Blood Sugar/Low Carbing and Depression
 

I just did the Blood Sugar Symptom Test in DADNR book. Wow I could not believe how many symptoms of depression/panic attacks appear in his list. To name a few: drink alcohol, can't fall asleep easily, wake easily in night, fearful, diffuculty making decisions, excessive fatigue, lack of concentration, poor memory, feel insecure, worry a lot, moodiness, poor motivation, trouble starting in the morning, etc. etc. etc.

Due to a doctor diagnosed severe depressive episode that had lasted months, I started on 20mg Paxil on the first of November. By mid-December while my "mood" had improved (six weeks is reasonable length of time to expect improvement), I was still thinking I wasn't feeling as better as I should be and as recently as last week I was considering requesting a higher dosage. Then about Dec. 28th I started exploring Atkins and hit it full-force Dec. 30th. In the past week, after being STRICT with myself regarding my eating, I find my mood elevated incredibly. I am sleeping better, and have thrown out my sleeping pills. I feel much more cheerful and calmer. I deal with crises better. I actually have the word "hopeful" in my vocabulary again.

I was wondering if anyone else who suffers from depression has had this PLEASANT side effect of low carbing?:)

Hey Mollymom, I have the same thing happen to me! When I have been having too much sugar on a daily basis, after about two weeks, I will start to be anxious and fretful.. and just cant think straight. Al I want to do is come home from work and sleep. Every time I cut it out altogther, I start to feel so good that I wonder why I EVER go back to eating sugar and junk?????
My dr. was the one who sugested I do this sugar thing and keep track..boy was she right!

Oh yeah.
 

WAY more stable on the LC WOE.

Painful to realize, actually, when I'd heard people talk about it for years. I just never saw the connection before, although I certainly whined about similar symptoms before.

Now, I can be useful to myself (I want to say "work" but I actually mean a lot of "play") until I'm ready to quit and I don't have ANY of that mind fog that would send me to the couch, too tired to even get up and shower on the way to bed. Completely different experience of living a life that is otherwise identical to what I've done for at least the last 5 years.

And then there's the bonus--the more I live productively, the more I am able to imagine myself doing, and the more I imagine, the more I can do. Good compounds.

Hi Mollymom,
You are on the right track. I have suffered from depression for years. Started on Prosac, gained 40 pounds in 4 years while on that. Went off it for about 2 years, had my daughter, then went on Zoloft for 2 years. I switched to Lexapro back in late November b/c the Zoloft was losing effectiveness. Just when I started to feel a bit better mentally, after the holidays, I decided to start LC'ing again (had done Atkins in the summer). After about 2 weeks now, I feel better and have more energy already.

For me, more than anything, it's getting off the sugar merry go round. I am such an addict to sugar, and I become its slave when I'm not eating low carb. Today I barely ate at all because I was so busy-- I didn't feel shaky (from sugar lows, you remember those?) and didn't even think about food. That's a HUGE success for me!

Hope to talk to you again soon!

HI Molly mum,

I have found the Atkins WOL has made my mood far more stable. I was on anti depressants for about a year , but finally came off them ( very very slowly) Aug/ Sept time last year. Was really scared about whether I would manage with out them but so far so good. I still have some 'grey cloud over my head' days but I seem to cope far better. In the old days on one of my down days I would have turned to food and started binging and then the vicious circle, of depression, hating myself, and my insecurities would kick in. However, fingers crossed, I have had to deal with some real stressful personal issues over the last couple of months and not once have I turned to food, which is a real bonus to me !!

Im convinced that the atkins WOL is responsible for my change in eating patterns, and attitude towards food, and im sure it is to do with keeping my sugar levels stable!! I cant deny Im still battling with my insecurities about myself, but as the weight continues to decrease, that is slowly improving !!

So overall Atkins gets a big thumbs up from me !!

Lisa x

Hi mollymom

I was on antidepressants for three years. (Prozac, ,wellbutrin,and then celexa)They all worked ok but caused weight gain. This summer in AUG. I went off my celexa. I did a lot of research online and read a few books on depression. I have come to the conclusion that diet is almost 90 percent effective in keeping my depression away. I take vit B,omega 3,cal/mag,5htp,and DL phenylalnine. I am not sure if these are making a difference i will begin to taper off in a few months to see. I did notice that over the holidays I ate so much bad stuff (sugary,chocolate,carb loaded) and felt the overwhelming feeling come back. I was irritable,sad,tired,down,feeling worthless and ready to give up on everything. I had the why bother feeling back, the can't get out of bed in the morning life sucks too much attitude. It really scared me! But after a week of being on track with my eating (i try to follow the SP) I feel great again. I get up early and feel refreshed and ready for the day. I am able to cope with life better and I know it is because of the way I eat. I wish I had tried this sooner because I gained 40 pounds to learn this lesson but if it had not been for the weight gain I would not have looked for an alternative and found this WOL so in a way it is a blessing! ;)

