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Does Dh Always Mean Celiac?


JaneWhoLovesRain

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pricklypear1971 Community Regular

Some people have other food sensitivities that seem to activate it (corn, salicylates, etc.). I've heard of people being on dapsone for years before DH recedes enough to be controlled just with gluten-free.

Sometimes it can pop up without reason, even gluten-free, as long as there are iga antibodies in the skin. It can be assumed some people take longer for the antibodies to leave the skin than others??

Also, some people here seem to be reporting activation with a glutening - people who never remember having a rash before.


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cahill Collaborator

As for the association with thyroid disorders, his book says studies say that "20-30% of patients with DH also have thyroid abnormalities, as many do not have gastro symptoms." (Chapter 11)

Do other members who are 2 years gluten-free tell you they still have eruptions of it? (I know some who are only 1 year gluten-free do.)

Whatever the case, I hope you get some real answers tomorrow!

I have been gluten free for 2 1/2 years and I still have eruptions. Mine seems to be aggravated mostly by iodine.

And since I have Hashimoto's and am on thyroid meds ,iodine is not something I can totally eliminate from my diet.

I walk a VERY fine line between getting enough iodine for my thyroid health and not to much to set off my DH. The wonderful world of a celiac :rolleyes:

My daughter who is gluten free never had DH until after her celiac diagnoses BUT she was diagnosed with psoriasis for many years

cahill Collaborator

I'll let you know tomorrow what happens.

Please let us know how it goes :)

  • 3 months later...
Lolli Newbie

As horrific as DH has been, I'm thankful because I would have never known something was seriously wrong.

squirmingitch Veteran

As horrific as DH has been, I'm thankful because I would have never known something was seriously wrong.

I feel the same way Lolli. I count dh as both a blessing & a curse.

jlaw Apprentice

Oh man. have followed this whole thread with interest. My GP (equivalent to a PCP I think,) and my GI have said I needed an intestinal biospsy for celiac confirmation, despite a +ve skin biopsy. I was happy enough with a skin biopsy, but had to have a colonoscopy for strong family Hx of bowel cancer, so decided to have both done at the same time before I went gluten-free. But it's come back only with chronic inflammation with villi all still intact. He only took one sample... bloods are negative for coeliac. Any thoughts on what to do with this?? In reality, it doesn't actually change anything. I still have to be completely gluten-free anyway because of the Dh. But do I actually have Celiac?? So confused

cahill Collaborator

Oh man. have followed this whole thread with interest. My GP (equivalent to a PCP I think,) and my GI have said I needed an intestinal biospsy for celiac confirmation, despite a +ve skin biopsy. I was happy enough with a skin biopsy, but had to have a colonoscopy for strong family Hx of bowel cancer, so decided to have both done at the same time before I went gluten-free. But it's come back only with chronic inflammation with villi all still intact. He only took one sample... bloods are negative for coeliac. Any thoughts on what to do with this?? In reality, it doesn't actually change anything. I still have to be completely gluten-free anyway because of the Dh. But do I actually have Celiac?? So confused

What you do with it is know that your doc did not take enough biopsys . I believe the standard is 8 biopsys.** I just realized you said colonscopy.** Did he do an endoscopy also or just a colonoscopy(lower) ? If he was looking for celiac he should have done an endoscopy ( upper) and taken (I believe ) 8 biopys of the small intestine .

You ask Do you have celiac? The positive DH testing and dietary response is a celiac diagnoses . I am not a doctor but in my humble uneducated DH and celiac mind , YES You are celiac .

** if you read my signature you will see that my GI doc would agree with me :)


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squirmingitch Veteran

Oh man. have followed this whole thread with interest. My GP (equivalent to a PCP I think,) and my GI have said I needed an intestinal biospsy for celiac confirmation, despite a +ve skin biopsy. I was happy enough with a skin biopsy, but had to have a colonoscopy for strong family Hx of bowel cancer, so decided to have both done at the same time before I went gluten-free. But it's come back only with chronic inflammation with villi all still intact. He only took one sample... bloods are negative for coeliac. Any thoughts on what to do with this?? In reality, it doesn't actually change anything. I still have to be completely gluten-free anyway because of the Dh. But do I actually have Celiac?? So confused

In this link is the info. you need.

https://www.celiac.com/forums/topic/95643-interesting-reading-on-dh/

It states that a dx is a dx of celiac. So many docs do NOT understand this & so it can be risky to have the blood or the endoscopy b/c when they turn up neg. then so many stupid docs THEN want to say you do NOT have celiac disease.

