Psoriasis?

[carriecraig]

Does anyone know if there is a link between Psoriasis and Celiac? I've always has blotches on my scalp, and a few spots have sprouted on my body, but I use body lotion everyday, so those seem to go away. My father has severe Psoriasis all over his body, and I'm wondering if he may have Celiac and not know it.

[lonewolf]

I have psoriasis too, but I actually don't know if I have Celiac for sure. I do know that I'm gluten intolerant, for whatever reason. Gluten-free doesn't make my psoriasis go away, but dairy-free, egg-free, soy-free, gluten-free, sugar-free, beef-free does. When I'm really disciplined and eat nothing but fish, rice, vegies and fruit my skin will clear up.

Liz

[jenvan]

I think absolutely. I have it on my scalp and my father has it severely all over his body too! That's a heck of a coincidence--we should compare case histories on our dads! I have some article I can send you re: the connection if you pm me. I'll have to dig them up. For me, just like everything else it seemed...my psoriasis became much worse after going gluten-free. That's been about 10 months now. It is just now started to improve. I have had it off and on most of my life. Shirley also had problems with psoriasis--said hers was worse for 2 yrs or so after going gluten-free, but then improved any bothers her mostly when she is sick or run down I believe. Right Shirley ? Mine also gets worse when I am sick or rundown.

[lonewolf]

For me, just like everything else it seemed...my psoriasis became much worse after going gluten-free.

Hmmm. That's interesting. I've only been totally gluten-free for 5+ weeks. My psoriasis has not gotten better, but maybe I should just give it some time (and Dovonex). I do remember that my psoriasis got worse, not better at first when I eliminated all those foods from my diet, but it eventually went away. It came back as I slowly reintroduced some of those foods. I guess the new year will be a good time for an elimination diet!

Liz

[taweavmo3]

I don't know if there's a link or not, but my six year old has psoriasis, and has had it for two years now. He has it on both knees, and it is coming back on his elbows. Sunlight seems to really help clear his skin. This past summer, I was expecting the chlorine to really irritate it, but the psoriasis completely cleared up by the end of the summer! It came back with a vengeance once school started though, but not as badly on his elbows since it's been warm and he's been able to wear short sleeves.

I've read psoriasis is hereditary, but I can't find anyone on dh's side or mine that has it. So, maybe it is gluten related....my mother's side of the family is full of people with stomach issues, and my brother has celiac. So, it wouldn't be too strange if I had more than one child with a gluten intolerance!

[Ursa Major]

I've had psoriasis on my scalp forever, and used to have it all over my trunk when I was a teenager. I get spots on my face, too. But a lot of the time it looks more like dermatitis herpetiformis to me. I sort of think that those are related.

My head isn't as itchy since I got rid of the shampoo with wheat germ in it, and it seems to be clearing up somewhat in the other areas.

Somehow it takes up to two years for something to clear up under the skin that makes you break out after going off gluten (can't remember the name). That would make sense, if you guys find it takes about two years for it to get better. Mine also initially got worse after stopping gluten, and is slowly getting a little better.

My sister used to get terrible eczema on the inside of her elbows and knees, which looked just like the pictures of dermatitis herpetiformis I saw (and so did my youngest daughter, I am waiting for her blood test results to come back), and I am very sure she has Celiac disease, too (she says she will get tested, but since she is in Germany, I can't drag her to the doctor's office myself ).

[bluelotus]

Check out the book called Dangerous Grains. Apparently, psoriasis is related to celiac disease, though I can't remember how (i.e. if it is genetically linked or not). I have psoriasis too, on my scalp, elbows, knees, and nails - yes, nails....yuck, looks like I took sandpaper to my nails and scratched them up......it can also get on your toenails and looks like a fungal infection, though a lab analysis can confirm psoriasis. My psoriasis got better recently after I found some hidden glutens in my diet and cut them out. But, I think I was glutened over the holidays by being licked on the mouth by a pet dog....gross. Hope its not enough to trigger my psoriasis, though my scalp is sooo itchy today! Ugh....

[Ursa Major]

I bought the book 'Dangerous Grains', and it arrived not too long before Christmas. Needless to say, I haven't had time to read it yet! But I will, I know it will explain so much. I also bought the 'Gluten free bible' (I think that's what it's called, too lazy to go and check), same thing, no time. I'll have time in the new year, when youngest kid and husband are back at school and work, other kids and grandkids have travelled back to where they live, and there'll be some peace and quiet around here! Plus, since the mother of the kids I was babysitting is starting her maternity leave for her third boy in January, I won't work, either.

[num1habsfan]

I think they are. I have psoriasis on my head, neck, some of my stomach (little spots), leg...the same spots I have DH. Some places where DH got bad enough I notice it started into little patches of psoriasis. So yes, i believe they are connected.

