This is my second week and for several days now I've felt flat out terrible. I had a really hard time yesterday driving home from work. I was so tired and my mind is so cloudy! I actually got sick last night. I'm also constipated. ( not that you wanted to know this) is all of this normal? I'm about to give up! I've not been hungery though, it's just feeling so "out of it" and tired all the time. I just checked and it said that I was in large amount of ketosis, by using the sticks. Did you feel this way????

Shirley, are you taking your supplements? Often this feeling is associated with detoxing from the carbs and with insufficient potassium. When you LC you lose water, along with it salts and electrolytes - among them potassium. Low Potassium can make you feel fatigued, dizzy, headachey and all around 'blah'.

Using a product like "NoSalt" or "Morton's Light Salt" on your food can alleviate this. You can also put 1/8th of a teaspoon in a large glass of water and drink it - for approx 350 mg of potassium. The recommended dose is 400mg while you're losing fat (that is, until you reach maintenance).

With potassium its important you be well hydrated and that you consult with your doctor if you've a history of heart problems.

Aside from Potassium, calcium and magnesium and a good multi vitamine are generally called for. Are you taking these?

Large ketosis is often a sign of dehydration, not greater fat burning which leads me to believe its a potassium / lack of water issue. Are you drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day?

The water will also help with constipation as will keeping your intake fat up. For more advice on this check the link called 'Intestinal Health' found under 'low carb tips' (across the top of every page in orange highlight).

Hope you're feeling better soon.
Nat

Hi Shirley! I don't have much to add about your problems that you are having. I just wanted to say hi from another west virginian. where is hartford? I live in white sulphur springs. We have similiar stats, but I am doing the suzanne somers plan. If you would like a west virginia buddy, i would be interested. Let me know and good luck on your weight loss.

Erin

Thanks for taking the time to answer! No I've not been taking an supplements, but see that I need to start. I'm lost when it comes to this kind of thing. I hear about some many differnt ones that I didn't know where to even start. But I did do something yesterday that maybe wasn't so cool to just check and see. I had to cups of regular coffee and 1 diet pepsi and I felt so much better so......I'd say it was something to do with the caffine withdraw! Thank you for all you suggestions. And hello their to another West Virginian

I've been low carbing since July and I still need to use psyllium every day for constipation. I dissolve a heaping teaspoon of sugar-free Konsyl (I buy it at CVS) in a large glass of water before breakfast and before dinner. I'm eating tons of vegetables, which have lots of fiber, so I'm not sure why the Konsyl is necessary, but it is. With the Konsyl twice a day, I am fine. They also sell psyllium in tablets, but I dissolve it in water because I am not always good about drinking enough water, and this forces me to get in two more cups.

If you continue to feel badly, and if you are dropping weight quickly, you may want to try upping your carb intake a little. My personal minimum is about 30 grams of effective carbs a day. Below that, I feel lousy; above that, I am fine. Atkins says in his book that 20 carbs may be too low for some people. I think I need slightly more because I get a lot of exercise.

I was sick like that for two straight weeks. I had migraines, nausea, and was fatigued! It was withdrawal from the carbs I believe .. My body was going through a major change and reacting. I feel GREAT now. It will pass if you stick it out. Don't do like I did the first time I low carbed and quit due to the withdrawals! Now this time I stuck it out and I feel GREAT. It is normal. Good luck to you!