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

Cold Sores?

bossley

By bossley
in Dermatitis Herpetiformis

Recommended Posts

bossley Contributor
bossley
Posted

Does DH look like cold sores on your fingers? I get them a lot

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


bartfull Rising Star
bartfull
Posted

I don't have DH, but from what I uderstand it can look different for different people. Does it itch intensely? Also, DH is symetrical. In other words, you will get it in the same place on both sides of your body.

I have palmoplantar putular psoriasis. It looks a lot like whitehead pimples and I only get it on my hands and feet. It doesn't itch very much but it hurts, just like a whitehead pimple would when you put any pressure on it. Also, when it starts to heal it cracks and peels and that's pretty painful too.

If you didn't have it before you went gluten-free and it is just showing up now it probably isn't either. gluten-free cleared my psoriasis up after a while. DH though, if that's what it is, takes a long time to heal and anything with iodine usually makes it worse, even if you don't ingest gluten.

I think there is a thread here somewhere in which members have posted pictures of their DH. Check that out and compare yours to the pictures. In the meantime I will try to find a picture of PPP and post it here so you can see what that looks like.

bartfull Rising Star
bartfull
Posted

OK, here is what my hands and feet USED TO look like. It sure made life miserable. As bad as it was, going gluten-free (and corn-free, soy-free, nightshade-free and salicylate light) made it go away. And now that my gut has heeled I have been able to get corn starch and nightshades back. With a little time I'm hoping to get more of them back.

Open Original Shared Link

bossley Contributor
bossley
Posted
  • Author

I don't have DH, but from what I uderstand it can look different for different people. Does it itch intensely? Also, DH is symetrical. In other words, you will get it in the same place on both sides of your body.

I have palmoplantar putular psoriasis. It looks a lot like whitehead pimples and I only get it on my hands and feet. It doesn't itch very much but it hurts, just like a whitehead pimple would when you put any pressure on it. Also, when it starts to heal it cracks and peels and that's pretty painful too.

If you didn't have it before you went gluten-free and it is just showing up now it probably isn't either. gluten-free cleared my psoriasis up after a while. DH though, if that's what it is, takes a long time to heal and anything with iodine usually makes it worse, even if you don't ingest gluten.

I think there is a thread here somewhere in which members have posted pictures of their DH. Check that out and compare yours to the pictures. In the meantime I will try to find a picture of PPP and post it here so you can see what that looks like.

I was wondering because I got it a lot before gluten free and I could not figure out what it was from. One of the first pictures , on her hand, looks just like it. That would be very interesting if that was what it was. No matter what I did to it would'nt stop it. I even tried to scratch it off. ( That hurt.) It still continued on it's course. I got a lot of cold sores when I was young, And in the last eight years they started again, so I just assumed they were cold sores. Starts out itching, and then blisters under the skin, then clusters of blisters,usually on my fingers. Stays pretty long before it leaves.
bossley Contributor
bossley
Posted
  • Author

OK, here is what my hands and feet USED TO look like. It sure made life miserable. As bad as it was, going gluten-free (and corn-free, soy-free, nightshade-free and salicylate light) made it go away. And now that my gut has heeled I have been able to get corn starch and nightshades back. With a little time I'm hoping to get more of them back.

Open Original Shared Link

WOW !! That must have been pain full. The stuff on my hand is only a finger or two. Keep going and be well.

bartfull Rising Star
bartfull
Posted

If you had it before going gluten-free then it might well be psoriasis. OR DH. It will take a while to get rid of it, but I'm sure that if you are scrupulous with your diet you will see results. I hate to even bring this up, but you may have trouble with corn or salicylates like I did. I used to go on a psoriasis forum and when I mentioned gluten-free, they (some of them) scoffed. Some of them said they tried gluten-free and although it seemed to help at first, it came back. I believe that is because they too developed intolerances to other things.

What happened with me is my body was so messed up from about twelve years of untreated celiac that my immune system was mistaking EVERYTHING for gluten. I was down to eleven foods I could safely eat. Everything else flared my psoriasis and gave me insomnia (among other things). It wasn't easy. I kept getting "corned" because corn is in everything - even plastic water bottles.

