So, I am really at a loss here, and I can't seem to get any answers.
I have recently started focusing on eating right to lose weight, rather than extreme dieting. I am in it for the long haul, and I am in it for my health!
Basically, this week, I have been eating healthy although my calories has been up a little. Despite that, I've lost 5 pounds....weird.
Anyway, the main problem I am having is that I am thirsty all the time, and tired. I fall asleep in class, come home, take a four hour nap, wake up, then go to bed around 10 and sleep for 10-12 hours. This has been going on for a week and came on suddenly. I'm just really tired and this is making me moody. This tiredness is mainly what I want to address. Other symptoms are:
headache (like tension headaches), nausea when I get hungry (I'm eating about 5 small meals a day to keep the nausea at bay), irritability/random crying...you get the idea.
Does anyone have any idea what this is so I can talk to my doctor about it? Sites like webMD isn't helpful (it said heat stroke!), and everyone seems stumped. Even if someone has a suggestion for the exhaustion that doesn't involve caffeine, that'd be great. Thanks!
I'd tell your doctor what you told us, and s/he can follow up with the appropriate questions. It may not even be diet-related, just coincidental that it started the same time you started trying to lose weight.
You've probably thought of this, but too few calories can trigger headaches, tiredness, mood swings, etc etc. But, that's impossible to assess w/out information on what you're eating.
Did you used to drink a bunch of caffeine - coffee, soda, non-herbal tea - and gave those up in your pursuit of healthiness. A lot of your symptoms sound like caffeine withdrawal.
I do think a conversation with your doctor is the best option but to add from only my experience: I'm "just" eating healthily, no unusual diet but I often find I'm very thirsty/have (Too Much Information alert) dark pee at the times I'm losing most. When I'm coasting along, it's fine; in weightloss times, thirst and darkp, even with a lot of water.
Thirst, weight loss and fatigue are symptoms of diabetes. Better get it checked. Otherwise, are you maybe getting to be menopausal? An extreme amount of physical and mental changes can be signs of hormone wackiness. It sounds like time for a thorough wellness check by a physician.
Can you be more detailed about your eating habits before and after you started your diet? You may just be having a reaction to the diet change. Your body is learning how to use this new food as energy. You may be leaving something your body needs out of your diet and you need to eat more of it. I get really sick if I don't eat carbs. But I could switch from poultry to vegetarian whenever I wanted no problem; as long as i had carbs.
Well, before I was eating a lot of high-fat foods, and tons of sugar. I have cut back to between 1500-2000 a day and eliminated refined sugars, but I am eating a lot of carbs (I'e been addicted to dinner rolls for some odd reason.)
I am trying to get in to see my doctor, but it's so hard because they have wacky clinic hours, and I can never seem to get ahold of a real person to make an appointment. Hopefully monday I'll have some luck. I also have to go in with an idea of what is wrong so he'll take me seriously. I don't know why, but if I go in with a list of symptoms he usually brushes me off.
Anyway, I am making an appointment ASAP. My only other option is thw walk-in at the same office, but they don't like it if you come in unless your finger is in a jar.
Oh, also, I am 25 so I don't think it's menopause.
Last edited by Delphinus85; 01-08-2011 at 02:54 PM.
Yes, get your doctor to check your blood sugar levels; it may just be pre-diabetes though (sometimes called Metabolic Syndrome). If you were eating a lot of sugar, like you say -- that would account for the nausea. When I was on Metformin (for above mentioned condition), I suffered nausea when I was too hungry and my blood sugar levels had dipped down too low.
As for the moodiness, the same; and could be caused by Vitamin B deficiency; anyone losing weight should be on a good multiple vitamin with minerals and/or taking a Vitamin B complex (like 50 or 100 mg). This is the one my doctor was most concerned with (and low iron as well); you can be tested for both of these.
Eating 5-6 smaller meals will help keep your blood sugar levels more balanced. The body will have to adjust to your new eating style; but the symptoms should go away after awhile. Re: tension headaches -- have you had your blood pressure checked out (watch your salt intake regarding that)?
It isn't uncommon to lose 5 lbs your first week of eating better; you will lose most the first month, then after that, the loss will slow down a bit. Some of that loss will be water-weight but later on, it will be more fat loss. Be sure to eat balanced (good lean protein of any kind) so you don't lose too much muscle mass.
