Gallbladder removed, Hiatal Hernia, and Hypoglycemic seeking advice

[morrigan_moldau]

So, I just finished Day 2.

 

Day 1 was pretty much like the Whole30 Timeline, Day 2 has been pretty spot on, too.  (Extremely tired, haven't actually gotten out of bed much today...  foggy...  headache-y...  also I've become constipated)

 

I'm a worrier.  

 

So I went to bed a bit ago & noticed my legs are sore.  Not cramping, but feeling like I gave 'em a good workout today...  which didn't happen, since I slept most of the day.  Any idea what is causing this?

 

Also, I had decided to try the Master Recipes from ISWF.  I'm no dummy, but they are a tad confusing.  So when the Master recipe calls for 2lbs of meat, to me, I'm trying to calculate how many servings, and I think it's 4 (I figure 1 palm sized piece of meat is about 8 oz)?  But the variations may or may not be for individual servings...  I don't have the book right in front of me, but I remember either in the Ground Meat or the Chicken/Fish recipes, they mention that the variations are single portions, but not on both.  And the Frittata calls for 9 eggs, but I can't hold 9 eggs in my hand, I can only hold 3 large or 4 small eggs...  so I thought maybe this is 2-3 servings, but then you throw in the additional full serving of meat & now it's looking like maybe 4 servings?  And I don't think they clarify whether the variations are single portions or not (for the frittata), but if they are, do you automatically have to multiply by 4 so you get 4 servings that have the correct ratio of protein:fat:veggies?  Also, where does fruit fit in on the template?  Can anyone clarify all this for me?

 

Back to my health though. (note: I take at least 1 Betaine Hydrochloride with each meal to help with the missing Gallbladder issue, & I've been a grazer since I was dx'd with Hypoglycemia [did a 6 hr gtt])  

 

On Day 1, I ate a whole lot at breakfast, a full portion of meat & 2 cups of veggies.  So much that my chest hurt from my Hiatal Hernia, and also I wasn't hungry for 8 hours.  So I didn't eat lunch.  At dinner, I ate a whole lot again, and suffered from the same pain, etc.

 

So on Day 2, I decided to eat smaller portions, because eating so much that I have chest pain from my Hiatal Hernia is *not* sustainable.  Still wasn't hungry at lunch, & skipped it.  Within 2 hrs of breakfast, I was asleep, until almost 2pm.  Woke up feeling pretty much like a zombie.  Brain fog to the extreme.  My hubby had to come home from work & fix dinner.  Again, I ate smaller portions, then went back to bed.

 

I'm worried that my blood sugar is going to crash over night, I'm worried about the leg soreness, I'm worried about the amount of fatigue I'm dealing with.

 

On another note, I took a lot of Rx's that were fat soluble, for about 6 yrs...  as a matter of fact, it was during the time I took those Rx's that I started putting on weight & struggling with all kinds of random health issues.  It all came to a head & I stopped the med's, but I'm not sure how fat soluble drugs work & I'm scared that as my body begins burning fat, that I'm going to get dosed again...  does anyone know how that works?  Is this something I should be watching for or am I not understanding how my body will process whatever has been stored in my fat cells?

 

I don't know how to apply/what topic tags there are, so if you read this & think I might get more assistance if I tag this with something, please let me know!

 

Thanks in advance for all you patient reassurance!

[praxisproject]

Recipes

 

If you find some recipes a bit hard to follow when you're starting, try one of the super simple Hot Plates from Mel Joulwan, they're really easy and follow the template

 

3-4 eggs is what a lot of people have for breakfast, but go by your hands as it's the best measurement for you.

 

Sore Legs

 

When we cut out processed food, we often aren't getting enough salt anymore, so you may need to add some. I like Frank's Red Hot sauce (original, always check the label), mineral water and pink rock salt for some extra sodium. If you get any leg cramps, you may also need magnesium and potassium. There's lots of great food sources for potassium and magnesium supplements often help with sleep too.

 

Appetite

 

Generally we'd like each meal to tide you over to the next one, with no need to snack in between. However some people find this harder in the first week, so if you're not hungry for more than 4-5 hours, those meals might be too big. If you're feeling the urge to snack in between, the meal before might be too small. It gets easier so don't worry if it's not perfect every day. It's okay if you need to have more (smaller) meals to help with the adjustment, but try to leave some gaps between meals (rather than grazing) as it helps with your hormones.

