How Long After Glutening?

[kitgordon]

I got glutened by some sweetened nuts at a friend's house (didn't look at the label - duh! smacks self in head!) nearly 3 weeks ago. Next day started with my usual GI symptoms, then a few days later I started getting what I thought were mosquito bites on my feet, but as new ones kept arriving around my elbows and knees and on my hands, I realized it is probably DH, which I've never had before. New blisters are still popping up 3 weeks later. Is it likely this is still a reaction to the nuts, or should I suspect something else I am eating? Any guesses on how long it is likely to last? And any suggestions on home remedies that help? The itching is miserable, but I don't want to go deal with incompetent doctors or take potent medications with possible side effects if I can help it.

[eatmeat4good]

The reaction can last anywhere from a few days, to a few weeks, to a few months. DH can be sensitive to iodine which can cause the antibodies to remain active in the skin. you may have to limit iodine in order to heal. If you find that you do have to limit iodine, Thyca.com is the low iodine diet. You can use regular salt and stop using iodized salt to see if that helps some.

For relief of pain and itching you can get Walgreens brand of Pain Relieving Ointment that has Benzocaine in it. Solarcaine or Bactine also work. It is only temporary relief though, and you have to reapply often, but it can get you through the bad nights.

DH is very sensitive to cross contamination. Be sure you are very careful now and if you haven't already you will want to check your personal products too.

Your description of this is very much in line with DH.

Limit iodine, get super strict on gluten free, apply pain relieving ointment.

It took me two years to heal my DH, but the reactions from a glutening only last a few weeks now, and they are not nearly as bad as they were. It usually occurs within one week of an accidental glutening. I have had to limit iodine to heal DH.

I hope you feel better soon.

[squirmingitch]

What eatmeat said!

[kitgordon]

Thank you for the suggestions and well-wishes . I did get a benzocaine cream, and it is more helpful than the hydrocortisone I had been using. I also am switching to non-iodized salt, to see if that helps. I hope I don't need to go as far as the low iodine diet; it looks awfully restrictive (as if gluten free isn't tough enough, right?). I am normally very careful about my food, but I guess I'd better rethink my personal products. That hasn't been in issue for me in the past, but maybe it is going to be now.

[squirmingitch]

It's possible that you could just do low iodine diet for 2 weeks & that will be enough to make it lay down for you. But you may want to use non iodized salt from here on out. And sea salt has iodine so just get the plain old non iodized salt.