Celiac disease and rash?

I was diagnosed with celiac disease and have been gluten free for about 4 years now. I have always had a wide range of symptoms . Most notably, digestive problems. I have always had a rash to some extent on my knees elbows and hands when I eat gluten, although it is not that serious. Over the last few months though I have had several outbreaks of the rash (much more severely than usual), with no other symptoms. What is up with that? Can symptoms just change like that? Can the rash just become more sensitive to gluten. I think I may have been glutened over New Years, but it shouldn't have been anything more serious than cross-contamination.

my rash is most definitely a symptom of celiac disease. It is called Dermititis Herpiformis and 10% of celiacs have it. It appears after exposure to gluten, and is most prevalent on pressure points, like elbows, knees and knuckles. I have always had it, but not this severely.

Hi FoxMaple

Here are a few ideas to heal the issue.

Cause
Although most rashes are not symptoms of a serious health problem, they can be signs of allergies, liver and gallbladder problems, lupus, bleeding disorders, nutritional deficiencies, and autoimmune diseases.

Rashes can also be due to the elimination of toxic wastes through the skin, or of an active immune reaction to an invading organism. Suppression of such a rash can lead to chronic disease states. Rather than try to suppress the rash, in such cases watchful waiting may be more advisable.

Caution: If your rash becomes chronic, forms a "butterfly" shape over your cheeks, or is accompanied by high fever and joint pains, seek immediate medical attention to rule out more serious illnesses.


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Natural Cures

Cleanse: The colon is the main organ to eliminate toxic waste in the blood. Do a colon cleanse every quarter and issues will be very limited in not all gone.

Diet: Screen for and eliminate any foods to which you are allergic or sensitive. Eat an organic, whole foods diet, with plenty of green leafy vegetables and yellow vegetables such as carrots, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, and winter squash. Also drink plenty of pure, filtered water, and avoid all processed foods and chemical food additives.

Flower Essences: Rescue Remedy Cream庐 applied topically to the affected areas.

Herbs: The following herbal remedies can speed healing: A tincture of equal parts burdock root and gentian root, the fresh juice of coriander, and/or aloe vera juice or gel.

Homeopathy: Useful homeopathic remedies include Belladonna, Sulfur, Graphites, and Calc carb.


Juice Therapy: Drink fresh squeezed vegetable juices on a daily basis, especially carrot, beet, radish, and garlic juice.

Nutritional Supplementation: The following nutrients can be helpful to speed healing: vitamin A and vitamin E (both orally and applied topically over the affected areas), vitamin C, essential fatty acids (EFAs), flaxseed oil, and amma linolenic acid (GLA). In addition, add half a teaspoon of baking soda to water and drink every fifteen minutes. Do this three times, and then every two to three hours for two to three days or until the reaction subsides.

Water: Be sure to drink around a gallon of filtered water a day for hydration and eliminating toxins in the blood.

Alternative Professional Care
If your symptoms persist despite the above measures, seek the help of a qualified health professional. The following professional care therapies have all been shown to be useful for treating rashes: Acupuncture, Ayurveda, Detoxification Therapy, Naturopathic Medicine, Orthomolecular Medicine, Osteopathy, Oxygen Therapy (Hydrogen Peroxide), and Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Best of health to you

yoiu may have become more sensitive over the past 4 years

Hi Fox Maple. I too am a Celiac patient. It certainly sounds like you have had a significant exposure - or possibly, several, small, repeated exposures. The best way to find out is to have a blood test done to measure the level of your IgA and IgG gluten/gliadin antibodies. If you have had a significant exposure, these antibodies should be elevated. I strongly suggest getting this simple blood test.

Alternatively, spend the next 30 days 'religiously' avoiding any potential source of gluten. If your rash doesn't clear, then you definitely want to consult your health care provider.

Best wishes and good luck.

Been there and have been on a gluten free diet for over 5 years now. It is time to reexamine everything you eat all over again. Make sure one of your previously safe foods hasn't changed its ingredients, things like that. I think it was at the 3 or 4 year point for me that I started having problems and I think what happened is that my body healed to a point that the small amounts of gluten I had missed before started having an impact. Or like you mentioned, your body can become more sensitive.
You might try going to straight fruit, vegetables and non-processed meats for a month. Skip all sauces, soups, etc until you feel you are under control again.

Good luck

Let me see if I understand this, you are gluten free 100% and STILL getting the DH rash? The rash should only occur when you are exposed to gluten. Now, for most Celiacs, skin exposure to gluten is not a problem. However, some Celiacs who have DH can have problems with gluten on the skin bc if u have an open DH rash, and u use some type of lotion with gluten in it, the gluten molecule can get into the open sore. But ONLY if its an open sore. (otherwise the gluten molecule is too large to be absorbed through skin.)
Also, it could be you are getting accidentally glutened and not realizing it, and the DH rash is your flare up symptom.
If you wanted, u could go see your GI doc and get your gluten antibodies tested to be sure they are at zero and u are not getting soem sort of constant accidnetal glutening.
And u could see a dermatologist to see if the rash isn't DH, to see if its just a secondary rash to the DH. It could be you may have just become mroe sensitive to fragrances, etc, in time. Not an uncommon problem for Celiacs.

Good luck!