~lis~

[Nickie]

My dermotologist tested me for DH, little blisterlike spots,clear or blood filled on hands, legs, elbows, buttocks, face, which is related to gluten intolorence, on Dapsone, and antibiotic from the 30's or 40's used also to treat leporsy. Seems to be working, not itching like crazy anymore. Had blood test done on 2/27, no results yet. Have had the rash for 20 years, first thought to be eczema and then pustular psoriasis, since it runs in my family. Got asthma when I was 17 after I started getting the rash. Trying to go gluten free even if my blood test come back negative. Just finally glad to find out what the rash is, very uncomfortable and unsightly and painful. Hope this helps.

[mamaw]

Well add me to the list with fathers that have or had (in my case) this ugly disease. My dad was covered 90% of his body in the early 80's and in the hospital for 15 days. The dermatologist said the it was the worst case she had ever seen. He even bought his own puva lamp so he could take his treatments at home.....In fact I now would like to sell it since he is now an angel without pain .....He also had Mr Arthur in just about every joint in his body.....I don't seem to have it but it appears that I take after my dad's side of the family.I have loads of problems as well as he also had.......

I now think he must have been celiac....but I will never know. The rest of my family siblings will not get tested as they think my daughter and two grandchildren are a little looney for followering the diet but I truly believe with some of their health problems they too probably have celiac. Then it might be denial as they don't want to think about going on this diet....

mamaw

[Mulljac]

Does anyone know if there is a link between Psoriasis and Celiac? I've always has blotches on my scalp, and a few spots have sprouted on my body, but I use body lotion everyday, so those seem to go away. My father has severe Psoriasis all over his body, and I'm wondering if he may have Celiac and not know it.

Well I just want to add my 2 cents. I've had psoriasis on my elbows for about 20 yrs or so. And a patch on my ankle that came up about a year ago. I've been gluten free since Nov. and my psoriasis has practically disappeared altogether. I can't believe the difference. I was on prescription meds and they never helped but going gluten-free has done wonders for my skin. My elbows are a tiny bit dry but nothing like they used to be. Guess everyone reacts differently by going gluten-free.

[jenvan]

Well I just want to add my 2 cents. I've had psoriasis on my elbows for about 20 yrs or so. And a patch on my ankle that came up about a year ago. I've been gluten free since Nov. and my psoriasis has practically disappeared altogether. I can't believe the difference. I was on prescription meds and they never helped but going gluten-free has done wonders for my skin. My elbows are a tiny bit dry but nothing like they used to be. Guess everyone reacts differently by going gluten-free.

That's great news Mulljac! And yeah, just more proof that everyone reacts differently. Still waiting for mine to disappear!

[nikki-uk]

Just to add to Mulljac's post my husband had a patch of psoriasis on his knee for at least 10 yrs.

This in itself was not a big problem.

Around 5 yrs ago hubbie was dx with Psoriatic Arthritis.

Nearly 2 years ago he was dx with celiac disease.

Once he started the gluten-free diet ,the patch on his knee disappeared within weeks,and hasn't returned.

The arthritis has calmed down alot since the diet too.

Going round in circles here,but did one cause the other?,and which came first?

[jenvan]

Nikki-I am glad to hear of your husband's improvement!

[ravenwoodglass]

I don't know if there's a link or not, but my six year old has psoriasis, and has had it for two years now. He has it on both knees, and it is coming back on his elbows. Sunlight seems to really help clear his skin. This past summer, I was expecting the chlorine to really irritate it, but the psoriasis completely cleared up by the end of the summer! It came back with a vengeance once school started though, but not as badly on his elbows since it's been warm and he's been able to wear short sleeves.

I've read psoriasis is hereditary, but I can't find anyone on dh's side or mine that has it. So, maybe it is gluten related....my mother's side of the family is full of people with stomach issues, and my brother has celiac. So, it wouldn't be too strange if I had more than one child with a gluten intolerance!

Hi, This post struck a chord with me, we noticed the same thing with my DD, she had patches on her elbows, I had DH and sebboriac psoriasis mostly on my scalp and back. I have been gluten-free for 3 years now and my skin has finally healed. I was seeing some improvement early on then I went to work for the school system and my skin got much worse again. I noticed my hands looked really 'odd' after I would be in a class where I had to use chalk on the board. I also seemed at the time to be getting a lot of CC. I started wearing gloves when working on the chalkboard and that helped the problem. Could there be something in school, like in my case the chalk dust, that might have hidden gluten?

[Guinevere]

I have been gluten free for 3 years and lactose free for 2. I have had psoriasis for 25 years (since I was 15) and psoriatic arthritis for 24). I have not seen any improvement in my skin yet. However, I have recently made a post regarding the connection of celiac, psoriais, etc. with candidas. There's alot of talk about them being connected. My question is, which comes first?

