Losing steadily again but ohhhh so tired...

[n0matter]

Well, my stall ended Thursday of last week and I've since lost 3 more pounds. Now the problem seems to be a constant feeling of exhaustion and I'm not sure what to attribute it to. My exercise still just consists of mostly walking and I'm eating plenty of veggies and a good carb to protein to fat balance, I'm not losing muscle and I'm getting about 7-8 hours of sleep/night. I'll tell you one thing--when I wasn't on the diet, I would occassionally wake up in the middle of the night to use the restroom and I'd feel pretty aware and awake during these trips. NOW when I wake up in the middle of the night, I feel like I've just come out of a coma. Perception, proper thought, sense of direction, etc. is all completely skewed. And waking up seems to take twice the effort. I do take a blood pressure medication but the time I started taking this does not coincide with the drowsiness where the diet does. What could be wrong with me?

[not2late]

Re: Losing steadily again but ohhhh so tired...

If you're on blood pressure medication, you should see your doctor to see if you need them adjusted.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hig...essure/HI00024

Weight loss can have a powerful effect on blood pressure, reducing it by as much as 20 points.

http://win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/for_life.htm

A weight loss of 5 to 15 percent of body weight may improve your health and quality of life, and prevent these health problems. For a person who weighs 200 pounds, that means losing 10 to 30 pounds

[Desertthorn]

Re: Losing steadily again but ohhhh so tired...

How long has this been going on?

[ErinRachel1021]

Re: Losing steadily again but ohhhh so tired...

Such a stud, sweetie. I'm going to have you post my stuff from now on.

[n0matter]

Re: Losing steadily again but ohhhh so tired...

How long has this been going on?

Well, I was tired for the first few days(as it seems most people are), fine for the second two weeks and then since my stall ended, tired all over again. It could be that I'm not getting enough sleep but, honestly, the only time I really feel like sleeping in is on weekdays. And even then it rarely seems that I sleep in when I have the chance.

[GitRdone]

Re: Losing steadily again but ohhhh so tired...

That's very curious...a few years ago before my last child, I was on Atkins for about 4 months and I did lose weight but I too was sooo tired. I finally quit Atkins and ended up pregnant (not a documented side effect of Atkins...lol I started back on Atkins January of this year and made sure I take my vitamins, calcium, vit B complex and acidopholus and I have had so much more energy...I am actually running circles around my kids who usually make me tired just watching them Anyways, I can empathize with you...I am not sure what I am doing differently this time, but I was really worried when I started Atkins this last time that I was going to be tired, but I'm not...hopefully you will find something that will help with your fatigue.

[Kent]

Re: Losing steadily again but ohhhh so tired...

Could it be that you are finally getting some real sleep? I know BA (Before Atkins) I was a lighter sleeper and could bounce out of bed. I now sleep much deeper than before, but the sleep is actually much more refreshing. How do you feel in the morning when you get out of bed?

[2big4mysize]

Re: Losing steadily again but ohhhh so tired...

check with your doc about your blood pressure meds. if you are tsaking a diuretic and you've got the natural diuretic effect ofthe Atkins plan yo could be flushing too much of your watersoluble vits and minerals down the toilet making you feel tired all the time. you are taking your vits and supplements right? Dr Atkins said if you were tired and not a medical reason you needed to eat more food.

[ErinRachel1021]

Re: Losing steadily again but ohhhh so tired...

2big, he's not on hydrochlorothiazide (the diuretic bp med). They tried that one first and he had a bad reaction. Last we checked his BP was still borderline hypertension, I wouldn't advocate stepping down the meds just yet. I would say he's tired because of not exercising

[n0matter]

Re: Losing steadily again but ohhhh so tired...

When I wake up I feel like I want to go back to sleep. Things began to seem very surreal after I started this diet and I'm not sure whether it's gotten better or that I've just gotten used to it. Hydrochlorothiazide was the med that I was originally prescribed but I stopped taking it after some dry skin/rash type problems. I've since been put on Lisinopril which doesn't have nearly as much of a diuretic effect as the hydro. Perhaps I AM getting more sleep but I would think that would be reflected on my mood and energy levels the next day, no? I'm taking all of the proper supplements and eating lots of vitamin-fortified foods. I'm an enigma.

