Ok, I keep reading where people start this WOL and in a week of so they have more energy. I've been doing this since the end of April and I can't seem to get through the day with out a 2, 3, or 4 hour power nap. Then I don't get to sleep till late... ug, it is a vicious cycle, but ultimately I am tired all the time.

I have a slow thyroid... and am on Synthroid. The last time I had it checked the TSH was 0.9, which I believe is very good. Of course that was a year ago (I have to get my blood work redone, I have the papers, I've just been so tired, I haven't managed to get it done!)

I just wonder if anyone else has had a similiar issue with being tired. I'm loosing weight, love the food, but would love some of the energy too.

How long have you been Hypothyroid? I have had it for about 8 years. I still go to the doctor every 6 months to have levels checked. I think in the beginning it was every 3 or 4 months.

S

Are you taking your vitamins?

Also, are you sure that you are getting enough sleep at night. On average, you will need 7-9 hours of sleep and remember, everyone's sleep needs are unique.

I'm in the same boat as you - plus I haven't lost a *&~$#! pound! Check out my "Who Has Been In Withdrawal Longest" post. I'm beginning to wonder what The Good Doctor meant when he claimed that one would gain an "energy burst" after Day Three.
Seems as if we're not the Lone Rangers.

*yawn* I seem to be in the same boat with ya too! So many things have
changed for me since starting this WOL, my bg's are all great, I don't
sleep as much at night, cuz I just seem to get up when I wake up now
(before I would have trouble getting out of bed in the morning). So I
would say that 95% of the time I feel like a whole different person, in a
Good way! But let me tell ya, that other 5% of the time, it's like I'm a
walking zombie! It normally lasts ALL day, feeling so tired I could
cry, not wanting to eat (no hunger), and can't even manage to get
myself to do the little things that need done around the house
(and yes, I do take supplements ). I've sorta been chalking it up to,
all the changes my body is going through and it adjusting as I move
along through this journey. But, when I see my doctor on Friday for
my one month follow-up, I am going to ask him about it. Btw, before
starting this WOL, I required a 1-2 hr nap every single day! Now I'm
down to about 2 naps a week, so that's an improvement.

I hope you get some rest and figure out what it is that may be causing this for you.

Also, can anyone answer this for me? Is it possible to always be in
ketosis and still not see the scale move or your measurements get
smaller? That's what's going on with me.. *shrug*.

Keep up the good work everyone!
NoSurender

Maybe not for anyone else, but it certainly is for you and me!

Got a question for you, too.



In addition to having no energy, is your heart acting wacky?

I've had palpitations for over a week now.

I am going to sing the praises of L-Glutamine!!! I was never visited by the energy fairy, like some are and was really 'doinking' out in the afternoons. I work FT so naps were out of the question. I started doing some research on this message board and found a few folks (thanks Rosebud!) were taking L-Glutamine (500 - 1000 mg's). I also exercise heavily and this amino acid is very helpful to sore muscles. I broke down & went to the local GNC and bought a bottle of 1000 mg tablets. I take 1 or 2 a day and have noticed a HUGE improvement in the amount of energy I have! It is truly night & day. I don't feel like crashing out on the couch anymore when I get home & even in the morning have less trouble rolling out of bed!
I also take other suppliments - One Source Women's Multi-Vitamin, Potassium, Magnesium, Calcium and Zinc. But the big turn around was when I added L-Glutamine into the mix GNC has 50 tablets of 1000 mg for $9.99 - well worth it IMHO!

I can relate to so much of what you guys are saying. When I first started atkins, I was losing weight wonderfully, but I felt like utter crap all the time, and eventually I developed heart palpitations and dizziness.
I felt like this for 4 months.

Now I know the reason I felt like that was because I was so addicted to carbs and my insulin was so out of wack before, that my new low/normal levels of insulin were messing up my electrolyte balance. Insulin plays a role in regulating potassium, and combined with the diuretic effects of restricting carbohydrate AND losing weight very fast (which is potassium wasting), all this equalled to an electrolyte imbalance. The electrolyte imbalance and dehydration made my heart rythms irregular, made me feel dizzy, and generally feel like crap.

Eventually your body will adjust to your new healthy insulin levels, and as you progress everything will go at a slower pace thus preserving electrolyte balance.
However, what you can do right now to make yourself feel better is buy a potassium based salt, or supplement, and use it. Make sure you drink A LOT of water, it is very important.

I feel soooo good now, but then I felt terrible. Don't worry guys, it gets better as your body adjusts. Just remember, the harder the adjustment is to this new way of life, the more you need it.

Regarding being in ketosis but not losing weight... are you eating too much? I know atkins does not recommend counting calories, but ultimately weight loss occours only when a calorie deficit is created. If no calorie deficit is there, you will not lose. You will be burning dietary fat only, and it will show in your urine as ketones. The reason atkins does not recommend counting calories is because he wants the dieter to get in the habbit of trusting natural hunger. But calories do matter, in the end the old formula of calories in < calories out = weight loss remains true. For some, especially people who are prone to emotional eating, might benefit from a food journal at www.fitday.com. For optimal weight loss, your calories should not exceed your basal metabolism by much, unless you are exceptionally active.

I've noticed a big change in my energy levels lately since I started taking Saint John's Wort. Don't know if you are on this or any other SSRI's. I've changed my schedule to take my full dose at night before bed and it seems to be working.

My dh , not on atkins, is hypothyroid and he swears synthroid(synthetic) is very bad.I think the fda just approved it last year. It went all that time without being approved. We went to the about.com thyroid site and found a holistic doctor (they have a list of top docs for thyroid) that prescribed him armour thyroid( Natural) medicine(treats t-3 & 4). He loves it and has been on it for a few yrs now. The regular doctors will not prescribe it , the drug companies give kickbacks for them pushing their drugs. Well, anyway, maybe the medicine has something to do with you being tired this late in the game. At the very beginning I was tired ,but that went away after I began taking my supplements .and that was like week 3 .

I have hypothyroidism as well. I asked the doctor to take me off of synthroid. I was on it for
around 20 years. For a while I thought I was "getting immuned" to it. I asked to be changed
and she started me on Levoxyl. I had my pituitary gland removed in 94 and take all hormone replace
meds. Right now I have more energy then ever and all hormone levels are great and I am not that couch potato
I once was. We live on a farm and we both work full time jobs and very active. So I needed all the help I could get.
If you want someone to chat to about thyroid email me at wilessharon~cs.com.

Cindy,
With you being familiar with thyroid issues, what would recommend
for someone who is trying to lose weight who has hypothyroidism?
Does the Atkins work those who have hypothyrodism?