Hi everyone - I recently de-lurked after months of stealing your yummy recipes and valuable advice. I'm having some issues and I was curious to see if it was normal. I have a friend who is also on the diet several weeks ahead of me, and while she did say she had a "blah" feeling week, mine has gone on a bit longer. I'm 6 or 7 weeks in now and for the past two weeks I've been having terrible headaches, along with some nausea, dizziness, and constipation that won't quit. I noticed that these symptoms started when I added the rotini in for my lunch (I make a delish pasta salad with it) - so could it possibly be too many carbs for me to handle? Or is it just coincidence?
I'd appreciate any advice you guys can dish out. I've recently decided to start using alternatives (just placed my first ProtiDiet order!) so I'm hoping mixing things up will help, and it's not just my body telling me to get off the diet. Talking to my coach is useless, hence, another reason to go the alternatives route. Thanks!
Hi everyone - I recently de-lurked after months of stealing your yummy recipes and valuable advice. I'm having some issues and I was curious to see if it was normal. I have a friend who is also on the diet several weeks ahead of me, and while she did say she had a "blah" feeling week, mine has gone on a bit longer. I'm 6 or 7 weeks in now and for the past two weeks I've been having terrible headaches, along with some nausea, dizziness, and constipation that won't quit. I noticed that these symptoms started when I added the rotini in for my lunch (I make a delish pasta salad with it) - so could it possibly be too many carbs for me to handle? Or is it just coincidence?
I'd appreciate any advice you guys can dish out. I've recently decided to start using alternatives (just placed my first ProtiDiet order!) so I'm hoping mixing things up will help, and it's not just my body telling me to get off the diet. Talking to my coach is useless, hence, another reason to go the alternatives route. Thanks!
Funny, I had wicked headaches last week (week 6). At first I thought I needed to up my salt intake but that didn't work and then I thought I was drinking too much water. I know that I wasn't drinking too little water because I am a water fiend. I never did figure it out but I had to take advil a few times last week because nothing else was working. The headaches seemed to come on in the late afternoon/evening. This week seems to be better for me. I did have rotini last week but I didn't notice a correlation (i.e. my headaches weren't always on my rotini days).
nat1015 - that IS weird! Maybe it's just a week 6 thing, then? I'm also a water fiend (it's all I drank even before getting on IP), and the salt hasn't done a lick of good. Mine are pretty constant - I've been taking ibuprofen regularly which does help, but as soon as it wears off, I feel it.
Hi, I'm wondering if you are getting a low blood sugar headache? Are there any other symptoms? How many calories, net carbs are you having? Any change in activity level? How many hours after eating do you get the headache? It's possible to have low or lowish blood sugar at any point on IP, not just while initially transitioning into ketosis.
Just a thought. Hope you figure it out and feel better soon!
Wow, just read IPcali's comment. Hope it isn't the sucralose. Though I think there are some sucralose free IP foods.
Since it happened after the rotini.... maybe you are reacting to the gluten in the rotini.
And since you have a few symptoms it may be the constipation/dehydration viscous cycle.... the constipation causing a back up of toxins and a dehydration situation....
Thanks everyone for your replies! The headaches start within 10-20 minutes of having my first IP meal of the day (Peanut Butter Bar), get worse while I'm eating lunch (Rotini w/veggies & homemade sesame ginger dressing) and increase as I head into dinner. Around dinner, things improve - but that's also when I take more ibuprofen, so that's probably doing the improving... I also have a RTD strawberry-banana smoothie after dinner as a snack with no headache issues so far.
No change in activity level, I actually stopped exercising (light weights & toning) when the headaches started as I thought the exercise might contribute.
Dehydration is a BIG issue for me, because I have chronic kidney stones - so I try to drink between 64-100oz of water a day. But I think definitely dehydration (because of the "big C") could be contributing to this. My coach told me to sub 250mg of Magnesium for the Cal-Mag until things improve... but things aren't really improving.
