She's a Vampire

Fabulous article on Dermatitis Herpetaphormis and Iodine reactions

http://www.aocd.org/skin/dermatologic_diseases/dermatitis_herpeti.html

My daughter loves to give blood. It's one of her favorite pastimes, for lots of reasons. The first time she gave, the nurse told her she was allergic to iodine and showed her the erruptions on her arm.

This is the same daughter who at age 7 had a strange skin disorder. Dr. Zone (premier pediatric CD doc) at the University of Utah took the lesion itself and spent an hour with the microscope "and couldn't say yes, but couldn't say no," that it was or was not DH.

(Of course we know 13 years later that the biopsy must be taken next to the lesion as the open sore releases all of the anti-gliadens.) NOWADAYS the true and easy test is a skin reaction to iodine. They slap it on and see if you respond. TRA la la You either do or you don't.

The next test for the daughter back then was the intestinal biopsy - negative, and it was miserable as she woke up half way through. Oops.

Her blood work was also negative, so she suffered with this dreadful skin rash for years. She was gorgeous and beautiful in every way, if you didn't look at the skin on her extremities. She suffered all the disgrace that skin problems bring on. Kids can be cruel.

As most of my readers know, she was diagnosed with CD as a college freshman, not from bowel or blood tests, but through genetic and stool tests.

She's on the gluten-free diet. Never cheats, her skin problem is totally under control and she is one happy blood donator.

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For those with DH - we so sympathize! To answer your questions here is a blogger forum on DH. Avoid Iodized Salt and shellfish? The article above says do it? This other article says NO! Don't do it. So be sure to ask your doctor how iodine will affect you?

I know that Dapsone (antibacterial also used to treat leprosy and malaria) is used to mask the symptoms of DH, but the only true way to alleviate symptoms entirely is to stick to the GF diet. SORRY!

Embrel is a common drug administered, and while I understand why an autoimmune medicine is prescribed, I can't but think that once again it only masks symptoms, it does not resolve the issues.