headaches

I am on my second induction on atkins and am starting to get headaches. I got some on my first 3 days of induction and they went away and now they are back. Could I be doing something wrong. I started on May 16th and weighed 330lbs and now weigh 314 on the 6th of June. I would welcome any feed back. Anacal

Is Atkins the only common denominator? I was told NOT to do Atkins by my doctor even with having insulin problems because I have a history of Chronic migraines and am on migraine medicine ... why that is I'm not sure so instead i did research on other diet plans as well as tried different meal systems and created my own diet system. Not much information but maybe speaking to your doctor will help?

I don't believe your eating nearly enough for your current weight. A detailed food diary with everything recorded would help.

Your food choices also are pretty far off from healthy choices. Avoid the Atkins bars, avoid proccesed meat.... salami is not a good choice. Watch the artificial sugar. Your fiber is almost non existant. Aree you drinking lots of water. Are you eating every 3 hours. Are you taking multi vitamins and omega 3's and some vitamin B 100 complex. There are many things you need to look at.
Try and take a look at the food diaries of atkins folks that are having lots of success to see what they eat. It will give you a good idea on the road to take for success in dropping the pounds.

Good luck

Your doctor is a complete IDIOT

Many diabetics have their medication lowered or stopped completly from being on Atkins. It also lowers blood pressure, triglycerides and cholersterol.

As for the migrains my mother suffers greatly if she eats certain foods. Things like chocolate, shellfish, red wine and cashews trigger migrains for her. She gives herself Imitrex injections when she has an episode. Most of the time its because she eats something knowing it will trigger a migrain.

I`d be looking for a real doctor.

Increase your salt intake. What you are experiencing is carb withdrawls... because they're addictive!

These symptoms shouldn't last much more than a week.

You can read about this on pg 19 of "The New Atkins For A New You".

Try following Atkins correctly.
1. 12-15NC must come from VEGGIES
2. Eat more.
3. Increase your fats
4. Watch out for hidden carbs - like in Miracle Whip (use Mayo instead)

Drink more water. Eating low carb means you retain less water. You lose some potassium and sodium when you first start Atkins. Replace them with broth or a vitamin supplement.

For the weights you are going through, you are not eating nearly enough calories.

I'm assuming you've cleared this diet with your doctor and that you have no other underlying issues that might trigger these headaches? If not, then a call or visit to your Dr. might be in order.

While I'm sure you're happy to have shed 16 pounds in 3 weeks, continued success, without headaches and side effects, means you need to follow the program as it is intended. When you do so, your calories, and other parameters, should fall into line quite naturally.

Please review the latest book and/or hop on over to the Atkins site to go through the tutorial on Induction. Also, lots of good advice given above.

Best of luck to you.

I have been on Atkins for 3 weeks and also suffered headaches. They did go away but it took some time. I think your body is adjusting and will get there.

Make sure you are eating enough, getting in your 12-15c in veggies, drinking LOTS of water.

As for migraines, I get them often and have only had 1 since starting Atkins. My doctor advised me to start Atkins to lower my hemoglobin and triglycerides.

Atkins works so long as you follow it as it is written.

Hang in there....

I personally had headaches my 2nd go round on Atkins, because I cut out all caffine as the book suggested. This time round (3rd) I still allow myself 1 small cup of coffee every day, so I never got the headaches. Did you consume much caffine prior to Atkins?

Thanks everyone for your replies and I will take them all into account. This has all been very helpful. Thanks again.

The answer is way simpler than everyone is making it. You are dehydrated. Dehydration causes really bad headaches in the general forehead/ behind the eyebrows area and if you are really unlucky, also at the base of the skull in the back of your head.

Water/ drinks that have no sodium (not sports drinks or diet soda) will clear this right up.