[not2late]

Re: Losing steadily again but ohhhh so tired...

Lisinopril side effects:
http://www.drugs.com/lisinopril.html

If you experience any of the following serious side effects, stop taking lisinopril and call your doctor immediately or seek emergency medical treatment: ·an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of your throat; swelling of your lips, tongue, or face; or hives); ·difficulty breathing; ·little or no urine; ·an irregular heartbeat or changes in your heartbeat; ·chest pain; ·severe dizziness or fainting; or ·signs of an infection including a sore throat or a fever.
Other, less serious side effects may be more likely to occur. Continue to take lisinopril and talk to your doctor if you experience
·mild dizziness or lightheadedness;
·headache;
·unusual fatigue or weakness;
·dry, tickling cough;
·muscle cramps;
·numbness or tingling in the hands, feet, arms, or legs;
·nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea;
·a rash; or
·impotence.
Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.

Also, if you are taking supplements and eating "vitamin fortified" foods, you might want to consider this from the same website:

Before taking lisinopril, tell your doctor if you ·have kidney disease; ·are on a salt-restricted diet or have high levels of potassium in your blood; ·are taking salt substitutes, potassium supplements (e.g., K-Dur, Klor-Con), or potassium-sparing diuretics such as amiloride (Midamor), triamterene (Dyrenium, Dyazide, Maxzide), or spironolactone (Aldactone); or ·have diabetes.

See your doctor. This could be a problem with your medication and you need to see your doctor to have it adjusted.

[n0matter]

Re: Losing steadily again but ohhhh so tired...

I'm due to see him in a week or two but he advocated the diet 100% in conjunction with the BP meds and knowing what supplements I was taking. It's a tough call if not taking them means high blood pressure and taking them means constant fatigue.

[not2late]

Re: Losing steadily again but ohhhh so tired...

Lisinopril isn't the only blood pressure medication. Tell your doctor about the symptoms and let him do the adjusting.

More about the ACE inhibitors (Lisinopril is one of them)
http://www.medicinenet.com/ace_inhibitors/article.htm

What are the side effects of ACE inhibitors?

ACE inhibitors are relatively well-tolerated by most individuals. Nevertheless, they are not free of side effects, and some patients should not use ACE inhibitors. ACE inhibitors usually are not prescribed for pregnant patients because they may cause birth defects. Individuals with severe kidney problems and people who have had a severe reaction to ACE inhibitors probably should avoid them. The most common side effects are cough, elevated blood potassium levels, low blood pressure, dizziness, headache, drowsiness, weakness, abnormal taste (metallic or salty taste), and rash. It may take up to a month for coughing to subside, and if one ACE inhibitor causes cough it is likely that the others will too. The most serious, but rare, side effects of ACE inhibitors are kidney failure, allergic reactions, a decrease in white blood cells, and swelling of tissues (angioedema).

With which drugs do ACE inhibitors interact?

ACE inhibitors have few interactions with other drugs. Since ACE inhibitors may increase blood levels of potassium, the use of potassium supplements, salt substitutes (which often contain potassium), or other drugs that increase the body's potassium may result in excessive blood potassium levels. ACE inhibitors also may increase the blood concentration of lithium (Eskalith) and lead to an increase in side effects from lithium. There have been reports that aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) such as ibuprofen, indomethacin, and naproxen may reduce the effects of ACE inhibitors; however, there is no conclusive evidence that this interaction, if it exists, is important.

High potassium is also called 'hyperkalemia'. Here's some info about that:
http://www.medicinenet.com/hyperkalemia/page2.htm

What are the symptoms of hyperkalemia?

Hyperkalemia can be asymptomatic, meaning that it causes no symptoms. Sometimes, patients with hyperkalemia report vague symptoms including nausea, fatigue, muscle weakness, or tingling sensations. More serious symptoms of hyperkalemia include slow heartbeat and weak pulse. Severe hyperkalemia can result in fatal cardiac standstill (heart stoppage). Generally, a slowly rising potassium level (such as with chronic kidney failure) is better tolerated than an abrupt rise in potassium levels

You can call your doctor and tell him of your tiredness, instead of waiting for the office visit.