Jump to content

  • 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 Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Is This Possibly Dermatitis Herpetiformis?

djs89

By djs89
in Dermatitis Herpetiformis

Recommended Posts

djs89 Rookie
djs89
Posted

I have no official diagnosis of celiac disease, but I experience symptoms similar to it. However, I'm not brave enough to have an intestinal biopsy. I haven't been adhering to a strict gluten free diet due to a lack of confirmation. I have a family history of Crohn's disease, which seems to be linked to Celiac disease. I had a celiac blood test, which came back negative. Even if I do not have celiac disease, it seems like I do have an intestinal problem of some kind. I also have typical symptoms of an autoimmune disorder, and I know that consuming wheat/gluten products makes me ill.

 

Recently I've had rashes on the back of my legs. For about two months it comes and goes, in the same area. I took pictures when it was the worst I've seen. I've never experienced this degree of a rash before, but I've always had red bumps form randomly on my chest, back and arms.

 

I recently read about Dermatitis Herpetiformis and it's connection to celiac disease. I would like to know opinions of anybody experienced with this, if this rash could possibly be that. I don't experience much itchiness however, which I read is a symptom of DH. Sorry, the images are ugly. :unsure:

 

http://imageshack.us/a/img593/3175/skin1od.webp

 

http://imageshack.us/a/img195/6315/skin2w.webp

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


squirmingitch Veteran
squirmingitch
Posted

There are many rashes & skin conditions associated with celiac disease & probably with non celiac gluten intolerance. But the dh rash itches like the very devil!!!! Non-stop, 24/7 & 365. If your rash does not itch then it's not dh.

djs89 Rookie
djs89
Posted
  • Author

Could it be that the rash itches because people try to touch it or pick at it? I haven't touched the rash since I noticed it, and it is only mildly bothersome. I avoid scratching it because that would make it worse. I also put clay on it, perhaps that helped prevent itchiness?

tinpins Rookie
tinpins
Posted

I've just been diagnosed with dermatitis herpetiformis and the condition from my personal experience  is indescribably itchy. 

 

This link would be good to read for clarification:

 

Open Original Shared Link

 

Here's an excerpt from the article:

 

 “All regions are liable to invasion … the face and scalp, elbows and knees, and palms and soles. The most striking symptom is the itching … in all cases violent or even intense …disproportionate in excess of the amount of eruption … a persistent itching, causing the sufferer to scratch constantly … generally present for several days before any sign of efflorescence … when the eruption is profuse, (itching, burning or pricking sensations) are intense, and cause the greatest suffering.”

djs89 Rookie
djs89
Posted
  • Author

Ahh, ok. Does the itchiness correlate to gluten consumption? For example is it more itchy if you eaten gluten, less itchy if you avoid it?

squirmingitch Veteran
squirmingitch
Posted

No, it is not more or less itchy. It just itches like NUTS always. It doesn't matter if you scratch or not. It doesn't matter if you put clay on it. It's just plain HELL. It is called the suicidal itch & that moniker is in medical texts as well as the brains of we who suffer with it. Does that answer your question?

bartfull Rising Star
bartfull
Posted

Look up gutate psoriasis. As a matter of fact, if you google "gutate lesions" you will see images that look very much like the pics you posted. That's not to say that's what it is, but it might be. Gutate psoriasis itches too, but not as badly as DH.

 

It sounds like you do have a problem with gluten. You may or may not have celiac, but there is a thing called non-celiac gluten intolerance that gives the same symptoms. And psoriasis is definitely associated with gluten. Stress is another factor.

 

I have psoriasis. Mine is palmoplantar pustular. It doesn't itch, it just hurts. I only get it on my hands and feet. The feet take forever to heal. At one point my hands were completely healed and my feet were finally ALMOST completely healed. Then I got glutened. My hands flared for a while, but my feet flared badly and are still a mess. As a matter of fact, my feet have started itching - not all the time, but in waves. They'll be OK for a while, then I get to itching so much I HAVE to scratch. Half an hour later it'll calm down. This happens several times a day.

 

At first I thought I might be developing DH too, especially because the rash looks different than it used to. But I now believe I have develpoed gutate psoriasis on my feet.

 

And the other day I had a REALLY bad day. Lots of things went wrong and I was totally stressed out for a while. I woke up the following morning with new pustules on my hands - lots of them. I know for certain it wasn't food that did it because my house and shop are completely free of all of my "poisons". Everything I ate was not only what I always eat, but there were no new packages involved. (It's good to read the label EVERY TIME you buy something because they change ingredients often depending on price and availability.)

 

So try to think back. What did you eat when your rash flared, and did anything happen to stress you out during those times?

