I’m new to the fasting club. I’ve been doing OMAD for about 3 weeks with great results. I went from 450lb to 226lb in that time frame and I spent the last 3 days doing a 72 hour fast.
I’ve been reading this sub a lot about doing longer fasts and I see a lot of people saying you need to check with your doctor. What questions do I need to ask my Physician about long fasts? Is it possibly a blood pressure issue? Blood sugar issue? Do I need labs drawn every so often? Just want to be prepared when I ask. Thanks
>I went from 450lb to 226lb in that time frame
Congratulations! That’s an extraordinary result.
>What questions do I need to ask my Physician about long fasts?
I’d need to be a physician to give you a totally confident answer myself, but it would be a good idea to talk to your doctor about electrolyte levels, which need to be kept in balance when doing an extended fast.
For example, your blood pressure will drop as sodium levels (an electrolyte) begin to decrease, which for most of us is a good thing, but perhaps would not be if you already suffer from low blood pressure.
Your blood sugar should remain inside stable, healthy levels while you fast, because your body actually works really hard to keep it inside a tight range at all times - but again, if you have a problem with low blood sugar going into it, probably best to check.
If you have meds that are recommended to be taken with food, you’ll want to check if there’s an alternative.
The first time I fasted I checked in with my doctor once a week, but it was more of a precaution than anything. I think in general what’s important is that if you’re experiencing unpleasant or worrying symptoms while fasting, don’t hesitate to check in with the doctor and ask.
For a healthy person with no medical problems except too much fat strapped to their body, there’s no medical risk to fasting to my knowledge that isn’t preceded by mild warning signs (e.g. light-headedness/dizziness is an early warning that you’re not getting enough electrolytes).