Eczema and gluten
Moderators: Rosie, JFR, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh
Eczema and gluten
My daughter, 35, has really been struggling with eczema. I also had issues with it during my 20's and 30's but it cleared up. Anyways, I have gently and not so gently encouraged her to test no gluten and see what would happen. About ten days ago she stopped eating gluten. Within three days she noticed an improvement and now, ten days later, it is not even noticeable. It had gotten to the point that even the entire palms of her hands were covered. Absolutely amazing!
Deb - It's so interesting that you posted this. I have had dry red patches on the palm of my hands that I assume were eczema. I noticed a few days ago that they were almost gone. I am more amazed every day at the things we all find that gluten is causing.
I'm glad your daughter gave giving up gluten a try. It gives me hope that one day my daughter will try it.
Hugs,
I'm glad your daughter gave giving up gluten a try. It gives me hope that one day my daughter will try it.
Hugs,
Denise
"Be the change you want to see in this world."
Mahatma Gandhi
"Be the change you want to see in this world."
Mahatma Gandhi
Deb,
That's really a fast response. Good for her. The best part is, she will probably preempt the development of GI and additional autoimmune issues that might have started showing up in future years. For many of us, we develop additional autoimmune diseases even before the GI symptoms become a problem. She may never know for sure, that she would have developed those issues, but since she already had one, (the eczema), avoiding gluten should prevent any others from ever becoming a reality, and that's worth a lot, in terms of future health and quality of life.
Thanks for sharing this information.
Tex
That's really a fast response. Good for her. The best part is, she will probably preempt the development of GI and additional autoimmune issues that might have started showing up in future years. For many of us, we develop additional autoimmune diseases even before the GI symptoms become a problem. She may never know for sure, that she would have developed those issues, but since she already had one, (the eczema), avoiding gluten should prevent any others from ever becoming a reality, and that's worth a lot, in terms of future health and quality of life.
Thanks for sharing this information.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Deb,
Good news! I am wondering if her rash may have been due to dermatitis herpetiformis (DH), since it cleared up so quickly when gluten was eliminated. Docs often miss DH as a diagnosis.
I used to get DH before eliminating gluten, and it occurred on my palms (which is a somewhat unusual location for eczema, at least in kiddies). It drove me crazy at times......red, often blistery bumps that were incredibly itchy.
Hugs,
Polly
Good news! I am wondering if her rash may have been due to dermatitis herpetiformis (DH), since it cleared up so quickly when gluten was eliminated. Docs often miss DH as a diagnosis.
I used to get DH before eliminating gluten, and it occurred on my palms (which is a somewhat unusual location for eczema, at least in kiddies). It drove me crazy at times......red, often blistery bumps that were incredibly itchy.
Hugs,
Polly
Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves, for they shall never cease to be amused.
Interesting, Polly. I really don't know for sure. The symptoms sure sound the same. When I had mine it was just on my fingers and was diagnosed as eczema. My daughter's was just on her fingers (for at least a couple of years) until the last few months and then appeared on her palms.
Maybe both conditions?
Maybe both conditions?
A followup to this....
After a bit more than two weeks of gluten-free, my daughter decided to test gluten and ate some bread. By that evening her hands started itching and by the next day small blisters had reappeared. She is NOW convinced. I am amazed at how quickly she responds.
WOW, Deb. That sure sounds decisive! Good for her. Sometimes I think it's a blessing to have an obvious and infuriating symptom, that forces you to take some hard steps... not that I'd wish eczema, DH or MC on anyone.
How wonderfully that she'll be avoiding other possible health problems, such as autoimmune diseases, in one fell swoop!
How wonderfully that she'll be avoiding other possible health problems, such as autoimmune diseases, in one fell swoop!
An update on this. My DD's eczema (?) has returned with a vengeance. She also recently learned she is pregnant so I can't help but wonder if that isn't playing into it. She is still eating GF but is "dragging her heels" about going DF (as am I). She is awaiting Enterolab results. Do you think that skin conditions might react like MC where after the initial stoppage of gluten, things settle down, but then the additional sensitivities start flaring up.
