Itching

[wowzer]

I have been gluten free since the beginning of the year. I've always tended to have dry skin for as long as I can remember. I keep trying different soap, body wash, shampoo. It just seems like everything makes me itch. I have definitely had some benefits from this diet. At least the female area stopped itching. I was wondering if anyone had any ideas? I'm kind of at a loss. Wendy

[MGP2345]

I have been gluten free since the beginning of the year. I've always tended to have dry skin for as long as I can remember. I keep trying different soap, body wash, shampoo. It just seems like everything makes me itch. I have definitely had some benefits from this diet. At least the female area stopped itching. I was wondering if anyone had any ideas? I'm kind of at a loss. Wendy

I've been diagnosed with Celiac & DH since October, 2005. Your description describes where I was with my case some 6 years ago. The itching would go and come--disappearing for months at a time. My doctor(s) initially thought I was have a reaction to something in my environment. I also developed severe acne on my face, which was wild because I never had acne as a teenager. Then I was told I had Rosacea. I eventually started have patches break out in different places: both elbows, both ears, and especially my female area. After about 4 years I started experiencing a fiery, blistery rash in a circular patch on the outside of my thigh. The itching became so horrific at times I thought I'd go mad--scratching until I bled. At other times it was just a constant irritation. The patches would show up for months at a time and then completely disappear. The outbreak areas were not always constant and of course the severity fluctuated. I was treated for 2 years by a dermatologist before I was diagnosed with Celiac. After the Celiac diagnosis the dermatologist finally tested me for DH. Once I started with the gluten-free diet all of the break out area improved. However, after being gluten-free from 6 months, I started having additional area of breakout. the spots are usually now all over my face, my elbows and sprinkled all over my back. I've been on Dapsone for short spurts (less than a month) three times in the past 16 months. I've always had quick respose to Dapsone with my spots usually disappearing within a few days.

[flowergirl]

Wowser, I had the DH terrible itching that MGP discribed a few yrs ago. It was horrible but it went away when I changed a few things in my lifestyle. Didn't know anything about Celiac then. A month after going gluten-free I started to get dry skin again. Especially on my legs. I increased my intake of flaxseed, salmon and coconut oil and this week I've tried some coconut oil on the dry skin. It works well and gets absorbed quickly. Itches are gone. I recommed you try it. Let us know, please.

Flowergirl

[wowzer]

Thank you both of you for your input. I keep trying to explain to doctors, that I think I have DH, but they don't really agree. My family doctor did give me the celiac blood panel, but it came out negative. When I think about it, I subconsciously had been avoiding gluten for a long time. I was a cookie freak, would buy a package eat one and end up throwing them away. I have had 2 biopsies in the female area. One came back eczema and the other spongiotic dermatitis. I did make an appointment with a dermatologist. I do have a little sister that was diagnosed with celiac at about a year old. I'm to the point, I don't have to have an official diagnosis. I'm so glad to find people that understand. I'm still in the learning process of how to eat. I love salmon. I have to say, that even though I've only been gluten free since the first of the year, I seem more sensitive to it. I was using a lip gloss that got me. Threw it out. I am still learning.

[BRUMI1968]

I had terrible itching without a rash down my sides, above my hip bones, on my spine, and on the back of my head. BUT, I also had a horrible rough patch of skin on both ankles that itched me into submission whenever they hit the ground (i.e., sitting "Indian style"). ALL of the itching went away when I quit gluten, along with my canker sores.

Now I'm itchy again, just down my sides and on the back of my head. I feel tiny invisible bumps there. These are the places the hot shower water hits me the most, and since I keep my hands on my sides, kindof hugging myself in the shower (that sounds weird), it holds the hot water on my side, right along my rib cage. So I wonder if it's chlorine in hot water.

Could that be yours too? I'm going to the doc soon about it...I was so excited when the itching had stopped. It was profound. I still have not gotten the rough spots back.

Good luck to you.

I'll let you know if I hear anything.

Sherri

[Guest starmiller]

Hi. I have been itching intensely for about 4 months. My troubled spots are my hands, wrists (symmetrical) and my left ear. I have been gluten-free for 2 months and the open sores have healed, although I still have attacks that baffle me. I am so precise with my diet, eating only whole foods with no spices. Two days ago, after eating salted nuts and having a major attack, I decided to remove all salt and dairy as well. Those (I think) are the last irritants to remove that I know of. Today, even though my hands are very dry - the blisters are all dried up. I actually see an end in sight for the first time in months. Does anyone have some insight for me. Am I on the right track?! I need my hands for my job. I am a massage therapist at a major hospital and work with very sick people. I use only grape seed oil to massage with - no lotions for fear of gluten in them. Looking for help.

Starmiller

[SarahCC]

I also have super dry skin and DH, I have found that Aveeno as a body wash doesn't dry me out as bad because it doesn't have soap in it. My doctor even said you can use shaving cream as a body wash. All the soap does is take the oil off of your skin, so your body wash does not have to have "soap" in it. I highly reccomend it, especially if you can find fragrance free Aveeno. Now for me it doesn't stop the itching but at least I dont have to lather my body with lotion 4-5 times a day! Good luck.

[zagadka]

Now I'm itchy again, just down my sides and on the back of my head. I feel tiny invisible bumps there. These are the places the hot shower water hits me the most, and since I keep my hands on my sides, kindof hugging myself in the shower (that sounds weird), it holds the hot water on my side, right along my rib cage.

