Thanks very much for your concern, blueflyer.

Fasting blood tests were all fine.

I've been doing more sleuthing on my own before returning to my doctor. I've switched to the Suzanne Somers approach and now eat a "carbo" breakfast (shredded wheat with bran and skim milk) and maintain a high protein/fat meal for lunch and dinner. This seems to have helped the symptoms. However, I have noted that when there is a long period between meals and the meal I have is heavy in fats, the symptoms return.

I borrowed a blood testing machine from the pharmacist and tested my blood sugar while having symptoms. I tested it 4 times in the space of a few minutes and got readings of 4.4, 4.2, 4.5 and 5.0. My brother who is diabetic has said that he gets feeling lightheaded if his blood sugar goes below 4.5.

Using some sleuthing on google, it looks like it's possible that I may have trouble breaking down fatty acids. Alternatively or additionally, it could be connected to the high dosage of thyroxin that I am on because I'm being treated for thyroid cancer.

Interestingly, one of the references said that a symptom of this is that ketones are not as efficiently excreted - even at the depths of Atkins induction when I was consistently eating below 20g of carbs a day, the Ketostix never registered in the last two colours for me.

In any case, I think it's a case for my endocrinologist, not a neurologist but I'll have to go back to the GP before I will see the endocrinologist again.

This may sound like gobbledegook but since the symptoms seem to be better when I eat more often, I am making sure I include enough vegetables to keep the carbs up and don't overdo the fat.

It's an important note that this diet does mess with your metabolism so that if you have underlying problems, you need to be very much aware of them and what the implications of adjusting your diet will be on your body. I still have over 65 pounds to lose and am determined to lose it but don't want to pay the price of permanent damage to my metabolism.