Deb,
I think that's exactly right - I had read about that here, and Tex has a really good theory about the immune system's "strategy" that made sense to me (which is why I went cold turkey and cut out multiple suspect foods at once).
Of course the hormonal upheaval of pregnancy, and the attending immune changes, must also be playing a factor. It's great news that she'll know for sure when her Enterolab results come in. It makes it much easier for most of us to do the necessary dietary vigilance when we have good, hard evidence.
Hope she gets some relief! (Of course it's also possible some rogue gluten has slithered into her diet - maybe a product she used to trust, but they changed the formula - or she bought a different version by mistake, which my husband has done... for a while he was annoyed that I checked very label that he had already checked, but when I kept finding problem ingredients, he stopped being annoyed and got more diligent).
Wishing her a healthy and joyful pregnancy!
Sara
I think that's exactly right - I had read about that here, and Tex has a really good theory about the immune system's "strategy" that made sense to me (which is why I went cold turkey and cut out multiple suspect foods at once).
Of course the hormonal upheaval of pregnancy, and the attending immune changes, must also be playing a factor. It's great news that she'll know for sure when her Enterolab results come in. It makes it much easier for most of us to do the necessary dietary vigilance when we have good, hard evidence.
Hope she gets some relief! (Of course it's also possible some rogue gluten has slithered into her diet - maybe a product she used to trust, but they changed the formula - or she bought a different version by mistake, which my husband has done... for a while he was annoyed that I checked very label that he had already checked, but when I kept finding problem ingredients, he stopped being annoyed and got more diligent).
Wishing her a healthy and joyful pregnancy!
Sara
Deb,
I agree with Sara. Casein can certainly cause eczema, (gluten and casein are presumably the two biggest food-connected causes), and the timing is right in the ballpark for a secondary food-sensitivity to start showing up, as her anti-gliadin antibodies slowly decline. As Sara mentioned, pregnancy typically causes MC symptoms to either improve significantly, or become much worse, and I see no reason why food-sensitivities connected with eczema would not be affected in a similar fashion.
Tex
I agree with Sara. Casein can certainly cause eczema, (gluten and casein are presumably the two biggest food-connected causes), and the timing is right in the ballpark for a secondary food-sensitivity to start showing up, as her anti-gliadin antibodies slowly decline. As Sara mentioned, pregnancy typically causes MC symptoms to either improve significantly, or become much worse, and I see no reason why food-sensitivities connected with eczema would not be affected in a similar fashion.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
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draperygoddess
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Dermatitis herpetiformis can be just on the fingers? I had read descriptions of DH and didn't think it fit (I was actually looking for my son, who has very bumpy, but not itchy, legs). I have had itchy blisters on my fingers--could never figure out why. (Incidentally, I don't have them now.) I know the blood tests for celiac aren't as sensitive as Enterolab, but if I tested negative on the blood test, could I still have DH? I thought it only presented in people with full-blown celiac.
Dermatitis herpetiformis can be just on the fingers? I had read descriptions of DH and didn't think it fit (I was actually looking for my son, who has very bumpy, but not itchy, legs). I have had itchy blisters on my fingers--could never figure out why. (Incidentally, I don't have them now.) I know the blood tests for celiac aren't as sensitive as Enterolab, but if I tested negative on the blood test, could I still have DH? I thought it only presented in people with full-blown celiac.
Cynthia
"Can we fix it? YES WE CAN!" -Bob the Builder
"Can we fix it? YES WE CAN!" -Bob the Builder
DH can appear almost anywhere, and there's a possibility that it may not even require one of the celiac genes.
http://www.celiac.com/gluten-free/topic ... liac-gene/
Tex
http://www.celiac.com/gluten-free/topic ... liac-gene/
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.