Gluten Allergy | Allergy

Gluten Allergy

by Allergy Guy

Gluten allergy can be confused with celiac disease and gluten sensitivity.

They are somewhat related.

According to the purist definition of an allergy, a gluten allergy is very rare.

If you take a broader view, it is more common than you might suppose.

There are reasons for understanding the difference between gluten allergy and celiac disease, and we’ll go into them in this article. 

The end result is the same though: you must go on a gluten free diet to avoid symptoms.

A gluten allergy, like any other food allergy, is when your body’s immune system reacts against gluten, resulting in any number of food allergy symptoms.

Specific symptoms, along with the severity of each one, varies from one person to the next.  Common complaints are fatigue, brain-fog and stomach upset.

There is no know cause for a gluten allergy, any more than the known cause for any other food allergy

A gluten allergy could appear early in life, and then disappear as the child grows older, or it could appear later in life, either vanishing some years later, or hanging around for the rest of your life.

If you have a gluten allergy (rather than celiac disease), you can make your own decision as to how severe the symptoms are, and if it is worth avoiding gluten sometimes or always to avoid the symptoms.

Warning: The paragraph above does NOT apply to celiac disease, which is quite different.  Read the next section for details.

Gluten Allergy vs. Celiac Disease

Compare this with celiac, which is quite different.

Celiac disease is caused by gluten triggering a genetic disposition.  Anyone with celiac disease in their genetic makeup should avoid gluten, even if they do not have symptoms.

More and more, research is showing a whole host of diseases that appear in people with “sub-clinical” celiac disease.  In other words, you may not have the classic symptoms of celiac disease, but you may be destroying your health by eating gluten.

This is one of the major differences between gluten allergy and celiac disease.

Gluten Allergy – What To Do About It

If you have a self-diagnosed gluten allergy, the first thing you should do is get tested for celiac disease.  A biopsy is not such a good idea, because avoiding gluten heals the guts in celiacs, so a biopsy would give a false negative (indicate there is not celiac disease when if fact there is). 

As horrible as it sounds, for best results, you must eat gluten before getting your celiac test.

If your test shows that you have a gluten allergy rather than celiac disease, you have more options.

Your best bet is to go on a complete gluten free diet.  This will eliminate symptoms, and make you much healthier.  Your gluten allergy may even disappear (but don’t count on it).

Depending on your allergy, you may be OK if you eat some gluten occasionally, or if gluten accidentally slips into your diet.  With a gluten allergy, you can decide what your tolerance for gluten is.


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{ 37 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Ken May 24, 2017 at 16:47

I just started a gluten free diet because gluten makes my
Skin itch a lot. I feel better but I also take coconut oil
And fish oil. Try to watch what you eat.
And eat healthy raw fruits and vegtiables.

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2 cathy July 14, 2013 at 10:05

I relate to the question of the lady with the rasin bread.I too been having the problem I even getting heart testing done. I love rasin bread but been sick for a least a 1 year. I was told so far panic attacks and aniexty. I did not have rasin bread for 2 days. I had it last night. And I did not feel well heart jumping trouble breathing etc. Is it a allergy. I do not know I had sensitiveness. To medications. I can not eat bannas or avocados or peanuts. I been testined for alot. I am confused too. Also the fatgiue and sickness has been a struggle. Please email if anyone may know what this problem is or post

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3 Pat April 9, 2012 at 12:53

I started with itchy red rings on my scalp, diagnosed by Derm as psoriasis. 5 yrs later I had an extremely itchy, burning circular rash on my feet and lower legs with occasional spots on arms. My GP and Derm were none the wiser and prescribed steroid ointments, which didn’t help much.
cutting out gluten cleared up the rash and psoriasis on my scalp. Any food with gluten in it, the rash and itch comes back in 3 or 4 hrs (even soy sauce, some lipsticks and flavorings). These are the only symptoms I have. The itching is so aggravating that gluten is just not worth it for me!

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4 Allergy Guy April 9, 2012 at 19:18

Glad you found the cause!

How long have you been off gluten? I just wonder if other symptoms will be come apparent when the disappear. It is easy to get used to a problem and not realize you have it until you loose it!

