Terrible nausea day 19

[Corinnefe]

Hey all! Thanks for these forums; things have been going well but I'm grateful to be able to ask a question here. I am on day 19 of the Whole30 and I was feeling awesome and energized up until a few days ago. No adjustment period, no fatigue, no "Kill All The Things" stage. I felt energized. My skin completely cleared up. For the first time since I was a teenager, I wasn't bloated. ...and then day 17 hit.

For the last three days, I've been feeling nauseated pretty much constantly with stomach pains and an awful headache. I'm exhausted and my vision is blurry and I just feel terrible. I haven't changed the basic composition of what I've been eating, and I'm forcing myself to eat even when I don't feel like it. Here's a typical day for me, and is step-by-step what I ate yesterday:

Breakfast

2-3 scrambled eggs

2 cups kale sauteed in avocado oil

1 cup roasted sweet potatoes with compliant hot sauce

Lunch

Giant salad including: mixed greens, avocado, apples, roasted beets, grilled chicken, and a few sunflower seeds sprinkled on top for texture. Homemade balsamic dressing.

Cup of butternut squash soup (just roasted squash and compliant broth pureed)

Dinner

Rotisserie chicken, portion size about two handfuls

Giant side salad of arugula and kale

Roasted brussels sprouts with salt and pepper

Before bed

An apple with 2 tablespoons almond butter...I don't sleep well if I eat dinner too soon before bed, but I wake up with hunger pangs if I don't have something.

 

At first I thought I was constipated and/or dehydrated, but I've been drinking a constant stream of regular water, sparkling water, and herbal tea throughout the day, and my bowels aren't quite as regular as they used to be but they're pretty much normal.

Then I thought I might be actually getting sick, but the symptoms typically dissipate for an hour or so after I eat, only to return with a vengeance.

I had the thought of food poisoning, but my husband and I are doing the Whole30 together and have eaten all the same foods, and he feels great.

So I guess I'm at a loss. Am I experiencing the earlier stages later in the game? Is it normal to feel great for the first half of the Whole30, only to feel awful the second? When will I stop feeling so icky?

[ladyshanny]

Nausea, stomach pains, blurry vision, exhaustion and splitting headache wouldn't be a common/normal reaction to Whole30. The only thing I can see from your outline is that you appear to be missing fat at your meals. It could be that you are under-nourished. Nutrition is cummulative so if you have been under eating, it's possible that you are feeling the effects?

We aren't medical professionals though so if you are concerned, please see your doctor.

[Corinnefe]

Thank you so much!

I sleuthed the problem: I am a pescetarian most of the time and started the Whole30 pretty easy on the red meat, just chicken and fish. I added in beef the second week. I had a huge serving of pork shoulder last week, and I remember the last time I had pork, about 6 years ago, I reacted terribly to it feeling just like I've been feeling. I think pork and I don't get along too well.

Given this reaction to a particular food, would you recommend starting over, since I clearly upset my system? Or can I continue since I haven't eaten any noncompliant foods?

[SugarcubeOD]

You can continue, the reaction shouldn't stick with you till the end.  In the event that you're still not feeling well from this pork encounter at Day 31, you might think about delaying your re-intro but otherwise, you're still fully compliant and on track   Good job with the sleuthing!