related symptoms? please help

[always sick]

hey guys
   currently i don't have any problems, and i was looking for something totally different when i got here but now i'm wondering if anyone can help me.
   over the past two years, twice i've gone to the emergency room for the same thing. i get really severe chest and abdominal pain. it felt like something was stabbing me, and i couldn't breathe at all while i was laying down. there were no other problems, bowel movements were normal. the doctors did all kinds of chest and abdomin (abdomen) x-rays and exams, but found nothing. both times it went away by itself after a couple days, but the pain was really bad.
   after coming back from an island i noticed bright red blood on the toliet paper and i had diarrhea. we assumed it was travels' diarrhea and it went away. it's happened a lot since then (2 yrs ago) but irregularly.
   i get headaches and migraines a lot, and i'm always tired. i have a sensitive stomach and stress (i have an anxiety problem) makes it a lot worse.
   are these related? cananyone help me? i'd really appreciate...i worry that my "mystery chest pain" will come back....thanks to anyone who replies. ;)

[always sick]

i've read some other symptoms on here that i have...lower back back, i'm always shaky and dizzy...not low blood pressure/dehydration/or vitamin deficiencies.
   i read about the specific carb diet and that struck me as interesting, cuz i've been on a low carb diet for a few months. the only times i've felt really "sick" is when i go off it...so is it possibly a case of ibd?? please help, and thanks again!!

[reb]

Hi there, I don't have any answers for you, but I do have some similar problems- what I wanted to ask you about was being always  tired- did the low carbohydrate diet help you with that? i have been constantly tired since being on antibiotics 4 months ago- I originally thought it was to do with my digestion being messed up  (the antibiotics killed the good bacteria in my gut) but now I am not so sure anymore. So anyway, I was wondering if the low carbohydrate diet helped you with that.

[always sick]

it helped A LOT...after two days of having less than 20 grams of carbs, your body goes into ketosis (i saw a post someone else had made about ketosis...and i was really shocked at how misinformed she was). ketosis is when your body starts uses stored fat--not muscle--for energy, instead of the carbs you just ate. your body released the ketones (used fat) through your breath and urine...so your breath does stink...but not too bad. that lady made it sound like by going into ketosis you were going to die.
   i've lost a lot of weight...whcihc is awesome...and my stomach feels so much better. the only time i feel sick is when i go off the diet....and i have a lot more energy now. i love this diet, it's changed my life! ; )

[reb]

What are you allowed on the diet? Can you eat fruit and vegetables or do they count as simple carbohydrates (ie sugars). I guess if the low carbohydrate diet counts on low glucose levels in the blood (in order to promote fat burning) you can't have fruit and veg, eh? (Unlike the specific carbohydrate diet)
Can you tell me a bit more about the diet or point me to where I could find more info?
Have you tried the specific carbohydrate diet? If so, did that help with your tiredness?
My diet mainly consists of vegetables, fruit and yogurt. Recently I've gotten a bit slack and would have a couple slices of bread and/or have some instant hot chocolate...oops, I did have a couple of beers this week too. I am wondering if that is  why I am getting tired again. I was on the strict fruit/veg/yogurt diet before because of digestive problems (antibiotics killed my digestive bacteria) but after 2 months I got a bit slack because I thought it would have been better by now...

Any advice would be welcome. Sorry to ask a question to your question! :-)

[Lynn28]

Have you been seen by a gastroenterologist or have you made an appt. with one? It would be a good idea. It could be a number of things that are going on, but a GI would be best to tell!
Jenn

[always sick]

thanks jenn ;) i think i'll have to make an appt.
       i have to be in ketosis for a while, and then raise my carbs up slowly to go off, because if i just go off i feel terrible...my stomach gets all freaky.
    for fruits you can basically any melons and berries...no potatoes, corn, or beans (string beans are ok).
    a good website for a low-carb diet is www.holdthetoast.com, but i've never been on the specific carb diet. when i heard about that, i thought there was probably a connection between my low carb diet and feeling better, and a specific carb diet which supposedly makes you feel better.
    however, low carb isn't good for diabetics. there's a special sort of low-carb for them...i'll read up on that and post my findings.

[reb]

Thanks for the info! I'll go check it out.... :-)

[Concerned lady]

Ketosis can harm the kidneys. There are risks. It can be fatal sometimes. It is an extreme diet. I have heard that the only people who should be in ketosis are people with epilepsy, who are on the KETOGENIC diet. And these folks need very careful medical supervision, while they are on the ketogenic diet.

Good luck. I'm not into extreme diets, except extremely "organic" (as opposed to full of pesticides)! :-)