I've just come across this little gem, and as it made me laugh so much, I thought I'd share it with the forum:

Atkins diet left me in casualty with agonising cramps

Daily Mail, UK,
24 September, 2003

A woman ended up in acccident and emergency when her body seized up only 6 days into the Aktins diet.

Sally Vickers, 27, was crippled by severe cramps in her stomach and legs while taking a bath and became trapped for 2 hours. She was rescued when her boyfried Paul Roberts, a 24-year-old agricultural technician came home and heard her cries.

Miss Vickers, from Northumberland, was taken to Alnwick Infirmary, where she was diagnosed as being dehydrated, a known complication of the Atkins diet, and put on a drip.

Her experience will frighten other followers of the diet, which has faced a deluge of negative publicity.

On Monday, the Foods Standards Agency highlighted the increased risks of cancer and heart disease from diets, such as Atkins, which faviur fat over bread and cereals.

Last month, the Government-funded Medical Research Council said followers of the diet could suffer kidney damage and bone loss. Nutrionists have also claimed that the high-protein diet creates a resistance to insulin which could trigger diabetes.

Most shocking was the case of 16-year old Rachel Huskey in Missouri, who died of heart failure after trying to lose weight.

A coroner could find no explanation for the heart problem, but a team of experts who investigated her death said that it was probably due to the way the Atkins diet upset her metabolism.

The eating plan has been tried by more than three million Britons and its success has caused a boom in sales of cheese, red meat and eggs.

Miss Vickers, a size 14, who is 5ft 5in and weighs 11st (154lbs) started the diet six weeks ago after deciding that she needed to lose a stone in 2 weeks before a friend's wedding.

Six days into the diet she woke up in pain. "It was appalling," she said. "The book had said that I might suffer a few cramps but I was in real difficulties. I started getting cramps in my legs and really bad pins and needles. That spread to my stomach. I went to get into the bath because I thought the warm water might make me feel better but after I got in my legs just seized up and I couldn't move. The pain was agonising and every time I tried to get up it hurt more, so eventually I just gave up and waited in the hope that someone would come. It was frightening. I was stuck in the bath for about 2 hours before my boyfriend rescued me. He hadn't been due to come home from work until the evening but he decided to come back for lunch on a whim. When I got to the hospital I told the doctor I had drunk lots of water but she said that the diet is de-hydratig because of the chemical reaction it causes in the body. She advised me to come straight off the diet."

Miss Vickers, an accounting firm assistant manager, was allowed to go home later the same afternoon.

"I would never do the diet again, it's just not worth it," she added. "I lost just oer half a s tone, but other people need to know how dangerous it can be. It really isn't worth the risk."

Julia Smith, a dietician with the Newcastle Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "The Atkins diet book says that everyone must have at least 2 litres of water every day. It would surprise me if anyone managed to drink that much, but that is the absolute minimum."




To be honest, it's not a laughing matter any more - I just can't believe the amount of rubbish that is being spouted in an attempt to rubbish low carbing - and in particular, Atkins.

As as for the dietician's comments on the water ................

2 litres a day? Hell I manage that before lunch...

Why O Why do they write these articles. Whilst it gets half the UK up in arms it spurs on the other half to give it a try. Certainly most people will have heard of Atkins now in the UK, whereas it was like a secret society a little over a year ago.

With over 2 million Brits trying it out, if it was so bad then these stories would be appearing everyday and with far worse consequences.

Wonder what tomorrows story will be?

ATKINS SENT FRANK BRUNO TO MENTAL HOSPITAL!!!!
Oh, and Dr A personally HID all the WMDs in Iraq!!!!!!!!

LOL ~ Sinbad!

I've wondered why the British press is so uniquely nasty toward Atkins! I don't think there's anything quite as vicious being written in the US.

Why do you think this is the case?

Rose: Controversy sells...
Also they have nothing interesting to write about and they don't have the creativity to do their own research, so they just go by press releases.

The British press is notoriously more scandal mongering than the U.S. press. Also their libel laws are different and I think they can get away with more without fear of lawsuits.

I'm with ya Sinbad! I drink so much water the teeth at the back of my mouth float!

It's amazing that they would base such bad press around someone who obviously DIDN'T either fully read, or understand the book! She obviously didn't keep up with the water intake, nor does it sound like she was taking vitamins and suppliments because of the leg cramping comment.

For each bad thing that LC related that the press prints, you never hear about the thousands of good things that are happening around the world for people that are LC'ing!

Well I feel bad for her experience - but it's not going to change my mind - I'm sticking with Atkin's because his WOE is giving my life back to me and saving it at the same time!

Plagiomom, you are so right. At the moment, there is an Atkins 'scare' story more or less every day in the UK but you never hear about the positive side.

Also, it amazes me time and time again that the person they are usually referring to has no idea how low carbing really works - they haven't read the book - or researched the best plan for them.

On the other hand, I have, and I know that it's the best and healthiest way for me to lose weight and regain my health and fitness

It also drives me mad that the media never refer to any of the other low carb diets, they only seem to want to bash Atkins

I've had some very distressing muscle cramps too - when I forget my supplements! I find that walking them out works pretty good - but I'd rather take my supplements and not have the cramps at all.

2 liters of water? Cripes, I'm on my third one already and it's only just past noon!

I think its funny they keep referencing the Missouri case and trying to link it to Atkins, yet the only say she was "trying to lose weight" and not "was on Atkins"...The girl had an eating disorder.

This is laughable: 2 litres is "8 cups." This is what the medical community has recommended for ages. For this "dietician" to doubt that anyone could drink that much in a day is to fly in the face of their own advice.

You know...I've never had muscle cramps from low carb. Muscle cramps from high blood sugar, you bet! (OUCH!!)
Yet another example of why it's important to read the book and follow directions (otherwise know as RTFM!).
I think it's hysterical that this dietician is criticizing drinking 8 glasses of water a day. Sheesh...some days I get that much before lunch!

The Daily Mail in particular is running an anti Atkins thread. It repeats and includes all previous stories to keep the "scare" going. It is pure invention.

In part it is a response to some of the other tabloids that ran an Atkins week in which they detailed the diet in enough detail that you did not need to buy the book.

What one paper endorses another will try to knock down.

In this case the Mail is supported by the mainstream nutritionists and government food agencies who are pathologicically unable to make any kind of U Turn.

It is sad when the only bad thing they can find is the "danger" of getting stuck in the bath!

Others might say that dehydration is a "known complication" of not drinking enough water, but why simplify things when they can make it serve their purposes?