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5 Alex March 17, 2012 at 15:24

Hello,
I am a 21 year old woman and for about 5 years I have been exhausted. As someone diagnosed with ADHD as a young child (I was very hyperactive), I was involved in tons of sports, some of them leading me to international competition up until the age of 18. However, around the age of 17 I developed these symptoms that I could just not wrap my head around. I was always so tired, so weak – I would come home from sports training and sleep for the rest of the day. Recently, in University, I have been skipping classes to come home and sleep. At one point, for a few months (sorry boys…) my menstrual bleeding was black. I have constant bouts of bloating, constipation (regardless of how many laxatives I take) and then bouts of diarrea. At least once ulcer in my mouth at all times. I have been having definite symptoms of depression and anxiety/panic attacks before bed since the age of probably 15 or 16. Explaining this to the doctor earned me a trip to the “pre-psychosis” ward at the hospital…even though I had a feeling it wasn’t where I belonged. After tons of blood tests and no proof of anemia, I was at a loss.

A few days ago, I went to see another doctor. He told me I was probably allergic to dairy – which I’ve been off for about a year now because it makes my skin break out (another allergy!). He then told me that I am most likely gluten-intollerant, if not celiac. I have just started this gluten free diet since then and even though I am not feeling any better yet, I have hope that this is finally my cure! The symptoms listed on your site match almost identically to what I have been experiencing for years.

Maybe I will have the energy to live my life again. Thanks for the info!! Looking forward to feeling better in a few months.

A

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6 MrBob February 27, 2012 at 12:55

Hi,

About 6 months ago I started having abdominal pains which were eased by passing gas. Usually in the evening, as I was going to bed, but sometimes throughout the day. Over the next few months it transformed into daily diarrhea. I finally went into the doctor and after some blood test they found I had a very low hemoglobin count, 7.2. They put me on iron pills did some stool samples and told me I was fine. If symptoms persisted, I should go back in.

Instead I went to a different doctor, and they took a blood sample and told me I should have a CT scan done. I declined on the scan, and decided to explore some other options first. I found your site, and I’ve started a gluten free diet. It’s only been a few days, so I haven’t noticed any changes yet, but I’m hoping this will shed some light on what’s going on.

Thanks for the good info. (At least, I assume it’s all good info.)

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7 L.w. January 10, 2012 at 02:26

I have suffered from various sorts of rashes and dermatitis throughout the years, and allergies and asthma since 5 years old, as well as swelling of the hands, and constricted airways. Obviously, I thought this way a reaction to the allergies I was originally tested for, which were environmental related, but after further testing, it turns out that I have a gluten allergy and dairy allergy, as well as a mild peanut and tree nut allergy. I have been cleaning up my diet and enjoying the rewards of eating more non-starchy vegetables, legumes, and fruits.

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8 Jerry December 17, 2011 at 14:13

For those of you that have gluten sensativity, I am controlling mine by taking the enzyme DPP IV (swanson) or Gluten-Zyme by Country Life. dispensing the capsule in a cup and having some each time I eat glutenous foods (I do before and after eating). but stay away from regula noodles (gluten free is fine, glutenous oils, and gelatinized capsules (vitamine))

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9 M. November 16, 2011 at 15:15

Hello all, ive always had a slight wheat intolerence, (bloatedness,tiredness etc) but for the last month i’ve been in agony when i eat anything with wheat in it, specially white flour! i get really bad bowel cramps, and constantly feel i need the toilet! it’s depressing me so bad! i know there isn’t much i can do about it! i just have to be careful, and remind myself that wheat isn’t important in a diet anyways! but i still really miss cookies lol! i know how you all feel…i wish it was only a rash i got when i ate something with wheat in it haha! good luck all

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10 Allergy Guy November 16, 2011 at 18:55

I know exactly how you feel. And people literally become addicted to the food they are allergic too, which may explain your ‘need’ for cookies.

It takes a while, but you can reframe how you see wheat. I see it as a kind of poison. To me, pastries are ‘art’ not ‘food’.

Rather than being depressed, look on the bright side: all you have to do to stay healthy is avoid wheat. Lots of sick people wish it was that easy!

