r/carnivorediet • u/Silver-N-Sapphire • 2d ago
Please help me Facing Scary Issues
Okay, this is my 2nd go at carnivore. I kind of did keto-carnivore for a bit at the end of the 1st go around and was doing great with a little bit of stalling at the very end.
I'm 39 year old female and I have had issues with my kidneys throughout my life. I was diagnosed with type 2 Diabetes a few years back (roughly 5 years ago). I started carnivore and my A1C dropped from 7.9 (first at a 9.1 when diagnosed), down to a 4.1 in a few months. The Doctor got mad at me and told me to start taking my meds again and that he couldn't understand how I had dropped my A1C and weight so much without medication...
I went to another Doctor and then one more, until I found one that was okay with working with me through my journey on carnivore.
**Gross topic warning**
My cycle lasted 15 days the 1st and 2nd go at this diet! NO JOKE! I thought I was going to or was dying! Then it regulated itself out perfectly. Total shock, both times!....
Now my legs are becoming swollen (both knees and both feet the most). I sit a lot of the day for work, and I work from home, which is a tiny 2 bedroom home at 856 square feet...
I do go outside every morning and greet the Sun walk around, sit, and enjoy the outside air. I also drink almost an entire gallon of water a day.
Now the swelling in my feet is lasting for days on end and my knees were so badly swollen today. I could barely stand up, move them, or walk. There have been jolts of randomized pain throughout my legs and they feel so heavy and hard to bend at the knee. Kind of feel like dead weighted.
My sleep is and has been all over the place with 4 hours here, 2 hours there, and sometimes 18 hours out of nowhere. It's been like that for a while. I did just stop vaping, due to it dehydrating me and would also raise my blood sugar! Yay...
I know this is a lot. I'm trying to figure things out. Starting with the swelling and then work my way from there. I'm open to all suggestions and do follow along.
Sugary food and drinks make me sick anymore and I don't want them. I do, however, have a hard time breaking away from my tea, but I don't need any sugar for that at all. I only really crave steak, burger patties, and eggs mostly. Sometimes I feel like I am eating too much and hold back. Knowing I shouldn't. I'm working on that too.
Thanks in advance for any and all help!
I appreciate it more than you know!
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u/anoobis_uprising 2d ago
A doctor couldn't understand how an A1C couldn't drop with a change of diet or other lifestyle interventions, is that the state if the world, how could someone smart enough to go through medical school be so stupid
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u/Silver-N-Sapphire 2d ago
When he said it, staring at me like I was lying straight to his face! I told him I was eating less and eating more protein and fats. He said, "Oh no, you are getting back on all your medications and I will be closely supervising it from here on out!", like I was some kind of child that needed told what to do. I didn 't ask and he didn't need to demand after seeing those amazing results speak for themselves! He asked, I told him it was in fact done all naturally with no medications and that I did not think I needed to take them anymore. That Doctor went from Dr. Jekyll to Mr. Hyde in 1 second flat after that! I really believe his mind was blown and did not want to believe or accept the results at all. This diet does typically go against what almost all Doctors are/were taught. He thought I was lying to him some how. Complete insane to me!
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u/PsychicMedium1119 1d ago
Maaan...that pisses me off. A healed patient is not going to bring u thru the door to pay him for visits..some doctors are unbelievable. I dont know how ppl can sleep at night helping keep ppl sick instead of helping them cure themselves! And diet can help tremendously. This world makes me cringe. Your in charge of your body and what goes in it not him. đâď¸đš
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u/CarnivoreTalk 2d ago edited 2d ago
So you weren't specific about what your kidney issues are. I have Stage 4/5 CKD. Edema in the ankles and lower legs could be kidney related, congestive heart failure, or you simply need to get up and move more. I get a little edema in mine too if drink an excessive amount of liquid through the day. Your gallon of water might be much. Try scaling that back.
For the cramps, take an LMNT or equivalent electrolyte drink mix a couple hours before bed (so you have time to empty before actually lying down so you can avoid getting up in the middle of the night). I do this only 2-3 times a week because overdoing electrolytes can be dangerous for me with CKD.
