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These are the responses I got since my last post.
Thanks so much to all who contributed. It did help to know that I am not the only one who suffers from gluten being absorbed through the skin.
About 1/2 the people responding did have a reaction to gluten on the skin...some were DH, others were unsure, others knew for a fact that they were not.
I even had several talk about inhaling the fumes while baking and reacting to it just as badly as ingesting.
I listed a couple of the problems and then some glue solutions:
1) The G.I. specialist who heads the support group I belonged to told us that gluten can be absorbed through the skin and he mentioned patient incidents such as skin lotion with wheat in it & people who had their hands in wheat paste all day.
This was one that was very helpful. My RN believed this to be true also. Another lady said that her doctor said so as well. So this is argued over by the Pro's.
2) Of course, it could be that you do not have DH, but it does sound like it. You might also ask on the forum about DH. There are pics of it online, but unfortunately when my old puter crashed, it took everything I had in the way of info and research with it. :( I don't know alot about DH, only that I get it after a bad gluten accident. It is very itchy and sometimes weeps badly (mine does, that is.) It burns if you itch it. Also, I most often get it on my upper chest and arms (elbows and just below my elbows). I do remember reading that usually people get it in the same places on different exposures. But mine does move from chest to arms, so not always in the same place. I think, but am not positive, that the cream medication, Elidel, helped it. I use Elidel for eczema on my legs sometimes, so when I had some I used it on the DH. You might ask about whether DH responds to creams when you post to the forum, too. It has been 3 years since I had an outbreak, so I am not sure I remember correctly re the Elidel, and I wouldn't want you to ask a doc for it and find I am mistaken.
Glue Solutions:
1) Elmers White glue was the one listed as GF. Thompson's have a booklet on a lot of craft supplies. I am going to purchase it and will let you know how helpful it is.
2)...so this is a guess. depending on what you are sealing
with and what kind of project. if you seal with a urethane or gloss
of some sort it may seal off the glue. i think that is what they are
meant to do, like with varnishing a painting or basket. might be a
trial and error thing. the glosses and sealers bother me also , smell
wise untill they dry and outgas.
3) i react to anything with gluten in when
it comes in contact with my skin. like a lotion or betadine solution.
shampoos, makeup and i know i have read where others cannot do makeup also. i use scotch tape to seal my envelopes and i do touch the tape
and i'm not sure how strong of a reaction i get to that. as far as glue, i try to use a glue stick, but sometimes i need to use some gooey glue and it does get on my hands. i try to wash it off quickly.
havent noticed a reaction as strong as i get to some things , as if it were left on my skin. i have used glue guns and dont know if the glue is gluten free. i just try not to get it on me. you could use the
glue and spread it around with tooth picks or some type of wooden skinny dowel. this may not be a solution for you but i just wanted you to know that you are not alone in reacting to things on skin contact. and when i do have a reaction to skin contact , it is just as if i had ingested it. i try not to use glue alot. i sew. i use vinyl gloves for some things.
Hope this helps everyone. Again...I will let you know if I find the Thompson reference helpful.
Thanks to all and thanks to all for listening as well.
Kay White
Missouri
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