please help.

i have been having trouble meeting my calorie requirements for the past few days (i usually have shot for 1800 cals, 110gr protein, 130gr fat, and 20-25 gr CHO, and for the past three days it has been closer to 1300 cals, 85 gr protein, 85 gr fat, and 15-20 gr CHO)

AND I HAVE KILLER HEADACHES. they get worse from noise, sudden movements, head turning, basically the longer i am awake the worse they get.

they are like the low-blood sugar headaches i used to get. and they are awful. they don't go away when i take excedrin, or drink more water, or lie down, or anything, and they are making me so irritable and mean! my babies and my husband are begging me to figure out the cause so i can stop the madness.

im getting plenty of sleep. and not eating frankenfoods (see my fitday link in sig). and not drinking alcoholic beverages (i never really have either, so its not like withdrawal.)

and i'm of the mind that most physical ailments are diet-linked. so that's where i'm starting first. if i call the local nurse, she'll tell me its my own fault for eating like a "freak" (read: Atkins) and the same goes for my nutritional and homeopathic books. the first things they tell you to avoid in every scenario are the building blocks of this WOE.

could this have to do with the lack of calories? or ovulation? (its approximately that stage in my cycle) can anyone offer any leads i can sniff out? something i've failed to consider perhaps? cause this sucks.

No, this could have to do with carb withdrawal. And it could also mean that you should be eating a higher level of carbs - but chosen from the Induction List for now. It's easy to add a tomato. Be sure to spread the carbs during the day.

HOWEVER, not everything that happens to a person has to do with LCing. If Tylenol does not relieve the headaches, or they persist despite a higher carb count, then SEE YOUR OWN DOCTOR.

Carb withdrawal headaches usually occur within the first few days of low carbing. While it's possible that the headaches are being caused by not eating enough, I would play it safe by seeing your doctor.

Hope you feel better soon!

Rosebud

You didn't mention your water intake, how much are you getting a day. I found that some days when I didn't drink enough water I got a headache.

Also, how is your vitamin and mineral intake on fitday.

Finally, though I didn't look too far back some of the days this week didn't seem like enough calories.

Not saying that these are the reasons only mentioning what I noticed.

rosebud, tofi: can't see my doctor. haven't got one. (no medical insurance- self-employed mother of two- read: broke.) and the medical-types i normally talk to when i have concerns (a couple of close friends and my mother in law are all RN's) are all low-fat fanatics. the only advice they have for me is "i told you that Atkins thing was going to kill you- you're probably high-cholesterol high-BP high-fat not enough healthy pasta and bread and cereal and rice" you name it.

mle_ii: you're right about the vit/min lack- i really ought to take my friggin supplements. i just forget (probably subconsciously avoiding it since i usually feel like i'm going to vomit after i swallow pills)!
do you think lack of cals could cause a similar reaction as lack of sugar used to cause in me? (i was hypoglycemic/borderline diabetic before LCing)

Don't know for sure about the calories, just thought I'd mention it since it appears that you are below your basal metabolic rate.

Also, not sure if you saw my question, but how much water are you drinking a day?

Our bodies are pretty good about telling us that something's wrong, only problem is reading what it is.

Sorry to hear about not being able to see a doctor.

You didn't mention how long you've had your head aches, but if it's been a while you should see one somehow.

Didn't catch the vitamin problem on the first read. My daughter has a huge problem swallowing pills, but for her it's all mental as when she's eatting I swear she barely chews her food before swallowing. :-(

Paradox, you're starting to scare me, my dear. So did you have any blood tests before you started eating low carb, as Dr Atkins advises?
You really need to have tests done for kidney function at the very least.

You cannot ignore your health because you feel you cannot afford it. Your health is the most important thing you have!

Yes, prolonged dehydration can cause headaches, but it's also possible that something else entirely is the cause.

Please, please see a doctor!

Rosebud
(RN)

rosebud:

when i was in college i was pre-med. i decided to go the family route first, then return to school later (in more the naturopathic route.)

yes, i know my health is important. that is why i spend the extra money and buy meat instead of pasta, which is really all we have money for. we survive on very little, and frankly, when it comes down to going to my local doctors so they can give me the same line of bull they always due regardless of the facts and paying $300 for them to do so, or paying the rent so my kids have a place to live, the choice is pretty clear. so i try to stay educated, and find out as much as i can on my own. OF COURSE if the problem was long-term (months) or very severe (can't stand up) i would do what i could to see a doc. but until you've met our local doctors here in the Sticks, you can't know. i could tell you tales of malpractice based on inanity that would make your skin crawl (from personal experience- not gossip), including but not limited to a Staph infection in my 5-day old son that was misdiagnosed as a DIAPER RASH (and they wouldn't even take a culture until i threatened them with a lawsuit). thank God i had the brains in my head to NOT take the doctor's word for it... turned out he really did have a life-threatening illness (staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome), and in fact the one i thought he had, and needed the treatment i thought he needed. the genius doc handed me some antibiotic cream and sent me home with a huge bill. i came back the next day, found a trusty RN (they seem like the only folk who know anything about anything) and got her to take a culture. sure 'nuff.

