Ok now I am itchy


(Paulene ) #41

Yeah, it is. BUT I have decided I’m going to accept the gain and go completely out of keto. As expected, the cortisol cream has stopped working. Well, the original rash has calmed down but there is now new rash flaring around the perimeter. Just increasing carbs to 50-60g hasn’t helped, and I’m sick of recording every single thing I eat. So, I’m going off keto for a bit. I’ll stll avoid high GI carbage (mostly :wink:). Once the rash has calmed down, I’ll drop carbs gradually till I’m back in ketosis.
I’m a bit devestated that I have to do this but I’m choosing carbs over antibiotics. :cry:


#42

@Paulene
Did the dermatologist give you a diagnosis? Or did he just assume it was keto rash?
I think that if you upped the carbs, the rash should have much improved or disappeared. Not gotten NEW rash. Also- getting the rash on your leg is uncommon. Usually it is your trunk.
Just saying- maybe a reassessment of what this actually is on your leg should be undertaken? It was itchy though right? Did the itch go away with upping the carbs? I just had a few raspberries and the itch went away. Just food for thought. Maybe it isn’t keto rash at all? Then you would have quit keto for nothing.


(Paulene ) #43

I haven’t been to a dermatologist, just a GP. It would cost a couple of hundred $$ to see a dermatologist here, and probably a few weeks wait. It’s easier for me to access carbs than cash, so I’ll give increasing carbs a go for at least a week. If no improvement, I’ll go to a keto Dr.
It is true that my keto rash doesn’t follow the usual pattern in terms of where it is, but the appearance and reaction to a drop in carbs (eg., fasting) are consistent with keto rash. Also, I had a light rash over my chest and trunk and that has disappeared since starting the cortisone cream - just occasional itching now, no visible rash.

You may be more sensitive to carbs than me. I’ve been having 200g of berries the last few days and still staying in ketosis. I had an almond croissant (so, a wee bit of carbage) this morning, sweet potato with my lunch salad bowl, and corn chips with beef & kidney bean chilli + a glass of red wine tonight, and my blood ketones are now .3 mmol - just on the cusp of nutritional ketosis.

Sorry to hear you are getting the the flu. :anguished: Hope you feel better soon.


#44

@Paulene
When I was eating those raspberries, the keto sticks were still purple, if this is what you mean?
I just had to cancel my appointment with the dermatologist because of the flu. Postponed to next week. GAD I feel like SHIT today. And I am REALLY not hungry, but dont want to fast while in the throws of an infection.
Take care Paulene-


#45

@Paulene
I still itch but less. I dont think the doxycycline is doing the trick. Just soothing a bit.
I just read glutathione and chlorella should help. Something about getting rid of heavy metals which are released from the fat cells, where they were stored. I will try this next.


(Paulene ) #46

Oh, thats disappointing.
I’m struggling to add carbs. I’m so in the habit of eating keto that adding carbs just seems so very wrong. I’m prob up to 80g per day carb without significant improvement in the rash. The idea of eating a whole bowl of pasta nearly kills me but it may be whats needed :roll_eyes:.


#47

Seems quite a few people quit keto due to the unbearable itching. They say it is more like the hives. I don’t want to be one of them which is why I am trying to find all sorts of mitigating therapies. It looks like nothing makes it disappear so the next best thing is something which makes it itch less. ACV helps with the itch for sure. I will see if I can get my hands on any glutathione. Otherwise I wonder how many people say “this works” when in truth they just let the rash run its course and it disappeared anyway.
Otherwise it is a waiting game. Like praying “when will this torture be over”? And I look a mess. All the itchy red spots have turned into dark red to brownish scabs and still itch.
WOE IS ME.


(Paulene ) #48

I feel so sorry for you, Chantarella. :cry: At least mine is quite localised. Mine is, however, getting worse. Aristocorte has stopped working. A moderate increase in carbs is not improving it. So I have jumped in with both feet today to see of high carbs will do the trick: almond crossiant for breakfast, beef stirfry on bowl of rice for lunch, fettuccini boscaiola for dinner. I’m going to feel yuk for the next week, I’m sure of it. If a week of heavy carbs doesnt improve things, I guess its antibiotics next.


