Sooo Confused About This Rash....

[glutenmommy]

This fall I had all the testing done -- EMA (Immunoglobulin A anti-endomysium antibodies) AGA (IgA anti-gliadin antibodies) DGP (Deamidated gliadin peptide antibody) tTGA (IgA anti-tissue transglutaminase) as well as upper endoscopy. Everything came back negative. Not even a trace of positive in the bloodwork.

Every time I eat gluten (and I mean EVERY time) I break out in hives, welts, and a fiery looking rash. It is ALWAYS symmetrical -- on both sides of my stomach, both feet, behind both knees, both sides of my bum, both sides of my neck, etc. Not all of those places at the same time but always symmetrical. The rash is never blistery or weeping, but very itchy and painful.

Could this still be dh? Or is it just an eczema reaction to gluten? And either way, how can this be when all the blood results are absolutely normal?

I know I need to listen to my body and I do follow a gluten-free diet. I just wonder how one can be so darn sensitive with not a shred of medical evidence to back it up.

[glutenmommy]

Anyone care to reply?

[mushroom]

Have you ever had a biopsy done of the area immediately adjacent to the rash while the rash is in its active phase? That is the way to diagnose dermatitis herpetiformis, and could determine once and for all with medical evidence whether you are celiac or gluten intolerant. If that is important to you... either way, it seems obvious you should avoid gluten.