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Well I had a summer and September when glten snuck back in, as did some egg, little dairy, and processed sugar and flour. Now I'm paying for it.

Excess weight and very painful arthritis condition in joint between shoulder and arm. Never been in pain before and have had awful pain at night, mostly, for better than a week now.

Have given up nightshades, citrus, strawberries, and corn. Am also eating absolutely gluten free and soy free. No change yet, still have ache in shoulder and leg rash--only 4 days into it. Did cooked foods only for first couple of days.

Am wondering if this new arthritis is a result of my carelessness with gluten recently, after being gluten free for most of a year.

Sorry to hear you're having such a rough time.

Interestingly enough, I started having arthritis symptoms this summer too, especially in my fingers when I woke up. I figured out it was caused by my gluten free oats. Since eliminating them, I've also discovered that Sunshine Burgers (not on program because of the nuts, but they were really handy in "in a pinch" situations) cause the same problem. I'm assuming its the nuts. I'm still resisting a full-blown elimination diet against all evidence that I really need to do one!

Jamie, I resisted it because I love the nightshades and used lemon in my dressing every day. I did only 2 days cooked and added back in gluten free oats. Have aggrevated my rash and arm won't heal. Ya think it the oats? I guess I can go oat free too. Am getting tired of brown rice and sweet potatoes.

Wonder if raw honey is a bad idea? Been sampling it on my rice. Supposed to be good for allergies. But maybe is a problem.

Now my list of things to avoid is quite long. What about you?

Jellen, I'm not suggesting that oats are a problem for you - just that they are for me! These food sensitivities seem to be an individual thing. Do you ever dream about eating whatever you want?

Jamie, oats? Am wondering, instead, about corn. Today, I added in some nonGMO corn and my face began to itch and my throat. Coincidence? My skin tests showed corn was just fine.

Yes!!!

I am sensitive to all grains (although quinoa seems so-so and I eat it occasionally still). I avoid corn, gf oats, millet, rice, soy, all gluten of course, and all condiments entirely (except for nutritional yeast once per week and cinnamon).

I eat potatoes, yams, veggies, and fruits. Those are the only safe foods for me currently. Among those categories, I still avoid tomatoes, cucumbers and citrus as i haven't officially tested them in.

Surprisingly, I have adjusted to this diet and most of the time I am content and enjoy my food.

BUT...sometimes I long to eat a normal meal out with friends, or enjoy the foods my family would eat on Sundays, or enjoy a pleasurable dessert, or a peanut butter sandwich. I think I miss the tradition of the food more than the specific tastes. But, it's not like i fight these cravings every moment.

lfwfv, I was wondering if gluten free oats are really gluten free or if there's something else about them that makes them allergenic. When I tested oats on the skin test, it showed some flare. But I was thinking it was due to them using nongluten free oats.

I don't know. I had a terrible reaction to gf oats. Very bad stomach cramps and intestinal troubles. It was similar to the reaction i get from gluten actually. Odd. They were certified gluten free too.

I finally bit the bullet - the elimination diet bullet, that is. I'm on day 6 of my elimination diet which I'm writing about over in the journal part of the forum. I found out that eliminating oats only helped my arthritic symptoms for a while. After 6 days on ED, either diet won't fix me or one of the "safe" foods isn't safe. So tomorrow I'm eliminating rice from my ED and we'll go from there.

That's what I'm afraid of...all grains going out. I messed up on my elimination diet and must start over. Can you eat corn? Can't remember. Buckwheat? Pseudo grains of any kind?

Corn doesn't agree with me, but I do eat buckwheat ... or did until I started this elimination diet! I decided to take the approach that I tested rice first, rather than that I wasted the first 6 days. I had planned to test some raw stuff first (is that legal?). It makes me nervous eating all cooked food.

If you have to start over, why don't you do it with me? I could use the company!

Sounds good, if I can modify it a bit too. Write me a p.m.

Am experimenting this week with corn added back into my diet. But I'm only eating non-GMO organic whole corn. So far, doesn't seem to be a problem. But then, I'm also being good with avoiding all gluten. Eating non-processed foods is the only real way for me to keep things in check--especially when it comes to gluten and added sodium.