Okay, Tex. I'm sure I'll thank you at some point, but today, NO WAY! I've given up gluten. I'm three days into my lifestyle change of no wheat, barley, rye or oats. OMG! I'm miserable!!!
The positives: the D has stopped, stools are formed. My backache is gone, although I'm not ready to get back on my horse. My feet don't burn anymore. I've lost 2 pounds.
The negatives: I itch!!!! All over!!! I almost feel like I can feel my hair growing on my head!
Please tell me this will all pass? Please? And why is this happening?
More Questions
Moderators: Rosie, Stanz, Jean, CAMary, moremuscle, JFR, Dee, xet, Peggy, Matthew, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh
Hi Trace,
Hmmmmmmm. To be honest, I've never heard of a case where giving up gluten caused a problem with itching. In fact, it seems almost impossible, since an allergic reaction such as that is normally caused by exposure to an allergen, not withdrawal from it. We'll have to research that a bit to see if it has ever happened before.
In the meantime, congratulations! Achieving emission that quickly is clear evidence that you are indeed gluten sensitive, but now, of course, we have to figure out why your skin is suddenly so sensitive, and how to resolve that issue. Maybe someone else will have some insight on this.
Have you started eating anything that you weren't eating before? Are you using any lotions, creams, shampoos, detergents, soaps, etc., that you weren't using before? Have you added any new furry family members, (dogs, cats, etc.). Have you ever had any allergic reactions to anything before?
If the itching were confined to "where the sun don't shine", I would say there is a good chance that it is candida, but since it's all over, it just about has to be a systemic skin allergy response to something. I've done a quick search of the celiac forums, and I don't see any similar cases mentioned there, so I don't believe that it's related to the absence of gluten in your diet.
I'm sure we'll figure it out, if we all put our heads together.
Tex
Hmmmmmmm. To be honest, I've never heard of a case where giving up gluten caused a problem with itching. In fact, it seems almost impossible, since an allergic reaction such as that is normally caused by exposure to an allergen, not withdrawal from it. We'll have to research that a bit to see if it has ever happened before.
In the meantime, congratulations! Achieving emission that quickly is clear evidence that you are indeed gluten sensitive, but now, of course, we have to figure out why your skin is suddenly so sensitive, and how to resolve that issue. Maybe someone else will have some insight on this.
Have you started eating anything that you weren't eating before? Are you using any lotions, creams, shampoos, detergents, soaps, etc., that you weren't using before? Have you added any new furry family members, (dogs, cats, etc.). Have you ever had any allergic reactions to anything before?
If the itching were confined to "where the sun don't shine", I would say there is a good chance that it is candida, but since it's all over, it just about has to be a systemic skin allergy response to something. I've done a quick search of the celiac forums, and I don't see any similar cases mentioned there, so I don't believe that it's related to the absence of gluten in your diet.
I'm sure we'll figure it out, if we all put our heads together.
Tex
I really know nothing about this but maybe try benadryl for the itch. It may be a little stress reaction. Years a go I was in a hurrricane and had company and was living in Houston in August. It was hot, no electricity and boy was I stressed out and began to itch all over. The dermatologist gave me benadryl and it went away.
Congrats on being able to go GF and it actually working so fast!!!! That is exciting!!! Hope the itch goes away very soon.
Pat
Congrats on being able to go GF and it actually working so fast!!!! That is exciting!!! Hope the itch goes away very soon.
Pat
Wow, what a quick response to a gluten-free diet. It sounds like you're on your way to remission.
I agree with Tex that you are having an allergic reaction to something else. When I had a similar rash, the first question the dermatologist asked me was whether I switched laundry detergents. And I had. Lotions and soaps can cause rashes, too.
I agree with Tex that you are having an allergic reaction to something else. When I had a similar rash, the first question the dermatologist asked me was whether I switched laundry detergents. And I had. Lotions and soaps can cause rashes, too.
You never know what you can do until you have to do it.
Tex, thanks for looking for information. I didn't think it made sene to itch, either. But I thought I'd ask.
Okay, well this morning was not so good. My back really hurts, I have a nasty headache, and I'm still itching. I feel less "hung-over-like" than I have since this whole flare up. No D yet. (YAY)BUt, while I don't feel great, I feel better than I did. Even better than yesterday. Brain less foggy, body less symptomatic of the fibromayalgia. It helped that it was 72 yesterday and I got to play with my horses! No, the horses aren't the itch. It started before I was out there.
