What to do when you are sick?? - 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet Weight Loss Community

krawhitham · 09-23-2007, 01:49 PM

I have just started induction, and I am tweaking my diet to be more of a purist in induction because I want to do this right and I want it to work.

The problem I have is that I get sick A LOT - a lot more than "normal" I get the flu and gastroenteritis (both viruses) at least 3-4 times per year, and every time I get sick I am down for the count for 1-2 weeks...and it takes me 2 weeks after that to simply recover and get back to the same fitness I was before getting sick. so it's really a good month before I feel completely normal again.

(I have been to doctors I AM NOT looking for medical advice here.)

But the medicines I have to take to be able to function while sick have sugars in them...I dont know how much sugar exactly but if you go to the pharmacy, you will see that 99% of over the counter drugs have added sugars for taste or whatnot.... my question to all of you is HOW do you stay on induction if you have to take medicine 3 times a day that has sugar in it, when you are trying to stay away from sugar completely?? Do you just have to ignore your diet while you are sick?

This is the biggest setback for me because unlike a lot of people, I GAIN weight when I am sick! When I get sick for 2 weeks I gain up to 7lbs in that time, and it is not because I binge (I CANT), it's just because I am not eating every 3 hours in small meals and I am not working out.... so my body packs on the pounds. It is the only thing that really sets me back....so HOW do I maintain my weight loss during these bouts of sickness?

How do I continue to eat induction when I have to consume some amount of sugar when I am sick (in medicine, not food itself) and is being on induction while I have the flu or gastroenteritis a BAD thing for my body??

How do you do Atkins when you are bed-bound sick/throwing up/diareah etc.. for weeks? Do you stick to it?

Bouncing · 09-23-2007, 02:11 PM

Kraw, I don't know. I have been so ridiculously healthy on Atkins, except for what was apparently a bad reaction to sucralose, that I haven't had to cope with any of the normal illnesses.I think that for me, it would be important to not let the sugar in medicine do a job on my head. I would try to ignore it, and eat as close to plan as I could, OP if possible. I am now firmly convinced that my carb intake was baaaaad for my immune sysem. It seems much more robust now. If I was sick, the last thing I would want to do is weaken my ability to fight back. OTOH, this is just theory, and worth exactly as much as you paid for it! I have NOT had the misfortune to put it to the test.

Maybe with this new way of eating, your immune system will be more efficient too, and you'll be sick less. Has anybody but me had this delightful side effect from LC?

kaplods · 09-23-2007, 02:27 PM

I know you didn't ask for medical advice, but the first question should be to your doctor as to whether it is ok to follow a low carbohydrate plan during your illness. With a lot of diahrea and vomiting, dehydration is always a consideration. Dehydration is very much a concern in a low carbohydrate program. With high protein diets, your body needs to stay much more hydrated than on a high carbohydrate diet. (This is why it is not uncommon for carnivores like wolves to die in the winter from lack of fresh water. They can't eat enough snow to stay hydrated and wash away the ketones that build up in the blood).

Many medications do come in sugar-free options. Whenever you're prescribed something, you can ask the pharmacist if there is a sugarless alternative.

My husband is diabetic, and prone to stomache problems and illnesses. I have fibromyalgia, and immune and lung issues, so I'm also sick alot. Last winter, I had bronchitis, with no improvement, for almost 4 months.

I am not following Atkins, but a low carb program that allows more carbs, so my answer may be different than someone else's. For me, I would not worry about the sugar in the meds, but would still try to limit my carbs at meals, and would push liquids, but choose water and other sugar free beverages rather than fruit juices. If I wasn't able to keep liquids down (or in), and had severe vomiting or diahrea, I would increase my carbs (but not my calories), but choose whole grains rather than high water fruits and vegetables.

Bouncing · 09-23-2007, 02:57 PM

There! See? I KNEW you'd hear from somebody who actually knew what she was talking about!

MissyFluffs · 09-24-2007, 11:54 AM

I get sick alot too and I know what you mean about medicines that have sugar in them. Even so, usually with the doses you take, it's only about 1-5 carbs per dose.. so it won't absolutely kill your diet. Another good strategy is to have some good protein along with the medicine, so that it balances out your system and doesn't hit your system as hard.

