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Does This Look Like Dh?

jshelton999

By jshelton999
in Dermatitis Herpetiformis

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jshelton999 Apprentice
jshelton999
Posted

I'm in the process of getting everything diagnosed/treated. My gluten antibody test from Enterolab was 124 (normal <10). I've had skin rashes for years that were diagnosed as eczema, stasis dermatitis, psoriasis, etc. but were never effectively treated by any of the prescribed creams/ointments. I've been mostly gluten-free the last couple of months but have accidents here and there. I had GI symptoms the other days and the skin rashes flared-up as well.

Does this look like DH? It's an incredibly itchy, burning rash that I get on my ankles, legs, chest, stomach, scalp and they are always bilateral.

IMG_0449.webp

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lovegrov Collaborator
lovegrov
Posted

Doesn't look like mine did. Mine were blisters with clear fluid.

richard

declan Newbie
declan
Posted

No, does not look like mind did either, but not everyone is the same.

declan

jshelton999 Apprentice
jshelton999
Posted
  • Author

Thanks for the feedback. If not DH, what else might it be? I get these rashes in response to gluten. No gluten - no rash. Can gluten trigger rashes other than DH?

angieInCA Apprentice
angieInCA
Posted

Yes, that could possibly be DH. THe DH rash I get on my shins looks like that. The DH Rash I get on my arms and scalp look different. And the DH rash I get on my hands looks different still, so I get at least 3 different looking rashes that have all been diagnosed as DH. The one thing they have in common is that they all itch and burn like crazy and they all have clear fluid blisters ranging to extremely small to very large. I have some blisters that have been pin-points and I have had some the have measured 2 inches across. My rashes usually show up within 24 hours of gluten exposure and last for several days. If you really need to know get it to a Dermatologist and have a test done.

digmom1014 Enthusiast
digmom1014
Posted

Doesn't look like mine either, mine itches, has fluid filled raised bumps and has a hard red underlying cyst. As it heals-it scabs and bleeds.

However, I did find something that made it go away a little faster-in about a week. I googled some old stuff I had-pre-diagnosis that is no longer sold in the U.S. It actually was simliar to athlete's foot cream!! I got the cheap CVS brand of it-Clotrimozole-$6.99 a tube. I used it to control the itching and I doubled-up on the probiotic I take. It was on my chin and I couldn't get rid of it fast enough!

Doing both of those things really seemed to help. Since I have been gluten-free, 18 months, this has been my 1st break-out. I got into gluten while visiting, so I didn't want to go to a dermatologist.

glutenmommy Rookie
glutenmommy
Posted

Well, it certainly looks like mine! I have not been diagnosed yet, but I am having a skin biopsy done next week. Mine looks exactly like poison ivy and ONLY comes out when I eat gluten. In fact, I was misdiagnosed with poison ivy for years! (Honestly, who has poison ivy that lasts six months?!) My dermatologist is fairly certain that it's DH just by looking at it and based on all my other symptoms, but she is going to biopsy just to be sure.

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jshelton999 Apprentice
jshelton999
Posted
  • Author

Thanks for the great feedback! I have had dermatologists in past years look at this but they didn't even mention DH. Guess I need to find a new doc.

My question to a doctor would be "If you don't think it's DH, then what is it? What other skin condition is bilateral and only occurs with gluten-ingestion?"

BooParks Newbie
BooParks
Posted

Mine was diagnosed as poison ivy for years by my physicians including my allergist. In the end though it became huge blisters, the size of a baseball on my knees and quite deep. It took the longest time to clear up on my feet for some reason, even after the three years it took for me to get off of the dapsone. I'll still get them on my feet and in my mouth first whith an accidental ingestion of gluten. I hate to say this and it could be bad advice since it can cause an infection, yet it does help if I pop the itchy blisters. :unsure:

  • 2 weeks later...
momxyz Contributor
momxyz
Posted

glutenmommy and jshelton -

did you ever get a diagnosis?

bacon Newbie
bacon
Posted

mine looks pretty much like that on my lower legs and forearms. i dont get any of the clear pustules, but do get small bumps all over and blisters on my lower back.

seeing dermatologist for 1st time next week.

hoping for a diagnosis of anything definitve as its 01:30 and I cant sleep for itching!

jshelton999 Apprentice
jshelton999
Posted
  • Author

Thanks bacon. I haven't got a diagnosis yet. I still need to find a dermatologist. I'm seeing a Celiac specialist, but not until October.

  • 4 weeks later...
krawhitham Newbie
krawhitham
Posted

Before I went gluten-free, mine looked similarly to yours after I itched them to death :(

This is what my self-dx DH looks like after a little over a month gluten-free, just wanted to share and get comments:

arm.webp

arm1.webp

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