 

Fatigue & Crashing Overnight

 

The fatigue gets better, sugar withdrawal makes most people feel a bit fatigued, but it shouldn't be ongoing all the time. Get plenty of starchy veg, especially in the meal before bed (this helps your blood sugar overnight). A fist sized portion of something like sweet potato is good, but some people need that much for each meal, see how you feel.

 

Fat Soluble

 

Most drugs like these require fat to be absorbed, but it doesn't necessarily mean they stay in your system (Vitamin A is also fat soluble and we can't store it for long periods). If you're worried, have a chat with your doctor.

 

Day 2

 

Lastly (but not least), congratulations on finishing Day 2!  it's a big change and it feels really hard at the beginning (see timeline) but it really does get easier. You're doing great. Don't forget to take some time out to relax with a cup of tea and think about your progress and the positives. I learn something new every Whole30.

[morrigan_moldau]

Thanks for getting back to me!  I appreciate all the help I can get.  

 

So, As far as recipes go, do I mostly understand the ISWF ones?  And when is the best time to eat fruit?  It's not mentioned on the template.   I will definitely check out other recipes too.

 

And my legs.  Today they are still a little bit sore, but so is everything else.  I actually ate a banana yesterday, but maybe that wasn't enough potassium?  I started drinking coconut water today (the bottle says 'Great Source of Potassium!').  should I do one, the other, or both?

 

Last night I was feeling so bad, as a Hypoglycemic, I've heard over & over again that when your suger gets low, eat/drink some sugar!  But I have perused this forum & seems like the advice is protein & fat.  So I got up about 1am and fried 2 eggs in some ghee.  But I was so scared/unsure, I did have about 8oz of orange juice with it.  I drank as I ate.  By the time an hour had passed, I felt much better, sleepy, but normal sleepy.

 

Today is Day 3, and I feel a bit better, got out of bed today!  Tried to do some housework, but felt pretty much like a train ran over me. 

 

Thanks again!!  

[praxisproject]

If it's magnesium and salt (sodium) you need, the banana won't cut it. You may need a magnesium supplement (unsweetened Natural Calm is popular in the USA - check the label as there are several kinds)

 

Orange juice isn't ideal, but in an emergency it's okay, you might want to discuss better options with your doctor. Some people like fruit, others prefer sweet potato or other starch. If fructose makes your blood sugar more erratic, you may want to review the fruits you like, some have more fructose than others.

 

If you do feel the need to have juice to bring you out of the danger zone, I recommend a mini-meal straight after (just like the template, only smaller - big if you're hungry). The meal will give you a more stable period following the drop that is likely to follow the spike from the juice. It really depends on the individual, some get big dips after juice, others don't. I find my blood sugar is more stable without grains and dairy and also with magnesium supplements. Even feels so much better than roller coaster

 

For someone reading this who isn't hypoglycemic, the juice in this case is medical (to immediately raise the blood sugar from a scary-low level), but it can carry it's own medical risks if there's a following drop again when the juice wears off.

[praxisproject]

Oh, I forgot the fruit!

 

Note that fruit goes with your template meals & not with pre or post workout meals

http://whole30.com/downloads/whole30-meal-planning.pdf

 

Before my first W30 I never realised I always ate fruit on an empty stomach, it made such a huge difference eating it with meals.

[Peg3533]

First day on program.  This afternoon experiencing a low blood sugar crash.  I had broccoli, a piece of chicken,  five olives and 1 tbl of almond butter.  Starting to feel a bit better.  Could I have had 1/4 of an apple and a TBL of almond butter instead of eating almost a whole meal to bring my blood sugar back up?

[praxisproject]

Yes, it's not ideal (some people get a spike and then a following crash) but when blood sugar is too low it's important to get back on track.

 

Keep an eye on this as it might be the meal beforehand is too small or doesn't have enough starchy veggies.

 

If you find this happens at the same time every day and you can't eat more at your previous meal, a mini meal about 30 minutes just prior to the crash timing should help keep you balanced.

 

If you're on any medications, make sure you speak with your doctor as they might need adjusting while you're on Whole30.