I Think I Have Gluten Intolerance(please Help)

[mikacurl247]

Well first off let me say, im new here

And for all my life i have been lactose intolerant! But i would also always break out in rashes, a few times i'll oatmeal and a few hours later i would feel like someone just threw some itching powder on me! Recently(in the last 3yrs or so) it has gotten worse and worse, i think 2008 was the worst year yet. A few days ago i figured out that what i was getting on my arms and sometimes legs is DH...i itch every single day too. I try to put creams on it but it burns so bad, the only thing that doesn't really burn is aloe vera gel.

I have so many symptoms like: anemia(i was diagnose when i was a baby), muscle pain, delayed menstrual(since July), fatigue, upset stomach(including IBS- bloating, gas, pain, diarrhea), acid reflux, and severe itching!

I just want every ones opinion, im already going back and forth to the doctor and i just don't wanna bring up something else right now

[RiceGuy]

Welcome to the board! I'm sure the many fine members here will be able to help you sort things out.

It does sound like gluten intolerance or Celiac to me. If you want to get tested, now is the time to do it. If you go gluten-free for more than a week or so, the antibodies will begin to diminish, making the tests even more inaccurate than they already are. In the case of Celiac, the intestinal damage should begin to heal in a matter of weeks or months, but for some it seems to take years. The time it takes to heal may depend on how long the body has been dealing with it. Everyone is different.

However, if I'm not mistaken, some of the symptoms you've mentioned indicate more than an intolerance. I think the DH and menstrual problems are two which suggest Celiac. Perhaps someone else will know for certain.

But either way, a gluten-free diet is how to address it. The diet is also the best test, though again, once you start, you probably won't want to eat gluten if you've found benefit from avoiding it. Symptoms are often far worse once you're gluten-free a while. Some are comfortable with the self-diagnosis, while others want an "official" diagnosis. The choice is yours, but if you want to seek lab testing, you must continue eating gluten until you've had all the tests that you want. Keep in mind that there is a high rate of false negatives, and thus it is always a good idea to try the gluten-free diet no matter the results.

Hope you get the answers you need!

[GFinDC]

You might want to look around the DH forum here also. I have read that there is a biopsy of the skin they can do during an outbreak that is conclusive for DH and celiac. They need to biopsy the skin around the area though, not the center.