Is It Chronic?

[joyfulseraph]

Does dermatitis herpetiformis have to be chronic? I was just thinking, a few years ago, before I started to have digestive problems, and lactose intolerance, my hands had a chronic itchy terrible rash/sores on them...it lasted for around 2 years I think, then it went away. I thought, maybe it was the soap I was using. I was wondering, I am not saying it is, but could it be possible that it could have been DH? even though I still eat stuff with gluten....(still trying to figure out whats wrong with me) or does it not come and go like that?

[flourgirl]

Hi there! If it was DH, and you were still ingesting gluten, then it could have stayed and caused problems over such a long period of time. Once you are gluten free the problems with DH do go away. For me it was many months, but I'm happy to say that I no longer have those problems. I did have to cut out iodized salt and ibuprofen, because these would cause minor flare-ups. Hopefully, with your new lifestyle you wont' ever have to suffer with that again.....and it is agony. I had it absolutely everywhere before I finally got rid of it! Good luck to you

[ravenwoodglass]

My DH was a constant as a child but in my young adult years it got a bit better and outbreaks would be occasional and mild. Around the time my gut symptoms started in my early 30's it appeared as an everyday thing again but instead of the lesions on my arms and legs I had them on my neck, scalp, face and shoulders with only an occasional spot on my legs or arms. A derm can tell you if the lesions are DH if they know how to do a proper biopsy. They have to biopsy beside the lesion not the lesion itself.