Going into ketosis... like hypoglycemic shock?

[John F]

Don't want to alarm anyone with that headline, but some friends of mine have diabetes (have had it for years) and luckily, I don't. (Or at least didn't at my last check up, despite my weight problems.)

One of them was reading a blog entry of mine where I described the sensations I associated with going into ketosis. I likened it to "hitting the wall" in a marathon race, where your body has now used all of its glycogen fuel and you're going on will power until the body can open up the fat stores. But I was told that the symptoms I gave (massive "hunger" pangs that come from nowhere, sudden cravings, shaking, nausea, etc) were more like a hypoglycemic shock. He suggested I get my blood checked.

Now, truth be told, I never got into the gory details with anyone else on the program about what happens to them when they go into ketosis. I just agreed with everyone else that "when it happens, you'll know" and started checking my urine with the ketostix. But my friends comment has me worried now.

Am I the only person going through those symptoms? (I could be undiagnosed diabetic maybe.) Or are these symptoms common place when going into ketosis?

 

[Demaris]

My symptoms were exactly the same.

Your body has been fed carbs (I assume!) relentlesly on a daily basis, mostly at set times. Bread for breakfast, carbs for dinner snack etc. So all day the up and done of your blood sugar is non stop. Too many carbs and your body compensates by making extra insulin to cope with it, blood sugar levels dip lower than they should. And then you get the urge to eat carbs. You know, that feeling after eating a chinese and you are hungry an hour later.

So, thats how your body has been coping for months, years etc.

Then, all of a sudden the carbs get taken away. Your body STILL produces the insulin to cope with what its got used to. Until it realises it needs to shift the balance. This is also when the glycogen stores (in the liver) run out and hey presto you are in ketosis.

Its a huge thing for your body (and your mind) to get used to. But I think its amazing that our bodies soon bounce back into a healthy state.

A reaction to blood sugar levels in a diabetic are different than the changes we go through.

They can suffer from either a low blood sugar or a high, largely affected by what they eat or don't eat. They can't regulate the insulin properly and thats where the danger is with diabetes.

All we are doing is removing unhealthy sugars and carbs from our bodies, and teaching our bodies to react healthily.

The shakes have everything we need in them, so i wouldn't worry.

But yes, these symptoms are common, and are the reason many people don't make it past week 1.

hang in there, and know that you are doing the best for your body, and preventing something as serious a diabetes by losing weight.

 

[John F]

Thanks Demaris. Good to know that these symptoms are typical.

 

[suekni]

You have lost a decent amount of weight already I think the best way to deal with it is treat it like a addiction and any one who is addicted craves wat is took away its only natural and so are withdrawel symptons so try to stop being negative and be positive ( not bein nasty I promise just think you will be so proud wen you get to the end) I'm sat here smellin the stew I offered to make and its hell I can almost taste it but I wont give in. This diet is perfectly safe trust me

 

[kered]

I am one of the lucky ones and apart from feeling hungry on day 1 I have been fine. I did have something similar around day 16-day 17 but since then I have been fine.
Hope your feeling better now.

 

[matronix]

hypo

Don't want to alarm anyone with that headline, but some friends of mine have diabetes (have had it for years) and luckily, I don't. (Or at least didn't at my last check up, despite my weight problems.)

One of them was reading a blog entry of mine where I described the sensations I associated with going into ketosis. I likened it to "hitting the wall" in a marathon race, where your body has now used all of its glycogen fuel and you're going on will power until the body can open up the fat stores. But I was told that the symptoms I gave (massive "hunger" pangs that come from nowhere, sudden cravings, shaking, nausea, etc) were more like a hypoglycemic shock. He suggested I get my blood checked.

Now, truth be told, I never got into the gory details with anyone else on the program about what happens to them when they go into ketosis. I just agreed with everyone else that "when it happens, you'll know" and started checking my urine with the ketostix. But my friends comment has me worried now.

Am I the only person going through those symptoms? (I could be undiagnosed diabetic maybe.) Or are these symptoms common place when going into ketosis?

Hi John
We all have had different experiences with the ketosis stage and we are advised to expect these symptoms. It is most likely that what you are describing is ketosis, though it is easy to have a blood sugar test at your chemist to rule out diabetes. They can just to a need prick test as a guide. If you have not collapsed and gone into a coma by now I would say that your not HYPO. lol
But have a check if your still concerned.