to have some of what the other has in it, so what is enough when you are doing Atkins? Doc A says in his book that potassium may have to be prescribed due to the low dose available over counter. Well, break is almost over so it's back to my barn wiring job!

Bayrat, this diet has changed so much since 1972. Few people, like myself, don't like the changes. Too many carbs for my system.

In the original Dr. Atkins' book, diet soda was allowed and coffee if you had no problems. Now it's a no-no. I prefer the original version. The DANDR was not written by Dr. A, but his staff.

Honestly, I've never heard of stress making you cramp like that--headaches, yes, but not leg cramps unless you are terribly tense when you're asleep.

Just take the required dosage on the bottle--I did. You don't want to fool around with postassium deficiency bc that's in correlation to heart function--dude, you could wake up dead.

You can buy the tabs at any drugstore. Dr. A also believed in super dosing and that may not be so great for people he hasn't consulted with. Give the potassium-magnisium tabs a try for at least 2 weeks and see what happens. Cool?

Thanks Linda Love. I will take them for another week, could not get in for the blood tests until then anyway. I just did not want to be on the supplements when they tested me, so if they are all water soluble as you say I should be able to stop the day before and be OK with that. I know many other supplements are just pee'd out if you OD but minerals I was not sure.

I jumped into the middle of this conversation re: leg cramps. But here is a link that has a lot of info about the problem, and includes some potential solutions. I hope it's helpful.

http://www.digitalnaturopath.com/cond/C466089.html

I did have a carb blowout last Sunday (ate about 150 grams worth of carbs from fruits.. yes.. fruits lol). I'll update on my weight once the bloating has gone down.

randisue: Very helpful link. Thanks for posting.

most likely you will lose a LOT faster if you do NOT try this...but good luck in waht you decide.