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DH help

Grad1202

By Grad1202
in Dermatitis Herpetiformis

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Grad1202 Rookie
Grad1202
Posted

HI all

First time caller, long time listener here....

About 3 years ago I developed a rash on my legs, bilaterally. It appeared on my shoulder blades as well, bilaterally. I would also develop hive like lesions unilaterally on various parts of my body.  Went to the dermatologist and she said scabies, which I see is pretty common. I also thought it was bed bugs, fleas, etc. 

I moved away to Central America for two years, and came back to NY last year.  4 months ago, the rash started again, same mixed bilateral/unilateral presenatation.  I've noticed it's correlated with wheat/gluten intake and iodine.  I think it's DH and will confirm. 

My question is, would DH disappear for two years and then come back? My diet did change a bit and I totalled de-stressed in those two years, and then returned when I got back. 

And... can DH show up as bug bites/hives unilaterally? 

Just trying to get a handle on all this.  

Thanks! 

Greg 

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squirmingitch Veteran
squirmingitch
Posted

I can't say for positive but I rather doubt it would go completely away for 2 whole years even though you kept eating gluten. I'm not a doctor but it seems like the stress was a really big issue since you say in Central America you totally de-stressed.

 

Grad1202 Rookie
Grad1202
Posted
  • Author

THanks squirmingitch. 

I wouldn't say I was totally free of marks, bumps, and itches. Just that it seemed a lot less noticeable. Is it possible that stress exacerbates it? Or climate?and does that presentation of mostly bilateral/  some unilateral make sense in terms of DH? 

Thanks again 

squirmingitch Veteran
squirmingitch
Posted

OK, this is what I know......

Stress can & does exacerbate many if not all skin issues & that covers the gamut from acne to hives to eczema to dh. I think climate could have an effect, sure. I know with my dh, when it rained or got real humid, the dh would itch a lot more & seemed to be more bothersome. BUT I have heard (not had personal experience) people with other skin conditions say humidity really makes things worse for them. I have also had people say that really dry air does bad stuff to their skin issues (people who live in places like AZ). Also if I got sweaty, my dh would be a pita.

Yes, mostly bilateral/some unilateral happens with dh. I will also say that I have read medical texts that say eczema can present bilaterally too. 

60% of those with dh test negative on the celiac blood panel. If you want to get a dh biopsy then the same rules apply as do for a celiac serum panel & that is you must have been eating gluten each & every day for the prior 12 weeks. A dh biopsy is taken ADJACENT to an active lesion. It is NOT taken ON a lesion. They take it on a lesion & the pathology is going to say arthropods or some such nonsense. The patterning the pathologist is looking for with dh is destroyed by the celiac antibodies themselves at the site of the lesion. This is why the biopsy is taken on clear skin adjacent to an active lesion. Also the pattern is easily destroyed by scratching so if you want to go get a biopsy then don't you dare scratch! Nearly impossible to do. What I tell people is to put a bandaid & over that, some really thick multiple layers of gauze padding. You go to scratch & you encounter that padding & it triggers you to be aware & not scratch.

Grad1202 Rookie
Grad1202
Posted
  • Author

Thanks so much for all of this info! I really appreciate it 

squirmingitch Veteran
squirmingitch
Posted

You are certainly welcome! I hope you find some answers. 

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