I do have a problem tolerating sweetners (allergic to aspertame) and thought the sucralose would make this diet a no-go for me, but after 2 days of headaches at the start of the diet, I haven't had any issues until recently. I do know that I can't have stevia - I bought some stevia in the raw to sweeten some of my homemade salad dressings and it immediately made me sick.
I don't believe I have any issues with gluten - I was tested at the beginning of the year for allergies (I have a 68 page report of all the things I'm allergic too... basically I should live in a bubble), but I do have IBS-C, and my allergist said although I'm not allergic to gluten or have celiac, I should monitor it because some people can be "sensitive" yet not test positive. But it's been SO long since I've had any kind of pasta before the rotini, I couldn't help but see some kind of correlation?
Other than the headaches, I've felt amazing on this diet. My allergist and dermatologist have tried to get me on an extreme elimination diet for awhile because of all my allergies, and being on IP I've had one dermatitis condition almost completely clear up and it's now easy for me to spot reactions to food and products.
I'm also going to be starting an alternative product plan and since there's no comparable product to the rotini (the fusili at Nashua Nutrition has been discontinued - boooooo!) I'm going to go back to soups for lunch - so maybe that will stop the headaches?
Last edited by darthkitten; 08-08-2014 at 08:56 AM.
Hi darthkitten: I am GFree (never tested positive for celiac but I had also been eating gluten free for a long time before the tests - so I know they aren't accurate in that case) and there are a lot of IP foods that I can eat but also a lot that are no-nos. The RTD's are GF, Rotini is of course NOT, and the peanut butter bars are NOT. Although technically you tested negative for celiac, you may be better off going gluten free on IP... I posted a list of Canadian GF IP products a while ago for someone else but you should be able to phone your coach or clinic and get them to email you a list. I think you may find it enlightening. Symptoms of gluten intolerance can manifest themselves in many ways, I get asthma, skin rashes, joint pain that lasts for days, and GI tract issues.
I will look for the comment & see if I can find it again without having to type it up again here.
Liana
GF IP soups are as follows:
Mushroom, Leek, Chicken Soup, Broccoli & Cheese - hope that helps...
Last edited by canadjineh; 08-08-2014 at 12:50 PM.
Reason: re: soups that are GF
Hi everyone - I recently de-lurked after months of stealing your yummy recipes and valuable advice. I'm having some issues and I was curious to see if it was normal. I have a friend who is also on the diet several weeks ahead of me, and while she did say she had a "blah" feeling week, mine has gone on a bit longer. I'm 6 or 7 weeks in now and for the past two weeks I've been having terrible headaches, along with some nausea, dizziness, and constipation that won't quit. I noticed that these symptoms started when I added the rotini in for my lunch (I make a delish pasta salad with it) - so could it possibly be too many carbs for me to handle? Or is it just coincidence?
I'd appreciate any advice you guys can dish out. I've recently decided to start using alternatives (just placed my first ProtiDiet order!) so I'm hoping mixing things up will help, and it's not just my body telling me to get off the diet. Talking to my coach is useless, hence, another reason to go the alternatives route. Thanks!
Out of curiosity, is your coach at a chiropractors office in Boston?
Here you go, Darthkitten: It's on the 'Any July Starters' thread.
I am GF and did IP (in maint. now) The latest sheet for GF is as follows, sorry I don't have a way to scan & post, but will list here as of June 2014 in Canada:
Supplements: Ideal Salt This means you will need to buy your vitamins separately from a health/drug store as they cannot guarantee no gluten in the IP vitamins.
You might want to copy & paste into a document for yourself. These are labelled GF, other items may be technically gluten free but may be contaminated by gluten in manufacturing. I also added alternatives like Brown Rice protein smoothies (Prairie Naturals) and GF Soy free vegan VEGA Protein Smoothie powders, and Garden of Life RAW protein powder from pea, seeds, algae - Cacao flavour These are all at least 15g protein, near 0 fats & <4 net carbs.
canadjineh - thanks so much, great research! I've been through the whole "remove and test" rigamarole before because of my allergies, so I'll swap some things out, make careful notes in my diary, and see if there's an improvement.