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11 Loulou September 18, 2010 at 14:25

Ok, I am thinking I may have developed an intolerance to wheat and gluten as I have many of the issues that would suggest so, except constipation and weight loss. I decided to try a wheat and gluten free diet for a bit to see if my symptoms would improve. For the most part it has helped loads! But in the past few days my cheeks broke out in a terribly painful rash and it felt as if I had a sun burn with a the onset of acne as well. Ive never had acne and am 38 yrs old. Is this a reaction to detoxing from gluten and wheat?? Any ideas would be helpful! Cheers!!!!

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12 Allergy Guy September 20, 2010 at 12:27

If you have celiac disease, the healing process can release toxins etc. in some cases. Otherwise, it is possible that you got accidental gluten poisoning and are reacting to that. Avoiding gluten is full of pitfalls, and it takes a very long time to get really good at it!

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13 Marque glisson September 17, 2010 at 22:19

I have cystic fibrosis ( lung disease) I often get a real tight chest after drinking beer and or eating pizza I’ll usually get my pizza well done ( don’t know if that matters) It gets difficult to breath (sometimes) after eating pretzels I’m just wondering if chemicals or glutens in my food may trigger that type of reaction in my body.

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14 Allergy Guy September 20, 2010 at 13:07

Probably you’ve already done plenty of research on cystic fibrosis. If you’ve not seen a connection before, then you can assume it is a separate health issue that you have.

Consider getting tested for celiac disease. It can cause a lot of complications

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15 melanie September 10, 2010 at 00:03

Hi, I just wanted to add that I too am allergic to wheat, possibly all glutens and develop the same rash on my hands and everywhere if I were to eat wheat on a regular basis. It took me 20 yrs to figure out what gave me the rash and i have literally had it allover my body. Doctors are really misinformed nd always prescribe cortisone. I haven’t touched cortisone since 2004 and never ever will again. The rash starts on the hands as small pustules that rupture and become dry and red afterwards. Another problem with this condition is that it leads to so called leaky gut because of the intestinal damage and makes you more susceptible to candida. Look that up and you will see that the rash someone was mentioning around the armpits and breasts is likely candida.I also have joint pain in the fingers and knees which is exacerbated by wheat ingestion. These autoimmune conditions are difficult to manage but it can be done. Try to get tested for lupus etc if you also have joint pain.

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16 Agnes September 6, 2010 at 00:55

I have a question. You say in the above text, that :”you must eat gluten before getting your celiac test. Do you have any idea how long you have to be back on gluten, before it shows up in your blood test? I am on a complete gluten free diet and when I had a biopsy done, it came back negative for celiac disease. My gut had healed itself, that is, if I do have celiac disease. I will have genetic testing done and pay for it out of pocket. I do have other autoimmune disease (Hashimoto’s) and read, that if you have one, there is a greater chance of developing another, such as celiac disease.
Some things muddying up the waters in my case, is that I have quite a few allergies, such as airborne allergy to western ragweed (present year around on the West Coast) and also definite food allergies to strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, but not to blueberries. Most other fruits are OK. I am also allergic to flax seeds, and nuts of any kind. My nut allergies are pretty mild, meaning that the symptoms are itchy face, around the mouth area, maybe sneezing, itchy nose, lower lip swells up, and I get sores along the edges of my tongue. Also the area along the side of my face, from the hairline to the jawbone, the exact area which for a male would be the sideburne, this is the area that swells up the worst and gets bumpy and very itchy. So , as I said I have definite allergies and I came to discover the allergens myself, because I observed my body and my reactions to certain foods.
That said, I cannot decide if I could have an autoimmune disease and an allergy combined, or maybe just the allergy. I am definitely much better without gluten in my diet. The reason why I cannot resolve the issue of allergy vs. autoimmune disease is my symptoms which mimic both. So, after I get some gluten in my body, the first indication that I ingested gluten, is that I get an extremely unpleasant “hot flash”. I start to sweat no matter how cool the environment is around me. I also get very agitated and bitchy, and hyperactive, as if I had a megadose of adrenalin. This is how I know that I am in trouble, and this comes on about 2-3 hours later. Then my airways get constricted, not to the extent of closing off, but more like an asthma attack. My lungs cannot fill up with enough air, and I also cannot expel enough air. My stomach constricts and a vein starts throbbing in my stomach area (I can feel it with my fingers). My diaphragm also constricts and feels heavy. The veins and blood vessels in my body, and especially in my hands feel hot and ready to explode. My heart beat and pulse rate go up, in fact, my heart feels like it will explode any minute. My heart rate gets somewhat irregular and thready. If at this point I take an Alavert dissolving tablet, or a Benadryl quick dissolve strip, my symptoms calm down somewhat, meaning that my breathing becomes less labored and my heart calms down. The rest of the symptoms I described resolve more slowly, more like in a matter of a couple of hours.
My reasoning tells me, that my reaction is an allergic one, otherwise taking an antihistamine would not make any difference. But some of my other symptoms (constipation, swelling of the legs, digestive problems, anemia, etc.) point to celiac disease.
I would like to hear any persons opinion or comment on what I described here. Thanks!

