Itchy Rash

[baldridgem]

I have an itchy rash on my forarms and inner elbows that look like the pictures of DH. So my question is rash caused from being glutened?
I've been gf for a year now but this rash started just this last month.
Ours is'nt a gf house so could there be some cc that is causing this?

MB

[aklap]

Hi MB,

If it's DH - yes it's caused by gluten. I believe it's possible to have both DH [extra-intestinal - the skin manifestation of celiac] and the intestinal form of CD.

If you live in a split house, I guess there's always a chance of CC. How many NGF people are in your house? Are any of the NGF'ers kids? Could there be double dipping in the mayo, peanut butter jars? What about a toaster?

Have you seen Our Thread on Cross Contamination - This lists and covers many aspects of gluten contamination.

Have you had a dermatologist look at the rash? They need to take a biopsy next to the rash itself in order to test it for DH.
_________________
Al

“We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” Mother Teresa

[baldridgem]

Hi Al,

I've been tring to get a appointment with a dermatologist. The first on I called is' taking new patients the second one put me on a waiting list.Theres not much of a slection when to belomg to an HMO.

My sister and I share a house. As I wrote on another post we have two of everything-she has a toaster I have a toaster oven. Theres no double dipping.

I been reading links on CC and Dh. If it is Dh I know how it happened.
Just touching gluten can cause a reaction and I have cleaned up some of he spilled cereal on counter tops. And to top it all off, this woman who never bakes any more, decided she wanted a peach cobbler. She cleaned up, sort of, there was some flour left on the counter and probably on everything else too. She has low vision so I can't be too hard on her.
She does try to be very careful.

I'm going to call my PCP and ask her to get me an appointment before I scratch all my skin off.


MB

[ostrich]

FWIW I've had horrible luck with DH and the dermatologists around here. I've had probably a half dozen biopsies, with no results. I finally figured out it was due to CC. I hope you have better luck than I do.
_________________
Ostrich :>--O==={

I lie below, you float above
In the pretty white ships that I am dreaming of

[baldridgem]

I have'nt been able to get an appointment with a Demo. One has a waiting list, another is'nt taking new patients, another won't take my insurance (HMO ) etc. etc.
I've decided the rash is most likely DH and cross cc and try to avoid it.
BUT what do you do about the itch? Calamine lotion nor the itch creams from the drug store don't work. Just hope it goes away soon.

[ostrich]

I haven't found a way to completely remove the itching. It's just a matter of how much you can dull it. A combination of lotion (the dryer your skin the worse the itching) and Cortizone cream works for me. You could also try some Neosporin, the kind with numbing stuff.
_________________
Ostrich :>--O==={

I lie below, you float above
In the pretty white ships that I am dreaming of

[superdog]

Baldridgem, my family went to wendys a few weeks ago, hubby and oldest ate gluten foods and me and youngest ate gf. both me and youngest broke out badly, we took benadryl which helped with the itching, but didnt completely go away, dr. gave us hydrocortisone(sp??) cream to put on. seems to help out and our rashes are slowly fading.
_________________
Gluten is my cryptonite

[baldridgem]

Al, Ostrich, Superdog,
Thanks for your replies and suggestions.

I saw a dermatologist today. Its not DH. Yea!! It's contact dermatitis.
He gave me a cream to use for two weeks and if theres no improvemant I'm to go back for test. In the meantime I'm to try to find out what I'm allergic to. Big order but I'm just happy it's not DH.

MB

[ostrich]

Well, FWIW they thought mine was contact dermatitis too. Kept saying over and over that I need to keep my knees and elbows off the carpet. I'm not sure what it was, but it certainly cleared up after I discovered the CC. Just a warning.
_________________
Ostrich :>--O==={

I lie below, you float above
In the pretty white ships that I am dreaming of

[baldridgem]

Ostrich,

I agree. After thinking about this I got the rash after I wiped up the flour
my sis missed. Nothing else has changed in personal care items, no new clothing etc. Besides the doc did'nt really examine the rash-he just looked down at my arm and said contact deramatitis.
I'll just be more careful about cc and try to keep sis from makeing any more peach cobblers.

MB