1st post from lurker WEAKNESS continues after 6 weeks

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R - 20 Mar 2004 16:52 GMT

Hi to all,

I've been on Atkins for 6 weeks now. Induction went fine, with big weight
drop, as predicted. I've been very slow to lose any more, so I tried staying
on the 20-25 carb range. For the last few weeks I've been very weak and
fatigued, so I've been gradually adding more carbs, thinking I'd feel
better. Not working.

I AM losing inches, and I am in ketosis, but the faint feeling is just NOT
going away.

Thought I might be in yeast overgrowth (2 rounds of antibiotics and steroid
pac 6 weeks ago), so I've added Acidophilus for the last 2 weeks, and can't
tell a difference.

I'd really appreciate hearing from others who are or were fatigued past
Induction withdrawal phase.

I'm drinking plenty of water, exercising lightly each morning, taking
supplements, but also on HRT and Zoloft. I had stopped the Zoloft, but went
back on it when weakness set in.

TIA

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TavliGal - 20 Mar 2004 18:46 GMT

>> Hi to all,
>>
[quoted text clipped - 22 lines]
>> --
>> Please remove the OBVIOUS from my email address.

Ok, so about the Zoloft? How did you stop it? Did you just stop it cold
turkey? Or did you ween yourself off it with your doctors supervision?
Monica

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Started 01/20/04
362/328.2/250
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R - 20 Mar 2004 20:35 GMT

> Ok, so about the Zoloft? How did you stop it? Did you just stop it cold
> turkey? Or did you ween yourself off it with your doctors supervision?
> Monica

I followed the doctor's suggestion. I took half pill for a week, then half
pills every other day for another week. There really doesn't seem to be any
correlation to the fatigue, as near as I can tell.

Going back on the Zoloft did not make me feel any better, but I haven't
tried going off of it again, yet. It's likely affecting the slow weight
loss, but I can wait on that, if necessary, IF I can feel more energetic.

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DigitalVinyl - 20 Mar 2004 21:16 GMT

You don't post any statistics. Height/weight/sex/age/avg calories per
day. You may simply be severely undereating for your energy level.
There is a realistic limit of the rate your body can chemically
convert fat for energy and fatigue is generally a point where you've
outrun your body's capacity to generate fuel. Maybe skip the exercise
routine to conserve energy for a few days, or up your caloric intake.

You might want to post meals/portions so people here can give you
feedback. Remember to include what you drink. Also are you at least
taking a multivitamin? Any other current symptoms? leg cramps,
dehydrations, trembling in limbs, headaches? What is your appetite
like? Going hungry?

>Hi to all,
>
[quoted text clipped - 19 lines]
>
>TIA

DiGiTAL_ViNYL (no email)
350/315/Mar-315/200
Atkins since Jan 12, 2004
OWL-35 carbs/day (CCLL=?)

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R - 21 Mar 2004 03:27 GMT

> You don't post any statistics. Height/weight/sex/age/avg calories per
> day. You may simply be severely undereating for your energy level.
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
> Atkins since Jan 12, 2004
> OWL-35 carbs/day (CCLL=?)

I started at 175 lb on Feb. 1, and am hoping to reach 125 lb. I'm 5'2" tall,
female, age 61.

A typical day's meals would be

1. breakfast - either scrambled eggs, sausage, coffee OR low carb toast,
lowcarb yogurt, coffee

2. lunch - 2 cups spinach salad with mushrooms, cheddar cheese, cauliflower
or broccoli florets, low carb dressing & lunch meat

3. dinner - 1 cup steamed broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, or baby
carrots & pork chop, hamburger, baked chicken, or ham & 1 cup spinach salad
with dressing

4. snacks - 1 serving morning and afternoon of pork skins, .25c pecans, .25c
sunflower seeds, .5c strawberries, .5c grapes, 1oz cheddar cheese, avocado
half, or apple half

I drink 8 glasses of water every day, with caffeine free coffee with
NutraSweet and skim milk morning and night. Rarely I have a diet caffeine
free soft drink.

I take 2 vitamin E geltabs & 1 multivitamin with iron daily. I have not been
hungry, nor have I had any cravings. The exercise is very light, and is
physical therapy related. I've had fewer headaches than any time in the last
few years. I have no idea how many calories I'm eating each day.

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DigitalVinyl - 21 Mar 2004 03:51 GMT

I'm sure multiple people will chime in on diet issues. But the main
problem is weakness. I think someone already suggested upping
potassium slightly. Since it looks like you are eating reasonably
enough that might be it. I take Potassium Gluconate. You can also use
a salt substitute that has potassium added. You don't want to overdoit
though-potassium can be dangerous.

I recall reading that excessive water will deplete potassium. Please
someone jump in if I'm remembering that wrong. Someone posted a link a
while back and the doctor in the article says there is no medical
evidenc that the magic "8 glassses of water" is needed or healthy. It
is a recommendation that developed from nowhere but everyone quotes
it. After reading that I backed off of the half gallon+ I was
drinking and drink water whenever I'm thirsty. You might want to try
that.

>I started at 175 lb on Feb. 1, and am hoping to reach 125 lb. I'm 5'2" tall,
>female, age 61.
[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]
>NutraSweet and skim milk morning and night. Rarely I have a diet caffeine
>free soft drink.

Just so you realize. Skim milk has about 13.5 carbs per cup, while
half&half has 10.5, and heavy cream 6.6 carbs per cup. Atkins suggests
using H&H or heavy cream because people will use very little to
lighten their coffee and they have less sugars than the milks. If you
need to lighten carbs at some point this is a consideration.

>I take 2 vitamin E geltabs & 1 multivitamin with iron daily. I have not been
>hungry, nor have I had any cravings. The exercise is very light, and is
>physical therapy related. I've had fewer headaches than any time in the last
>few years. I have no idea how many calories I'm eating each day.

You can use www.fitday.com. It is free and will let you log all your
food and you can see carbs/fat/cals and nutrients. If you do a few
days you get some idea what you are eating calorie/carbwise.

DiGiTAL_ViNYL (no email)
350/315/Mar-315/200
Atkins since Jan 12, 2004
OWL-35 carbs/day (CCLL=?)

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jamie - 20 Mar 2004 23:45 GMT

> I've been on Atkins for 6 weeks now. Induction went fine, with big weight
> drop, as predicted. I've been very slow to lose any more, so I tried staying
> on the 20-25 carb range. For the last few weeks I've been very weak and
> fatigued, so I've been gradually adding more carbs, thinking I'd feel
> better. Not working.

In the original 70s version of the book, before Atkins entered the
supplement marketing business, one of the few supplements he recommended
was potassium for fatigue.

(The others were a good multivitamin with minerals, extra vitamin
C, E and B complex, and calcium/magnesium combo for leg cramps
at night.)

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jamie (jamiemck@newsguy.com)

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Susan - 21 Mar 2004 01:26 GMT

>I AM losing inches, and I am in ketosis, but the faint feeling is just NOT
>going away.

Did you try supplementing with potassium after the water whooshes? A bit of
Lite salt daily should do it.

Susan

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Ignoramus1871 - 21 Mar 2004 20:36 GMT

A yeast infection could be a sign of a high blood sugar. I would check
into that possibility.

i

> Hi to all,
>
[quoted text clipped - 19 lines]
>
> TIA

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