First a quick history....

Was heavy drinker for about 11 years. Started low carb 3 yrs ago. Did great, went from 250 to 215. Toward the end, started having chest pains. Doc said stress. Continued lowcarb, chest pains never went away. Year later took self to Emerg. room for chest pains, and what was later found to be panic attacks. Due to past drinking history, thought maybe was having liver problems, and this is what brought on panic attacks.

Went to regular doc and told him of my concerns. Major blood work done, all the ususal liver tests, and all came back fine. Doc put me on Paxil.

Felt pretty good knowing I wasn't dying. But, went off low carb, and with the Paxil, I gained major weight! Up to 270. Follow up a year later, all tests still okay. But, always tired, especially when lowcarbing. Weak too. I'm 36 yrs old.

Now, back on lowcarbing for 3 months, no longer drink, and have done so only once in the past 6 months, 4 mo. ago. Have lost 35 lbs since starting back up.

Have nagging ache under right ribs, and when I eat really lowcarb as in induction levels, ache more constant and itching all over body starts and lasts for days. Same thing happened on the rare occasion I did drink alcohol, was told maybe alcohol alergy, so I quit. However, doc put me on viagra as well, and now get same symptoms when I take even that! That didn't happen until recently.

Muscle aches, weakness, especially when using hands and arms at or above shoulder level, itching, minor joint aches.
I can't stand feeling like this at my age.

My next annual physical is in 2 months. How concerned should I be continuing to lowcarb here? I NEED to lose this weight, and NOTHING I've tried before works. If need be, once I lose the weight, I can go to low fat and exercise to keep it off, but that doesn't work for taking it off for me.

I know lowcarbing doesn't cause liver disease or liver damage as many claimed in the past, but if the liver is already compramised, can it further the damage with the liver attempting to process such a large amount of proteins?

Any ideas appreciated. I won't go back to the doc until my annual, as I don't want to continue to be told, after clean tests, all I'm suffering from is panic attacks.

Thanks!