Dieting and anxiety?

Agee · 02-14-2013, 04:14 PM

Hey all -
I'm wondering if any of you ever feel like anxiety or panic are triggered either when following strict LC or cutting calories?
Today I almost had a panic attack. This is not normal for me, but definitely my anxiety is much higher when I'm eating very low carb or very low calorie. Right now I'm doing hHCG and I had to go off plan and eat something to get the anxiety to go away.
I feel like there's some brain chemistry weirdness that's going on. I am unable to lose any weight eating moderate carbs or even lower calorie. I'm perimenopausal. I have insulin resistance and probably my thyroid is starting to go.
Are they related? Am I doomed to be fat and old and freaked out?

A

Biochic · 02-14-2013, 05:00 PM

I seem to have the opposite response to LC although this time around I'm taking supplements to help with anxiety

Punkin · 02-14-2013, 05:13 PM

Some people have anxiety in response to low blood sugar. If that is the case with you, not sure what that would be happening. Unless your body hasn't adapted to using fat as a primary fuel yet.

muncheechee · 02-14-2013, 06:39 PM

You may want to look into supplements. I found The Diet Cure by Julia Ross to be a great resource. Her other book, The Mood Cure may be helpful too but I haven't read that one. You may want to talk to your doctor as well especially if you are on any mood altering prescriptions.

flatferenghi · 02-14-2013, 06:53 PM

do u feel bored, deprived, or frustrated because the dining experience is just not interesting? If that is so, then you SHOULD be feeling unpleasantness of some sort or another. Re-evaluate your plan, and give yourself nourishing, varied low carb fare. You should feel better soon after that. Don't forgot vitamins, and some sort of exercises. Love & Profits; FLATFERENGHI

Doug K · 02-14-2013, 11:01 PM

It took me awhile to make the connection, but without the sedating effect of junk carbs in my diet, I discovered that I was more sensitive to caffeine (weight loss probably reduced my tolerance, too). I switched to decaf for most of my routine coffee drinking. It's helped.

SadieJack · 02-15-2013, 06:10 AM

I am also in peri-menopause and my anxiety is through the roof! I am taking Niacinamide to help with it. Google "niacinamide anxiety" to read about it. I have to take 2000 mg a day. Excercise also helps.

Agee · 02-15-2013, 06:42 AM

OH - THANK you for that suggestion.
I really think it was a combination of things - the low calorie/low carb kicking off something, plus the perimenopause, plus just my life. But the changed WOE definitely intensified it. I would like to be able to eat LC and have periods of low calories to lose weight but if this panic thing continues I don't see how I can, but perhaps the niacinamide is a possible solution.
A

avid · 02-15-2013, 06:51 AM

My gut reaction is that your response is emotional.
What would happen if you were to lose all your excess pounds
and be at your desired weight?
Sometimes we are overweight because it is "our role" to be the fat person.
Seriously, I have seen this. Our identity becomes entwined in this
body image, and breaking out of it threatens who we are. Or perhaps
who we are to the people we care most about.
You can look like whatever you want to.

juliekaboolie · 02-15-2013, 10:26 AM

Actually, being in ketosis increased anxiety for me. Maybe it's an increase in overall metabolism? Who knows? But I did have that response. On the other hand, I am already prone to panic attacks due to Generalized Anxiety Disorder (I take medication for this).

Rhubarb · 02-15-2013, 11:49 AM

I don't know if this is the same panic trigger for you, but for me it usually stems from heart palpitations. When I started eating low carb caffeine affected me a bit so I cut down, but coconut oil really caused some major palps. (I don't think it's all that unusual.) Anyway, I cut back on it a little bit too and my palps stopped and I stopped feeling as if I was going to have a panic attack.

I use coconut oil, but I switched out about half of what I was taking for coconut butter, which is less intense. FWIW.

02-14-2013, 04:14 PM	#1
Agee Major LCF Poster! Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: NC Posts: 1,563 Gallery: Agee Stats: 191.6/see sig(r3hHCG)/135 WOE: R3hHCG:P2 Start Date: 2/10/2013(r1);4/2/2013 (r2);5/19/2013(r3)	Dieting and anxiety? Hey all - I'm wondering if any of you ever feel like anxiety or panic are triggered either when following strict LC or cutting calories? Today I almost had a panic attack. This is not normal for me, but definitely my anxiety is much higher when I'm eating very low carb or very low calorie. Right now I'm doing hHCG and I had to go off plan and eat something to get the anxiety to go away. I feel like there's some brain chemistry weirdness that's going on. I am unable to lose any weight eating moderate carbs or even lower calorie. I'm perimenopausal. I have insulin resistance and probably my thyroid is starting to go. Are they related? Am I doomed to be fat and old and freaked out? A