But eventually I had enough time to heal and when I did, my psoraisis stopped flaring and my gut healed enough to where I can now tolerate corn starch and potatoes again.

If your spots don't start healing pretty soon, you can always PM me and I can help you learn to avoid corn. Another thing you might try to find out if salicylates bother you is asperin. That's how I discovered that I had a problem with sals. I took asperin for a couple of days for an unrelated problem and my psoriasis flared like wildfire. I knew I hadn't been glutened or corned, then one of the helpful folks here told me about salicylate sensitivity. Turns out I have it.

Here's hoping you don't have to go through all of that though. I hope your spots clear up just by ditching the gluten and you are on your way to good health. :)

bossley Contributor
bossley
Posted
  • Author

If you had it before going gluten-free then it might well be psoriasis. OR DH. It will take a while to get rid of it, but I'm sure that if you are scrupulous with your diet you will see results. I hate to even bring this up, but you may have trouble with corn or salicylates like I did. I used to go on a psoriasis forum and when I mentioned gluten-free, they (some of them) scoffed. Some of them said they tried gluten-free and although it seemed to help at first, it came back. I believe that is because they too developed intolerances to other things.

What happened with me is my body was so messed up from about twelve years of untreated celiac that my immune system was mistaking EVERYTHING for gluten. I was down to eleven foods I could safely eat. Everything else flared my psoriasis and gave me insomnia (among other things). It wasn't easy. I kept getting "corned" because corn is in everything - even plastic water bottles.

But eventually I had enough time to heal and when I did, my psoraisis stopped flaring and my gut healed enough to where I can now tolerate corn starch and potatoes again.

If your spots don't start healing pretty soon, you can always PM me and I can help you learn to avoid corn. Another thing you might try to find out if salicylates bother you is asperin. That's how I discovered that I had a problem with sals. I took asperin for a couple of days for an unrelated problem and my psoriasis flared like wildfire. I knew I hadn't been glutened or corned, then one of the helpful folks here told me about salicylate sensitivity. Turns out I have it.

Here's hoping you don't have to go through all of that though. I hope your spots clear up just by ditching the gluten and you are on your way to good health. :)

I'm doing your whole food diet and I see some improvement, but I keep messing up. I know right away when I blow it because my face swells and my nose closes. I put butter on something yesterday thinking ( whole ). Two hours later I could not breath. Forgot about milk. I'll keep picking away.
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Archived

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

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,547
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    gizmo1jazz2
    Newest Member
    gizmo1jazz2
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.4k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Scott Adams
      Taken Seriously

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Your post demonstrates the profound frustration and isolation that so many in the Celiac community feel, and I want to thank you for channeling that experience into advocacy. The medical gaslighting you endured for decades is an unacceptable and, sadly, a common story, and the fact that you now have to "school" your own GI specialist speaks volumes about the critical lack of consistent and updated education. Your idea to make Celiac Disease a reportable condition to public health authorities is a compelling and strategic one. This single action would force the system to formally acknowledge the prevalence and seriousness of the disease, creating a concrete dataset that could drive better research funding, shape medical school curricula, and validate the patient experience in a way that individual stories alone often cannot. It is an uphill battle, but contacting representatives, as you have done with Adam Gray, is exactly how change begins. By framing it as a public health necessity—a matter of patient safety and protection from misdiagnosis and neglect—you are building a powerful case. Your voice and your perseverance, forged through thirty years of struggle, are exactly what this community needs to ensure that no one else has to fight so hard just to be believed and properly cared for.
    • Scott Adams
      Looking for a gluten-free roomie in Denver CO

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      I had no idea there is a "Louisville" in Colorado!😉 I thought it was a typo because I always think of the Kentucky city--but good luck!
    • Scott Adams
      Allergy medication: cetirizine by the HealthA2Z is it gluten free?