AH! me too! and i do the same thing in the shower! are yours tiny flesh colored bumps? mine are sporadic loners. i get them on my tummy and in the crack of my back on my spine and sometimes on my arms- they're SO annoying. no matter how much i scrub with my "michael jackson" glove, they don't leave.

i have a patch on the back side of my hip- they were a large cluster about 5 inches wide and 3 inches tall. several years ago i noticed it and remember thinking "what IS this and where did it come from?!" since i've been trying very hard to be gluten free, it looks like it has gone down.

for a while i thought i was having probs with wool or laundry detergent because my shoulders were SO itchy, they would get big bumps that wouldn't leave, and now they've left these very unattractive dark scars. just in time for vacation...thanks body!

[zagadka]

OH!

i recommend trying Trader Joe's Midsummer's Night Cream. It's all natural and gluten free as far as i can tell on the label. I LOVE it. it's cheap, too!!!

[wowzer]

Thanks for all the replies. I thought Aveeno had oats in it. Is there something they carry that doesn't? I've used Aveeno bath trying to get rid of itching only to make it worse. My dry patches are on the side of my legs and rear end.

[dally099]

hi, i can totally understand, i get rashes on my back, my thighs and i get the symetrical thing going on my hands and wrists and it drives me nuts, i dont think its accuall DH but if i get glutened it acts up, i am discovering some other allergies as well, soy, and possilby dairy. i have to start looking into my soaps now as well. good luck!!

[Born2run2]

I can totally relate to you. I got to itching so bad I would practically draw blood. A gluten free dairy free diet has done wonders for me. Aveeno seems to help, but I don't get the stuff with oatmeal, I get the stuff for babies. I have terribly sensitive skin. Judy

[Joan (Maine)]

I'm wary of Aveeno....gluten??? Iodized salt will aggravate DH. For me dairy is also and irritant. I am hopeful that someday dairy can be back in my life after my intestines heal although I have gluten free for six months.

Vanacreme at Walmart Pharmacy is wonderfully soothing and is formulated without many irritants...no precription although they may hav to overnight order it for you....it is not expensive. If you have Dermatitis Herpetiformis, you are probably sensitive to many chemicals and cleaning products.....be careful and cautious. I am VERY careful to screen my personal care products. Always pantiliners and other products are known to be irritating to many women.

Joan

[donna w-7]

I'm wary of Aveeno....gluten??? Iodized salt will aggravate DH. For me dairy is also and irritant. I am hopeful that someday dairy can be back in my life after my intestines heal although I have gluten free for six months.

Vanacreme at Walmart Pharmacy is wonderfully soothing and is formulated without many irritants...no precription although they may hav to overnight order it for you....it is not expensive. If you have Dermatitis Herpetiformis, you are probably sensitive to many chemicals and cleaning products.....be careful and cautious. I am VERY careful to screen my personal care products. Always pantiliners and other products are known to be irritating to many women.

Joan

[donna w-7]

do you itch as though things are crawling under the skin? do you get white heads on your skin that go away 1-2 hours later as though they were never there? do you have severe headaches? my son is waiting on test results, i have lots of questions, do any of the celiacs have heart deformitites thank you

[little d]

do you itch as though things are crawling under the skin? do you get white heads on your skin that go away 1-2 hours later as though they were never there? do you have severe headaches? my son is waiting on test results, i have lots of questions, do any of the celiacs have heart deformitites thank you

I do get the crawling under the skin feeling, the heads do look white but when i popped a blister it was clear, headaches not so much, but yes I do get them. I am going to the Derm on friday hopefully I will have some blisters so they can biopsy them. and I don't think that I have any heart deformities that I know of just a little high choloesterol.

donna

[triplbjt1]

I too am having the same itching problem... I itch on my shoulders, back and my whole arms... Morningm noon and night....

I am Celiac and just found out about 4 months ago... I am eating a gluten free diet and I am using Shampoo and Soap that is Gluten free but no help from them...

There has to be an answer out there somewhere to help with this maddness...

If anyone has any please pass it on...

Bev

[mushroom]

I too am having the same itching problem... I itch on my shoulders, back and my whole arms... Morningm noon and night....

I am Celiac and just found out about 4 months ago... I am eating a gluten free diet and I am using Shampoo and Soap that is Gluten free but no help from them...

There has to be an answer out there somewhere to help with this maddness...

If anyone has any please pass it on...

Bev

I would suspect another food intolerance is causing the itching. I itched like crazy when I quit eating gluten. Soy turned out to be the main problem, potatoes the secondary problem. Keep a food diary and found out what you are eating a lot of (I had no idea how much soy I was eating) and eliminate that. If that doesn't work, go through all the major food allergens (corn, diary, eggs, etc.) one at a time and see if it makes a difference.

[choker28]

I too am having the same itching problem... I itch on my shoulders, back and my whole arms... Morningm noon and night....

I am Celiac and just found out about 4 months ago... I am eating a gluten free diet and I am using Shampoo and Soap that is Gluten free but no help from them...

There has to be an answer out there somewhere to help with this maddness...

If anyone has any please pass it on...

Bev

i hade the same problem had to eliminate dairy products tp

[torimuse]

All research I keep doing on DH lists big, red blister-type bumps, but this thread mentioned tiny flesh-colored, but extremely itchy bumps. I noticed these "rough patches" a long while back (can't remember when). I've been gluten free for just over a week now, and I'm having a hard time finding them, when they used to be just always there. Could this have been a mild form of DH?