Atkins has made my outlook on life change for the better :)

Although its still a little early to be 100% ( only on day 10 ) the changes have been so positive. I was in the process of letting my psychiatrist prescribe a different anti-depressant but I'll have to tell him to wait a bit longer :)

Cant wait to see my therapist next week and tell her the good news :yay:

Message to AMYM
 

I'm interested in knowing how much of the Vitamin B, 5htp and DL-phenylalmine you take each day. I am wondering if i may be helped with my depression...........i'm so tired of the anti depressant roller coaster!

Thanks

Manic Depressive...
 

Hello All..I have manic depression and have been really going through a difficult time... Lately I have been following the 6WBMO and felt a little better... Now I know that it is because of the potatoes that I consume twice a day...with lunch and dinner...plain...I use sweet potatoes because they are better... Recently, I read a book called, "Potatoes Not Prozac." The book basically says that diet can change your depressive symptoms, as well as keeping a food diary and how you feel for a couple of weeks to eliminate foods that worsen your symptoms. For me it is caffiene, sugar, and sugar substitutes... I combat that my following the CAD, CARD ADDICTS DIET, when I want to consume sweets... Basically, the last meal of the day, or lunch if you want is balanced with a salad, nonstarchy vegetable (1/3), high carb item(1/3), and protein(1/3)... I simply use the high carb item as my sweet sometimes or bread, etc.... You can go to the forum to see other info...

Recently, I tried to switch to Atkins, and on the 2nd day I have a major depressive episode...needless to say when I switched back to the potato immediately, it went away within a couple of hours... Our bodies are strange and react differently, so try different things and keep track...

TJ

This is one of the major reasons I chose low-carbing. I too, was on Paxil at one point in my life. I have low-carbed a couple of years ago and remembered the lack of depression/anxiety. I have been back at Atkins for 6 days now, and that feeling is back. I am not yelling at my kids so much, I am not delving into depression at all. I still have a bit of social anxiety, but I have learned to live with that.

mollymom- definitely one of the things i look forward to aside from weight loss on LC! Before I read Atkins, I knew very well that carbs affect my mood and weight negatively- mood swings, poor sleep, no energy, rapid weight gain, hunger, craving, binges- so it was no big surprise that cutting out the "bad" carbs will have positive effects. I think that a combo of diet and medication is what doctors should be prescribing, because often the medication can have negative effects opn the appetite and weight that have to be addressed with diet. I wish iI had known beore I had started my medications. I am glad to see everyone is doing so much better, it gives me a lot of hope.

YUP... me too! I have been on and off my meds since Feb. 2000 when I was diagnosed bi polar. My first experience low carbing, I also cut the caffeine as well as cigarettes. I did really great not riding any of those rollercoasters.

This time I am also off my meds (since Dec 04) but I'm smoking and having some caffeine. I am still doing quite well. I am going to cut out the smoking and caffeine but one major change at a time for me!

Carbage magnified my baseline depression. I still have to take an anti-depressant, but low-carbing makes feel lighter, emotionally as well as physically.

Angry...
 

You know it angers me somewhat to know now after years of therapy and various cocktails to find out that diet can help my manic depression... Doctor's, however, practice what they are taught...and what they are taught is that medication and therapy is the key... As someone suggested the focus should be on meds, diet, and exercise... Although, when depressed it is difficult to manage any of those...it is a pure roller coaster ride for me... But the potatoes do something for me that I can't explain, they calm me somehow...it is a peacefulness that I cannot understand...as soon as I consume them...plain of course...most times... This way of eating has helped me to wake up early and I ama in awe... When I consume sweets...I am unable to get up on my own... I have a long, hard road ahead, but am hopeful...for once in a long time... Good luck all...

TJ

skeeweeaka- I agree that most doctors completely disregard the impact of diet when it comes to mood regulation. I know that what I put in my mouth can have tremendous impact on how I feel. But you're saying that you cannot do a very lowcarb plan like Atkins because you need the calming seratonin effect from potatoes? I was wondering, if very low carb plans are not good for those dealing with severe depression or on SSRIs because of the connection between carbohydrates and seratonin production. I mean I am sure that feeling less bloated, losing weight, and having more energy will make me feel less depressed about myself, but in the long run, will low carb upset the chemical balance because it interferes with/suppresses seratonin production? Or do I have the whole carb/seratonin/depression connection confused. Can you please tell me what you learned from the Potatoes not Prozac and your personal experience? thank you