<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

Hi All,

Can somebody cast some light for me on this situation -

I was diagnosed with DH - by a GP very well up on CD (!) - about
two years ago. My symptoms were many of the usual - bowel
pains, loss of weight, and blistery, itchy spots on my arms,
shoulders and chest, etc.

A couple of months or so on a GF diet saw the end of all
that. Eureka! No problem at all until about four months ago
when I began to detect a general itchiness developing on
my arms. Then a few ominous little red spots began to
appear. I cut out oats - I had read widely on the subject,
and had concluded that they were, in themselves, OK. And
indeed in 18 months I had had no problem at all from them.

However, in case there was some unavoidable cross-
contamination, I cut them out. No change. In fact, although
no more have developed, the little spots already on my
arms have slowly grown bigger and itchier. As far as I can
possibly judge, I am ingesting no gluten.

The other factor in this is that at the same time as these spots first
began to appear four months ago, so did some extremely unpleasant
lesions under one arm and around my chest and back.  It turned out to be
shingles, and if any of you out there have had it, I sympathize - it was
horrible.

Now this all took place - by coincidence? - against a background of
intense emotional stress, which is now thankfully over. So my
question is twofold - has anybody else had a recurrence of the
symptoms of DH (or CD) when they were strictly GF but going
through a very stressful period? And if so, how long did those
symptoms persist? Mine have been around now for four months,
and I'd be very glad to see the and of them! (On good advice I put
the shingles down to stress).

Any info, advice etc. gratefully appreciated.


Jeff in London, UK