Dh- Is A Biopsy A Must? & Other ?'s

[Alternative mama]

I have recently been officially diagnosed with celiac disease (after 8 yrs of searching for answers ) and have alot of ?'s. I have been gluten-free for 3-4yr but am now finding out I have gotten into Gluten inadvertently over that time. I'm now breaking out in a blistery itchy rash and am pretty sure it's DH. I'm working on finding all the names gluten goes by and getting rid of CC so do I HAVE to get a biopsy for the DH? Does DH cause other things I should know about or can I just assume this rash will go away once I get my diet even more cleaned up? I read somewhere that DH increases your chance of lymphoma. Would this just be the untreated celiac disease that increases your lymphoma rate or ?????

After 8 yrs of being let down by conventional medicine and dr.s I stay away from them as much as possible. I don't plan on getting my DH treated conventionally unless I find a specific medical reason to.

Has anyone tried any natural therapies to treat the itchiness during a breakout? Like maybe tea-tree oil or Himalayans sea salt baths??

I'm just looking for some natural options.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[YoloGx]

I have recently been officially diagnosed with celiac disease (after 8 yrs of searching for answers ) and have alot of ?'s. I have been gluten-free for 3-4yr but am now finding out I have gotten into Gluten inadvertently over that time. I'm now breaking out in a blistery itchy rash and am pretty sure it's DH. I'm working on finding all the names gluten goes by and getting rid of CC so do I HAVE to get a biopsy for the DH? Does DH cause other things I should know about or can I just assume this rash will go away once I get my diet even more cleaned up? I read somewhere that DH increases your chance of lymphoma. Would this just be the untreated celiac disease that increases your lymphoma rate or ?????

After 8 yrs of being let down by conventional medicine and dr.s I stay away from them as much as possible. I don't plan on getting my DH treated conventionally unless I find a specific medical reason to.

Has anyone tried any natural therapies to treat the itchiness during a breakout? Like maybe tea-tree oil or Himalayans sea salt baths??

I'm just looking for some natural options.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Hi Alternative Mama!

I am into natural remedies as well. Its good to see someone else here who is too. I don't believe the general thing about nothing but diet helping. Diet is extremely powerful and it is essential to remove all gluten if you have DH and/or celiac. However I have found there are herbs that do help.

I too got into a non gluten diet years ago without knowing I had DH or celiac. I also had what were becoming severe problems with my kidneys and nervous system (which also affected my heart and brain). So over the years I came up with some remedies that are even better now that I am discovering through this site about how important it is to be strict at avoiding gluten even from hidden sources like old cutting boards etc.

And I agree--for me doing a gluten challenge for a long enough time to then get the standard test results would be too harmful for my health at this time as well as pointless. I have confirmed to myself through trial and error over the years and I know I am gluten intolerant. All I have to do is get exposed and very quickly I get my old DH back as well as a host of other symptoms, including problems with my kidneys. I just don't want to go there as you might well imagine! And yes the doctors haven't helped much at all, even the alternatives ones. Though I guess that is starting to change as they begin to acknowledge these conditions actually exist. However it is hard to take having had so many think one is a bit crazy along to way. Not to say we aren't its just that its hard to be denied ones truths and not respected for one's struggles.

As I have suggested elsewhere, I have read that taking vitamin B complex is essential for most of us since people with DH and/or celiac usually can't make or absorb B vitamins very well. I certainly have found that to be true for myself in spades!!

If you can handle yeast products, I suggest you get one that has brewers yeast in it. If not, however, like me you might need to take Co-enzyme B vitamins, best taken away from food. I like the caps rather than the sublingual ones with sorbitol though I think everyone is different. The B vitamins can be very important for your skin as well as nervous system and better micro-digestion. Vitamin D and minerals of course are very important too. I find for my skin etc. cod liver oil is best though I know not everyone can handle it.

I don't need to take HCL though many do. However I do take papain/bromelain enzymes with my food so I have less tendency to have inflamed skin as well as less inflammation in my gut and joints. I have hypermobile joints which no doubt willhelp keep me young, however they are easily stressed by gluten; I think of it now as being like Superman's kryptonite.

