Prior to this WOE, I was plagued with dry, itchy skin around my eyes, which my doctor told me was allergies and prescribed Benedryl and a topical anti-itch cream. This had minimal results.

However, when I began Atkins almost a year ago, this condition completely went away. This was great! Until this week...

I'm thought about adding in a small serving of oatmeal in the morning as a break between boiled eggs and sausage which I usually munch on at work. After two days eating oatmeal, my eyes have gotten extrememly swollen, and the skin around them is rashy, burning and itchy...its back!

Do you think there is might be a food allergy connection between this condition and the oatmeal? I can't think of anything I've eaten or used on my face that might be the culprit....

This is funny - I just started with an oatmeal soap recently and thought I got bug bites on my face - but it may be an allergy.

I'm going to stop. Thanks for the insight.

That is really interesting, because a lot of times oatmeal is used to relieve the symptoms you are describing. But, if that is the only new thing in your routine then it's likely that it is an allergic reaction, and I would stop eating the oatmeal.

Robin

Yeah, I thought that was funny too. Been doing a little on-line research and apparently you CAN have a reaction to oatmeal...which makes sense, since I have become pretty sensitive to non ATKINS foods when I might stray (which makes it REAL easy to stay on the plan!).

And yeah, topical applications of oatmeal IS used to soothe other allergies, so this is still a mystery...

However I found this that is interesting:
http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtI...009/361514.html

Quaker has recalled some Maple oatmeal for people with almond allergies. I dont think I have almond allergies since I eat them all the time, but that it might be helpful information to someone looking at this post...

: )

Sounds like a food intolerance to me.

I have a slough of food intolerances (wheat, oats, barley, corn, potatoes, eggplant, cinnamon, dairy, ...). As a kid I had constant post-nasal drip, itchy eyes/ears, bloody noses, irritability, eczema, and a sort of spaciness I like to call 'brain fog'. As I grew older the bloody noses went away and I began to have horrible cramps. The my doctor assumed it was hayfever, and stuffed me full of antihistamines (which may have something to do with the brain fog). No one ever tested me for allergies.

When I was finally tested, I only was allergic to dogs, which blew me away since I've never had a problem being around dogs. It's apparently a very mild allergy. I wasn't allergic to any foods or pollens. How 'bout that?!

Someone suggested I read "Eat Right For Your Type", and I discovered someone had compiled my list of 'allergy' foods and given me a fairly logical reason to believe that, though I wasn't technically allergic to these foods, I was intolerant of them. My body just missed out on that evolutionary step where the human body learned to digest them. So, my body treats them like poison.

Anyway, I've stopped eating all those things, and my husband doesn't think I'm insane any more. Eczema, itchiness, moodiness, and horrible cramps have all gone away. I'm a firm believer in avoiding intolerance foods.

GG

Hmmm....Good point GreenGenes. I think I ll have to check out that piont. I do find it interesting that all during 4 months of induction and now into OWL and further, I havent had any "allergy" symptoms until Ive started to expand my carbs. I think there may definitely be a link.....