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My Big Comeback Of 2009


jshelton999

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jshelton999 Apprentice

Over the last 15yrs, I've made countless comebacks...from hypothyroidism...pituitary failure...sleep apnea...asthma/allergies...

I started 2009 with a great deal of optimism. My pituitary disorder had been miraculously been reversed and I had finally withdrawn from the main steroid medication (Cortef) used to treat it...but then all hell broke loose and I was on the couch sicker than I had been in years... Apparently, the steroid medication which is an immune-suppressant muted the underlying gluten disorder although I still had frequent bouts of what was explained as stomach flu or adrenal fatigue.

After months of being told it might just be all in my head, I finally put the pieces together and a stool test from Enterolab confirmed that I indeed had a serious gluten disorder...

I've been on a gluten-free diet for 2 months and just like all my comebacks before, I'm finally back on my bike...training for a hilly 50-mile ride in October...

Here's a video I made using the pocket-cam I take on the bike with me... I hope you enjoy it... :)

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ravenwoodglass Mentor

Isn't it great when we feel better. I am glad you have improved so much.

ang1e0251 Contributor

Good job seeking your own dx!

jshelton999 Apprentice

Thanks guys :)

It's so great to find this forum with people who actually know how it feels to go through so many years of misdiagnosis and often being treated as if their medical condition was a character flaw...

Dan300 Newbie

Hi Jim, glad to see your feeling so great ! I to started sleep apnea therapy in Jan, that helped a lot of my problems but I still had a skin problem that I was dealing with for over 30 years , went to doctors for 25 years , told take these antibiotics, don't scratch , all in my head , ect ! on sleep apnea.org some one mentioned celiac and the different symptoms which lead me here with all these helpful people, started GFD end of march and 95% of my DH problems have resolved. I'm 61 years old and I'm so thankful to finally get some answers. after 8 months of research I found www.dogtorj.com (net ?) a member of this forum , who explains in detail what's going on with food intolerances, he also says that god made us perfect and that our problems are caused by what we knowingly and unknowingly do to ourselves. take care , Dan

maile Newbie

congrats on beginning the training for the ride :D

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    • Scott Adams
      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:  
    • Scott Adams
      It's very frustrating to be dismissed by medical professionals, especially when you are the one living with the reality of your condition every day. Having to be your own advocate and "fight" for a doctor who will listen is an exhausting burden that no one should have to carry. While that 1998 brochure is a crucial piece of your personal history, it's infuriating that the medical system often requires more contemporary, formal documentation to take a condition seriously. It's a common and deeply unfair situation for those who were diagnosed decades ago, before current record-keeping and testing were standard. You are not alone in this struggle.
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    • klmgarland
      It took three years and several doctors and many tests, and lots of steroids and other bad medicine that didn’t do anything to finally find a competent doctor to get diagnosed with dermatitis herpetiformis.  I am meticulous about a completely gluten free diet now for more than a year and things were finally getting better until they weren’t.  Who knew that if I fed my dear invalid cousin a hamburger and used the same hand to eat a couple of her gluten free fries that I was cross contaminating myself.  Who knew that if my husband makes a sandwich and leaves crumbs on the counter which I sweep away with a dish towel then wash my hands and dry them on this same dish towel and then touch my lips that I potentially cross contaminated myself.  Who knew that just wiping off the table crumbs could still leave gluten on the table that has to be washed off with soap and water.  Who knew when my husband heats a tortilla by draping it over the toaster that gluten residue is possibly left behind.   Who knew that if my husband eats a gluten product and I kiss him on the lips that I was cross contaminating myself.  Who knew that if I should walk into the bakery to get my gluten free cupcake if they have been mixing up a batch of flour batter and there could be flour particles in the air I could inhale and contaminate myself.  Who knew I needed to be careful that my grand baby shouldn’t put there fingers in my mouth because they just ate a biscuit and I was cross contaminating myself.   Eating gluten free is the easy part.  But know one tells me how to live in the real world filled with gluten contamination just waiting to happen!   There I feel better getting all that off my chest but I feel isolated and alone in this journey. I sleep with a back scratcher, stand in my freezing cold pool, glob on tons of triamcinolone for the rash on my knees, back, bottom, elbows and ankles.  I use bottles of Scalpicine for the extensive rash on my scalp.  All my make up, medications, soaps, shampoos, cleaners, detergents are all gluten free.  But I still have a rash and I fear I will gouge and claw holes in my head and body before I can’t figure out how I am exposing myself to gluten.  I don’t even want to leave the house anymore.  I never eat any food or drink offered me at anyone’s home ever.  I can drink wine and eat potato chips!  Hurray for me, I finally agreed to try Dapsone even though I read it’s hard on your body but if I don’t get some relief am going to have a nervous breakdown from lack of sleep and high anxiety. Can anyone point me in the right direction? Thank you,  Helpless but Hopeful
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