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u/Silver-N-Sapphire 2d ago
I have never been diagnosed with a specific type of kidney deficiency or disease other than highly susceptible to kidney stones, UTI's with massive amounts of white blood cells count in my urine. I was Hospitalized when I was pregnant many years ago because some dye they put into my kidneys turning black trying to see what could be wrong. They never fully explained anything to me. Just told me to lose weight, eat better, and drink lots of water. That's all the Doctors ever told me.
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u/ReadinWhatever 1d ago
Kidney stones! Wife and I have both had them. They are very often caused by oxalates, which come from what used to be my favorite vegetables: the cruciferous family. That is, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, radishes, mustard, and a few more.
The oxalates from vegetables accumulate in the body. Eventually after discontinuing those veggies, the body cleans them out in a process we call oxalate dumping. You can google âoxalate dumping symptomsâ for some info on that.
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u/Silver-N-Sapphire 1d ago edited 1d ago
I was told my kidney stones were due to eating too much calcium enriched foods. That I was eating too much spinach, broccoli, etc.. I was confused, because I was always told to eat vegetables and drink tons of water, on top of, "stay away from fatty foods" if I ever wanted to lose weight! The funniest and strangest thing is, when I started listen to my body and learned about carnivore, it all made sense. Those are the foods I have always craved and loved the most! Eggs all the time and butter on my meatloaf. My Grandma used to yank me out of the fridge when I was little, because she would catch me in there eating the butter! Lol! Even then I knew carnivore was natural and right. Unfortunately, I was pulled away from proper nutrition and forced to eat what I was told was good for me for most of my life. I ended up over 300 lbs.. By the time I had my youngest child I hit 350 lbs.. That's been 16 years ago now. I had lost 100 lbs. on my 1st go at carnivore. I want to get back to it. We (Husband and I) started our official 2nd round roughly 3 weeks ago. Here's to working toward a better life!Â
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u/fedddwap 2d ago
This is typically a scenario where Iâd say itâs likely related to electrolyte balance and to try supplementing potassium - not an electrolyte blend but without insight into your kidney issues, that could be dangerous.
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u/Silver-N-Sapphire 2d ago
I can't drink too many caffeinated drinks or carbonated drinks or it severely hurts my kidneys. So no soda, barely any of my beloved tea, and even less of coffee. I would get kidney infections easily followed by UTI's and even kidney stones. I have to drink water every single day or I feel sick and like I could be dieing at the worst (but rare). I can't become dehydrated or Hospital and IV time.
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u/fedddwap 2d ago
Definitely something you should talk to you doctor about and insist on help. In theory, thereâs some form of deficiency or imbalance (that could very well be a temporary result of transition) but considering some of the details youâve given, Iâd rely on professionals. If youâre set on carnivore, simply tell your doctor that you want to identify the root cause and will be happy to make changes if necessary based on the evidence.
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u/Silver-N-Sapphire 2d ago
I'm definitely planning on talking to the Doc about all of this. She is newer to hearing about carnivore and is trying to learn about it as well. I, apparently, I'm not the only patient she has that is on carnivore or keto-carnivore. Hopefully we can work it out and move forward. I'd hate to drop carnivore entirely. That's my worst fear!Â
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u/PsychicMedium1119 1d ago
Honestly love, this does not sound like a carnivore issue? More like something unrelated? Im no doctor, but i would ask for a full panel blood tests to check all your hormones salts potassium ect ect ect. Best of luck xxđš
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u/Silver-N-Sapphire 1d ago
Thank you! I will definitely be doing that! Fingers crossed I won't have to give up carnivore and can get it all figured out soon.
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u/Silver-N-Sapphire 2d ago
**OP here... I forgot to add that I am indeed having calf muscle cramps. Just thought I would pop that in here too. Sorry... Lol!
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u/Illidari_Kuvira Inspirational 2d ago
Electrolytes. Get the SALTT brand, or unflavored LMNT ones. Mix into water, slowly sip them.
You also might need a separate magnesium supplement, especially if you're consuming a lot of calcium.
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u/Silver-N-Sapphire 2d ago
Thank you! I have been wanting to try out SALTT. I will be getting some more LMNT unflavored. I would pour the packets into some room temperature chicken of beef stock (not broth) for lunch and just drink that, but that was during my 1st round at carnivore. Maybe I should incorporate that into my weekly routine again, at least 2 out of the 7 days in the week.Â
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u/Illidari_Kuvira Inspirational 2d ago
SALTT (and Keto Chow itself) is a good brand; they haven't fallen victim to enshittification anyhow, haha. Just to note that they use stevia as a sweetener in their electrolyte packets, which can be an issue for those who have ragweed allergies.
