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Biopsy question

Moonscout

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Moonscout Newbie
Moonscout
Posted

I have a question regarding the best time to take a biopsy. 

I have what I suspect to be dh for about 15 years. Its always been mild enough that in the first couple years that I shrugged it off. Its a rash that presents on the outer side of both my elbows and sometimes knees. The rash has a mind of its own and I can never predict when its coming or how bad its going to be. Sometimes it takes over both my elbows and sometimes, as I have at the moment, its just a few lesions - but always bilateral. I also never know when I'm going to get it. It can occur constantly over a period of months, every other month or I've gone up to a year between out breaks. July '17 I had an appointment with a dermatologist to finally figure it out but it's very hard to get an appointment and of course I was between outbreaks. The derm agreed that it was autoimmune related but was not sure what it was (It filled me with such confidence) so a biopsy was ordered. Since I was between outbreaks and a biopsy couldn't be taken and I have a note in my file saying to fit me in if I call. I'm currently in the middle of a very mild outbreak and debating if I should call. If I can't get in this week, I'm afraid it will be gone by next week. Which brings me to my question (finally) Is it too late to have the biopsy done if the lesion breaks? 

 A quick overview of what my rash looks like: It starts out with what looks like bug bites, they are usually very sensitive. I can tell they are coming when I set my elbows on the table because it feels like tiny metal balls being stuck into my skin. Then they start to itch and form small blisters which eventually break heal and turn the skin a purplish color for a few weeks before disappearing completely. 

I really want to the diagnosis stage over with and the unpredictable nature of this rash does my head in. I refuse to give up gluten without a diagnosis but I highly suspect that it is dh.

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squirmingitch Veteran
squirmingitch
Posted

No one can answer your question with such precision but I would say as long as the lesion has not begun to heal. Make sure the biopsy is done from a clear area adjacent to an active lesion.

Moonscout Newbie
Moonscout
Posted
  • Author

Thank you for the reply! That was basically what I wondering.  

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