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17 Allergy Guy September 10, 2010 at 17:19

When it comes to consuming gluten before being tested for celiac disease, it is best to ask your doctor about this, or contact the testing company directly if possible.

What ever may be true of a particular test, may not be correct for another, and things may also change as the tests are improved.

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18 Stan January 3, 2012 at 16:41

Agnes, it’s been quite a while since you’re post, but have you researched Oral Allergy Syndrome? It may be that your gluten issue is separate from the link between pollen and certain foods, where the body reacts to the proteins in those foods, thinking it is the pollen. I have been gluten free for several years with great success for those symptoms and recently became sensitive to texas cedar(juniper). Since then, my lips burn from peanuts and it could progress to more severe symptoms or to other foods. It could also be an explaination for your symptoms.

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19 Agnes Mouroulis January 4, 2012 at 14:47

Stan, thank you for your comment. Some of my reactions to foods other than gluten has been something of a mystery. I react to dairy f.ex., but only if I consume it regularly. I seem to tolerate yogurt, more than milk or cheese. If I eat something with cheese once every 2-3 weeks, it is not a huge problem. Chocolate is another problem, but not milk chocolate so much. Dark chocolate gives me problems and last night I suffered from having a little bit after supper. I didn’t fall asleep until about 2 AM. I had a racing heart, palpitations, racing thoughts, insomnia, tingling in the hands and feet, hot flashes, lips burning, shallow breathing, asthma. Nasty reactions, best to avoid eating it.
As for nuts, I react to peanuts, and walnuts the most. Other nut, such as almonds are ok occasionally. My problems really started after I moved to CA from NY state. I developed an allergy to western ragweed, which is around all year long here. I didn’t even know that my symptoms of sneezing and the runny nose was a sign of an allergy. After some years of this I started to get sinus infections one after the other. I took antibiotics for years and had a systemic candida syndrome. I diagnosed myself and put myself on a candida diet, and took supplements to combat the candida.
I don’t know what the connection is, or if there is a connection, but I also developed an autoimmune thyroiditis, called Hasimoto’s syndrome. This means that I have a functioning thyroid gland, but antibodies in my body regard the thyroid hormone as foreign, and destroy it. So, I have to take replacement hormone for life.
My conclusion that gluten is very bad for me came after getting sicker and sicker all the time. The reason I suspected gluten, is that I did very well on the anti candida diet, where you are not allowed to eat any carbs for a while. After I eliminated gluten from my life, I got dramatically better. I have not had a sinus infection for 3 years and generally feel better with way more energy. I do, however have to be very vigilant of the signals my body sends me.

