Jump to content
This site uses cookies. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. More Info... ×

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com!
    eNewsletter
    Donate

I Thought I Was Allergic To Sulphates In Shampoo...but

Noche22

By Noche22
in Dermatitis Herpetiformis

Recommended Posts

Noche22 Rookie
Noche22
Posted

I only found out I had Celiac 6 days ago!!! I have been HORRIBLY sick for YEARS now, but my doctor and I never put all the clues together till now.

Anywho, about 5 years ago I started getting a HORRIBLE rash on scalp. Almost like psorriassis (SP?). It hurts, itches...BADLY!!! I have since then seen changed to organic shampoo and the problem isn't 'as bad' but still there. I get flaky almost like dandruff. My head is a mess. I am constantly in pain, with teeny blisters. They travel down my neck sometimes.

Because I only found out 6 days ago about the celiac, could it be Dermatitis Herpetiformis this whole time? I of course don't know much about it. Is there medication to take for this?

I see my doctor tomorrow, so I will discuss it with him. Just wanted to post about it to see what everyone thought.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


eatmeat4good Enthusiast
eatmeat4good
Posted

It very well could be. The teeny blister part and the pain are consistent with DH. The location is consistent as well. I too thought I was allergic to many ingredients in soaps and shampoos, but it was gluten. If it really is the case, the sores should stop hurting soon after going gluten free. A bit longer to heal. Iodine is an activator of DH.

Welcome to your recovery. I'm glad you found out what was wrong. I too was sick for years. Recovering now 4 months. Would not be well without this site. Keep reading. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
rosetapper23 Explorer
rosetapper23
Posted

Yes, I agree that your symptoms are consistent with DH. However, you might also be suffering from a zinc deficiency, so you might ask your doctor to test you for that (zinc deficiency can cause flaking of the scalp). If you are indeed deficient in zinc, be sure to buy the amino acid chelated form.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Noche22 Rookie
Noche22
  • Author
Posted

Thank you for your replies. I have my first official follow up with my doctor tomorrow, as my results were read over the phone to me. I will be going in depth with everything so I will bring this portion up with him as well. He prescribed some medication to me a couple years ago for this issue (thinking it was a sulphate allergy reaction), so he is already familiar with it. If it is DH, then I guess there is another approach to take.

I will update when I get back tomorrow afternoon. Thank you :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted

Thank you for your replies. I have my first official follow up with my doctor tomorrow, as my results were read over the phone to me. I will be going in depth with everything so I will bring this portion up with him as well. He prescribed some medication to me a couple years ago for this issue (thinking it was a sulphate allergy reaction), so he is already familiar with it. If it is DH, then I guess there is another approach to take.

I will update when I get back tomorrow afternoon. Thank you :D

The best approach with DH is avoiding gluten strictly and also iodine. If the doctor suggests dapsone do read on it throughly. It can have some nasty side effects. The diet and avoiding iodine will clear up DH nicely without meds but it does take some time for the antibodies to leave the skin so for awhile you may get flares when you get even small amounts of gluten. Do switch to topicals without gluten.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      121,212
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    DaniellePaxton
    Newest Member
    DaniellePaxton
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      120.3k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • cristiana
      Constant low back, abdominal and pelvic pain!

      By cristiana · Posted

      I think sometimes the pain described here can be a result of a sort of 'perfect storm' of contributing factors.  Recently I had an appalling bout of lower back pain, lower burning gut pain and what felt like cramps.  I then started to think about what could have caused it and I realised it was several things that had set it off: I'd been carrying heavy luggage (back strain); I had been sitting down in a car for too long and wearing a tight belt (I have pudendal nerve issues and sacroiliac issues and this exacerbates the pain), and I had bloating and burning pain in my colon caused by eating too much soy, latte and caffeine, I guess putting further pressure in the lower abdomen.  I had this same pain prior to my diagnosis and a couple of years post-diagnosis, I'd quite forgotten how unpleasant it was. 
    • cristiana
      Have this rash forming on the back of my legs. Looking for relief outside of going to the doctor.

      By cristiana · Posted

      HI @Kirbyqueen That's great news your insurance will be kicking in soon.  Sorry to see that you have been dealing with this for six months now, but I do hope you have managed to find some relief with some of the suggestions in the meantime. Perhaps come back and let us know what the doctor says. Cristiana
    • Scott Adams
      Trying to read my lab results

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      I agree, and hopefully your doctor will contact you soon about the next step, which will likely be an endoscopy to confirm your diagnosis. Do you have celiac disease symptoms? 
    • Kirbyqueen
      Have this rash forming on the back of my legs. Looking for relief outside of going to the doctor.

      By Kirbyqueen · Posted

      Still dealing with this rash on my legs. I've eliminated ringworm (through use of topical ointments). And I also know it's not shingles, as I've never had chickenpox before and I'm still fairly young. Through a lot of online research, I'm leaning more towards dermatitis herpetiformis, eczema, or psoriasis. I've actually got a doctor's appointment in May (finally got some insurance) and I'm going to bring it up then. I'm feeling really hopeful and excited to maybe be getting some relief soon.   Big thanks to everyone for the suggestions and positive thoughts!
    • trents
      Trying to read my lab results

      By trents · Posted

      You have three celiac disease specific antibody tests that are positive: Endomysial  Antibody IGA (aka, EMA), tTG-IGA, and tTG_IGG. Furthermore, your Immunoglobulin A at 55 is low, meaning you are IGA deficient. This one is not an antibody test for celaic disease per se but a measure of "total IGA" levels and if low (yours is low) it can suppress the individual antibody scores and even cause false negatives. So, yes, it definitely looks like you have celiac disease.   Do not yet begin a gluten free diet as your physician may refer you to a GI doc for an endoscopy/biopsy of the small bowel lining for confirmation of the antibody testing. This may help:   
×
×
  • Create New...