Besides no gluten, I have found eating a lot of vegetables and a modicum of meat is important as well as avoiding additives where possible. Ditto with sugar. Try stevia for sweetener instead. Potatoes are just fine if they are organic I have found. I also like teff, amaranth and quinoa as grains for pancakes. Fruit is nice but don't overdo. I personally like nonfat organic yogurt--must be related to all those northern nomadic peoples.

In fact I just read most people with DH and celiac apparently usually come from European Hunter Gatherer peoples who couldn't quite swing the shift to agricultural grains. Our forebears survived anyway since they had the advantage of being more resistant to parasites and bacterial infections than their more civilized cousins despite no doubt being miserable and not knowing quite why when they ate all those delectable breads.... No doubt many of the Shamans had this condition since it easily creates altered states! And of course all those crazy Vikings.

There are a number of herbs I could suggest and have elsewhere. I'll just list them here: for detox and better elimination: dandelion, oregon grape root or yellow dock root and burdock root (especially powerful for the skin); for soothing internal inflammation (which can also affect strange to say the skin): marshmallow root, slippery elm and bromelain/papain capsules; for helping against candida: pao de arco and barberry (this last very powerful--a little goes a long ways--and candida overgrowth can affect the skin).

Generally 1 heaped tablespoon of each herb per quart of water, boil 15 to 30 minutes. Can add licorish root for taste as well as to strengthen adrenals. Just be careful when boiling since it tends to make the mixture froth. Don't use if have high blood pressure--though I have found most celiac and DH have low blood pressure. Lavendar is nice too for soothing nervous system as is skullcap. Somehow the nerves and itchy skin seem closely related.

Slathering on comfrey root salve and/or aloe vera on the skin can help--and even licorice root powder as well as neem powder (though its dark and messy--if it itches maybe you don't care). I hear that chamomile and calendula can help too. Some of the homeopathic skin preparations work for people.

Hope this helps. I'd love to have us create a natural alternative line of discussion.

---Yolo

[Alternative mama]

Yolo,

Thank you for that info!

I would love to see an alternative thread

I too have had lots of probs with my kidneys. I know I don't absorb my B vits well - and D too. I have been taking a multi vit but my nutritionist musles tested me with it and said my body doesn't like it. I'm thinking there's something in it ( no Gluten but something else). I also take digestive enzymes with every meal. I have also started replacing my coffee with pau de arco tea, though I have not tried adding the Barbarry and some of the other herbs. I know my gut is really a mess so I can't do alot of detoxing internally until I can strengthen it and fix some of the linging problems. But I have been doing alot of external detoxing through bentointe clay , baking soda & himaylan sea salt baths.

I have had alot of yeast problems so I'm working on that. I'm a sugar addick but I'm working on it. I do use stevia and xylitol.

I actually have been slowly moving toward a raw diet b/c I'm just obviously having too many problems and am starting to not trust ANY packaged foods. I'm still trying to learn all the "ingredients" to look out for but every day find new ones to watch. Like I had no idea that Vit E could be derived from Wheat! UG!

I'm not sure where yet, but I know I'm getting into gluten b/c of how I feel and this DH garbage seems to be getting worse

I have a question.....do the DH scars ever go away?? I have one or 2 that seem to have scarred and I'm really hoping they will eventually fade??? Anything in paticular that will work for the scarring? (other than not itching....that just isn't going to happen LOL!)

I don't know if you are a registered user on ebay but I sell on there (organic clothing) and I also lead an alternative health group . We currently have over 750 members. We have some very very knowledgable folks. Just not tons of celiacs so that's the reason I came here- looking for some new answers and help.

If you're interested in that group here is the info

Open Original Shared Link

I'm alllllways looking for any info on alternative health remedies for celiacs. Between my gut, kidneys, bones, anemia, parathyroid and skin my poor body could use some serious help! LOL!

Thanks!