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20 Joy March 8, 2013 at 17:17

Agnes, I was just doing a search about recent symptoms and found your post. I also have Hashi’s! I am on day four of flu and contrary to the usual lack of appetite, I have been hungry regularly. I have no groceries in the house (because I haven’t been able to get out of the house) so in my desperation I ate a piece of raisin bread with butter. It cured my hunger problem, but about an hour later my heart was pounding and I had a very strong pulsing sensation on the inside of my left arm. My arm would get tight when I bent it. After another couple of hours things are calming down. I have had “heart symptoms” for years, but everytime I’ve had things checked the docs say everything is okay. (not that I trust doctors very much any more). I am wondering if because my immune system is over burdened with this flu if that’s why I had such a reaction? I have been tested for celiac and gluten with no positive results, but because of the Hashi’s, I have for the most part avoided it. You seem to have a pretty good grasp on all of this….do you think the pulsing in my arm, increased force of my heart and increase in pulse rate can be attributed to the raisin bread? I appreciate any insight you can offer! Talking to “normal” (not that you’re not normal!!) people is less than effective, I’ve learned through this trial that talking to people who’ve “been there, done that” is the best source of information!

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21 caitlin August 30, 2010 at 15:10

hi… i started getting these rashed that come and go . iate chicken nuggets last week and i look down and my chest is bright red and extremely itchy. a few days later after dinner, my neck was bright red and itchy. yesteray i ate potatoes and my eye lids and under my eyes were burning and itchy, ive never had food allergies nor have i really suffered from them at all ever. my skin feels like its burning and i am not comfortable at all. i dont know if its gluten cause mainly when i eat i get a visable rash every other time in the day i get these non visable rashes. please help

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22 alan August 26, 2010 at 17:36

Hi everyone! JMO…as a MD and eczema sufferer for about 7 years now, I am very intrigued by this. Funny thing, even in the profession with lots of friends as allergists, dermatologists and internists, it took some real significant testing and elimination to get close to figure out what has always been ideopathic for me (undetermined derma inflamation – or, aka, atopic eczema). Most of the “friends” in the profession chalk these things up to winter eczema or run RAST tests, or rudimentary blood work. You really need to look at IgA,G,M and some other autoimmune panels for base levels and follow up six months and a year later.

Personally, I noticed some elevated serum IgA and decreased IgM levels which leads me to suspect food sensitivities consistent with either glutten or yeast allergies. I am in the middle of a glutten and yeast free diet and was feeling pretty good until, two nights ago…. I had my first beer in a month and a glass of wine the next day. My arms started to flare and itch starting around the elbow area. Ah ha! No glutten and yeast for two months and all of a sudden, eczema!

I am a pretty avid athlete, eating for energy efficiency, so I can live without the glutten and yeast. I will miss some of these foods, but life is tough and as long as I can keep inflammatory processes at bay, it is what it is. The point is go to a good auto-immunologist who will spend a few hours with you, shell out about grand or two (yep, can’t even begin to get into the quality of insured care and why the profession has become this way) for the blood work and profiling, and start with an elimination diet. The alternative is topical and oral steroids.

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23 Allergy Guy August 26, 2010 at 19:20

Thanks very much for your detailed comments Alan. Great to get detailed info from an MD.

Glad you finally sorted it out!

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24 Cassandra July 13, 2010 at 06:25

It is gluten intolerance, not Celiac. There’s varying degrees of intolerance. I have gluten intolerance and the hand break out is the first sign ive been glutened and the last thing to heal. My goodness, don’t people listen to their bodies anymore? Dont rely on Western medicine…just do what your gut tells you, literally. STOP EATING GLUTEN. I dont care what the tests say or dont say. You have Gluten Intolerance

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25 tw April 19, 2010 at 13:25

“breaking out on my hands. They look like tiny red dots, itchy then welt up then it goes away almost a squick as it comes on. I went to the doc of course no rash then he perscribed some cream he said it was probably contact dermatitis. It did not work.”