i have seen a doctor semi-recently (all the heath care free while preggo) and had blood work done during my pregnancies. all factors pointed to flirting with diabetes, and i knew it was dietary (read: carb addict). my kidneys are great, my cholesterol is great (the last phlebotomist said he had never seen such high HDL's, but my LDL's weren't all THAT low- however, i hadn't been LC'ing, and when I did before babies it was fabulous.) i flirted with gestational diabetes my entire pregancy (both times) and had borderline chronic high blood pressure (i weighed 200lbs and was always dehydrated, and only 5'3" so no wonder!).

i don't mean to leap upon you ravenously (your advice is always SO SO helpful :smile but its a sore spot for me. don't take it personally, though, okay? please please please! interpret any irritation you might detect in my tone as directed towards some nameless maleficients by whom i have been sorely abused.

i used to have headaches when i was eating the Normal American Diet- migraines, regularly, worst while menstruating and if i let too many hours pass between sugar rushes (like, more than TWO hours...). all that vanished when i started to eat this way. i haven't had but a little stress related headache here or there since then.

this time, the headaches are unrelated to sugar, and seem unrelated to hormones, and have been occuring for three days straight. BUT so has my lowered calorie consumption. i have been way too busy to cook and its really hot and i am NOT hungry, and when i'm not hungry greasy foods make me nauseated. hence having trouble keeping the cals high.

mle_ii: water is anywhere from 64oz to 128oz daily, plus the very occasional (maybe once a week) diet soda, and the ritual cup of coffee in the morning (which without i unfailingly get a headache: interpret= late night programming job, lack of sleep, squalling babies, high-stress environs.) how funny about your daughter! my husband is like that. i can swallow them fine, i just feel queasy afterwards, like if you drink way too much water way too quickly. and i have horrid tasting belches!!!

i will try to up the cals and water and see if it helps.

I know what you mean about doctors. Why is it so hard to find a good doctor? Could it be that once people find a good one they don't tell anyone?

I've found a great dentist, a great mechanic, and even a great group that redid our kitchen. Why can't I find a good doctor?

My current doctor perscribes for the symptoms instead of investigating the problem. I hate that, but I live with it until I find a good one.

So I can imagine how bad most doctors in small towns or part of large "assembly line" clinics can be.

If it goes on for more than a week and is not related to calorie intake, carb (sugar) intake, caffiene intake (or lack thereof), vitamin and mineral intake, water intake or stress. Then I'm sure you will do the right thing.

Sounds like you are getting plenty of water though at a minimum you should be drinking 90 oz if you can. (according to water.com)

It could even be stress related. I'm sure you have a few things to stress about with kids, broke, young, no insurance, a new diet, among other things I'm sure.

I see you live on the Olympic Peninsula. Go visit the ocean when you have a bit of time, it always sooths my wife in times of stress.

Praying for you,
Mike

PS. And take your vitamins.

mike, thanks. i have upped the calories and it seems like that is helping. last night i got to the end of the day and realized i was really low in protein and carbs so i fixed myself a dose of "medicine"... a can of tuna, a tbsp of flax seed, a tbsp of mayo and 2 tbsp of olive oil. ick. but i felt a lot better this morning. my husband agrees with you, he's pretty sure stress is a major factor. but its the only factor i can do nothing about. thanks for your prayers- life really has seemed to slow down around me the past couple days. took some time to make some low-carb oatmeal cookies with my little girl tonight because the headachyness has started to subside. vitamins do help too.

a friend of mine who suffers from severe rheumatoid arthritis mentioned something that i think might be connected- the weather! she mentioned that her arthritis bothers her more when the barometer is doing what it has been for the past week- it went from being sunny and hot for a month straight (which is weird for here!) to a huge storm that has not let up for four days. there was a break in it this evening, and a break in my headache too... hmm... makes me wonder. not conclusive evidence, since it wasn't the only variable in my experiment, but still, something to think about. i'll keep an eye on it.

Blessings,
Gwuinifer

So glad you're feeling better.

That part about the weather change sounds interesting, I forgot that was around when it changed quite drastically. Some peoples bodies seem to be more sensitive to weather changes than others. Very interesting.

Paradox

I saw your posting and had a question. I too have terrible headaches when I start Atkins. The first day or two is fine and then the tension like headaches begin. I have not found a single over the counter pain reliever that works. If you find something please post it.

Paradox: I hear you about the money/health ins/doctor thing. I was unable to afford even the cheapest health insurance for 10 years when I lived in the US, and if it were not for the British nat'l health care system (they complain about it, but it seems like a friggin miracle to me after what I went through), I would still have no access to health care today. It is a real sore spot with me too.

I just wanted to butt in and say that when I go into a very deep state of ketosis, even when calories are adequate, I get constant headaches, which do not stop until I up the carbs slightly. I have read somewhere (Lyle McDonald's book on keto dieting, maybe) that headaches are a side effect of deep ketosis for some people but not all.

YMMV but I just wanted to put this out there.

Emily

Paradox-where are the headaches? (not just in my head) Are they constant, happen before or after you eat? What's going on around you when they hit? This may offer us a clue as to what the cause might be.
In the meantime, up your calories girl!