That's a Side Effect I Didn't Expect

So, you 'member how I was bragging the other day about how I awesome I was doing on Atkins...and how I wasn't experiencing any of the "side effects" such as carb withdrawals, headaches, fatigue, etc?

Yeah.  Well, I apparently jinxed myself.

Except it was for none of those thing....except for a headache that started on Sunday and didn't go away until yesterday.

For a few days, I've started having this horrible itching on my feet, arms, neck, and under my boobs.

It has been so bad that I thought my house was infested by fleas from my cats - and put them through the ringer with flea treatments, furniture sprays, etc.

We do all of that, and I'm sitting on the couch last night scratching my skin off because I'm so itchy, and I truly believe that I'm infested with fleas....YUCK!!

Except, no one else in my house is having any problems.  I check my cats - no signs of problems on them either.  So, I go straight to the obvious cause of my itching.  Every flea that was in my house that we've tried to get rid of has now apparently moved on to me - and are eating me alive to get back at me.

The obvious.  Right?

Wrong-O!

While doing a little search on the Atkins forums I now frequent, I come across several threads all talking about an itching that occurred a couple weeks after starting Atkins.  Urm.  What?

No joke.

It seems as though many people, after starting Atkins or any low carb diet, start to develop a very itchy, uncomfortable rash over different parts of their body - most commonly their legs, arms, neck, stomach, and breasts.  This was NOT a side effect listed when I first signed up...and I had no idea that something like this was even possible.  Am I allergic to Atkins?

Well, no...I'm not.  But, I could possible be reacting to the stage of Ketosis (the burning of fat instead of carbs for energy) that's causing my body to develop a rash.  On one hand, it's a good indicator that my body is doing what it's supposed to be doing - burning fat.  On the other?  It sucks big rat balls!  I feel like I've taken some hallucinogenic drug that's causing me to feel like my whole body has been invaded with parasites that are eating me alive.

Several people also say it's a reaction to artificial sweeteners - but I'm not eating or drinking any....and I've drank diet soda for EVA and never had a problem.  It sounds a whole lot more likely that it's the reaction to the ketosis - even though I'm not a doctor and can't really diagnose myself.

What I do know is that as much as it sucks to be itching like crazy - it's not enough to make me jump ship and give up on what I've accomplished so far.  Yesterday, I received several compliments from people about how great I'm starting to look.  My feelings are matching those compliments - minus the itching.

The rash isn't supposed to last forever...and as long as I stick it out for another week or so - once my body gets used to the adjustment - it should go away.  I can live with that.  It's also another great reason to not sway one little bit... because if I take my body out of ketosis and then have to start all over again...the rash will start all over again.  No Thank You!

For the first time, I'm on a diet plan that I love.  Not so much the plan, but having to force myself to eat because I don't suffer from constant cravings and hunger.  Feeling my clothes get looser after only 2 weeks on the program.  And if I have to scratch and itch for a couple of weeks in order to increase those feelings?  So be it.

That's true determination, right there.

Oh, and sorry Kitties for making your last few days pure hell.  HA!