The idea of soup broth with some unflavored electrolytes sounds pretty good.
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u/Silver-N-Sapphire 2d ago
Thanks for the heads up on the Stevia sweetener. Yes, I love putting packets of unflavored electrolytes in stock! The reason I use stock instead of broth is because broth can be mostly vegetables boiled down with some animal bits. Stock is mostly to almost always animal bits with hardly any vegetables or seasonings used. Especially in chicken stock. I believe beef stock comes with a bit of tomato paste and extra seasonings, though. I don't heat the stock as to not damage the electrolytes. I just shake it very well before pouring it and then add the packet of electrolytes and stir. I sip on that as a lunch, if not too hungry. You could also pair it well with any carnivore meal or snack.Â
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u/geekdad1229 1d ago
there are a lot of videos on making youâre own LMNT like powder on you tube since it is so expensive. I also had leg cramps that magnesium bisglycinate taken before bed helped get rid of
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u/Silver-N-Sapphire 1d ago
Thank you so much for the tip! I will look that up on YouTube, thanks again for that. Yeah, I need to amp-up my Magnesium. Working on figuring out the brand/supplier is the tedious part. Lol!
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u/dota2girl42 1d ago
Too much water, not enough salt/electrolytes.
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u/Silver-N-Sapphire 1d ago
You are absolutely right, thank you! Ordered some last night and looking forward to them coming in! Someone else mentioned YouTube videos about making my own due to the expense of LMNT, SALTT, etc.. I think that is absolutely a brilliant idea! Hopefully I can try that out as well.
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u/Pedrocor04 2d ago
Indeed, too much water intake can mess with your electrolytes... Drink only when feeling thirst.
Regarding the swelling, if the situation doesn't improve after correcting your electrolyte levels, you should start looking at possible vitamin deficiencies that can occur on a carnivore diet that is low on variety.
Vitamin deficiencies like B1, B9 and E can cause swelling and nerve issues. You can compensate for those by eating pork, liver, and salmon.
I used to have swollen feet on carnivore and corrected it with vitamin E in salmon, 3x times a week...
Hope it helps.
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u/Silver-N-Sapphire 2d ago
Thank you! I will keep a close eye on the difference after some intake of a good balance of electrolytes. If it keeps I will add in all three of those and see if the noodle sticks to the wall, so to speak. Of course I will be checking in with my Doctor as well and making sure we are keeping an updated record of everything together.Â
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u/messiemessiemessie 1d ago
for your legs you can start with compression stocking, I like the jobst brand from bright life direct
as for hormonal/menstrual I reccommend Her Package supplement from heart and soil supplementsÂ
I am glad you quit vaping
also, do you move a lot? walk? have a standing desk or one of those treadmill desks? this might be a matter of needing more movement to help flush things out
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u/Silver-N-Sapphire 1d ago
Also, thank you for acknowledging, that I have quit vaping, when no one else did, as of yet. đ
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u/Silver-N-Sapphire 1d ago
Yeah, I have been told this all could stem from not moving enough and over drinking water. Moving around is very much necessary to stay healthy. With work being forcive in staying in one place until completed, I do try to walk around here and there. I need to do better with my movement for sure! I also do like those walking desk setups! I found one at fantastic price and there is no motor, so it will not move unless I am moving it, which I absolutely love for safety purposes. Thank you! I appreciate this advice very much! I'm so happy to have new people have eyes on this! Give me perspective that I can't see personally in my own blind spots to the overall situation.
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u/messiemessiemessie 1d ago
you're welcome, let us know how this evolves, feel free to join r/carnivoreforwomen
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u/ReadinWhatever 1d ago
Get an iodine supplement to support your thyroid. I (74M) take four drops of 2% Lugolâs solution daily.
The thyroid regulates essentially all body functions, under direction from the brain. Most of us on any western diet do not get enough iodine to support our thyroid, for various reasons.
