Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Annoyed With Dermatologist

GlutenFreeAustinite

Recommended Posts

GlutenFreeAustinite Contributor
GlutenFreeAustinite
Posted

So long story short, I've been on doxycycline for four months roughly, due to what the dermatologist thought was an "atypical mycobacterial infection" on my lower leg. It still has not cleared up, and while it's looking better, it's definitely not fully healed. She cultured it two months ago for staph/other fast growing bacteria, and it was negative, but she also punch-biopsied it to see if it truly was an atypical mycobacterial infection. That also came back negative.

So then, two weeks ago, my general practitioner diagnosed me with impetigo. It was not even fully developed, and my body/the doxycycline dealt with it.

Last week, another general practitioner diagnosed me with folliculitis under my left arm. Painful, red bumps that looked like mosquito bites but formed a white head after several days on clindamycin. He prescribed that reluctantly, because he wasn't sure why the doxycycline hadn't just taken care of it, because doxycycline is supposed to take care of things like folliculitis. Today, after four and a half days of clindamycin + doxycycline, they are finally starting to clear up, possibly, but I can't really tell. I'm not sure why my body didn't deal with the infection, nor why antibiotics don't really seem to be having any effect. I've got a suspicion that what's under my arm is gluten related, if not true DH, but my dermatologist doesn't seem to think that at all. And everyone tells me my immune system is fine. UGH.

Sorry for the rant...I'm just sick of the infections!

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


squirmingitch Veteran
squirmingitch
Posted

I'm sorry your having such a rough time of it. It's okay to rant here; if you can't rant here, where else you going to do it? I was back reading your other post & gee, 4 whole months on Doxycycline seems like a lot!

Well, derms don't have a record of believing in dh that's for sure. It's like they are rabid against it to the point of not believing it even exists!

Let us know how you're doing. When do you get your celiac panel done?

GlutenFreeAustinite Contributor
GlutenFreeAustinite
Posted
  • Author

thanks, squirmingitch, it really helps. And yes, I've had a TON of doxycycline, and clindamycin is a lovely pill that can cause all of the good bacteria in the gut to die, which brings on a strain of nasty bacteria, that could give me an intestinal infection/colitis. I can't wait to be done with that. My derm doesn't think it's DH, and I can't be positive now either because they do seem to be clearing up. But extremely slow, and I finish with clindamycin on Friday, there's no way they'll be gone by then.

I had my blood test, gosh, at the end of June. Two months on gluten. I tested positive in gliadin IGA/IGG, but not tTG IGA/IGG. When I was tested the first time, after one month on gluten, my gliadin numbers were high, but negative--this was after 18 months of gluten free living, so I wasn't terribly surprised. I get my endoscopy/biopsy on Tuesday, July 17th, and after that I'm going straight back to gluten free.

squirmingitch Veteran
squirmingitch
Posted

Oh, okay. I didn't know you hadn't had your endoscopy yet --- I forget these things sometimes.unsure.gif So, 6 more days.

Well, you know, after you're done with the clindamycin then you might try going low iodine & see what happens. If it's dh then many have had results with going low iodine. I say many b/c there are a couple ppl on here who say iodine doesn't affect their dh. But it does for the vast majority of us.

I'm going to throw this out there too ---- For dh rash there is Dapsone but if one doesn't want to risk Dapsone or can't take Dapsone the second line of treatment is in the Tetracycline class of drugs. Without looking up the Doxycycline & Clindamycin to be sure; I'm next to positive they are both in the Tetracycline class so they could be having some effect on your places if it's dh but since they are not the exact drug of choice for dh they would not be doing the whole job if you follow my line of thinking. Just something to think about.

GlutenFreeAustinite Contributor
GlutenFreeAustinite
Posted
  • Author

Oh, no worries...I can't even remember if I mentioned my biopsy date, and if I did, I don't expect you to remember!

If it's not cleared up, I'm definitely trying low iodine once gluten-free again. I'm also going off sugar because I have a horrible problem with yeast....yay for Diflucan!