I have the exact same thing. This is the first description I’ve read anywhere that matches what I have. Many people talk about other areas but I get this on my hands (many years ago I did get something similar on my nose and forehead but that quickly went away…the problem with my hands is very different). It started several years ago, but recently, I’ve had horrible attacks of pain about 30min after eating any product with gluten. I am negative for Celiac (was tested…cost $125). The reaction starts off as very small dots/pustules and they seem to stay localized to certain fingers or areas of the back of the hand, but may spread slightly over time if I don’t try to contain it (using ‘contain’ just because I have no other way to explain it). I’ve been prescribed corticosteriod creams (varying strengths and brands) so many times now from so many doctors I’m sick of it. The term contact dermatitis has become an annoyance for me. They have no clue what it is. The cream makes the appearance of these break-outs blurred because they heal more like a burn afterwards (subsequent break-outs can become like cracks or fissures but that’s due to the way the cream is healing the open pustules), but the true appearance is this tiny pustules you describe. This is not contagious in any way and will not easily spread anywhere (some fingers are fine, others have it…some areas of the back of the hand have it, others are fine). Mine begin each fall when the weather gets dry. They last all the way through until summer when the weather is warmer and my hands aren’t as dry. I constantly use various moisturizing cream on my hands in the winter but they always come. I can temporarily make them go away with calendula tincture or the corticosteriod cream, or a combination, but they always come back. Often the cream is only effective for a few days and they come back. They will dry out on their own but then that cracks the skin and I end up with cracked knuckles or open skin on the top of my fingers and hands. I wear nitrile gloves at work (non-latex environment) and only for brief periods of up to 30min maybe twice a day so no it’s not gloves. I’ve even used various brands of gloves including additional cotton liners and vinyl gloves. The hand reaction still comes each fall/winter and goes away in the summer. Eventually I started to wonder if it was a food allergy but after trying to eliminate different foods one at a time, I still couldn’t figure it out. I even went on a naturopathic clense for 4months and it made me feel slightly better but not really. The Naturpath ordered a full range of blood test. The only thing that came back slightly odd was an elevated biliruben. In the past few weeks I have been having horrible attacks of localized stomach pain (not reflux) along with horrible bloating and gas that can only be relived by burping (well, it’s true). This comes on about 30min after eating any product with gluten (spelt, wheat, even a granola bar and roasted nuts, etc). The severity and duration depend on how much I eat. If I eat a small amount the pain may last 2hrs. Last week I had a sandwich because I didn’t believe it was happening and then suffered in agonizing pain on the bathroom floor from 1-7pm. So, it’s very real. Since then I’ve had a myriad of gests (UGI, abdomen US, urine analysis, blood tests for various diseases, chest x-ray, etc.). Everything came back normal except a slighly elevated white blood count but the physician thought that was due to seasonal allergies (which are just starting). My hands just broke out last week though. I’ve since gone on a gluten-free diet and I haven’t had any pain and my hands are slowly healing.

If anyone has any ideas what this is (again, Celiac testing came back negative when I was still eating gluten…had an attack for 3hrs the night before the test), please let me know.

The only things I can come up with are: non-Celiac gluten sensitivity or allergy, Gilbert’s syndrome (slightly elevated biliruben and mild jaundice at birth), some strange mold-related issue because the home I am in has some mold in a bathroom upstairs (but I’ve moved several times and the hand breakout always follows the same pattern). I am allergic to something that blooms in April-May and goldenrod in the fall. I am also allergic to cigarette smoke.

Thanks.

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26 Omar March 4, 2016 at 23:58

This is my exact story too. It was wheat. But I also wear nitrile gloves. Don’t discount the glove effect too.

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27 Guest March 18, 2010 at 13:38

rash-itchy discolored skin in an area on body

my chest and between breasts very itchy and flakey skin … thought it was a heat rash from my work which intails lots of physical work, so sweat lots… but have been off work for awhile and it is still there?????????? Help me!!!! i think maybe yeast from foods like bread ect…. which i love to eat but am not tired after eating it, so????

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28 admin March 18, 2010 at 18:43

Allergy symptoms are different for different people

One of the biggest mistakes people make when trying to work out if they have allergies, and what they might be allergic to, is looking for a specific list of symptoms that match a specific allergy.

Allergies and fatigue do tend to go together, but it might not be a defining symptom for you.

So try cutting out the foods you suspect and see if that helps.

Also consider the clothing you wear and if that might be part of the problem.

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29 Guest March 15, 2010 at 23:15

Rash

My brother has a rash like that. I have celiac disease so he thinks it could be a symptom of that since it’s hereditary. Let me know if anyone finds out for sure.

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30 admin March 15, 2010 at 23:54

Your brother should test for celiac disease

Your brother should get tested for celiac disease. Not because of his symptoms, but because of the hereditary aspect.

