Itchy?

Is anyone else itchy?

I've got little sores on my head and little pimply things on my back - I have a bit of blood on my sheet or pillow most of the time (this isn't recent), and sometimes when I scratch there is red blood. I've had it to a certain degree most of the time for years, but it's worse lately.

I think I'm noticing a connection with gluten. I was low carb a while back until we spent a month in Europe (eating bread, as that's what is available for hotel breakfasts and easy for lunches) and I noticed the itching increased then, though not the sores - just the itching. At the time I blamed the (maybe harder than I'm used to) water (from showering). When I got home again and lowered the gluten, it was much better.

I've been eating loads of bread to ask for a celiac test, which frankly I expect to come back negative, but we've discovered some celiac genes in the family, so for my kids' sake (knowledge) I thought I'd do it. It's the only thing I can think of that has changed at the same time as the itching.

I'd hoped to hold out until the end of the month, but can't. I'd been eating bready things already, but ramped it up as that's the advice here - eat plenty (6? serves a day) so that if you're going to provoke a reaction, you do.

Giving up the bread is the only thing I can think of to try to reduce the itching, except maybe an antihistamine in case I'm allergic to something but a blood test a while back didn't show any allergies.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Sounds like gluten is likely culprit

approx 5% with Hashimoto's are coeliac, but over 80% find gluten free diet helps, sometimes significantly. Either due to direct gluten intolerance (no test available) or due to leaky gut and gluten causing molecular mimicry (see Amy Myers link)

Assuming coeliac test is negative you can immediately go on strictly gluten free diet




(If test is positive you will need to remain on high gluten diet until endoscopy, maximum 6 weeks wait officially)




Trying gluten free diet for 3-6 months. If no noticeable improvement then reintroduce gluten and see if symptoms get worse

chriskresser.com/the-gluten...

amymyersmd.com/2018/04/3-re...

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

scdlifestyle.com/2014/08/th...

drknews.com/changing-your-d...

restartmed.com/hashimotos-g...

[Hidden in reply to SlowDragon]

I can do it tomorrow or the next day and likely get a negative response within 24-36 hours and can immediately start an elimination phase and see. I'll read through the links, thank you.

The main thing in the back of my mind is that there are things that I have - some early miscarriages back in the day, low iron etc - that I have always put down to thyroid/Hashis. They could, I believe, also point to celiac and my family member finding the genes has spooked me a bit.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Hidden]

Always best to test for coeliac first.....but it's an unreliable test

I tested negative twice on coeliac blood test ......so classified as gluten intolerant

But private endoscopy suggested actually likely coeliac!

DNA test on NHS ......says "probably not" coeliac

Regardless of all the different test results .....I am definitely gluten intolerant

[Hidden in reply to SlowDragon]

My blood test came back as zero. I have had two before - one also zero, but the first one did show, albeit below the coeliac threshold.

Will start GF once I'm slightly better organised (ie, I suspect tonight's sausages are not GF), but can def bring the intake way down.

Interesting that your endoscopy suggested coeliac!!!

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Not sure what to make of the one that showed some antibodies. Doc at the time said I was reacting and need to give up gluten. I'm afraid I didn't.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Hidden]

Gastroenterologist was really interesting. Said that it's far from black and white wether people are coeliac or not

There are apparently thousands of "silent coeliac" patients.....no typical symptoms....but general below par or poor health, low vitamins etc

But Medics are now learning that many other patients are gluten intolerant, but not coeliac. They are desperately looking for better, easier testing

Obviously modern diets are extremely grain heavy, as its cheap filler. Gluten at most meals

[Hidden in reply to SlowDragon]

That is interesting. It will be interesting to watch developments over the next decade or so.

Modern diets are extremely heavy on grain, and it seems to be the only food type you can't give up without dietary advice being annoyed with you. Giving up meat? No problem! Giving up grain? But you need those Healthy Whole Grains... Never mind that there are few whole grains in the diet! (Also have you noticed how it has become Healthy Whole Grains - virtually one word? Well, when spoken anyway.)