Diarrhoea

[anon2623]

Hi, I'm a new forum member. I started the diet 12 weeks ago needing to lose 8 stone. I have lost over 2 1/2 stone so far, more than I have ever lost with other diets, so I am very pleased with the results.

My problem is that after 3 weeks on the diet I got diarrhoea and I have had it for 9 weeks continuously ever since, whether I am on shake weeks or meat weeks. I don't have to dash to the loo every few minutes, only once or twice a day, but whenever I do go, it is completely liquid.

Apart from the diarrhoea I feel very healthy, although I haven't had the energy boost predicted in the book. I don't want to go to the doctor's, because I know he'll tell me to come off this diet and go onto a low fat diet, which I've tried previously and it didn't work for me.

Has anyone else had this problem or can anyone suggest what may be causing it? :confused:

[S Bear]

Hi. When you say, "the diet," it sounds as if you are referring to the 6 Week Cure (shakes, meat, etc.). It's called the 6 Week Cure because it was designed to be a relatively radical diet for four weeks, and then segue into regular Protein Power eating in the last two weeks.

I got somewhat loose bowels when I was doing the whey shakes three times a day. When I moved to a more normal protein power diet, that stopped. So perhaps it's the shakes?

In any case, could you be a little more specific about what diet you're folllowing? The book isn't called "The 12 Week Cure," you know!

Most of the people on this forum, even if they have tried the 6 Week Cure, are following the ways of eating outlined in "Protein Power" and "The Protein Power Life Plan." On those constipation is more likely than loose stools.

[bpm]

whey shakes had me loose too so I now use egg protein powder but only a few times per week

[anon2623]

Thank you both for your replies.

Yes, I am using the 'Lose Your Middle Aged Middle' book. I continued with this diet after the first 4 weeks, because it says in the book that, if you haven't reached your target weight, you should continue with alternate shake and meat weeks until you do. There is no mention in the book about a maximum number of weeks to use the diet.

But after your advice I will get one of the books you mention and only use the whey protein shakes if I get constipated.

Thank you.

[S Bear]

Yeah, it does say you can continue...but I think it's a pretty aggressive diet for long-term use.

I'm not used to thinking in terms of "stone", but if I do the math, you've lost about 35 pounds already (congratulations!). That's excellent.

Any of these carb-restricted diets often result in very quick weight loss in the initial months (especially in the first few months). I lost about 30 pounds in my first two months on a regular Protein Power Diet, which isn't nearly as aggressive as the 6WC. But losing the rest of the way down to my target weight was much slower (five more months to lose another 25 pounds).

But there was really nothing wrong with that. I settled into a new way of eating, settled in so deeply that I didn't think of it as a diet any more. While the 6WC definitely feels like a "diet," and is therefore a little unnatural in the long term.

Best of luck to you. People must be astonished at your progress!

[anon2623]

I have now found the reason for my 'diarrhoea'. It is because I have been taking melatonin tablets. They have really helped my sleep problem - from an average of only 5 disturbed hours per night, I have been sleeping through for 7 to 8 hours and it has been wonderful. Unfortunately I am obviously one of the 1 in 10,000 people who get diarrhoea as a result of taking them. Now I have stopped, the diarrhoea took about a week to clear up and my sleep has gone back to only 5 hours.

But every cloud has a silver lining - I now have a pill that will cure constipation and give me a good night's sleep as well.

S Bear
Thank you for your praise. Actually I have so much weight to lose that people don't really notice the weight I've already lost. Maybe when I've lost another 3 stone (42 lbs) they will start noticing.

[gitfiddle]

Now I have stopped, the diarrhoea took about a week to clear up and my sleep has gone back to only 5 hours.That's disappointing!


But every cloud has a silver lining - I now have a pill that will cure constipation and give me a good night's sleep as well.
That's a positive way to look at it. :) If you can get a good night's sleep every few days, that would certainly help. Maybe a lower dose?