Celiac disease has serious ‘non-classical’ symptoms that may not show up for years.

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31 Kris October 23, 2009 at 17:28

I have the same thing

Ever figure out what it was?

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32 Lynn September 16, 2009 at 15:53

rash that comes and goes for the last 3 weeks

Ok here it goes. I am 41 year old female. I started getting this rash about 3 /4 weeks ago. i had switched from one laundry soap to Tide. I thought that all the redness and itching was from that. I have rewashed all the clothes. I went back to the old detergent, but I am Still breaking out on my hands. They look like tiny red dots, itchy then welt up then it goes away almost a squick as it comes on. I went to the doc of course no rash then he perscribed some cream he said it was probably contact dermatitis. It did not work. Now the rash is going past my wrists and up my forearms, on my stomach and sometimes show up on my thighs. In the last week I have had it confirmed that i have wheat, gluten and dairy allergies. I think I have had for quite a while but again the rash is new to me. It seem like it might be getting better…..could it be that it is my bodys way of getting everything out of my system? Could it be something else? I thought maybe an allergy to another medication……I quit taking it for a few days, rash still showed up. At this point I have given up wheat and dairy for almost 2 weeks try to watch everything I take in only drink water. I feel like I am going crazy……..Can anyone help me?

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33 admin September 22, 2009 at 00:07

Rashes are hard to diagnose

The trouble with rashes is they’re hard to diagnose.

It seems that most dermatologists mask the symptoms with cream, but don’t look for the actual cause.

With luck, cutting out gluten/wheat/milk will do the trick for you.

Latex is another possible cause (do you use rubber gloves?)

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34 Karen May 1, 2010 at 20:03

Research DH, celiac disease. DH gives you a rash. You would need to go on a completely gluten free diet. There are a lot of products that have gluten in it that most people would never think of, which is why you may still have the rash if gluten is still sneaking in your diet. Most people don’t think that hot dogs have gluten in them or salad dressings, but they can and do. It may be totally different than what I am saying, but if you still have the rash, it may make sense to look up pictures of DH on the web to see if it’s the same rash you have. I do have celiac disease, but not DH. Hope that helps.

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35 ally July 14, 2010 at 08:28

Hello-
I hd the exact same thing happen to me about 2 1/2 years ago. i started getting a rash on my hand for month then it became to spread to all parts of my body inclduing my face. Someone suggested it might be a gluten allergy. I gave up gluten for the most part and the rash would only appear when i ate it. The whole thing is very odd. I have never found anyone with the same symptoms.
I see you posted quiet a while ago so hopefully you already found your cure.

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36 Elisa August 27, 2010 at 13:49

Lynn, not sure if my post may be too late but I had the same rash. I am celiac and have broken out b4 from that but that rash was different to what u are describing (the spots were bigger and painful). That said, as crazy as this sounds, are u on the pill? Seriously! I had to go on the pill for endo earlier 2009 I was fine for the first 4ish months then it must have kicked in and caused me all sorts of problem!! One of them being a rash that started on the back of my right hand that eventually spread up my arm while at some point had spread to my left hand. It sent me crazy! Itchy as hell, would go really red and then calm down. When it was calm u had to look really close at my arms to even see it as they were quite small, I was constantly complaining for months. I blamed stress, laundry powder, soap, heat, jewerely (I already have sensitive skin so can’t wear fake stuff). I used creams, saw drs was given that perscription cream that takes layers of ur skin off. After a visit to my GP again we were talking about the pill as I wanted to come off it, she said no and I was quite angry when I walked out as it was putting me through hell! I walked out of there, new script for the pill in one hand and a ref to see specialist about my rash in the other! As I was desperate to take myself off the pill, I started googling mainly to make sure I was making an educated decision! Came across a blog from a girl that mentioned a similar rash, didn’t really think much about it at the time! I took myself off it and the very same rash a GP said it was there to stay and had scarred my skin. My rash was gone in about a month or so and skin back to normal!!! 😀

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37 Allergy Guy August 27, 2010 at 16:25

Thanks for sharing your story Elisa.

There can be so many different causes for the same symptoms, so it is important to know about them all, especially if previous ideas didn’t work.

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