Feeling light headed and tired - UPDATE have Afib

A primer for newbies and old pros alike.
Post Reply
GadgetGal
Contributor
Contributor
Posts: 10
Joined: Thu May 03, 2018 8:13 pm

Feeling light headed and tired - UPDATE have Afib

Post by GadgetGal »

I have been on the keto diet for 3.5 months. I am struggling with the exhaustion I feel physically and mentally midafternoon. I am an early riser (5:00-5:30am). I tend to eat my first meal around 11:00. Around 1:00 or so I get really tired. I am drinking lots of water and taking Magnesium, Potassium and Sodium supplements thru out the day. I have noticed that when I look to the extreme right or left with just my eyes I feel like my eyes are strained and later in the day/evening I often hear a subtle noise inside my head like my eyes are straining. It tends to get worse as the night goes on.

I went to neurologist at UCLA (where Bredesen did his initial research and where they have KetoGenic center for epilepsy in Pediatrics) last Friday in hopes of finding a practitioner to guide me in my keto journey. She is skeptical of keto said it could be dangerous for me because of my APOe3 status. (I should not have been surprised.) I told her about the sensation with my eyes and she said it was most likely because I was/am dehydrated. Since then I have been drinking even more thruout the day to no avail.

I have not been sleeping well until last couple days after I doubled my melatonin to 10mg after the neurologist made that suggestion. I know I have asleep deficit that contributes to my exhasution.

In the mornings I feel energetic and productive and do not notice thing with my eyes.

Anyone have this issue?

P.S. Made appt yesterday with Integrative medicine clinic from Bredesen's site but it is 3 weeks from now.
User avatar
Julie G
Mod
Mod
Posts: 9187
Joined: Sat Oct 26, 2013 6:36 pm

Re: Feeling light headed and tired

Post by Julie G »

GadgetGal, are you attributing these symptoms to your diet? Nothing else has changed? If so, have you considered returning to your previous diet? I would never continue with an approach that made me feel worse. You're wise to focus on hydration. That was my first thought. Out of curiosity, are you concurrently fasting and exercising? Also, given the eye strain, I'm wondering about your vitamin A intake? Many caucasians have SNPs that don't allow us to efficiently convert beta-carotene into retinol (vitamin A.) Some animal sources, like cod liver oil or grass fed beef liver can help.

FWIW, I tend to have the same pattern you describe; more energy in the morning that fades as the day progresses. I try to get most of my work done as early as possible to best harness my limited power. I attribute it to a mitochondrial deficiency that has improved significantly with my ketogenic lifestyle. Lifestyle (as opposed to diet) because I combine diet + fasting + exercise = ketones.

I hope you get to the bottom of your symptoms. Please let us know what your new doc recommends.

EDIT: I just read previous posts and notice that your carb intake is really low; 5%? And, your protein intake is quite high at 25%? That high protein may be preventing you from getting into ketosis and the super low carbs aren't providing adequate glucose leaving you in "no man's land." You may want to cut your protein back to 0.8-1.0 gram per kg of weight and make up the difference with more veggies. Your new macros would look more like: fat-70%, protein-15%, carbs-15%.
GadgetGal
Contributor
Contributor
Posts: 10
Joined: Thu May 03, 2018 8:13 pm

Re: Feeling light headed and tired

Post by GadgetGal »

Julie - thank you for your response. I felt better earlier on and was in mild ketosis. I don't test much any more but when I did yesterday it was low 0.4. It was morning and I thought I was in ketosis, albeit mild. Highest I have recorded is 2 and most of time it is approaching 1. I have not felt the keto high lately since I started noticing the eye issue. I experienced keto flu in the beginning for quite awhile then it got better but never went away completely. I have felt more stressed but attribute some of that to being tired due to poor sleep and the heat.

I spin three times a week in the early am and walk the dog on other days in early evening. I feel better after exercising.

I have been eating more carbs in the last several weeks as I have an abundance of tomatoes and blueberries in my garden and have relaxed the very strict 5% I started with. In looking at my macros over last several weeks my carbs are about 10% and protein about 20%. I will try 15/15/70. I eat lots of green veggies raw and cooked. I will cut back on protein. I get hungry and light headed at times but have had low blood pressure most of life and so light headedness is not that unusual for me but I am experiencing is more recently.

Will start on bioidentical hormones shortly and hope that further improves my sleep.

I am looking forward to a medical professional who can guide me on this journey. I really want to experience more of the keto high and hunger satiation thruout the day. I will report back after I see the new doc.
NF52
Support Team
Support Team
Posts: 2772
Joined: Tue Oct 25, 2016 9:41 am
Location: Eastern U.S.

Re: Feeling light headed and tired

Post by NF52 »

GadgetGal wrote: I have noticed that when I look to the extreme right or left with just my eyes I feel like my eyes are strained and later in the day/evening I often hear a subtle noise inside my head like my eyes are straining. It tends to get worse as the night goes on.
Hi GadgetGal,
I am going to offer a suggestion about your peripheral vision eye strain: make an appointment with an ophthalmologist soon--explain to the receptionist that you are having new peripheral vision pain. Having experienced what is called a posterior vitreous detachment (aka PVD) in my left eye that came on suddenly, with flashing lights (like lightning bolts in the ceiling of a dark room) in the periphery of vision in the left eye was a sign that things going on in your peripheral vision can be important! I found out that it also can be the first signal of a soon-to-be-detached retina. Luckily in my case it wasn't, only the fairly common result of high myopia in someone over the age of 60. But because of the risk, I was carefully followed one week later and then one month later, and warned to be ready for the other eye to similarly act up at some unforeseen time.