02-14-2013, 06:53 PM	#5
flatferenghi Way too much time on my hands! Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 13,808 Gallery: flatferenghi	are u happy with your plan? do u feel bored, deprived, or frustrated because the dining experience is just not interesting? If that is so, then you SHOULD be feeling unpleasantness of some sort or another. Re-evaluate your plan, and give yourself nourishing, varied low carb fare. You should feel better soon after that. Don't forgot vitamins, and some sort of exercises. Love & Profits; FLATFERENGHI

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02-14-2013, 05:00 PM	#2
Biochic Senior LCF Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: NY Posts: 653 Gallery: Biochic Stats: 192/156/140 WOE: Atkins Start Date: 12/28/12	I seem to have the opposite response to LC although this time around I'm taking supplements to help with anxiety

02-14-2013, 05:13 PM	#3
Punkin Senior LCF Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Posts: 567 Gallery: Punkin	Some people have anxiety in response to low blood sugar. If that is the case with you, not sure what that would be happening. Unless your body hasn't adapted to using fat as a primary fuel yet.

02-14-2013, 06:39 PM	#4
muncheechee Senior LCF Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: NC Posts: 378 Gallery: muncheechee Stats: Pregnancy goals 240/244/260 WOE: LC pregnancy	You may want to look into supplements. I found The Diet Cure by Julia Ross to be a great resource. Her other book, The Mood Cure may be helpful too but I haven't read that one. You may want to talk to your doctor as well especially if you are on any mood altering prescriptions.

02-14-2013, 11:01 PM	#6
Doug K Senior LCF Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Seattle Posts: 938 Gallery: Doug K Stats: 229/182/140; goal: 30" waist (5'4" tall) WOE: Atkins OWL Start Date: April 2011	It took me awhile to make the connection, but without the sedating effect of junk carbs in my diet, I discovered that I was more sensitive to caffeine (weight loss probably reduced my tolerance, too). I switched to decaf for most of my routine coffee drinking. It's helped.

02-15-2013, 06:10 AM	#7
SadieJack Senior LCF Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Plano, Texas Posts: 123 Gallery: SadieJack WOE: LC Start Date: Feb 2013	I am also in peri-menopause and my anxiety is through the roof! I am taking Niacinamide to help with it. Google "niacinamide anxiety" to read about it. I have to take 2000 mg a day. Excercise also helps.

02-15-2013, 06:42 AM	#8
Agee Major LCF Poster! Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: NC Posts: 1,563 Gallery: Agee Stats: 191.6/see sig(r3hHCG)/135 WOE: R3hHCG:P2 Start Date: 2/10/2013(r1);4/2/2013 (r2);5/19/2013(r3)	OH - THANK you for that suggestion. I really think it was a combination of things - the low calorie/low carb kicking off something, plus the perimenopause, plus just my life. But the changed WOE definitely intensified it. I would like to be able to eat LC and have periods of low calories to lose weight but if this panic thing continues I don't see how I can, but perhaps the niacinamide is a possible solution. A

02-15-2013, 06:51 AM	#9
avid Senior LCF Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: treasure coast Posts: 796 Gallery: avid Stats: 180/135/131... WOE: Lotsa veggies and LC	My gut reaction is that your response is emotional. What would happen if you were to lose all your excess pounds and be at your desired weight? Sometimes we are overweight because it is "our role" to be the fat person. Seriously, I have seen this. Our identity becomes entwined in this body image, and breaking out of it threatens who we are. Or perhaps who we are to the people we care most about. You can look like whatever you want to.

02-15-2013, 10:26 AM	#10
juliekaboolie Major LCF Poster! Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Bellingham, WA Posts: 1,382 Gallery: juliekaboolie WOE: Whole30 Start Date: 1/7/11	Actually, being in ketosis increased anxiety for me. Maybe it's an increase in overall metabolism? Who knows? But I did have that response. On the other hand, I am already prone to panic attacks due to Generalized Anxiety Disorder (I take medication for this).

02-15-2013, 11:49 AM	#11
Rhubarb Senior LCF Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Posts: 271 Gallery: Rhubarb Stats: 195/133/140 WOE: Atkins Start Date: July 2012	I don't know if this is the same panic trigger for you, but for me it usually stems from heart palpitations. When I started eating low carb caffeine affected me a bit so I cut down, but coconut oil really caused some major palps. (I don't think it's all that unusual.) Anyway, I cut back on it a little bit too and my palps stopped and I stopped feeling as if I was going to have a panic attack. I use coconut oil, but I switched out about half of what I was taking for coconut butter, which is less intense. FWIW.