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Gen

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Gen Rookie

I wasn't going to post untill I got a definitive answer, but after reading, I don't know if I trust the doctors to go in the right direction.

FOR atleast 12 years I have had rashes and severe itiching on my legs. It would come and go. Always on both legs in exact same places. I would sometimes scratch untill I bled at night. It didn't matter what I did. Lotions, exfoliations, cortizones ect...It would itch till it hurt and scratching didn't help. Once again I brought it up to my GP when I was in for something else. In an offhanded way he mentioned cutting out wheat. That was 5 years ago.

I never really got around to it. Till I went on an extreme diet 2 or so years ago for about 6 months. Wasn't intentional, but I really only got lean plain protien and vegi's with 3 melba toasts or 2 pieces a day of light bread. Lost weight great. After I got off of it I wasn't really eating much carbs of any sort. My itching started back and husband and I noticed my itching was gone while on the diet.

The last few months with the holidays and vacation have been a gluttonous time for wheat for me and sure enough I got the rash so bad that I decided to go completely wheat free. It's been a learning experience. Gluten or wheat is everywhere. It's been 3 weeks. I have had one on purpose exposure and 2 on accidents ( soy sauce and immitation crab?!) The day after the on purpose I had the rash for about 24- 48 hours. I also quit smoking two weeks ago. I actually feel better than I have in a long time even though I was quitting. The first two days off wheat, I was ehausted and dazed, but that passed.

I do have some external contact with wheat reactions too. My head was itchy and I scratched it and it became inflamed . I also react to adheasives. The number of oral drugs I can take are decreasing fast.

Don't shoot me for saying this but I would prefer it to be wheat based problem than the other thing based on family history it could have been. Incidently there are there many autoimune issues question that always come up when dealing with my moms liver dr and my son's endocrinoligist.

I am going in for my physical and to be refered to a hemotoligist for a blood work result unrelated to this problem. What or who should I ask for referral too? Allergist or Gastro? I have no gastro symtoms to my knowledge. I just had all the other normal blood work and other than cholesterol and an elavated WBC every thing is right where it should be.

I would appreciate any suggestions comments and directions anyone can give me.

Thanks in advance!


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ravenwoodglass Mentor

Ask for a complete celiac panel, your regular GP can order it for you. Without gastro symptoms you should also call your derm and when the rash is active ask him to biopsy looking for DH. If you have DH you have celiac and no other testing would be needed. Just make sure the derm does the biopsy correctly, he needs to biopsy the area adjacent to the lesions to find the antibodies. There are other skin problems that are associated with gluten but if this is DH it is definately celiac.

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    • klmgarland
      Thank you so very much Scott.  Just having someone understand my situation is so very helpful.  If I have one more family member ask me how my little itchy skin thing is going and can't you just take a pill and it will go away and just a little bit of gluten can't hurt you!!!! I think I will scream!!
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      It is difficult to do the detective work of tracking down hidden sources of cross-contamination. The scenarios you described—the kiss, the dish towel, the toaster, the grandbaby's fingers—are all classic ways those with dermatitis herpetiformis might get glutened, and it's a brutal learning curve that the medical world rarely prepares you for. It is difficult to have to deal with such hyper-vigilance. The fact that you have made your entire home environment, from makeup to cleaners, gluten-free is a big achievement, but it's clear the external world and shared spaces remain a minefield. Considering Dapsone is a logical and often necessary step for many with DH to break the cycle of itching and allow the skin to heal while you continue your detective work; it is a powerful tool to give you back your quality of life and sleep. You are not failing; you are fighting an incredibly steep battle. For a more specific direction, connecting with a dedicated celiac support group (online or locally) can be invaluable, as members exchange the most current, real-world tips for avoiding cross-contamination that you simply won't find in a pamphlet. You have already done the hardest part by getting a correct diagnosis. Now, the community can help you navigate the rest. If you have DH you will likely also want to avoid iodine, which is common in seafoods and dairy products, as it can exacerbate symptoms in some people. This article may also be helpful as it offers various ways to relieve the itch:  
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