To go to the doctor's because I've eaten too much salt and I think I'm dying

[poopcollector101]

I feel awful.

I've been doing the keto diet for 2 weeks. Part of this is that you replace your electrolytes by drinking salt water, 1tsp dissolved in water. I've done this past 2 days then yesterday for lunch I had a whole packet of pork crackling that was incredibly salty (actually made me feel a bit sick) and then ham hock salad, which was a bit salty, then I had some edamame beans with soy sauce (also salty) I didn't consider this at the time.
When I got home I had sprouts and bacon - more salt.

Then developed the worst headache I've ever experienced at about 8pm, literally feels like my brain was throbbing. Dry mouth and thirsty so I drank a ton of water.

I woke up at 5am with my head throbbing and I could barely move, husband have me a co codamol, barely touched the headache. I still feel wobbly now, my head feels so heavy and throbbing, it's like no headache I've ever had.

Should I go to the doctor this morning?

Er.. OP replacing 'salts' and electrolytes does not mean actually consuming salt/sodium in it's pure form. Electrolytes are micro salts and a blend of different specific things such as magnesium, potassium and calcium.

The point of adding extra in when doing keto is to BALANCE out what you have lost over time when you give up carbs to avoid an electrolyte imbalance which may make you feel ill.

What you're doing is daft, and the reason why improperly researched diets are a bad idea. You should have been very moderately adding in dedicated pre mixed electrolyte rehydration powders in the amount advised on the packet and nor more, of whatever you buy. Actual salt in water is literally not the same. I'm not surprised you feel sick and unwell.

Drink lots and lots of plain water OP, eat a banana for the potassium and see how you feel later. Co codamol is rubbish for headaches and makes most people sick anyway. Use a cold compress instead. Call 111 if really concerned or check your BP at home or at the chemist if that resource is available if it will ease your mind.

You won't lose any weight by trying to 'consume more electrolytes' - they by themselves are not a weight loss aid at all, just a measure to avoid an imbalance when you are starving yourself of other things, need balancing due to illness (vomiting or diarrhoea) or for sports usage to replace a loss. I repeat, adding them for no reason does nothing.

Hope you feel better OP

Oh for god sake, eat a proper, balanced diet, take a bit of exercise and stop farting about with your health!

I think this thread is a bit unkind to the op.

There are loads of threads on MN about LCHF and Keto type diets. I lost a stone by eating a balanced healthy diet with Slimming World, but many of the Slimming World discussions get hijacked by posters saying that keto is the only way to lose weight.

Why should we take advice from people on Mumsnet, yet disbelieve people on Facebook?

I lost almost 4 stone on the old-style Weight Watchers and didn't cut out carbs or, indeed, any food group, so I just find this whole insistence that keto is the ONLY thing that works really baffling. It's demonstrably untrue but I suppose slow weight loss is less potentially exciting than losing 5lb in a week while you mainline animal fats. I personally can't stand butter and full-fat dairy, it turns my stomach, and if I can't eat fruit and lentils, I also can't go to the toilet. Everyone's different, of course, but I think this demonisation of wholegrain carbs and legumes is really unhelpful when people tend not to look any further into it than what they can read on some dodgy Facebook group.

I guess that's why we started preserving things Margo. Most of the things listed can be air dried fairly easily or they just keep naturally. I don't think they were thinking about "getting enough calories" they just ate whatever they could to survive. If you've ever seen people hunting in that state you'll see it's by no means a guarantee they'll catch anything from one day to the next. It's a combination of skill, knowledge, teamwork and luck, not popping down to Waitrose for an organic chicken.

And don't forget the amount of insects we used to eat! (Apparently the evolutionary reason most of us like crispy food)

That's my point RuffleCrow. As a hunter gatherer just living on roots, seeds, nuts and berries you wouldn't be able to get enough calories on that alone and you certainly wouldn't be able to save enough to preserve them too. Eating meat was a massive part of a hunter gather's meal, which is why when they find early human remains, there are usually loads and loads of animal bones there too! Hunting & fishing was generally done by far fewer people and reaped much richer rewards than the arduous hours and hours of searching & collecting to find roots, seeds, nuts and berries. I can't remember whether it is Aborigines or another people who still hunt & gather but for one of them the term 'poverty' is also 'vegetable eater' because that is how they view people who only have access to non-meat types of food. Humans were mostly keto or very low carb until agriculture came about, which is relatively recently in our existence, so it isn't a fad to eat that way.