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


djs89 Rookie
djs89
Posted
  • Author

I also thought it could be psoriasis. It can be difficult to tell, based on pictures online. It doesn't look like most of the pictures of psoriasis I've seen, but it could be that. I haven't done a gluten free diet, yet, but I have never had this kind of rash before.

cahill Collaborator
cahill
Posted

No, it is not more or less itchy. It just itches like NUTS always. It doesn't matter if you scratch or not. It doesn't matter if you put clay on it. It's just plain HELL. It is called the suicidal itch & that moniker is in medical texts as well as the brains of we who suffer with it.

 Yep , that pretty much sums it up

bartfull Rising Star
bartfull
Posted

types_guttate.webp

This is a picture of gutate psoriasis.

djs89 Rookie
djs89
Posted
  • Author

Yes, it could be that. Someone else in my family has psoriasis. I have small bumps under the skin of my palms also, which looks like it could be mild psoriasis.

Archived

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

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


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,556
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Majesticrb
    Newest Member
    Majesticrb
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.4k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • ckeyser88
      Roommate search

      By ckeyser88 · Posted

      I am looking for a roomie in Chicago, Denver or Nashville! 
    • Scott Adams
      Taken Seriously

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Your post demonstrates the profound frustration and isolation that so many in the Celiac community feel, and I want to thank you for channeling that experience into advocacy. The medical gaslighting you endured for decades is an unacceptable and, sadly, a common story, and the fact that you now have to "school" your own GI specialist speaks volumes about the critical lack of consistent and updated education. Your idea to make Celiac Disease a reportable condition to public health authorities is a compelling and strategic one. This single action would force the system to formally acknowledge the prevalence and seriousness of the disease, creating a concrete dataset that could drive better research funding, shape medical school curricula, and validate the patient experience in a way that individual stories alone often cannot. It is an uphill battle, but contacting representatives, as you have done with Adam Gray, is exactly how change begins. By framing it as a public health necessity—a matter of patient safety and protection from misdiagnosis and neglect—you are building a powerful case. Your voice and your perseverance, forged through thirty years of struggle, are exactly what this community needs to ensure that no one else has to fight so hard just to be believed and properly cared for.
    • Scott Adams
      Looking for a gluten-free roomie in Denver CO

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      I had no idea there is a "Louisville" in Colorado!😉 I thought it was a typo because I always think of the Kentucky city--but good luck!
    • Scott Adams
      Allergy medication: cetirizine by the HealthA2Z is it gluten free?

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Navigating medication safety with Celiac disease can be incredibly stressful, especially when dealing with asthma and severe allergies on top of it. While I don't have personal experience with the HealthA2Z brand of cetirizine, your caution is absolutely warranted. The inactive ingredients in pills, known as excipients, are often where gluten can be hidden, and since the FDA does not require gluten-free labeling for prescription or over-the-counter drugs, the manufacturer's word is essential. The fact that you cannot get a clear answer from Allegiant Health is a significant red flag; a company that is confident its product is gluten-free will typically have a customer service protocol to answer that exact question. In situations like this, the safest course of action is to consider this product "guilty until proven innocent" and avoid it. A better alternative would be to ask your pharmacist or doctor to help you identify a major national brand of cetirizine (like Zyrtec) whose manufacturer has a verified, publicly stated gluten-free policy for that specific medication. It's not worth the risk to your health when reliable, verifiable options are almost certainly available to you. You can search this site for USA prescriptions medications, but will need to know the manufacturer/maker if there is more than one, especially if you use a generic version of the medication: To see the ingredients you will need to click on the correct version of the medication and maker in the results, then scroll down to "Ingredients and Appearance" and click it, and then look at "Inactive Ingredients," as any gluten ingredients would likely appear there, rather than in the Active Ingredients area. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/   
    • Scott Adams
      Protein or fat?

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      What you're describing is indeed familiar to many in the Celiac community, especially in the early stages of healing. When the intestinal villi are damaged from Celiac disease, they struggle to properly digest and absorb fats, a condition known as bile acid malabsorption. This can cause exactly the kind of cramping and spasms you're seeing, as undigested fats can irritate the sensitive gut lining. It is highly plausible that her reactions to dairy and eggs are linked to their higher fat content rather than the proteins, especially since she tolerates lean chicken breast. The great news is that for many, this does improve with time. As her gut continues to heal on a strict gluten-free diet, her ability to produce the necessary enzymes and bile to break down fats should gradually return, allowing her to slowly tolerate a wider variety of foods. It's a slow process of healing, but your careful approach of focusing on low-fat, nutrient-dense foods like seeds and avocado is providing her system the best possible environment to recover. Many people with celiac disease, especially those who are in the 0-2 year range of their recovery, have additional food intolerance issues which could be temporary. To figure this out you may need to keep a food diary and do an elimination diet over a few months. Some common food intolerance issues are dairy/casein, eggs, corn, oats, and soy. The good news is that after your gut heals (for most people who are 100% gluten-free this will take several months to two years) you may be able to slowly add some these items back into your diet after the damaged villi heal. This article may be helpful: Thank you for sharing your story—it's a valuable insight for other parents navigating similar challenges.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.