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?

Drinking salt water because a random on facebook said it was fine, is absolutely batshit.
Honestly, if you want to diet, ask a qualified person.
People making themselves ill because they want to lose a couple of lbs quickly, the mind boggles.

Have you got any Ketostix you could pee on? Might give you some idea of where you’re at on the spectrum.
But yeah: just stop this. It’s madness.

If you're dehydrated your urine will be dark. If it's completely clear then you've probably had too much water. I think you should seek medical advice. A&E will probably be the quickest and best.

How is the GP going to determine if the OP has ingested too much salt? In order to identify if the OP has a significant electrolyte imbalance that is causing her harm, she'll have to go to minor injuries or A&E where they can do blood tests and put her on heart monitors.

Walk, walk, walk.
Drink, drink, drink.

Move your body and drink a tonne of water. Eat a banana or two.

Sorry OP but you probably lost weight out of sheer dehydration. Stop seeking medical and diet advice from unqualified strangers online.

Also, I'd get my blood pressure checked, for sure.

In the OPs defence, I am also a member of that Facebook page and there is a lot of hype on there about how replacing electrolytes is ESSENTIAL. I did the same thing as you OP and downed a glass of salty water but it made me feel very unwell so I haven’t done it since, and have concluded that they are talking crap. It makes sense to have to replace the vitamins and minerals you are losing by not eating carbs and sugar, but a good quality supplement and magnesium tablet is probably a safer option.

You might want to get your blood pressure checked too - too much salt/sodium is very bad for it. (And a bad headache can be a symptom of hypertension, though often there are no symptoms at all)
Since I've discovered I have high bp and I'm trying to lose weight, I'm surprised at how many supposedly healthy foods, including low-calorie and many vegan foods have very high levels of salt, if you're adding even more salt, you may well be approaching harmful levels.

Ham hock, pork crackling, bacon... is this the Meat Marketing Board's Pork Yourself Perfect diet?!

Sorry, OP but this made me laugh. Mumsnetters are witty

I would rest and take it easy and then review how you feel - drinking salt water is plainly a bad mistake, but healthy bodies usually cope very well, if allowed to recover. If you continue to feel ill then ring the NHS helpline for advice - and stick to a healthy balanced diet in future.

Can I just be horribly judgy and add, stop with the pork. All those nitrates and salt = bad diet. You'll retain water with the way you're eating, which will make you think it's 'weight' and mess with your head.
Bacon, ham hock, crackling... sounds like you're on the All Hog diet.
Remove all of that from your diet, eat your edamame plain. You'll feel a lot better, promise.

Ham hock, pork crackling, bacon... is this the Meat Marketing Board's Pork Yourself Perfect diet?! Sorry, OP but this made me laugh.

Me too!

*At the end of my first week on keto I had a "carb flu" which included a headache so bad it made me vomit.
Now I find I get a sort of hangover feeling if I eat bread.

Keto can be healthy if you plan sensibly.*

Sounds reaaaaally healthy @Abstractedobstructed

Pork scratchings are carbs though?

Would a dyorolite (sp) not do the same thing but safer ?

I have Addison’s disease and a lot of people on the forum I’m on have tried the keto diet to try and lose the weight we tend to put on with our steroids and all have ended up very poorly on it. It’s not a balanced diet, it’s full of nitrates and salt. You’d be better just eating a shit load of salted popcorn and drinking water! I think all these extreme diets are so dangerous, whatever happened to just eating a wide and varied balanced diet but less of it? (And I say that as someone who is currently trying to lose weight by doing just this)!

Yes Margo I really do think it is possible that OP could be more ill than she realises. That is why I have suggested a walk in or A+E, not a GP or 111.

The symptoms of too much water are almost identical to those of dehydration and can have serious consequences. Especially if you think you are dehydrated and drink more and more water! There was a spate of deaths back in the 90s/naughties due to hyponatremia after recreational drug use. It is not a thing to be dismissed.

Only OP will know how much she has had to drink, she said "a ton of water" - that worries me. Happily the treatment is simple, but you have to kow you are are rtaher than under hydrated to make a sensible treatment choice.

sheshootssheimplores Wed 14-Aug-19 11:06:11
I’m just praying that not everyone who does keto is filling themselves full of processed pork with all the associated cancerous nasties. Fucking scary.

I fecking hate stupid diets. Usually you find with most of these fad diets there are healthy and less healthy ways of doing them. Back when folk were all doing the Atkins Diet (so they could have a teeny tiny body and giant lollipop head like Jennifer Aniston at the time) there was the healthy way of doing Atkins (lean meat, lots of vege) and then where I am: the "Scottish" Atkins, which seemed to be basically eating entire roast chickens, and disgusting salty processed hot dogs straight from the tin. Then saving up all your carb allowance for wine at the weekends. Honestly, I had a few friends doing it and this was what they did. They lost weight, but what on earth else are you doing to your body? It's just stupid.

People are religious about Keto at the moment and won't hear a word said against it. But eventually it will be replaced by some other nonsense diet too. They always are. Just eat a balanced healthy diet and do some exercise.

Pork scratchings is just bacon rind cooked/dried i don't think they are carbs

and p.s. No one here knows whether you're ok or not OP. Please God get some proper medical advice.

Are you feeling any better @poopcollector101 ?

I've tried a few diets and messed up before so I know how it feels!

Look after yourself xx

I've never heard that for Keto and I've been doing it for nearly a year....If you're worried about electrolytes drink coconut water! Part of me feels bad you're getting so much flack for this but then I can't get my head around why you thought that was a good idea!

Hope you're feeling better now op? Sounds like severe dehydration, I'd ditch the diet and start eating/drinking normally again until you feel better. This diet doesn't sound particularly safe/healthy though... Wouldn't a well balanced, unprocessed diet, teamed with daily regular exercise and cardio be more beneficial to achieving a healthy weight and long term overall health? I've known a few people who have done temporary veggie/vegan diets with added vitamin supplements, and all have seen amazing weight loss results with obvious long term added health benefits too. Two of them have decided to continue their plant based diets long term, as they've seen such huge health benefits. I could never stick to any sort of diet as I'm useless, and have no willpower, but this just doesn't sound healthy and effective, even with the initial weight loss. I'd be concerned of the long term effects of regularly eating so many processed, salty foods, alongside drinking salted water, (which I just couldn't do even if you paid me!) It just can't be good for you. X

'Pork Yourself Perfect'

It sounds like you should get your blood pressure checked. I’m on a high salt diet (at least 12g a day) prescribed by my cardiologist to try and get my blood pressure up and my heart rate down and I do the salt/magnesium/potassium in squash thing but most people will have blood pressure way too high to start with for that ever to be safe. This kind of thing should only ever be done for medical reasons and not for some silly diet.