For stomach ailments, I take charcoal caps. Most doctors don't know about them (because it's an old-timey remedy) but they work awesomely, even for stomach viruses. They are usually found in the section with anti-gas pills as they work on gas, but they also work on everything else. They absorb toxins throughout the digestive tract and ease discomfort immediately. It works on every stomach ailment, from acid indigestion, burping, intestinal gas, diarrhea.. all of that.

For cough/cold stuff the two items that are best/easiest for going along with Atkins are sudafed, and Guaifensein(mucinex). Most antihistamines cause weight gain and bloating due to their action on chemical messengers in the digestive tract. Antihistamines will often be followed by an urge to eat foods that aren't on your plan. If your doctor is prescribing a cough syrup with codeine or something like that, you may want to ask him if there is a pill alternative, and if you can get something without an antihistamine in it. There has been alot of medical attention to the antihistamine-obesity connection lately, and if you are overweight, your doctor should help you avoid antihistamines. The only downside is that antihistamines are the only thing that help with itchy/runny nose and eyes etc. But you can take expectorants, decongestants, cough suppressants, and ibuprofen and it will help alleviate your overall cold/flu symptoms.

krawhitham · 09-25-2007, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MissyFluffs

I get sick alot too and I know what you mean about medicines that have sugar in them. Even so, usually with the doses you take, it's only about 1-5 carbs per dose.. so it won't absolutely kill your diet. Another good strategy is to have some good protein along with the medicine, so that it balances out your system and doesn't hit your system as hard.

For stomach ailments, I take charcoal caps. Most doctors don't know about them (because it's an old-timey remedy) but they work awesomely, even for stomach viruses. They are usually found in the section with anti-gas pills as they work on gas, but they also work on everything else. They absorb toxins throughout the digestive tract and ease discomfort immediately. It works on every stomach ailment, from acid indigestion, burping, intestinal gas, diarrhea.. all of that.

For cough/cold stuff the two items that are best/easiest for going along with Atkins are sudafed, and Guaifensein(mucinex). Most antihistamines cause weight gain and bloating due to their action on chemical messengers in the digestive tract. Antihistamines will often be followed by an urge to eat foods that aren't on your plan. If your doctor is prescribing a cough syrup with codeine or something like that, you may want to ask him if there is a pill alternative, and if you can get something without an antihistamine in it. There has been alot of medical attention to the antihistamine-obesity connection lately, and if you are overweight, your doctor should help you avoid antihistamines. The only downside is that antihistamines are the only thing that help with itchy/runny nose and eyes etc. But you can take expectorants, decongestants, cough suppressants, and ibuprofen and it will help alleviate your overall cold/flu symptoms.

Wow, thank you sooooo much ... I will absolutely start taking the charcoal caps for my tummy - AND the antihistimine is something that makes so much sense and I never knew that at all, I take antihistimines 8-9 months out of the year!!!!!!!! And I ALWAYS gain weight over that time as opposed to the time that I dont have to take them...so you really shed some light on that, thank you.

I think I will make an appointment with an allergy doctor to talk about my options in that regard -- it seems so silly to have to hinder my weight loss every year (and get frustrated every. single. time.) JUST because I have bad allergies!

Thank you for EVERYONES input this has been very helpful!

MissyFluffs · 09-25-2007, 12:14 PM

Good luck Kraw. I eventually had to go against my docs advice and just quit certain drugs that were thwarting my weight loss efforts. I've taken pharmacology so I have some background and know what to avoid. You might want to get a nurse's PDR (they're easier to follow than the doctor's PDR), and then you can steer clear of anything that falls under the antihistamine category. I also quit taking singulair, as it seemed to cause trouble for me as well. Basically, I can only take sudafed, and guafenisein for my allergies/asthma. It helps, but not as much as the antihistamines... too bad!

One thing I have noticed, my allergies and asthma get way better once I eliminate all grains, pasta, and bread from my diet. Makes sense, as the glutens in grains are known to cause irritation to mucosal lingings whether you're allergic to them or not.

suechef · 12-05-2007, 08:22 AM

You can usually get the active ingredients in cold remedies on their own, in pill form, without the sweeteners - usually they're just a painkiller & maybe something to help you sleep. None of them actually treat the cold, just the symptoms, so try looking for the active ingredients rather than anything that says it's for colds.
cheers,
Sue