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Navigating medication safety with Celiac disease can be incredibly stressful, especially when dealing with asthma and severe allergies on top of it. While I don't have personal experience with the HealthA2Z brand of cetirizine, your caution is absolutely warranted. The inactive ingredients in pills, known as excipients, are often where gluten can be hidden, and since the FDA does not require gluten-free labeling for prescription or over-the-counter drugs, the manufacturer's word is essential. The fact that you cannot get a clear answer from Allegiant Health is a significant red flag; a company that is confident its product is gluten-free will typically have a customer service protocol to answer that exact question. In situations like this, the safest course of action is to consider this product "guilty until proven innocent" and avoid it. A better alternative would be to ask your pharmacist or doctor to help you identify a major national brand of cetirizine (like Zyrtec) whose manufacturer has a verified, publicly stated gluten-free policy for that specific medication. It's not worth the risk to your health when reliable, verifiable options are almost certainly available to you. You can search this site for USA prescriptions medications, but will need to know the manufacturer/maker if there is more than one, especially if you use a generic version of the medication: To see the ingredients you will need to click on the correct version of the medication and maker in the results, then scroll down to "Ingredients and Appearance" and click it, and then look at "Inactive Ingredients," as any gluten ingredients would likely appear there, rather than in the Active Ingredients area. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/   
    • Scott Adams
      Protein or fat?

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      What you're describing is indeed familiar to many in the Celiac community, especially in the early stages of healing. When the intestinal villi are damaged from Celiac disease, they struggle to properly digest and absorb fats, a condition known as bile acid malabsorption. This can cause exactly the kind of cramping and spasms you're seeing, as undigested fats can irritate the sensitive gut lining. It is highly plausible that her reactions to dairy and eggs are linked to their higher fat content rather than the proteins, especially since she tolerates lean chicken breast. The great news is that for many, this does improve with time. As her gut continues to heal on a strict gluten-free diet, her ability to produce the necessary enzymes and bile to break down fats should gradually return, allowing her to slowly tolerate a wider variety of foods. It's a slow process of healing, but your careful approach of focusing on low-fat, nutrient-dense foods like seeds and avocado is providing her system the best possible environment to recover. Many people with celiac disease, especially those who are in the 0-2 year range of their recovery, have additional food intolerance issues which could be temporary. To figure this out you may need to keep a food diary and do an elimination diet over a few months. Some common food intolerance issues are dairy/casein, eggs, corn, oats, and soy. The good news is that after your gut heals (for most people who are 100% gluten-free this will take several months to two years) you may be able to slowly add some these items back into your diet after the damaged villi heal. This article may be helpful: Thank you for sharing your story—it's a valuable insight for other parents navigating similar challenges.
    • Beverage
      Diagnosed celiac for 1-2 months ago and everything makes me bloated.

      By Beverage · Posted

      I had a very rough month after diagnosis. No exaggeration, lost so much inflammatory weight, I looked like a bag of bones, underneath i had been literally starving to death. I did start feeling noticeably better after a month of very strict control of my kitchen and home. What are you eating for breakfast and lunch? I ignored my doc and ate oats, yes they were gluten free, but some brands are at the higher end of gluten free. Lots of celics can eat Bob's Red Mill gluten-free oats, but not me. I can now eat them, but they have to be grown and processed according to the "purity protocol" methods. I mail order them, Montana Gluten-Free brand. A food and symptoms and activities log can be helpful in tracking down issues. You might be totally aware, but I have to mention about the risk of airborne gluten. As the doc that diagnosed me warned . . Remember eyes, ears, nose, and mouth all lead to your stomach and intestines.  Are you getting any cross contamination? Airborne gluten? Any pets eating gluten (they eat it, lick themselves, you pet them...)? Any house remodeling? We live in an older home, always fixing something. I've gotten glutened from the dust from cutting into plaster walls, possibly also plywood (glues). The suggestions by many here on vitamin supplements also really helped me. I had some lingering allergies and asthma, which are now 99% gone. I was taking Albuterol inhaler every hour just to breathe, but thiamine in form of benfotiamine kicked that down to 1-2 times a day within a few days of starting it. Also, since cutting out inflammatory seed oils (canola, sunflower, grapeseed, etc) and cooking with real olive oil, avocado oil, ghee, and coconut oil, I have noticed even greater improvement overall and haven't used the inhaler in months! It takes time to weed out everything in your life that contains gluten, and it takes awhile to heal and rebuild your health. At first it's mentally exhausting, overwhelming, even obsessive, but it gets better and second nature.
×
×
  • 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.