[aaascr]

I have had it all my life - my father had it too, but it

is my mom who has the "digestive issues".

When I switched to gluten-free soap, shampoo and conditioner

it all cleared up - boy was I a happy camper...

But since the grass and trees started blooming

(I am -bubblechild- highly allergic) it has come

back to some degree but not as bad as previously..

[Laura]

I'm starting to have it. Like, every winter I get one or two little spots, plus on my scalp. But I know that heredity is going to nail me on this one. BOTH my parents and BOTH my grandmothers have/had bad psoriasis. I've never heard that they've established a firm link between celiac and psoriasis, but on the other hand the belief is that psoriasis is an autoimmune disorder, and celiacs tend to get other autoimmune disorders, so...

[Ursa Major]

When doing research on DH I read that it is often misdiagnosed as psoriasis. So, even though there is such a thing as psoriasis, often the doctor will diagnose DH as psoriasis, because DH is not always blistery. It is hard to accurately diagnose skin conditions, because they never look exactly the same on different people.

[lonewolf]

When doing research on DH I read that it is often misdiagnosed as psoriasis. So, even though there is such a thing as psoriasis, often the doctor will diagnose DH as psoriasis, because DH is not always blistery. It is hard to accurately diagnose skin conditions, because they never look exactly the same on different people.

Ursula, that's really interesting.

I have psoriasis and probably excema too. (Aren't I lucky?) EVERY doctor that I've ever been to that has looked at my skin has said something along the lines of, "your psoriasis is very unusual". I'm wondering if I have DH and psoriasis. My skin is not too bad right now, but I've been fanatically gluten-free for about 6 months, with no cheating and maybe a few CC incidents. What I have left on my skin looks more like "true" psoriasis. My skin flares up the worst with gluten and sugar. I think it's the candida/yeast problem that takes off with sugar, especially around holidays (like Easter) where I overindulge on sweets. I don't think I want to do a gluten challenge to see what my skin does.

[Matilda]

..

[lovegrov]

I definitely had DH before going gluten-free and no psoriasis. Now the DH is gone and the psoriasis has arrived. Arrgghh.

richard

[Cape]

From what I have read in my in my on going research for pain management, it is thought that leaky gut syndrome (LGS) could be the catalyst for a lot of autoimmune diseases. LGS is damage to the gut, where the pores in the lining are enlarged by inflamation, allowing larger, less digested proteins to get into the blood stream. The body sees these proteins as foreign and attack where ever they end up. My bursa in my shoulders, hips, knees and feet were my ending zones where I have had so much pain.

This damage to the gut is caused by the over use of antibiotics, ibuprofen, and steroids and are just the tip of the iceburg of things that cause the damage. You can stop all these things and still not heal if there is an over growth of yeast in your gut. To get rid of the yeast, you have to stop feeding it the sugars it thrives on. There is a great web site that gives precise instructions of how a lay person can eliminate the yeast: www.eczema-usa.com

I have read in other web sites, including the one just named that yeast is the culprit for eczema. Eczema is the inflammation of the skin and so is psoriasis. Maybe there is a connection.

My mother had psoriasis and I think she probably had celiac disease too. I have a genetic marker for celiac disease, but have not tested positively in the blood test or upper endoscopy. I had eczama, but it cleared up since I have stopped gluten.

What I am interested in is all the people who wrote in who have a parent who has psoriasis... Have they gotten checked for celiac disease? They should. We got this genetic disease from one of our genetic lines. Because so many of us have different symptoms, the entire family should be tested. There is life after gluten. I hope there is a day that I can say that gluten is my only issue.

I am now on a strick diet which I got off of the eczema web site and I will begin the treatment of getting rid of the yeast soon. I am totally sugar-free, caffine-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, chlorine-free and ibuprofen-free. This sounds crazy, but I am pain-free now too. I am on lots of minerals and vitamins and am taking an anti-inflammatory that I bought at Wholefoods, Celadrin. I had been living with intense pain for five years. For the last three weeks, I have been doing yard work again and even think after a bit of conditioning can start playing tennis again. I also recently signed up to take a welding class which I have wanted to do for years, but didn't have the strength.

I am 43, have lost about 30 pounds and have been feeling like my old active self again. I hope my story can shed some light in your research into your own issues.

Bye, Cape

[Guinevere]

my father does have psoriasis and has not been tested for celiac or gluten intolerance. he tried giving up gluten for a couple of months, but could not keep it up. he is chronically constipated and is hooked on coffee. wish i could have shared something more helpful.

my grandparents also had psoriasis, as does 3 of my siblings, one of which also is celiac.