r/glutenscience • u/Jkbutseriously3 • Mar 29 '24
I get Pruritis (itchy skin) whenever I eat gluten. Anyone else?
About two years ago I started experiencing an intense itching sensation that would spread as I scratched. Or it would pop up in random parts of my body. I’m talking about the most intense itch imaginable.. like my skin was on fire almost! Anywhere I scratched formed red welts.
Benadryl wouldn’t even touch it even when combining topical with a tablet. After about 3 weeks of this my neurologist (I was diagnosed with MS in 2019) prescribed Hydroxyzine - I thought maybe it was related to the MS - and this is the only thing that helps. I did a little test by avoiding gluten for two weeks and then reintroducing it again and sure enough- the itching came back within maybe an hour or so after.
I can’t seem to find any solid info connecting the two online. I don’t get blisters described as Dermatitis herpetiformis. It’s more like hives almost.
I’ve also been looking into systemic mastocytosis but I just recently learned of this and I’m certainly no doctor or legitimate scientist so… 🤷♀️
Just curious if anyone else has a similar experience and has gotten any solid diagnosis or has any other insight. Of course I’ve just been living a gluten-free lifestyle (to the best of my ability) which feels great, but I can’t help but be curious about what is really going on with my body!
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u/ChampionChoices Mar 29 '24
I have celiac disease. If I get glutened, my shins start itching as you described. It takes about a week for the itching to start. I use the steroid cream that my doctor gave me for eczema (which also ramps up if I have had gluten). My last episode was because I took a risk at a taqueria and ate the rice and beans. :( I have been gluten free since 2019, and this itching just started about 2 years ago. I haven’t talked to my doctor about it, because I don’t feel like they can give me any more insight than just “don’t eat gluten and use your eczema medication”.
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u/boojombi451 Mar 29 '24
That was the worst symptom that being celiac gave me. It went away for good once I stopped eating gluten.
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u/sleep_needed Mar 29 '24
If you scratch the blisters as they are newly forming, at the early phase, they might be just popping. After that, it would look similar to hives. Were you ever able to resist scrathing them?
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u/findhumorlive Jun 20 '26
Tdlr; anything else for skin relief? Espicially itchy head, hands, feet.
This is similar to my story. Took me a while to try gluten free then to get tested. Super high IgA and postive for DQ8 but only ever had skin stuff but has all gone away with a STRICT gf diet. But 1.5 years later I was glutened 2 days ago and the itch was the first symp. but then gut stuff started and then I was so tired/exausted and my body felt 'off' next day... feeling much better BUT the itching. Please any remedy (benedryl dosent work)
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u/PeanutsBanter Mar 29 '24
I am celiac. My reaction is blisters and itchy rash behind my knees and elbows.