<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>> >Treatment: He said that the treatment is the gluten-free diet for life and >taking the sulfa drug dapsone for a short time to control the itching >while it lasts. (He didn't specify how you know the when itching has >stopped if the dapsone is controlling it.) However, the dapsone has >serious side effects and someone taking it must have regular blood tests >to monitor them. When I weaned myself off dapsone by going completely GF, I took a 100mg tablet when symptoms appeared than waited until they reappeared. Over a period of weeks the time between pills became greater until the tabs were no longer used. I never experienced any noticeable side effects using this approach. Prior to my "weaning" process I was on a cheating GF diet and couldn't get off the dreaded dapsone. For the last 6 months I have been GF, DH free and dapsone free. With regard to dapsone side effects, when I was first diagnosed with DH, some 25 years ago, I was prescribed sulphur piridine (M&B 693 trade name) and this drug was effective in releaving symptoms. However, the potential effects on the kidneys was always a worry. I wonder if Dermatologists ever use sulphur piridine as an alternative to dapsone for those who have a more severe reaction to the latter, especially for short term treatment after the commencement of the GF diet? Cheers Roy ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Roy A. Hall, PhD Senior Research Officer Molecular Virology Dept. of Microbiology, University of Queensland Brisbane. 4072. QLD Australia [log in to unmask] -----------------------------------------------------------------------------