Hello everyone! New here. Terrible Anxiety

[jarrodssc]

My name is Jarrod and I'm going carnivore! I'm so glad I found this place so I can talk to people who are also trying this out. 

I've went for it several times before but I always end up developing anxiety and insomnia after a few days and it makes it very hard to keep going because as soon as I eat carbs, the anxiety goes away and I can sleep again. 

My body feels awful on carbs, but my brain gets weird without them. haha

Longest I've gone is 50ish days but the anxiety comes and goes in waves and seems to get worse over time.

Yesterday was day 3 this time and it spiked so hard last night that I had to give my wife some space so I wouldn't be mean to her, and I needed Zzzquil to sleep enough so I wouldn't be useless at work today.

It MIGHT be transition symptoms, it MIGHT be that my protein is too high and my fat is too low, it MIGHT be something like glutathione or not enough GABA... but honestly I don't know.

It's made such a huge positive impact to the health of my body and this anxiety and insomnia is very frustrating.

Any resources in the forum I can look at? Anybody have similar experiences?

Thanks in advance for any help! I'm so happy to get to meet everybody.

[Geezy]

Welcome Jarrod. Glad you could join us.
I really can’t relate to what you are going through Jarrod because I’ve only experienced any anxiety a couple of times in my life under some very stressful circumstances.
It could very well due to your transitioning.
In the past when you had anxiety were you in a state of high energy? I ask because many people talk out how high their energy levels get on carnivore so I wonder it there could be a correlation.
I hope you stick with this way of eating became it can take time to heal.


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[Miranda]

Hey, Jarrod, sorry to hear you are having a rough go at it. Have you considered transitioning slowly like Professor Bart Kay recommends? I am wondering if soaking the feet in Epsom salts in the evening would help. What do you eat in a day currently? What does your sleep hygiene currently look like?

[Bob]

On 7/10/2024 at 8:49 AM, jarrodssc said:

I always end up developing anxiety and insomnia after a few days

Some people report not needing as much sleep as they used to. And then others, like myself, have become biphasic - that is, sleep in 2 stages instead of one long 8 hour rest. I sleep from around 11pm or midnight to 2 or 3am, then I get up for an hour, and then I go back to sleep again and then wake up at 7am or so. It's been like this since shortly after starting carnivore and it has never gone away. I don't let it bother me though. I've just accepted it.

Try not to eat within 4 hours of bedtime. If I eat late, I can't sleep. My body wants to expend that energy. 

On 7/10/2024 at 8:49 AM, jarrodssc said:

it MIGHT be that my protein is too high and my fat is too low

Aim for at least 1g of fat for every 1g of protein. 

On 7/10/2024 at 8:49 AM, jarrodssc said:

It's made such a huge positive impact to the health of my body

I'm glad to hear that. This proves that this is good for you overall.

On 7/10/2024 at 8:49 AM, jarrodssc said:

My body feels awful on carbs

What kind of carbs? If you mean sugar and grain and the standard western diet, then yeah, you'll feel awful. 

But, if you can stay mostly carnivore and then occasionally eat ketovore or animal-based (i.e. fruit) you should still feel alright, provided you're just getting a small amount of carbs here and there and not binging on fruit all day, lol.

[Orweller]

50 days is quite the accomplishment already, so you got that. 50 days may also be too soon to experience some of the benefits you are seeking, it's all so individual. To me it sounds like withdrawal of those carbs, those carbs may well be a crutch you're leaning on when you've got an anxiety attack. We've got such a hormonal/chemical response to refined carbs, they can offer an escape or soothe ones angst. We tend to tie emotion with eating, we do this even on our birthdays with a cake! 

Hang in there and ask questions, no one is an expert on but their own experience, nonetheless there's a lot to be learned. 

[Scott F.]

I went over 60 days this week. So far, I'm only seeing the positives. Weight loss, off pain/anti-inflammation medicines for NMOSD (Devic's) and energy I have not seen in years.

I do feel like when I wake up I'm immediately fully alert and ready to go. I don't have the drag myself out of bed and make my way to the bathroom feel, it is like eyes open and go. I do sleep better now. However, I don't feel the 'mental clarity' and 'laser focus' that I read others have experienced. Zero expertise on the subject but from what I read the "mental' type benefits take longer for a lot of people. 

Best of luck and hopefully you find your plan.

Scott

[Laura]

The insomnia and leg cramps at night are one thing that have prevented me going full carnivore in the past.  Only 3 days in now myself, and I'm finding Organic full fat plain Greek yogurt about 4 hours before bed helps me sleep. It has a few carbs, but is still Carnivore. I don't know if that might help you, but I find it's balancing for me.

[Bob]

On 7/14/2024 at 4:02 AM, Laura said:

It has a few carbs, but is still Carnivore.

Yes indeed. 

I have to take electrolytes at bedtime so as not to have cramps. I really struggle to balance my minerals due to my CKD.