esammarie
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About Me
I have celiac disease, which was shocking, but looking back, not really surprising. I want to say I was diagnosed quickly, but was I? I went to the doctor with a rash in August. Have had the rash on and off for two years - it took me that long to realize that the intensely itchy, seemingly reasonless and scarring rash on my knees, elbows, and shoulders was nothing less than something more than "plague" which is what I affectionately call my DH.
I have celiac disease. All the blood tests, skin biopsies, SI biopsies and exams - they all say the same thing. I am lucky. I have concurrence. I have a definitive answer. All the health issues I've previously endured now make sense. The challenge now is not to look back but rather to look forward and to claim and embrace a new, healthier, tastier, safer, fun as heck life.
I am blessed. I ask for blessings to be dispersed to more and more and more. The more people with more blessings, the better!
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ARCHIVED Not Just What You Eat But Where
esammarie replied to esammarie's topic in Coping with Celiac Disease
I am so glad to hear someone else had this experience and I love your boss's decree! Thank you so much for sharing. It really helps! -
ARCHIVED Not Just What You Eat But Where
esammarie replied to esammarie's topic in Coping with Celiac Disease
Oh, that's really good to know! I will look into it. Thank you so much! -
ARCHIVED Scared And Sad And...relieved
esammarie replied to CDeeR's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
Welcome to this scary yet comforting and healing place called "I have celiac disease!" I was diagnosed only a month ago and I have found this site ENORMOUSLY helpful and comforting. I am not experienced enough, I don't think, to offer much advice except to say that I felt that feeling of sadness, of anger, of hopelessness. It seemed so enormous - ALL those... -
ARCHIVED Funny Gluten Joke
esammarie replied to gluten-kills's topic in Introduce Yourself / Share Stuff
This is very funny! Thanks for sharing it! -
Three times now, since going gluten-free after the diagnosis of DH and celiac, my "plague" or DH has erupted after eating lunch at work. Each time I had a super-yummy completely gluten-free lunch: a gluten-free Applegate Farms turkey dog on Kinnikinnik gluten-free brown bread with gluten-free mustard and some fresh lettuce. Today it was a GlutenFreeda's gluten...
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I've had fibromyalgia since 1988 and was diagnosed with celiac disease with dermatitis herpetiformis last month. For my fibro, I take 40 mgs of amitriptyline (Elavil) every night - have on and off for years. It was the first treatment back in 88 and the best for me, though I have to say that since the celiac diagnosis my fibro has been acting up, but that...
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ARCHIVED Good Dermatologist In Atlanta
esammarie replied to Glamour's topic in Dermatitis Herpetiformis
My DH was discovered by the Physician Assistant Sheila Mayo in the Dermatology dept. at Emory Clinic - Clifton Road. She works under Dr. Michael Sarradet. Dr. Jamie MacKelfresh also in the same Derm. dept. specializes in DH and she's the one who read my biopsies and diagnosed the DH. It can be tough to get an appt. with the doctors but you can get in pretty... -
I'm with you; the pathophysiology of DH is quite interesting. There are some great online discussions to check out - they really helped me understand my DH and why it does what it does: Open Original Shared Link (this is not written for the average lay person and so the very medical terminology can be a bit tough but it's a really thorough discussion of...
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How fabulous!!!! It is worth bragging about. The rash, which I call Plague, can look terrible and make you feel worse. I, too, feel elated that my knees don't look so purple and scabby. The scars are there but they aren't as angry looking and new breakouts of Plague haven't happened since I was diagnosed and went gluten free in September. Congratulations...
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ARCHIVED The Bad News Keeps Rolling In.
esammarie replied to Brooklyn528's topic in Coping with Celiac Disease
Oh my goodness!!! I am so sorry you are going through this! Autoimmune diseases definitely are linked. If you have one, it's more likely that you'll have another or another. There are several articles and reports about this on this website and on trusted sources like www.csaceliacs.org, the website of the Celiac Sprue Association. I found the book Gluten... -
ARCHIVED New Member, New Diagnosis, Upset And Confused!
esammarie replied to thecatlady's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
Welcome! I, too, am new to this. Just diagnosed a few weeks ago. I too, have felt depressed and anxious but have been working through the grief stages and moving on the living and loving stages. I found the following books really, really helpful: Living Gluten-Free for Dummies and Gluten-Free Cooking for Dummies. Got them on (Company Name Removed -... -
Yes, that certainly does sound like DH. I have it - confirmed by biopsy of perilesional skin and all positive antibody blood tests plus positive GI biopsy. Definitely do see a dermatologist. That's who diagnosed my rash - I thought I had some allergy but couldn't figure out to what. It was a shock to get the DH diagnosis, but good because it led to the rest...
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ARCHIVED Trouble With Kinnikinnick Donuts
esammarie replied to finally diagnosed's topic in Gluten-Free Recipes & Cooking Tips
I share the concern about the amount of sugar and carbs, especially from legume flours that can cause gas and bloating, consumed all at once. Before suspecting contamination or a celiac issue, I'd think about the digestion problems resulting from consuming three donuts with the ingredients they contain - and while your GI system is still trying to heal from... -
ARCHIVED Positive Dh Biopsies And Blood Tests - Do I Need Gi Biopsy?
esammarie replied to esammarie's topic in Dermatitis Herpetiformis
Thanks, friends, for all of your advice and support. I decided to have the endoscopic exam and I am glad I did because not only did it show "severe scalloping" and damage to the duodenum to confirm the celiac disease diagnosis, they also found a nasty throat infection and esophagitis resulting from the infection, which explains my difficulties swallowing... -
I am really lucky. I went to the dermatologist after my primary doctor didn't know what this recurring rash was. I've had it on and off for two years. On my elbows, knees, sometimes spreading to my arms and my feet. I thought I was allergic to something and went crazy and spent a lot of money changing shampoos, conditioners, skin cleansers, makeup, etc. I...