That's a good point about the tetracyclines...doxycycline is definitely a tetracycline, though clindamycin is not. And who knows which one's actually kicking the infection/rash/whatever. It's interesting...the white heads are gone and they look a little less "angry" but they are definitely still there and reminding me quite loudly.

squirmingitch Veteran
squirmingitch
Posted

Hmmmm..... that's rather telling re: the rash.

Yeast --- considering all the antibiotics you've been on for so long yeast is not surprising.

GlutenFreeAustinite Contributor
GlutenFreeAustinite
Posted
  • Author

Well, the derm thinks it's folliculitis, and is giving me topical clindamycin, which will hopefully stop the horrible D that's resulted from the oral stuff. If that doesn't clear it up, she's going to culture it. She still doesn't think it's anything gluten-related, or that my immune system is a problem, despite my 18 years of chronic ear infections, eye infections (essentially, I just get them really easily, I'm that one kid in ten who comes out of the river with double swimmer's ear and conjunctivitis), weird rashes, etc. I've had yeast infections since I was 12. She did say that doctors don't understand the whole immune system, and that she's of the mentality that "if you can't measure it, it doesn't exist," and I don't fit her profile of immune system problem patients. Luckily I have my general practitioner and my allergist convinced there's a more systemic problem.

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


squirmingitch Veteran
squirmingitch
Posted

Hmmm.... sounds like you need to find a new derm. Just think ---- nothing would have ever been invented if no one ever "thought outside the box".

GlutenFreeAustinite Contributor
GlutenFreeAustinite
Posted
  • Author

Well, I'm definitely gonna mention it to my gastro doctor, because he's probably seen a few cases of DH in his day. It seems to respond to the meds, so who knows. It just takes for-bloody-ever for me to heal from stuff--I usually need more than one course of antibiotics to do the trick. I'm hoping I won't have to go back to her though.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):



    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):



  • Recent Activity

    1. xxnonamexx
      - xxnonamexx replied to xxnonamexx's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      4

      My journey is it gluten or fiber?

      I read that as well but I saw the Certified Gluten free symbol that is the reason I ourchased it.
    2. cristiana
      - cristiana replied to sha1091a's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      2

      Issues before diagnosis

      I agree, it so often overlooked! I live in the UK and I have often wondered why doctors are so reluctant to at least exclude it - my thoughts are perhaps the particular tests are expensive for the NHS, so therefore saved for people with 'obvious' symptoms. I was diagnosed in 2013 and was told immediately that my parents, sibling and children should...
    3. chrisinpa
      - chrisinpa commented on Scott Adams's article in Skin Problems and Celiac Disease
      2

      Celiac Disease and Skin Disorders: Exploring a Genetic Connection

      Maybe they can attribute certain skin conditions to either being susceptible to getting Celiac......or the other way around....but I have to ask if certain people are prone to Celiac because of genetics and some people aren't. It's kind of the same thing as what came first.....the chicken or the egg.?
    4. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to xxnonamexx's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      4

      My journey is it gluten or fiber?

      @xxnonamexx, There's labeling on those Trubar gluten free high fiber protein bars that say: "Manufactured in a facility that also processes peanuts, milk, soy, fish, WHEAT, sesame, and other tree nuts." You may want to avoid products made in shared facilities. If you are trying to add more fiber to your diet to ease constipation, considering...
    5. trents
      - trents replied to sha1091a's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      2

      Issues before diagnosis

      Welcome to celiac.com @sha1091a! Your experience is a very common one. Celiac disease is one the most underdiagnosed and misdiagnosed medical conditions out there. The reasons are numerous. One key one is that its symptoms mimic so many other diseases. Another is ignorance on the part of the medical community with regard to the range of symptoms that celiac...
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      132,696
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Knotalota
    Newest Member
    Knotalota
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • xxnonamexx
      My journey is it gluten or fiber?

