Weakness . . . what's going on??

Hello All;

I'm into week three of being Back on Track and having some issues.  For the past 2-3 days I've been feeling weak - primarily in my upper body.  Physically I feel good, better than I've felt during the last two years, but I just feel weak.  Like when you do bicep curls for the first time (perhaps a little too aggressively) and then later try to lift a glass of water.  That weakness you feel for a while til your body adjusts.

It's ongoing for the most part to varying degrees.  Not so bad that I can't function, but it's getting on my nerves.  LIke sitting here right now, I'm not tired, but feel like I just need to lay my head down and rest the muscles that are holding it up . . . does that make sense?  Also, my eyes are very sensitive to light right now.  I have literally always been sensitive to light, but it's been bad the past few days.

You got any ideas???  Some of the thoughts running through my head are . . .

1.  Reduction in the amount I'm eating.  Could be, but I think I'm eating/drinking enough.  I'm not starving myself.  My Bites posts look okay to me (feedback welcome).  The only thing really that I have cut out is all the extra carbs and sweets I was eating.

2.  Drastic reduction in carbs maybe I'm not getting the continual short energy blasts from them that kept me going previously?

3.  Could be I'm just now feeling the physical impact of not taking my supplements for so long.

I don't know.  I'll know more I guess when I get my labs (checking on progress today).

Any other thoughts???

The first thing I'd blame is the carbs.  It is kinda strange that you'd feel this way after getting back on track,and I hope it's nothing that has changed making you feel this way.  I feel sleepy when I first cut my carbs too...kinda like when I try to convince myself that I should cut out caffeine and then I want to hibernate without it.

The first thing that came to mind with the light sensitivity was B-vitamins.  Did you add a B-complex when you started back?  Could be a number of other things though (even non-vitamin related).

Yes, I did add a B-complex, but I don't think it's 50+.  I haven't yet added additional B-12 yet, though.

I'm doing a lab cheat sheet for myself and my pcp and found an interesting little tidbit about muscle weakness when looking up the Phosphorous test:

Phosphorus comes into the body through the diet. It is found in many foods and is readily absorbed by the intestines. About 70% to 80% of the body's phosphates are combined with calcium to help form bones and teeth, about 10% are found in muscle, and about 1% is in nerve tissue. The rest is found within cells throughout the body, where it is mainly used to store energy. Normally only about 1% of total body phosphates are present in the blood. 

A wide variety of foods, such as beans, peas and nuts, cereals, dairy products, eggs, beef, chicken, and fish, contain significant amounts of phosphorus. The body maintains phosphorus/phosphate levels in the blood by regulating how much it absorbs from the intestines and how much it excretes via the kidneys. Phosphate levels are also affected by the interaction of parathyroid hormone (PTH), calcium, and vitamin D.

Phosphorus deficiencies (hypophosphatemia) may be seen with malnutrition, malabsorption, acid-base imbalances, hypercalcemia, and with disorders that affect kidney function. Phosphorus excesses (hyperphosphatemia) may be seen with increased intake, hypocalcemia, and with kidney dysfunction.

Someone with a mild to moderate phosphorus deficiency frequently does not have any symptoms due to low phosphorus. With severe phosphorus deficiency, the symptoms seen may include muscle weakness and confusion. With extreme excess of phosphorus, symptoms are similar to those seen with low calcium, including muscle cramps, confusion, and even seizures.

I've not experienced any confusion to my knowledge, but the muscle weakness I'm now experiencing sounds like this.  On a side note, just completed a 45 minute walk to go pay my water bill and I didn't really experience it much on the walk and not too much since getting back.