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Dh Or Tinea?

Pegleg84

By Pegleg84
in Dermatitis Herpetiformis

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Pegleg84 Collaborator
Pegleg84
Posted

Hi all

 

Well, this is the first time I'm posting in the DH forum. I've always been very glad to have avoided DH as a symptom. I remember when my mom first got it when she did her gluten challenge before getting biopsied (she told me, "It's not worth it!)

 

Anyway, long story short, I got glutened a couple weeks ago. Not just cross-contamination but actually eating some barley in soup. Cause I'm an idiot. Don't need to go into details. In any case, I've been relatively ok symptom-wise, but it's definitely been a long haul in healing.

 

Earlier this week I started to get a rash on my elbows, which I figured was just dry skin. Then it got itchy, and yesterday and today it's broken out in what looks to me like tinea (ring worm), which I have had on other parts of my body before. It's round, bumpy on the outside, but unlinke anything else I've had before, it's mirrored on both of my elbows. It's gotten extremely itchy (I'm doing my best not to scratch). My right elbow has turned into a big round itchy bumpy patch. I will try to post some photos tomorrow.

 

In any case, I'm treating it like tinea right now, with antifungal cream.

 

However, I have a few questions:

 

- how long does it usually take for DH to break out after getting glutenered (or does it depend on the person, like with any other symptom?)

- does anyone think it could be DH?

- if it is/could be, should I get it biopsied before it dissapears?

 

Because that's the big question. I've never been officially diagnosed, and IF this is actually DH, then that could give me an official stamp of approval (not that it makes any difference to me). I doubt it's going to spread/get much worse, since I haven't eaten a thing not made in my own kitchen for the past two weeks and won't for a while. I haven't been actually glutened for over a year.

 

Anyway, I'll try to give more details and photos tomorrow, but any opinions would be helpful. If it wasn't on my elbows and basically the same on both sides, I'd just treat it like tinea and be done with it, but the circumstances make me suspicious.

 

thanks a bunch. I'll try not to stratch in the night!

 

Peg

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Pegleg84 Collaborator
Pegleg84
Posted
  • Author

Morning,

 

So here are some photos of the rash as it is right now. This is on my right elbow. My left elbow has a dry patch the same size and same spot, but hasn't gotten all red an nasty, maybe cause I haven't scratched at it as much.
In any case, it's still quite possible this is just tinea, however, after looking at many photos of different stages of DH, I know I have gotten weird dry/scaly/itchy/bumpy patches in different places at differet times, never that severe and disappearing quickly enough, but looking like mild tinea or some kind of dermatitis-like rash.

I'm hoping that this will go away soon enough either through treatment with anti-fungal cream (if it's tinea), or after finally healing up from my glutening.
Unlike other times I've had tinea, this is very blistery and there has been some fluid come out when I scratch (which I'm doing my best not to do).

 

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

(let me know if you can see these or not)

 

Opinions welcome. If there's a consensus that this could be DH, the question becomes whether I should get it biopsied asap before it disappears?

 

Thanks!

Peg

squirmingitch Veteran
squirmingitch
Posted

The links to your photos don't work -- at least for me. it says page not found.

Okay, I seriously doubt it's tinea since you got it on both elbows at the same time and you were glutened. Itchy, well tinea is itchy too but you have bilateral presentation and on you elbows. Is the liquid that comes out clear & watery at first & then as it dries it becomes clear amber in color & sort of forms little balls on the individual lesions?

 

From what you describe, it sounds like dh & yes, dh can happen to celiacs when they get glutened. We've had long time celiacs on here who got glutened & up pops dh when they've never had it before. Plus there is the factor that you mom had dh ~~ since she had it, it's more likely that you will have it. And dh presents in circular groupings too (as does tinea) & can appear very much like ringworm.

 

I'm sorry but there is only about a 1 in a million chance that any dh biopsy would come up positive. A dh biopsy has the same rules as a celiac blood panel or endoscopy ~~~~ you have to be actively eating gluten right up till the time of the test. And since you have been gluten-free for a year then you would have to eat gluten for 2 months just like any other gluten challenge.

Pegleg84 Collaborator
Pegleg84
Posted
  • Author

sorry about the photos, wasn't quite sure how to post them so they didn't appear in the rest of my flckr feed...

In any case, yes, it does look a lot like ringworm, but not like any I've had before. It's starting to heal up now (been two weeks since the incident) and looking like a round red scaly patch. But yes, it did have some small fluid filled bumps on saturday and sunday, when it was at its worse. I'm also going through more of my usual glutening symptoms the past few days. Talk about delayed onset!

I was thinking about it, though, and if this IS DH, then I've probably been getting mild forms of it when I've been CCd, but either not payed any attention, or thought it was tinea and treated it as such, and it just went away on its own because of my diet. I was also looking at my knee last night and noticed many small red dots, kinda bumpy, I figured just inflamed pores from dry skin/shaving, but maybe not. There's also a few similar spots on my chest that I get on occasion, but nothing serious.

Good to know about the biopsy thing. I thought I might have to schedule an emergency appointment.

Anyway, it appears to be healing. I'm still putting anti-fungal cream on the patches just in case, and not scratching (It's not itchy anymore), so it's on its way out. If this ever happens again after a glutening (hopefully not any time soon! if ever) then I'll know what it is. Also, won't have to worry about it being contagious!

Thanks!

squirmingitch Veteran
squirmingitch
Posted

YVW! :) And let's hope you never find out because I'm hoping you never get glutened or cc'd ever again!

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