krawhitham

Good advice. I could be the designated driver, but choosing the safe drinks, that's another story. There isn't any that I can drink anymore.

Just wondering darlindeb.... you can't even drink red wine? I've been wondering if that's one of my triggers, but I really don't see how it could be... I'm really hoping it's not because I enjoy a glass with dinner every once in a while...

But I can relate to the original poster - whenever I drink anything I'm not supposed to I get the severely itchy bumps on my elbows. Normally when I EAT something I shouldn't, it becomes more severely itchy on my armpits/groin/breasts area.

I'm so sorry you're going thru this! I cant relate to the pregnancy stuff, but I wanted to let you know I wear Clinique moisturizer on my face every day and it doesn't bother me whatsoever. I have never done research into whether or not it contains gluten, but it helps my skin either way so I'm continuing to use it

I have been gluten-free for a little over a month, and I started by only eating like 5 foods. Tomatoes, chicken, popcorn (air popped only) for snack, blueberries and strawberries. I know it sounds like I was starving myself but I had to be super strict at first. After about 3 weeks, I started eating all other veggies and fruits (raw fruits, or boiled veggies with just sea salt and pepper) and bland meats, plain chicken, plain ground turkey etc... I feel satisfied when I eat, but I still have symptoms. I was told it will take 6 months of full gluten-free to feel recovered

I'm a new self-diagnosed DH so this probably isn't very accurate, but when I have eaten trace amounts I will feel the results at night. I will wake up in the middle of the night with extreme itching of my eyes, arms, breasts, armpits and legs most often. Waking up with extreme anxiety is also a symptom of contamination. I will develop the blisters usually overnight and wake up realizing I have 1-2 more blisters than I did the day before.

I will also wake up and the skin around my eyes will be very, very puffy and itchy and red.

I wanted to add my birth control experience.

I had been on Apri-28 (which is on the gluten-free drugs list) for about 7 years. When I moved from the East Coast to the West Coast, they said I had to switch to the generic out there which is called Reclipsen. Reclipsen is not on the gluten-free list.

I never noticed any problems with gluten UNTIL starting Reclipsen, and so 2 months ago I both stopped taking birth control and went on a gluten-free diet... So just in case anyone was considering that particular drug, do some research on it first!

Before I went gluten-free, mine looked similarly to yours after I itched them to death

This is what my self-dx DH looks like after a little over a month gluten-free, just wanted to share and get comments:

Lynn, I wish I could give you a hug!

I have not been dx with anything but suggested by a Dr that I have a food allergy as a result of my skin condition, and I can relate to the anxiety/panick attacks. I felt like I was going so crazy!

Very shortly after starting a 100% gluten-free diet my anxiety disappeared completely. Please make any efforts possible to go gluten-free, diagnosis or not! It won't hurt anything, and it just might help

hi there, I am another self diagnosed person with what I presume is DH, Like yourself, as long as I am off gluten, the OTC 1% hydrocortizone provides relief. I have been gluten free (more or less) 5 weeks now, and the amount of new blisters has decreased. I still have some very bright red areas, but, the itchy factor is amost gone.

Other people with gluten intolerance experence anxiety and/or depresssion, with - or - without any of the usual GI symtoms. You have a rash and anxiety .. my humbly offered advice would be to stay gluten free, use hydrocortisone cream consistently..

you are not alone, stay in touch!

Thank you momxyz! It feels good to know someone else is going through the exact same thing (even though it's kind of torturous to actually experience this...) How did you come to find out it was DH? Through the internet or was it suggested to you by someone else?

I had a Dr. (friend of mine) tell me my skin looked like I had a food allergy - but he really couldn't say what specifically. Figured the rest out by reading online...

Welcome krawhitham, You'll soon find out that you have many friends here and don't be surprised if you start finding out that people you know can't tolerate gluten either..

If your up to it, you can try the Home Iodine test to check for DH. It's a low cost self test....

Thank you!! i'm glad I found an outlet here, even if I don't meet anyone in my real life that has it.

As I have been reading the boards I have been wondering about the iodine test, where do I get the ingredients for this?? I'd like to try it...

I haven't been on any gluten-free or celiac boards so I feel I need to get this out somewhere and vent.

I have been suffering with a severely itchy dermatitis since January, it came on gradually around my eyes and arms, and eventually spread to my armpits, breasts, chest, stomach, groin, thighs, butt, back of the knees and lower leg.

In addition, HORRIBLE anxiety. I've never had anxiety, and all of a sudden I felt like I was going crazy. I almost thought it was the horrible itching (I would itch these blisters until I bled, and then have bruises on my legs from itching so intensely, I looked as if I was being abused!!) that was driving me crazy. I recognized it as anxiety, and while I was stressed I really didn't have any unhappiness in my life and couldn't pinpoint why I was waking up in the middle of the night feeling as though the world was closing in on me, gasping for air.

So, I researched on the internet, as we all do, and I found DH. I have had lactose intolerance and soy intolerance for a few years now, both self-diagnosed from eliminating them from my diet. I realized the only way to really truly know if this was from gluten was to eliminate it. I have been gluten-free for a month, and while I'm still severely itchy, hydrocortizone cream works wonders. When i was eating gluten, hydrocortizone did NOTHING for the itch.

I know you have to go to a Dr to be diagnosed, but I am both young and poor and have no way of getting any type of tests done, period. I am depending on my own self to be able to stay gluten-free for the next year, in hopes that my skin will get better. It has been covering my ENTIRE body for 8-9 MONTHS now, non-stop, only getting worse.

Being gluten-free has made the outbreaks get better, and the scars from previous blisters are now healing.

I have not had ANY anxiety/panick attacks since going gluten-free, and I am SO HAPPY about that!!!!

I just needed to get this out, I don't know anyone who is allergic to gluten so I feel pretty alone (and somewhat crazy) due to all of this... What on earth did we do before the internet?!

Thanks for listening