The itch isn't on my skin, per se. It's under the skin, if I can explain that correctly. When I look at my skin, there aren't any hives, but there is that patch on my leg and face (they still itch) , and another boil. DH and I went through everything I did Wed and TH; nothing has changed. But I did eat a GF ginger snap from Trader Joe's. (Rice based) So, I spoke with my rheumatologist last night hoping she had some thoughts. She said the itchy feeling may be a part of the another issue I have with my fascia. She applauded my decision to give up grain. She also thinks I should give up corn, soy, and dairy after this has cleared up. Hmmm...baby steps for me.
I"m wondering though if I might be excited about the great reaction to GF and, it will get worse as I purge the allergens? Or could I just be getting ready for a major reaction..see how scared I am to trust that I feel better?
I can't take Benadryl. It makes me sleep for 18 hours...which is why my Rheum. thinks I'm having such a quick reaction to going GF...my body ALWAYS over-reacts to everything. But, she's pretty baffled too. We decided that if I'm still itching on Monday, she'll put me back on Neurontin. (I took that for about 2 weeks 4 years ago to settle down the myofascia issues I had.)
Thanks for all your input. (I gave her the link to this great board!)
Okay, well this morning was not so good. My back really hurts, I have a nasty headache, and I'm still itching. I feel less "hung-over-like" than I have since this whole flare up. No D yet. (YAY)BUt, while I don't feel great, I feel better than I did. Even better than yesterday. Brain less foggy, body less symptomatic of the fibromayalgia. It helped that it was 72 yesterday and I got to play with my horses! No, the horses aren't the itch. It started before I was out there.
The itch isn't on my skin, per se. It's under the skin, if I can explain that correctly. When I look at my skin, there aren't any hives, but there is that patch on my leg and face (they still itch) , and another boil. DH and I went through everything I did Wed and TH; nothing has changed. But I did eat a GF ginger snap from Trader Joe's. (Rice based) So, I spoke with my rheumatologist last night hoping she had some thoughts. She said the itchy feeling may be a part of the another issue I have with my fascia. She applauded my decision to give up grain. She also thinks I should give up corn, soy, and dairy after this has cleared up. Hmmm...baby steps for me.
I"m wondering though if I might be excited about the great reaction to GF and, it will get worse as I purge the allergens? Or could I just be getting ready for a major reaction..see how scared I am to trust that I feel better?
I can't take Benadryl. It makes me sleep for 18 hours...which is why my Rheum. thinks I'm having such a quick reaction to going GF...my body ALWAYS over-reacts to everything. But, she's pretty baffled too. We decided that if I'm still itching on Monday, she'll put me back on Neurontin. (I took that for about 2 weeks 4 years ago to settle down the myofascia issues I had.)
Thanks for all your input. (I gave her the link to this great board!)
Trace,
It's great to see that the symptoms, (other than the itching), are continuing to improve. Kudos to your rheumatologist. It sounds as though she knows a heck of a lot more about the real causes of most immune system issues than most of her peers.
Your mention that you are still eating dairy products brings to mind a fact that many of us have noticed after we adopt the GF diet, and our symptoms begin to go away. Namely, that any other intolerances or allergies that me might have, suddenly become much more of a problem, or at least, they become much more noticeable. Dairy is a very common allergen, and it's certainly possible that you may be having an allergic reaction to dairy, now that gluten is no longer the primary focus of your body's immune system, (IOW, when the infantry has the main attackers on the run, it immediately looks around to see what other forces need to be defeated, and dairy may be it, in your case).
I think that if I were in your shoes, (or boots, as the case may be), I would cut out all dairy for a couple of days or so, and see if that helps. Checkout this blog:
http://purplekangaroopuzzle.blogspot.co ... -itch.html
Thanks for the updates. It's great to see that most of your symptoms are improving so quickly. I hope the improvement continues, and I see no reason why it shouldn't.
Tex
It's great to see that the symptoms, (other than the itching), are continuing to improve. Kudos to your rheumatologist. It sounds as though she knows a heck of a lot more about the real causes of most immune system issues than most of her peers.
Your mention that you are still eating dairy products brings to mind a fact that many of us have noticed after we adopt the GF diet, and our symptoms begin to go away. Namely, that any other intolerances or allergies that me might have, suddenly become much more of a problem, or at least, they become much more noticeable. Dairy is a very common allergen, and it's certainly possible that you may be having an allergic reaction to dairy, now that gluten is no longer the primary focus of your body's immune system, (IOW, when the infantry has the main attackers on the run, it immediately looks around to see what other forces need to be defeated, and dairy may be it, in your case).
I think that if I were in your shoes, (or boots, as the case may be), I would cut out all dairy for a couple of days or so, and see if that helps. Checkout this blog:
http://purplekangaroopuzzle.blogspot.co ... -itch.html
Thanks for the updates. It's great to see that most of your symptoms are improving so quickly. I hope the improvement continues, and I see no reason why it shouldn't.
Tex