The link I provided is a long read but it will explain so much about why we with dh so often turn up neg. on blood & endo.

cahill Collaborator

Thank you :)

Awesome information , bookmarked :)

squirmingitch Veteran

YVW Chill.smile.gif

jlaw Apprentice

In this link is the info. you need.

https://www.celiac.com/forums/topic/95643-interesting-reading-on-dh/

It states that a dx is a dx of celiac. So many docs do NOT understand this & so it can be risky to have the blood or the endoscopy b/c when they turn up neg. then so many stupid docs THEN want to say you do NOT have celiac disease.

The link I provided is a long read but it will explain so much about why we with dh so often turn up neg. on blood & endo.

Squirming, this is awesome. Thank you so much for all the time you have put into this.

jlaw Apprentice

What you do with it is know that your doc did not take enough biopsys . I believe the standard is 8 biopsys.** I just realized you said colonscopy.** Did he do an endoscopy also or just a colonoscopy(lower) ? If he was looking for celiac he should have done an endoscopy ( upper) and taken (I believe ) 8 biopys of the small intestine .

You ask Do you have celiac? The positive DH testing and dietary response is a celiac diagnoses . I am not a doctor but in my humble uneducated DH and celiac mind , YES You are celiac .

** if you read my signature you will see that my GI doc would agree with me :)

Hi Chill, He did a lower (colon)and upper (gastro). Thanks for your advice. And I think you're right. I heard that they should take at least 5... I was just confused as to whether I actually have gut symptoms, or purely just skin related... Squirming's links have helped me to realise that the gut is still involved for DH patients. Thanks again :-)

squirmingitch Veteran

Squirming, this is awesome. Thank you so much for all the time you have put into this.

YVW jlaw. The hardest part was that I have alllllll these references bookmarked but I do not have my bookmarks organized.sad.gif And thus, it takes me forever to find what I'm looking for when i want to link to some reference. All my dh bookmarks are mixed in with general celiac bookmarks & included in all that are gluten-free recipes, ingredients, cooking tips & so forth.blink.gif

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      Welcome to the celiac.com community @EssexMum! First, let me correct some misinformation you have been given. Except in the case of what is known as "refractory" celiac disease, which is very rare, it is not true that the "fingers" will not grow back once a consistently gluten free diet is adopted. Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition whereby the ingestion of gluten triggers an inflammatory process that damages the millions of tiny finger-like projections that make up the lining of the small bowel. We call this the "villous lining". Over time, continued ingestion of gluten on a regular basis results in the wearing down of these fingers which greatly reduces the surface area of this very important membrane. It is where essentially all the nutrition from what we eat is absorbed. So, losing this surface area results in inefficiency in nutrient absorption and often to medical problems related to nutrient deficiencies. Again, if a gluten-free diet is consistently observed, the villous lining of the small bowel should rebound. "We was informed that her body absorbs the gluten rather then rejecting it and that is why she doesn't react to the gluten straight away, it will be a build up and then the pains start. " That sounds like unscientific BS to me. But it does sound like your stepdaughter may have a type of celiac disease we know as "silent" celiac disease, meaning, she is asymptomatic or at least the symptoms are not intense enough to usually notice. She is not completely asymptomatic, however, because you stated was experiencing tummy aches off and on. Cristiana gives some good suggestions about ordering "safe" food for your stepdaughter from restaurant menus in Europe. You must realize that as the step parent who only has her part of the time you have no real control over how cooperative her other set of parents are with regard to your stepdaughter's needs to eat gluten free. It sounds like they don't really understand the seriousness of the matter. This is very common in family settings where other members are ignorant about celiac disease and the damage it can do to body systems. So, they don't take it seriously. The best you can do is make suggestions. Perhaps print out some info about celiac disease from the Internet to send them. Being inconsistent with the gluten free diet keeps the inflammation smoldering and delays or inhibits healing of the villous lining. 
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