My Salvation: Ketosis

I felt tired my entire life, especially so after puberty. I somehow stumbled through Junior and Senior School.  

In university though, things really collapsed. I would get home by 5 pm, and fall asleep in front of Friends, which aired at 7 pm. I would sleep for 3 hours, then fall into bed. I would not be awake for my 8 am class. (Calculus, so had to learn that (much) later. No surprise I don’t have a degree in mathematics!)

At times I just thought I was lazy; I know many others did too. I couldn’t run, so didn’t do much sport. I would swim in circles, literally. (Think it through - with one leg shorter, that is exactly what happens! I choose to laugh about this, and I hope you might too :) . I always had a great time in the pool anyway and still do!)

I had back pain, which was particularly rough in the spring. There were times I couldn’t stand up, or worse, sit in a chair. Inflammation can be a terrible thing! 

In early 2021, I was completely fed up with being tired, with inflammation, with everything really. Then the cherry on the top: I was diagnosed with malignant degeneration.  This came right before a holiday I had been planning for months too. I was truly at a breaking point. 

Cheesy but true, a Facebook ad put me on the path to my salvation:  The ketogenic diet. 

The woman advocating for it suggested it could help with some of my problems: low energy levels, pain, and cancer. 

I decided to go for it and remember thinking: If this doesn’t do it, nothing will. 

I cut out the sugar and nearly all carbs. 

Boy, it was hard at first. Not just the withdrawal but the logistics: EVERYTHING has carbs!!!

It means you must find a new way to eat and change every habit. 

But I stuck with it, and now I am awake for the first time I can remember. 

Nearly two years in, and I no longer have inflammation. I can always sit in a chair! I don’t need a three hour nap every day. I missed out on a lot with my children when they were small, but thankfully, I don’t anymore. 

I share this because I know others have the same problems. If you can, and f you feel as desperate as I did, why not try it? What if it helps you too?  

P.S. 

I learned only recently that the mutation causing my tumors has a mitochondrial implication. Mitochondrial, eh? Issues with energy production? Hmmm.... (link below) 

Still, there is no specific medical literature I can find that explains why ketosis works so well in my case.  

My doctors just tell me to do as I will, knowing I am going to anyway! ( I am a stubborn woman!).

We keep an eye on my blood work, of course! This diet is not without some risks. It is a balancing act, like all things, and I understand that. Safety first, always, but I am happy to finally be doing better. 

P.P.S

I now know that I am not the only one doing this diet with Ollier's related complications and finding relief. :) It is beautiful to talk about these things and help each other find hope and treatments that work. The research is incomplete, so anecdotes are much of what we have. 

xM

 IDH2 gene: MedlinePlus Genetics