Dermatitis Herpetiformis

I know of one Celiac that has this but never suspected I did, I guess I didn't want to have it. I kept thanking G-d I didn't after hearing the terrible things one goes through having it. But now I think something different.

I have occasionally an outbreak on my elbow, usually my left one where it gets all scaly and itchy and dry and cracked while the other is fine. At times it itches like crazy. I haven't had anything on my knees that I remember. But recently, I noticed a rash on my right hand since just after Passover night.

I have a unique way of counting the omer, I use stalks of barley ( old so not the new crop ) and each day when I count I place one into a large bowl with a narrow opening. I helps me to remember to count it and to see the days getting closer the fuller it gets. Anyway, I noticed when I started doing this the back of my hand got these little bumps on there and itched a bit.

Two nights ago I forgot to put them in the bowl but did do the count so last night I did two in there. I tried to be careful but I think that the little 'hairs' brushed against my wrist and there is a rash there now. I am hoping this is something else, but now don't think so.

It seems the longer I am gluten free the more sensitive I am when I do inadvertantly come into contact with it.

To anyone that has this, does this sound familiar to you?

Yep. Sounds exactly like my sister did, and I now do.

I can't touch anything NEAR the bakery section of the store or my hands and arms get to itching, not to mention my nose from smelling it!

I have resigned myself to be very, very good and just stay clear of gluten completely. Interestingly enough I found out that one of the fields not far from where I am going for my integration and orientation course (which started yesterday) they farm wheat ... and had harvested it around the timme DH and I had first gone for our interview and setup in Sept.

I saw it and made a mental note to not walk that area at all.

I keep an eye on the crops in our town and the next two that I ride the bus through, and make a mental note if I see barley or rye or wheat being farmed. Thankfully I have only seen rapeseed and grass as of late.

I haven't had a 'DH' outbreak in about a month for which I am truly, truly thankful. I have no idea what I got into last time to have a reaction, but it could have been something as simple as just being at my inlaws since they eat both at the table and their coffee table bread products -- and their cats are on gluten based foods... I am so careful with the cats and I know both of them are careful with me too (one is so funny in how he checks on me now when I come over.. He gives me the funniest look like "so, any day now eh? How you feeling?" and comes to check me out and make sure I'm ok several times while I'm visiting. About as affectionate as he gets is sitting near but not on me. his sister however wants to be held and cradled like a baby for a bit and then she will go sit off by herself and play. I'm super grateful they don't go into "grooming mode" with me like our former cats did... or I'd be up the creek.

Best wear gloves or something when handling the barley from now if you do keep it up, imho... to save your sanity and your hands!

Thanks, I thought of gloves and just decided to count only. I will have to be more cautious as in the late spring through early fall I will be going weekly to our farm where we gather our weekly share of the land. They don't grow any grains for us but soy, but there are surrounding farmers that do.........................

I am now wondering about so many other things. When I was at the dentist and trying to explain my peculiarities, he almost refused to take me on! I did ask the hygienist to wear unpowdered gloves, she didn't seem to happy about it though.

There is special toothpaste you'll need to ask for at the dentist if you get your teeth cleaned. I will have to ask my cousin and mom about that one... My cousin is a Dental Hygenist and I remember we had to ask her all kinds of questions before my sister got her teeth worked on when she found out she had celiac disease.

Isn't this fun?

Yes, fun!



I already discussed this, my new dentist has many hygeinists and there is one who has a friend who is Celiac. She doesn't know all about it and I have taught her a few things. And she checked the paste they used and found there were two that they had that were GF, so I am safe there.