I doubt what you are experiencing is a PVD. My point is that I had NEVER heard of this, or been warned of it, and yet was clearly serious enough that I was seen on a Monday after calling on a Friday afternoon. So please safeguard your vision. Maybe you only have "computer vision syndrome", which is also a thing, caused by eye strain from spending hours focusing on screens. Maybe it is dehydration. But the cost/benefit ratio of not finding out for sure argues against ignoring it.

And that noise--that sounds like tinnitus, which I developed at age 55, although I think I always had a very low level of occasional background noise. Again, a good audiologist can help with diagnosing that, and may suggest things like reducing caffeine. Mine is worse at night, but I suspect that's only because it's more obvious when the house is quiet.

And I hope you follow Julie G's advice and try going back to your old diet!) Don't let pursuit of a number become an end in itself that makes you ignore warning bells going off.

Please keep us posted.
4/4 and still an optimist!
GadgetGal
Contributor
Contributor
Posts: 10
Joined: Thu May 03, 2018 8:13 pm

Re: Feeling light headed and tired

Post by GadgetGal »

Wow! Thank you NF52. I will call an ophthalmologist tomorrow. Certainly want to rule out any serious eye problems!
GadgetGal
Contributor
Contributor
Posts: 10
Joined: Thu May 03, 2018 8:13 pm

Re: Feeling light headed and tired - UPDATE have Afib

Post by GadgetGal »

After feeling horrible all week - tired, brain fog, mild headache, weird eye thing... I had a prolonged period of what I now know is AFib last night that sent me to ER. (I was actually really pi**ed that I could not fall asleep after over 2 hours of palpitations. Realizing I wouldn't be able to fall asleep with thudding heart finally drove me to ER. Lesson - listen to my body!!!!) Have had palpitations couple times a year but for only a few minutes. Never sought help; read is was typical in menopause.

Got in to see a Cardiologist this am. Have ECHO, stress and heart monitor scheduled over next several weeks. Cardiologist wants more data before he prescribes treatment. For time being not going on diltiazem (Cardizem) due to my low BP and tendency to get a bit light headed when stand up rapidly since those class of drugs can further lower BP.

Was thinking when heard I could have had a blood clot and stroke out that wouldn't that be ironic as I am trying to decrease risk of dementia via Bredensen protocol. Luckily I take a baby aspirin and that may have helped.

Questions after reading this site -

1) Saw post re Wayfarin for AFib and impact on dementia. Still have some brain fog so can someone give me pros and cons? Want to be knowledgable when do follow up with cardiologist.

2) Finally asked Gynecologist to prescribe bioidentical hormones. Had a breast cancer scare 28 yrs ago so have never taken any hormones for menopause symptoms (I am 62 and started menopause late). But after reading more on this blog and in Bredensen's book decided I would rather have a brain than boobs if it comes down to it! So...what is this about BHRT and AFib? Seems to be controversy based on different studies. Can someone guide me thru pros and cons?

3) I was fascinated by Dr. John M link re obsessive health nuts and AFib. http://www.drjohnm.org/2011/09/an-iron-response/ I am a type A personality as are my siblings. I spread my obsessiveness around to biohacking, researching everything, controlling my diet, and overachieving in my career. Plus I love the adrenaline rush of aerobic activities (currently a spin lover) but do not consider myself obsessed like my 60 yo triathelete/marathon brother. So what is the upshot of obsessive exercising and such to AFib? I am realizing I have to dial back things when don't feel well, like this week. Hard to do when things were already scheduled plus I work with the homeless whose problems loom much larger than mine...but have to remember to put my oxygen mask on first then help others. I have loosened my carb and protein intake and try to adapt to how I feel. Not in ketosis or just barely but need to work on these health issues first.

This forum is a wealth of info and my go to place for info on these topics. Thank you to all of you!!
User avatar
slacker
Contributor
Contributor
Posts: 2127
Joined: Wed Aug 03, 2016 6:20 pm
Location: Kentucky

Re: Feeling light headed and tired - UPDATE have Afib

Post by slacker »

GadgetGal wrote:After feeling horrible all week - tired, brain fog, mild headache, weird eye thing... I had a prolonged period of what I now know is AFib last night that sent me to ER.
hey Gadget, you may have already found this recent thread on a fib. You can find other posts on afib by using the search function: magnifying glass right upper corner of website. I found more hits using "afib" versus "fib".

Updating your subject was smart; it will attract more members who know something about the condition.
Slacker
E4/E4
GadgetGal
Contributor
Contributor
Posts: 10
Joined: Thu May 03, 2018 8:13 pm

Re: Feeling light headed and tired

Post by GadgetGal »

Slacker - Thank you for pointing me to 2014 posts! Fascinating! This site is the best source of good balanced info.
User avatar
Julie G
Mod
Mod
Posts: 9187
Joined: Sat Oct 26, 2013 6:36 pm

Re: Feeling light headed and tired - UPDATE have Afib

Post by Julie G »

(((GadgetGal))) So glad you got to the bottom of things. TinCup has been exemplary in controlling his Afib. He may have some words of wisdom...
Post Reply