#49

@Paulene
If increasing the carbs to that high amount does not help, then it is not the keto rash. It cant be. Then I think it would be wise to see a dermatologist. I cant for the life of me think what it could be- a red patch down on your leg, localized like this and itchy. No idea. But if it is not the keto rash then my sage advice is to let a real dermatologist look at it.


#50

I’ve been following this due to the fact that my daughter (not keto) has had a horrible time since November with itchy skin, hives, and eczema. This is the first time that it has happened. She has been to dermatologist, allergists, and family doctor and can find no relief. Went gluten free (helped for a while), done an allergy panel and cut out all the foods she was allergic to and it still came back. They have tried three or four different steroid ointments (knocks it down and comes back). A steroid shot did clear it up completely for a week before it came back. The only thing we have not tried is UV therapy. We have a tanning bed and may start letting her lay for a few minutes a couple of days a week. It is winter time here and she had another break out the other day when we had a few days turn colder after a mild period. It could be environmental. She is miserable, so I will keep following this thread to see if you find something that helps.


#51

@Bobt
I am not a dermatologist/allergist so I am sorry I cannot help you. I have however heard of some people reacting “allergically” to temperature changes. There are some weird rare allergies like that and also some pathological histamine reactions which are rare too. But one has to be Sherlocke Homes to ferret out what could be causing an allergic reaction like this. In the extreme one has to cut out all foods and start with the basics and build up again to see when it begins. So I am really sorry for her suffering. I now know what it means to be itchy like this and it is some kind of painful.


(Paulene ) #52

@Chantarella It’s been a week now - did the antibiotics work ?


#53

@Paulene
Only a bit. I think they said doxycycline`s anti-inflammatory properties could do that. So again nothing with a root cause effect - always only symptomatic. So although the itching is less torturous, it is still cause for suffering - mainly because it covers almost my whole body. I am not a happy camper. The next thing I am going to try is glutathione. I read somewhere the rash could be due to the release of stored heavy metals from the fat cells and this helped. I know that fat cells can store oestrogen so why not heavy metals? But the bottom line is they just dont know the cause.There are LOADS of skin diseases where the cause is sadly unknown. Thats why dermatolgists prescribe cortisone so often.
I also got sinusitis last week and this has made me altogether miserable, so IF was not in the cards for me the past few days. I am keeping it keto, and keeping my carbs around 20g or under, but when I feel sick I guess I need to eat something. I had lost 8 kilos but am back to 7. I guess I might have to stall a bit before I can continue and for that I have to feel better.
On a lighter note I wanted to tell somebody about keto and she told me she was on keto since last year! She has PCOS and now her cycle is normal! But she also only lost 12 kilos in a whole year- however she says she does it effortlessly and loves keto pizza and keto cookies. I guess one just has to be patient. Before keto my scale was inching ever higher. At least now it is going in the other direction and I can enjoy my food. So I am: KCKO.
Oh what I have noticed is that ACV really does help but the trick it to use it on scratched skin. After you scratch, maybe the surface is a bit more ready to transport the ACV underneath the surface and although it burns sometimes at first -even stings really- it seems to work a lot better and a lot longer at minimising the itch after that.


(Denise Palmer) #54

I use olive oil for all rashes and it works great!


#55

@Dpalmer
Hi Denise and welcome!
Have you heard of the keto rash?


(Denise Palmer) #56

Thanks, glad to have found you guys!

I started getting itchiness and then read this in the forum.

I’m brand new to Keto since Feb. 26th! Having great results so far.


#57

@Dpalmer So tell me what kind of rash heals with olive oil? Because most people - including doctors- are at a total loss when it comes to the keto rash. The only thing that seems to really work is upping the carb intake, and that ruins weight loss.


(Denise Palmer) #58

I have used it for allergy rashes, heat rashes and now Keto.

On each occasion it has relieved the itching immediately and in 1-3 days the rash has gone away.

That’s been my experience.

:slight_smile:


#59

@Dpalmer
Well h*ll- then I will certainly try it. I am in misery here!!!
Especially if you say “allergy” - it absolutely feels like an allergic reaction- like hives really.
I would have thought olive oil is only good for dry skin.


#60

@Dpalmer
I just put some on my chest and it does feel strangely soothing. I will definitely get back to you if the itching stops. WOW - where have you been?
@Paulene- try this and tell me if it helps you