      By xxnonamexx · Posted

      I read that as well but I saw the Certified Gluten free symbol that is the reason I ourchased it.
    • cristiana
      Issues before diagnosis

      By cristiana · Posted

      I agree, it so often overlooked! I live in the UK and I have often wondered why doctors are so reluctant to at least exclude it - my thoughts are perhaps the particular tests are expensive for the NHS, so therefore saved for people with 'obvious' symptoms.  I was diagnosed in 2013 and was told immediately that my parents, sibling and children should be checked.  My parents' GP to this day has not put forward my father for testing, and my mother was never tested in her lifetime, despite the fact that they both have some interesting symptoms/family history that reflect they might have coeliac disease (Dad - extreme bloating, and his Mum clearly had autoimmune issues, albeit undiagnosed as such; Mum - osteoporosis, anxiety).  I am now my father' legal guardian and suspecting my parents may have forgotten to ask their GP for a test (which is entirely possible!) I put it to his last GP that he ought to be tested.  He looked at Dad's blood results and purely because he was not anemic said he wasn't a coeliac.  Hopefully as the awareness of Coeliac Disease spreads among the general public, people will be able to advocate for themselves.  It is hard because in the UK the NHS is very stretched, but the fallout from not being diagnosed in a timely fashion will only cost the NHS more money. Interestingly, a complete aside, I met someone recently whose son was diagnosed (I think she said he was 8).  At a recent birthday party with 8 guests, 4 boys out of the 8 had received diagnosis of Coeliac Disease, which is an astounding statistic  As far as I know, though, they had all had obvious gastric symptoms leading to their NHS diagnosis.  In my own case I had  acute onset anxiety, hypnopompic hallucinations (vivid hallucinations upon waking),  odd liver function, anxiety, headaches, ulcers and low iron but it wasn't until the gastric symptoms hit me that a GP thought to do coeliac testing, and my numbers were through the roof.  As @trents says, by the grace of God I was diagnosed, and the diet has pretty much dealt with most of those symptoms.  I have much to be grateful for. Cristiana
    • knitty kitty
      My journey is it gluten or fiber?

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      @xxnonamexx, There's labeling on those Trubar gluten free high fiber protein bars that say: "Manufactured in a facility that also processes peanuts, milk, soy, fish, WHEAT, sesame, and other tree nuts." You may want to avoid products made in shared facilities.   If you are trying to add more fiber to your diet to ease constipation, considering eating more leafy green vegetables and cruciferous vegetables.  Not only are these high in fiber, they also are good sources of magnesium.  Many newly diagnosed are low in magnesium and B vitamins and suffer with constipation.  Thiamine Vitamin B1 and magnesium work together.  Thiamine in the form Benfotiamine has been shown to improve intestinal health.  Thiamine and magnesium are important to gastrointestinal health and function.  
    • trents
      Issues before diagnosis

      By trents · Posted

      Welcome to celiac.com @sha1091a! Your experience is a very common one. Celiac disease is one the most underdiagnosed and misdiagnosed medical conditions out there. The reasons are numerous. One key one is that its symptoms mimic so many other diseases. Another is ignorance on the part of the medical community with regard to the range of symptoms that celiac disease can produce. Clinicians often are only looking for classic GI symptoms and are unaware of the many other subsystems in the body that can be damaged before classic GI symptoms manifest, if ever they do. Many celiacs are of the "silent" variety and have few if any GI symptoms while all along, damage is being done to their bodies. In my case, the original symptoms were elevated liver enzymes which I endured for 13 years before I was diagnosed with celiac disease. By the grace of God my liver was not destroyed. It is common for the onset of the disease to happen 10 years before you ever get a diagnosis. Thankfully, that is slowly changing as there has developed more awareness on the part of both the medical community and the public in the past 20 years or so. Blessings!
    • knitty kitty
      Dizziness after eating green beans?

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      @EndlessSummer, You said you had an allergy to trees.  People with Birch Allergy can react to green beans (in the legume family) and other vegetables, as well as some fruits.  Look into Oral Allergy Syndrome which can occur at a higher rate in Celiac Disease.   Switching to a low histamine diet for a while can give your body time to rid itself of the extra histamine the body makes with Celiac disease and histamine consumed in the diet.   Vitamin C and the eight B vitamins are needed to help the body clear histamine.   Have you been checked for nutritional deficiencies?
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.