okay people lemme ask you guys this...

I am on day 4 of Induction...my local drug store is getting the ketostix in tomorrow, so I presume but don't know for sure if I'm in induction or not.

That having been said, I know Atkins mentionned that bad breath is a result of ketones being emitted...I was noticing a sweet sorta strange taste in my mouth (yes i did brush my teeth today LOL) and I asked my son (who's home from school today) if my breath was bad....

I breathed on him and almost KNOCKED HIM OVER. HE ALMOST DIED LOL!!! I took it as a sign that I am in ketosis. Whatch'y'all think?

*lol*, I'd say you're in ketosis, Muse. I was reading your journal as well....... being tired and slow is also a sign. Your body is now buring fat for fuel instead of carbs / glucose.. the change over can make you feel *weird*. Drinking more water will help with the fruity breath problem.

Before you use the ketostix take a look at the article Doreen wrote under "Low Carb Tips" all about them.

Nat

Muse I wish my breath just smelled fruity. mine smells like a rotten egg all the time and i have a taste of metel or tin in my mouth as well, and (Yes I brush regularly) It has been this way since I started this WOL back in June. I hate it but I'm dealing
If you find a cure let me know!

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Brushing teeth is not enough. Brushing your teeth (especially the back) is important too; there are scrapers for that that are now sold in supermarkets. This probably would not be as bad if you drank more water...

Drinking more water will help. The reason your breath smells is because there are ketones spilling over into your urine ( and mouth). Drinking more water will dilute this and help with the odour.

Nat

I posted a lot of information about this problem - causes, solutions -- some months ago. You can read about it here.

The ketones you taste and smell in your breath don't originate in the mouth, they are excreted from the LUNGS, along with carbon dioxide. So yes, meticulous dental and oral hygiene are very important ... but will only mask the problem not eliminate it. The best way to decrease the amount of ketones being released into your breath through the lungs .. is to increase their elimination via other means .... ie, kidneys and intestines.

So yes, drinking lots and lots of water will increase the amount flushed out with the urine. And fiber supplement such as sugar-free metamucil or psyllium husks, along with plenty of water will increase the amount of ketones excreted via the bowel.

The best and most accurate description of ketone breath I've heard is that it tastes "like sucking on a Bandaid". That about sums it up. A truly sweet, fruity odour may be a sign of ketoacidosis, a dangerous condition for diabetics. It smells sweet because there is a lot of sugar in the blood. I've smelled this in diabetic patients ... it closely resembles the smell of nail-polish remover (acetone).

Doreen

Try chewing on a bunch of parsley!!!

That was a joke but it may also be helpful. I dunno, I've been dealing with it myself. I feel sorry for my poor husband.

I drink 128 oz of H20 everyday. I don't know if I can tolerate any more than that. I'll give it a try. I brush my tongue all the way to the back when I brush my teeth and nothing has worked. Some days are worst than others though it never really goes away.

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Haha...they're great for a quick fix-me-up!

SMINTS!!!

Tiny triangle shaped mints...carb free too.

They're strong...hoo-wee!

I know it's only masking the breath, but hey, it works!
I say, pop one in your mouth, and have your son give you the breath test again (if he's willing...LOL). See what he says.

They also have lemon mint ones too...a little funky, but tasty.

I've always wondered why I haven't noticed any change in my breath or the taste in my mouth, even though I've been in ketosis for 5 weeks now. So I'm guessing that this doesn't happen to everyone? Or is it really there but I'm just not noticing it.

I'll just chock it down to everybody's different.