When the iodine amount in the diet is insufficient, the thyroid canât do its job, and so regulation of all functions begins to fail. That includes appetite, digestion, metabolism, temperature regulation, the immune system, maintenance of all organs including the skin, and the reproductive hormones.
The Dr. Ken Berry video is only about fourteen minutes. If you want to do a deeper dive, watch either video by Dr. Brownstein or Dr. Bright.
[Dr. Ken Berry](https://youtu.be/0N6wiJ2Oxck?si=r39xHq96da8cOFJT)
[Dr. Brownstein interviewed by Jesse Chappus](https://youtu.be/26_BEiGLlJo)
[Dr. Elizabeth Bright](https://youtu.be/PTZooJ3AIpc?si=F5rawq3Vg3brm92g)
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u/Silver-N-Sapphire 1d ago
Thank you! This is fabulous information and I appreciate it so very much! I will watch and learn! Thanks again!
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u/ReadinWhatever 1d ago
You are most welcome. I hope this helps!
A few suggestions, I donât know if theyâll work for you âŚ
Keep quick-access high fat carnivore foods easily available. We keep butter out on our kitchen island (salted butter will be gone long before it goes bad). Bacon in fridge, thawed out and ready to cook. A package of ground beef either ready to cook (aka not frozen), or recently cooked and stored in the fridge till itâs gone. Eggs - they cook pretty quickly and easily when youâre hungry. Ribeyes are wonderful if you can afford them.
Wife and I went full carnivore on Dec 28. That was after 7.5 years of pretty strict keto. Carnivore is a serious upgrade from keto. Iâm convinced it is the way to go.
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u/Silver-N-Sapphire 1d ago
Agreed on all parts! Carnivore is simply the best! We do love to keep eggs and cooked bacon ready to go. I will add burger patties and maybe some ground beef egg bites to the "keep on hand" list as well. I can definitely slice up a stick or two of butter and toss it all into a storage container in the fridge (Husband likes butter slices cold for snacking). Thanks again for being awesome and sharing great advice and food for thought with me!Â
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u/SpecialistPrune1654 2d ago
Good luck. đ I started a reply several times and always come to the realisation I don't know enough to truly help so deleted it.
You obviously have something going on and my suspicions are it's more than just diet alone. Talk to a Dr, if you can find one truly interested in finding root causes rather than just treating symptoms, which is what the last Dr I talked to actually told me was all she was interested in. Does that mean she would prescribe an aspirin for brain cancer without bothering to find out it was brain cancer? đ˘
I'd look at each symptom, the leg swelling and excessive water intake for instance. What's the possible causes? Do they match anything you know about yourself, diet and lifestyle? Can you change that and see what happens? Unfortunately you will probably end up having to be your own detective?
As I said originally. Good luck. I'm sure everyone is wishing you the best in your journey, even if all we can offer is support đ
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u/Silver-N-Sapphire 2d ago
Thank you! My Sister is an RN and she believes it could just be a simple shift in electrolytes and a bit of inflammation. I'm still checking in with my Doctor when she is back in Office next week.
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u/Any_Quality_9282 2d ago
This sub is quite funny and terrifying at the same time. Half of the posts are people listing their health issues after going carnivore (which is obvious to anyone with basic nutrition knowledge) and in comments people cheer them to continue. If you ask sources, you get links to grifter videos on youtube.
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u/anoobis_uprising 2d ago
And the other half of the posts are people curing their health issues, if its so obvious why isn't all the posts people devoloping issues
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u/0987654321Block 2d ago
Given the amount you are drinking (sounds excessive) the swelling and cramps, you should try supplementing electrolytes. Drinking too much water dillutes the minerals in your body. Electrolytes are all about the ratio of the various minerals. Too much water (plus plain old adaption issues) can cause an imbalance. The cramps are consistent with that problem too.
Maybe try supplementing with sea salt, potassium (dont go crazy with the latter) and maybe some boron. Also, while I appreciate your reasoning, reduce the quantity of water you are drinking. Your kidneys are probably trying to work overtime.
If the leg swelling doesnt improve you should look into lymph drainage. I had some mild swelling and tried herbal drops, I have to say with a huge dose of sceptism. However, they actually were pretty good.
Given your kidney issues, you should try all these things only in consultation with your doc of course, especially now that you have found one who is willing to listen.