Dh From Another Intolerance?

[eeyorelvr]

I have been gluten free since October. I do not always have the digestive issue with gluten for me mine is all DH, I am lucky in that my DH doesn't exacly blister, but the itching/burning is crazy.

All of a sudden I have it on my face only, seems like if I accidently get gluten my face breaks out first. I think I had some cross contaminiation about 2 weeks ago and now my face just doesn't seem to heal. I know my soap, makeup shampoo, conditioner are gluten free and I am eating gluten free, so I am starting to wonder if this is from another intolerance, maybe soy? (I am also lactose free)

[mushroom]

In some individuals DH is also particularly sensitive to iodine, so if you are eating foods high in iodine it can flare (eggs, asparagus,iodised salt, kelp, and I can't remember the others because I don't have DH It could be iodine or it could be cc from gluten - have you changed or added any products lately?

[squirmingitch]

I haven't heard anyone ever say that they got dh from any other intolerance but I don't know everything.

Could you be having an allergic reaction?

Also, I have read plenty where after going gluten-free then reactions to glutenings are stronger than pre gluten-free at least in the beginning. I got cc'd 4 or 5 weeks ago & it was rough with the dh ~~~ maybe not stronger than any dh I had before but certainly AS strong as any I ever had in my worst times. I also suffer comparitively little in the way of GI symptoms. I will say that soy gives me bad bloat.

[squirmingitch]

I will add to mushroom's list of high iodine ~~~~ egg yolks, dairy, seafood, soy & soy products particularly because most contain carageenan (sp?) which is kelp, turnip greens, lima beans, broccoli, strawberries, IODIZED salt or any processed foods containing salt as it is likely IODIZED (but may not always be), ham.....

See thyca.com for full info.

[eatmeat4good]

DH reactions can take a very long time to calm down and heal following even trace gluten exposure.

My reactions will last weeks.

Some people are sensitive to salicylates.

In the DH archives there is a thread about salicylates and DH.

If you take Ibuprofen it can flare DH too. Even if you are able to tolerate it otherwise.

I was taking it for the pain of DH...and boy did my DH get worse.

I also get it on my face. Miserable.

Thyca.com has been very helpful to me in learning where iodine is.

Walgreens had Pain Relieving Ointment that is Benzocaine and very helpful to numb the burning pain and itch of DH.

Good luck...I hope it heals fast.

[squirmingitch]

Also I have read time & time again that dh can flare up all by itself without getting glutened in any manner for anywhere from 6 mos. to 2 yrs. after going strict gluten free. It can do that until all the Iga is out of your skin. How long that takes is dependent upon the individual as well as how much & how often you get accidentally glutened or cc'd. SIGH.

[ciamarie]

And for me, and others one thing that causes big problems with DH (besides gluten, and iodine) is MSG. See here: Open Original Shared Link and visit that link's main site for links to other information and articles.

[eeyorelvr]

Thank you so much for all the suggestions on Iodine and possibly MSG. I didn't think I was eating a lot of Iodine until I read some of your examples, so now I need to do a little more research and find out all the foods I should be avoiding.

I did see a dermo yesterday and he said something very similiar to squimingitch, he also said that he felt like now I will always be hyper sensitve to stress or other contact things that would not have bothered me in the past. UGH!!!

[itchy]

I second squirmingitch. My DH is now pretty much restricted to my scalp, and seems on the verge of being gone, but every few days it flares again.

I've been eating a very controlled diet, because I want the rash gone and right now I don't have any social pressure to eat out, etc. I am very sure that I'm not getting accidentally glutened. Or iodined. Or salycyated.

So I'm pretty sure that some outbreaks are internally generated. That fits for me better than the idea that I might be reacting to something else, which seems unlikely.

At least that is the hypothesis of the moment.

[Di2011]

I find any adrenaline rushes effects mine. I fright easily and when that happens I really feel it at the skin level rather than any blood rush feelings. This has only been since my DH began in May last year.

I believe corn also impacts my DH. A couple of weeks ago I had a few days of over indulging in corn and popcorn (whilst remaining on my very strict / restricted, no eating out etc diet) and my skin went crazy.

[itchy]

What I find curious is that all my healed lesions no longer react. Only the ones that never quite healed. And these behave just like other DH lesions, except that they have never quite healed.

They flare and heal in a way that appears completely unrelated to other environmental factors. One time they seem to react to a stressful day. The next they do not. Another time a night of poor sleep seems to cause a flare, the next time not.

I watch for the effects of iodine, or other food constituents, stress, etc. and can never come up with any connection except dietary gluten.

So I'm pretty much left with the theory that there is some unknown internal process in my body that is causing the flares.

[Hopeful1950]

Itchy, I'm like you. My lesions are

1)new and active: blistery, oozy, very very very itchy, flaring several times a day

2)sort of healed but still raised up intermittently active: scabby, flaky, blistery on the edges, calm some days, crazy itchy others

3)completely healed, flat, mark starting to fade: mark on the skin (white or brown), no itching.

What I have noticed is that, no matter what I do, they have a "life cycle" of their own and bug me for up to 6 months and then they will heal almost overnight when they are ready.

I think we have antibodies in our skin just waiting to erupt. I have noticed that they can spontaneously erupt from clothing rubbing. Or if I get all hot and sweaty. Stress definitely has an effect. And I bashed my knee the other day on the edge of my desk. I got a bruise, then erupted in a bunch of blisters there. I was waiting for the other knee to blister like usually will happen, but only the one I bashed blistered which would tell me that the trauma activated some antibodies maybe?

I have been strictly gluten free now for 16 months and have gotten much better, but not completely. Knowing that the antibodies can be in my skin for up to 10 years makes me weary

[squirmingitch]

Groan ~~~ 10 years???? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But it is great to share this information. I don't think there's a single one of us who does not wonder & worry & wait for that first itch free day of the rest of our lives (we hope).

I am basically only 4 months in now & have had 2 cc/glutening episodes so my dh is still pretty active at this point. In the past 5-7 days I just began adding a little more iodine back into my diet & yesterday I had 2 places pop up & 2 today. Which warns me not to go back to iodine with impunity. The 4 places I now have have not itched much. Just off, on, off, on & they didn't come with a blister. So I can't really make any determinations yet like itchy & Hopeful have been able to do. But I wish I could.

[itchy]

It is indeed distressing to think it might be around for ten years.

Though it is better than many other afflictions one could have.

Some people suggest that the increase in coeliac is because our immune systems no longer has to cope with parasites. If I was convinced that was true, I might consider getting myself a little tapeworm pet. :-)

[squirmingitch]

LOL! itchy LOL!