BTW -- the way your doctor (and clinic) behaves, I was suspecting that you lived near me ... Here they treat some people with disdain and insinuate that every other person is a hypochondriac. Thank goodness, I have a very good doctor who takes his job and patients seriously.
I would consider a change if you aren't getting the respect you deserve -- remember that you are paying them very well, so don't accept anything less than good care in return ...
Last edited by Justwant2Bhealthy; 01-08-2011 at 04:19 PM.
Yes, get your doctor to check your blood sugar levels; it may just be pre-diabetes though (sometimes called Metabolic Syndrome). If you were eating a lot of sugar, like you say -- that would account for the nausea. When I was on Metformin (for above mentioned condition), I suffered nausea when I was too hungry and my blood sugar levels had dipped down too low.
As for the moodiness, the same; and could be caused by Vitamin B deficiency; anyone losing weight should be on a good multiple vitamin with minerals and/or taking a Vitamin B complex (like 50 or 100 mg). This is the one my doctor was most concerned with (and low iron as well); you can be tested for both of these.
Eating 5-6 smaller meals will help keep your blood sugar levels more balanced. The body will have to adjust to your new eating style; but the symptoms should go away after awhile. Re: tension headaches -- have you had your blood pressure checked out (watch your salt intake regarding that)?
It isn't uncommon to lose 5 lbs your first week of eating better; you will lose most the first month, then after that, the loss will slow down a bit. Some of that loss will be water-weight but later on, it will be more fat loss. Be sure to eat balanced (good lean protein of any kind) so you don't lose too much muscle mass.
BTW -- the way your doctor (and clinic) behaves, I was suspecting that you lived near me ... Here they treat some people with disdain and insinuate that every other person is a hypochondriac. Thank goodness, I have a very good doctor who takes his job and patients seriously.
I would consider a change if you aren't getting the respect you deserve -- remember that you are paying them very well, so don't accept anything less than good care in return ...
Thank you for your kind words! And yes, I'm seriously thinking about changing clinics.
I was just talking all of this over with my husband, and he suspects it could be a whacked out metablism because we just took a road trip to idaho and ate nothing but fast food for about a week, then I suddenly cut my calories way down and started eating much better. The other thing he suggested is pregnancy....I guess he's frustrated that my breasts are so tender I can hardly walk and just wear a sports bra all the time. I am 4 days from my period, and all pregnancy tests comeup negative so we don't think it's that...we're just not sure.
However diabetes runs in my family, but it doesn't usually strike until your 40s....who knows. I'll try to get an appointment with my doc as soon as I can.
Um, yeah. My first thought at your symptoms was, "it sounds like she's pregnant." If they are negative, then I just don't know what's going on. Do you mean 4 days until your period? or after it? It might not be registering yet.
Definitely sounds like it could be pregnancy. I wouldn't rule that out until you are at least a week late and still getting negatives. I'm sure your doc will run a test for that given your symptoms. Good luck!! Hope you feel better very soon!
Definitely sounds like it could be pregnancy. I wouldn't rule that out until you are at least a week late and still getting negatives. I'm sure your doc will run a test for that given your symptoms. Good luck!! Hope you feel better very soon!
Thanks guys. I am was going to try to make an appointment with the doctor, but after hubby's reaction to all this, I've been sent into a frenzy of panic attacks.
My husband is REALLY upset about my weight, admitting that he's having trouble being attracted to me because of it. This is hard enough, but I also struggle with anorexia....I have since I was a teen. It's just not something that goes away. I just learned to cover it up by eating, and that led to binge eating which led to crazy weight gain. *sigh* anyway, we talked about the aspect of diabetes, and he pulled WAY back today and has been really cold and distant to me. He won't hardly kiss or hug me, and when I asked what was wrong, he just said that he couldn't believe I might be diabetic. I am so scared now that if I am diabetic it'll be the last straw for him and he might leave me or something.
So now I can't sleep because I am so scared. I know my own husband isn't attracted to me anymore, and I can't believe that a girl of 25 could get diabetes. ugh. ugh. ugh.
My friend is helping me though. SHe's diabetic and struggled with it her whole life. SHe's going to come over tomorrow while hubby is at work and test my blood sugar. I'm in full panic attack now (I also have anxiety disorders...am I just screwed up or what?????) so I don't feel like I can leave me house, you know? I'm just terrified.
weird symptoms with recent weight loss
Here they treat some people with disdain and insinuate that every other person is a hypochondriac. Thank goodness, I have a very good doctor who takes his job and patients seriously. 
