Well... here I am, writing to say hello and introduce myself.

I was a low-carber many moons ago when I worked out with a trainer. Then I had a kidney operation and all hell broke loose. I had to stick to a strict vegan diet and doctors warned against weight training until enough time had passed for my kidney to heal completely.

Then two years later, I couldn't take it anymore. I had lost too much weight, was always tired and couldn't concentrate. Forget about any muscle mass! So I started eating meat and other proteins again. But I also kept eating all that high-carb stuff I was eating on the vegan diet. And I didn't start exercising either cos I was still too tired all the time.

Now 4 years have gone by since my operation. I've gained sooooo much weight. I cannot believe how big I've gotten. But I started the low-carb diet two weeks ago and I'm already feeling a difference. I've even begun exercising more seriously and went out and bought me a couple of 8lb weights to start.

The first week, my weight fluctuated. I lost 6 lbs, then gained 4 back, then lost again. Since I've started, my weight is down 9lbs. I've also been feeling nauseous and short of breath and a little weak. But I know that's pass in a few days. I just have to remember not to overdo it.

All in all, I'm feeling hopeful. I'm glad that my partner is supportive of me and is doing the diet with me even if he doesn't really need to lose weight. And I'm glad that I've found this support group too.

Greetings and welcome aboard!

I know that it's been four years since your operation, but you want to be very sure that you are doing so in close cooperation with your doctor given your history of kidney problems. Dr. Atkins is emphatic in several locations about low-carbing not being suitable for people that have kidney problems - hopefully your condition is satisfactory to do so, but I would take things very cautiously. It's possible that your weakness, nausea and shortness of breath might be related to kidney stress. Maybe not. Again, play it safe and work closely with your doctor.

Other than that big caveat....you will really like the forum. It's a great source of information and support. And if you do have a clean bill of health to proceed with LC'ing it will not only be good for you, but it will be quite educational for the rest of us to watch your progression.

Cheers!

Wow, whadda roller coaster. I assume you're shopping around for the right plan right now. Remember that low carb doesn't necessarily mean high protein - good luck finding the balance that works for you.

So you're a funky goddess, huh? Great name!
Welcome to the forum, Funky.

I must repeat Wbahn's advice about checking with your doctor. As your kidney is healed, all is probably well, but as you didn't specify the nature of the surgery (not that you should!), you really must have a medical check to rule out any possibility of an ongoing problem.
Please excuse us if you have already done that!

Funky, I see you haven't specified a particular plan. It really helps, particularly in the beginning, to choose one plan and stick with it.
If you look at the "Quick links" at the right hand side of the page, there's a "Which low carb plan is right for me?" section that gives a rundown on the most popular plans. When you've chosen your plan, I can't stress strongly enough that you read the book and keep it handy to reread often.
Good luck to you, my dear.

Rosebud

It's very kind of you all to welcome me so soon! Thank you!

Since some of you had some questions, and a seemingly sincere interest in my progress for "educational" purposes, I'll do my best to answer you...

1) I see a nephrologist every 3-4 months. I've had kidney issues since I was 7 -- I get recurring stones for no apparent reason and I've had kidney-related high blood pressure since the age of 16. This is why I've always HAD to maintain a rigourous exercise program and very healthy diet (no salt, no dairy other than cottage cheese, sour creme, plain yogurt or some cheeses, lots of greens and lean meats. I also have to drink a minimum of 2 litres of water per day.) I'm not on any meds for the high blood pressure and I'd really like to avoid that but it looks as if they'll soon be prescribed to me anyway due to my age.

I'm also going to be tested for Candida and endometriosis by other health professionals since there are also symptomatic indications that I could be afflicted by one of these as well. But the kidney thing is the major issue.

2) As for the actual plan I've chosen, I'm still looking for the right one and/or the right combination. I'm mostly interested in the Montignac diet though because it is the only diet plan that has been fully endorsed by St. Michaels Hospital. After years of researching this diet, along with several others, their research labs deem it to be the only one that works and that is good for you too. These medical experts don't even endorse the Canadian or US food guides (too much carbs, etc.) so you know they've gotta know what they're doing. (I'm just repeating what was told to me so please don't shoot the messenger! lol)

However, I don't like to do blindly in any given direction, so I'm taking some time to do my own research and digging further into the diet information than what is initially available. I'll definitely let you know once I've settled on a particular plan.

3) Yup, Funky Goddess is my handle on the net (although I think someone else is using it too! Arrrrrgh..... ) It's my way of being a little silly while maintaining optimism within myself. You know... positive reinforcement!

Anyway, I think that's it for now. Hope this all helps. I look forward to digging further into this site and perhaps getting to know some of you too!

FG