Ugh. Dh But The Dermatologist Is Stupid

[glutenfreemamax2]

I've had this rash on and off for years. The last 9 months its getting worse and worse. I was gluten-free for a year ago for a year but life dumped on me and I went back to the dark side. I was okay for a while but now I'm flairing with this rash on my ankles feet and shins. Sometimes it's my hands also. I have scars.... It itches so uncontrollable that I scratch literally until I bleed. I finally found a dermatologist on my health plan and he told me that there is no rash with Celiac, and that it's never on the legs or feet. Mine is bilateral on my legs. I told the guy to go back to school and learn about this and left. So there is no one else on my plan, and and I'm still itchy. Today was my first full day gluten-free in a year or so. I forgot how hard it was!! My boyfriend went gluten-free with me also so I wasn't alone. He's wonderful. I'm trying to teach him about it.

How do I post pictures so you can tell me what you think? The dr also told me he can't biopsy it unless the rash came and I didn't touch it. Yeah try and tell me not to scratch this thing.....

[mushroom]

Uhmmm, my understanding of biopsying for DH is that you take a punch biopsy of clear skiin adjacent to the active lesion. It wouldn't seem to make any difference if it were scratched or not, so long as it was active. He is (or should be) looking for antibodies in the skin adjacent, not in the lesion itself

[squirmingitch]

AND you have to be actively eating gluten diet or the dh biopsy will be negative. Don't stop eating that gluten if you are determined to get a dx.