Hope you're ok op. I dont think this diet is suiting you.

Keto does not involve drinking salt water

Keto does not involve drinking salt water

Neither does a good all round healthy diet.

Not sure why we'd want to go back to eating like hunter gatherer societies. What was the life expectancy of those people?

Some of you are being really harsh here.

It's ok for the skinny people to shout about dieting imagine being in someone who's struggling to loose weights shoes! You do not know what this lady is going through.

I hope you are well OP, so sorry you are going through this.

Not sure why we'd want to go back to eating like hunter gatherer societies. What was the life expectancy of those people?

Total non sequitur. What was the NHS like in those days?

The very low carb/keto diet suits me. I've been aware since mid teens, a long time before keto was a thing, that I just don't get on with carbs, especially the starchy ones. I don't take any extra supplements (or drink salt water - ughh), I don't have problems going to the loo (lots of leafy green veg), I have much more energy than when eating carbs, and I'm a size 8. (And blood tests recently for something unrelated showed cholesterol well within the normal range and kidney function normal too.)

It has to be down to personal metabolism and physiology, plus some sensible rules about processed food. Just as I can't cope with carbs, some people can't cope without (my sis).

I'm doing keto and I'm definitely feeling the benefits but extremely careful to get all nutrients from whole food only. And I do drink a sachet of diarolyte some days. I think first few weeks are a bit rough as your body adapts to getting energy from fat but I would probably only take advice from legitimate sources and even then see how you feel. Low carb might be better than strictly no carb for you. I hope you feel better soon

When I suffered from a spate of sore throats I was advised to gargle salt water, I tried several times but would gag as soon as the salt water was in my mouth. How the hell can anyone drink it without throwing up?

Hope you’re better OP.

Glad you found something that worked for you Sd183 and that WW worked for you CheckingOutTheQuantocks and that Slimming world worked for you raisinsareeverywhere. Losing weight is hard for most of us! It is great to see people succeed.

Sadly, over decades I have found that lowering calories - lowering fat - joining online or live slimming groups made me a little fatter every year. ( I'm good at losing for about 3 months on these plans but then relapse and reverse and feel bad.)

Luckily, HFLC (high fat low carb) eating fits into my life really well and it makes me feel really well. I've lost my craving for sweet foods and enjoy food like a slim person. The low carbers on here have been a great support (especially BIWI). I never had carb flu and didn't need any special treatment to avoid it.

I eat lots of veg (low carb not no carb) and drink lots of (unsalted) water. I don't go for much processed stuff. Weight loss is not fast after the first few weeks, but in a year I'm down 42lb and have no desire to eat differently.

Isn't it great to have a choice of approach?

OP I hope you are feeling better soon and that you get some better advice on your diet.

It looks as if facebook isn't the right expert in this case.

I haven't rtft because I cannot be arsed with discussions about different diets; however, fwiw, you won't die off what you have eaten unless you have heart problems (and even then you'd know).

From what I recall, it takes about 2kg of salt to kill an adult human male, so women cannot be too far off, but I doubt you've eaten nearly that much. And sodium, while dehydrating you, affects your heart more than anything (of course, your other muscles would hurt, too).

The headaches you experience are from a shrinking of your brain caused by dehydration; once you have equalised your water levels again (little and often rather than too much in one go) you'll be fine again.

Is anyone wondering if OP is all right having seen the doc?

hi!

I saw the doctor. He checked pulse, blood pressure, the thing where they put a little gizmo on your finger, all fine. Only thing that was off was my temp which was high. He thinks I may be coming down with a virus and says the migraine is caused by my change in diet. He's advised strong painkillers, lots of carbs and sugar tonight and see how I go tomorrow.

I still feel dreadful, but I did feel better for a lay down in a dark room. Drinking lots and peeing lots and pee looks a normal colour also.

Did you tell him about your diet? You should have done; it’s very relevant. What did he say?

Phew. Glad you’re ok. Please stop getting diet advice from Facebook-at least get a decent book on it.

@HeadintheiClouds Yes, he had heard of it and said that lowering carbs is never a bad idea, however he did say drinking the salt water was ridiculous although almost definitely not enough to cause damage.

I'm sitting here drinking full fat coke and eating macaroons.

glad you're feeling better OP

enjoy the macaroons!