Wahoofan - nope, I live in a very small town in Metrowest, about 20 miles from the city. My "clinic" is one guy in an office. He's perfectly nice, but because he's a guy I just don't feel comfortable sharing every single little thing with him, AND I always feel my visits are quite rushed. It's my fault, really, I'm so gung-ho he thinks all is fine and I'm doing well independently, but what he doesn't realize is it's because I've learned so much from both this forum and my friend who is on the diet (who has an amazing coach).
BTW, Wahoofan - since you're in MA, do you know of any nutrition stores around these parts that sell ProtiDiet products? I know in an old thread about alternates someone from MA had posted that she went to a shop that carried it - but I've been googling and can't find anything. Any help is appreciated! I'd love to buy local instead of online.
canadjineh - thanks so much, great research! I've been through the whole "remove and test" rigamarole before because of my allergies, so I'll swap some things out, make careful notes in my diary, and see if there's an improvement.
Wahoofan - nope, I live in a very small town in Metrowest, about 20 miles from the city. My "clinic" is one guy in an office. He's perfectly nice, but because he's a guy I just don't feel comfortable sharing every single little thing with him, AND I always feel my visits are quite rushed. It's my fault, really, I'm so gung-ho he thinks all is fine and I'm doing well independently, but what he doesn't realize is it's because I've learned so much from both this forum and my friend who is on the diet (who has an amazing coach).
BTW, Wahoofan - since you're in MA, do you know of any nutrition stores around these parts that sell ProtiDiet products? I know in an old thread about alternates someone from MA had posted that she went to a shop that carried it - but I've been googling and can't find anything. Any help is appreciated! I'd love to buy local instead of online.
My clinic experience was similar, I was wondering if it might have been the same one. They were basically food suppliers. They couldn't get me the videos and didn't have any info I wasn't getting here or already knew. I stopped going after two months.
I haven't seen ProtiDiet in stores here. I order almost everything from Nashua Nutrition. Even with the free shipping I usually have the order the next day. Walgreens has Kay's Naturals chips and cookies, but that is all I don't order online. I've tried the shakes and bars most people are buying in stores and I don't like them as much as the products I buy from Nashua. They do have an actual store. You could plan a day of shopping up there to check it out. I've heard they will let you sample things before buying there. I've never made it up
there though.
Try cutting soy protein & see if that helps your headaches.
It is a major culprit, as is the Sucralose.
As far as gluten, if you have IBS, it is usually a contributor, even for people who don't test positive. The tests just aren't sensitive enough and usually only catch people in full-blown celiac disease.
For some of us, the processed foods on this plan are really tough!
I use whey protein and limit Sucralose.
Wahoofan - yeah, my coach couldn't get me videos for the first month I was on the program, either. Thankfully my friend shared her login so I could get in and view them. I should take a day trip up to Nashua, that's a good idea! I'll check out Walgreens, too. I'm a big fan of bars and I've bought a bunch that were recommended on the alt thread. I'm not a shake girl at all though, except for the banana-strawberry IP RTD (which I'll really miss!) so I'm nervous about this alternate journey...
lisa32989 - all the processed food on IP is killing me a little, I think. I was 95% on whole foods before I started this diet (I'd buy things like organic mayo and whole wheat bread crumbs but otherwise make everything else) and it's been a rough transition to stuff so overly processed again. I already have issues with tomato, citrus, pineapple and coconut so reading labels is second nature now. I'll try backing off on some of the gluten & soy protein and see if there's an improvement. I know some of the new bars I bought are both gluten & soy free.
Ok...great advice so far. I'm a chronic migraine sufferer (luckily my headaches have diminished on IP...Mostly just TOM ones now or weather) but I wanted to mention that Ibuprofen is a MAJOR culprit of rebound headaches (for me, one day of ibuprofen will trigger several consecutive days). Not that this caused thr headaches in the first place. You may want to switch to Tylenol for a day to help. I also can successfully stave off an approaching migraine with Excedrine Migraine (acetamenaphine, caffeine, aspirin)...but of course shouldn't use daily. GL!!!
Bad headaches 6-7 weeks in? Normal?
