To Be Or Not To Be

[KellieLA]

For years maybe 10 I have suffered from hard red painful lumps that flared up in my hands (particularly all the way up my fingers) I've gone back and forth to my doctor who has been understanding but tested me for a range of auto immune disorders. At first ge thought Lupus, yet test after test came back negative. I then suffered in silence not thinking I would ever find out why these flare up occurred. I've search uni data bases, pictures and finally found a picture of a member with very similar hands to mine. I had lumps in identical areas only mine never reach the blistering stage. They can take a week ie more to go away but always return without warning.

I get red lumps/nodules that flare up from under the skin and can cause me so much pain I cannot turn a key. They become itchy but funny enough, never blister as described. This week has been the worst in 10 years. They are all over my hands and gave areas to my elbows. They look like warts only red or insect bites, however they are not.

The tissue is very inflamed a sore. All the rashes I find are Very typical "rashes" not red inflamed lumps or nodules like I get all over my hands abd now elbows. this is what has been so off putting and why I virtually gave up.

I've always suspected I may be intolerant to gluten having cramping, boosting, flatulence and very irregular bowel motions which I was told was IBS. My hair thinned 8 years ago and the more I read the more I suspect this could ve something of a bigger picture. Having the lumps biopsied on Wednesday off my elbow so fingers crossed I get some kind of answer.

[itchy]

I don't have an opinion about whether your skin condition is DH, or not. But there are a lot of skin conditions that seem to clear up with a gluten free diet.

But with those bowel symptoms one would certainly think that you might be coeliac.

Going strictly gluten free for a while might give you a clear indication of whether you are coeliac. Eating gluten free isn't so hard, and doesn't have to be expensive.

In my experience the GI symptoms went away completely after attaining a strict gluten free diet, and the DH symptoms have been improving steadily over 2 1/2 years.

[Skylark]

Good luck! I hope you get some answers.

Make sure you do some reading on the biopsy. My understanding from other folks on the board is that a DH biopsy is supposed to be right next to the damaged skin, not a direct biopsy of the blister or lump.

[Avalon451]

My 16 y.o. daughter's DH was diagnosed literally as an aside, while she was visiting her dermatologist for acne. The doctor had stood up and was heading for the door, when she said, "Oh, yeah, we were going to ask you about this rash I have on my elbows and knees..." She thought it was dry skin from cold winters where she was attending school. But it got worse over the summer and spread around to her back, face, butt, etc.

The doc biopsied first off her elbow, but that lesion was healing and the biopsy was inconclusive. Apparently it needs to be a new lesion. Her second biopsy was done right, where the doc biopsied on a fresh lesion on her back, and then another just a fraction of an inch away on clear skin. That turned up the accurate DH diagnosis. Then we were referred to a GI doc who ran the blood tests (WAYYY positive) and did an endoscopy to check for intestinal damage.

I hope you get some relief soon! We have been gluten-free for just one week, and my daughter's not feeling incredibly better, but she doesn't have any new outbreaks, and her acne is already clearing up!

[weaselfish]

For years maybe 10 I have suffered from hard red painful lumps that flared up in my hands (particularly all the way up my fingers) I've gone back and forth to my doctor who has been understanding but tested me for a range of auto immune disorders. At first ge thought Lupus, yet test after test came back negative. I then suffered in silence not thinking I would ever find out why these flare up occurred. I've search uni data bases, pictures and finally found a picture of a member with very similar hands to mine. I had lumps in identical areas only mine never reach the blistering stage. They can take a week ie more to go away but always return without warning.

I get red lumps/nodules that flare up from under the skin and can cause me so much pain I cannot turn a key. They become itchy but funny enough, never blister as described. This week has been the worst in 10 years. They are all over my hands and gave areas to my elbows. They look like warts only red or insect bites, however they are not.

The tissue is very inflamed a sore. All the rashes I find are Very typical "rashes" not red inflamed lumps or nodules like I get all over my hands abd now elbows. this is what has been so off putting and why I virtually gave up.

I've always suspected I may be intolerant to gluten having cramping, boosting, flatulence and very irregular bowel motions which I was told was IBS. My hair thinned 8 years ago and the more I read the more I suspect this could ve something of a bigger picture. Having the lumps biopsied on Wednesday off my elbow so fingers crossed I get some kind of answer.

Hello KellieLA,

As you most likely surmise, if you don't consume ANY gluten, and the lumps ( yup, I've had 'em, very strange ) subside, well, it's fairly obvious what the source of the problem is, no ???

Remember that no-one will EVER know YOU better than YOU !!!

I had flatulence prior to going gluten-free, but no longer.

We are being poisoned daily on many levels so must be vigilant with what we consume.

Hope you can determine the trigger for you !!!!!

WF