Extreme itching at night found relief!

[Night misery]

I just wanted to share with everyone here that I found something that works for the extreme night itching that literally drives me to the crazy!  I would scratch off skin and make myself bleed and it still itches! So out of desperation I smashed up two 25 mg Benadryl tablets and added a little water and put that on my arms.  It took about 5-10 minutes but it stopped!!! Wanted to join this group just so I could share this good news! FYI the over the counter Benadryl cream is simply not strong enough and didn’t help me at all!

[trents]

Welcome to the forum, Night misery!

May we assume you have celiac disease as manifested with DH? A little background would be nice.

Edited September 26, 2023 by trents

[Scott Adams]

I assume you have DH, and if so, thank you for sharing this! Others with DH are always looking for relief from outbreaks.

[Night misery]

Yes I have DH and the itching drives me insane. Having a nursing background I thought there would be no harm in trying an antihistamine topically (out of desperation) and the OTC Benadryl was ineffective.  That’s because they don’t use ENOUGH Diphenhydramine in the Benadryl cream.  I made my own (previous post) and it stops the itch dead approximately 5-10 minutes after.  I was so happy and wanted to share what worked for ME. People need to understand you can’t just “bathe” in it as this can be absorbed through the skin but limited areas on the body. For instance I put it on my itchy arms. I know this should be common sense but I’m mentioning it just in case. 

[Judith M]

Sure would like your recipe for DH .

[Night misery]

I crush one pink 25 mg Benadryl tablet in a small glass muffin cup and add approximately 2 tsps of water.  I keep stirring it with my finger as I dab it on the itchy spots ONLY. As I stated before Benadryl will absorb through the skin so don’t bathe in it or put it over large areas. I rub the spot with my finger and massage it in. It drys white on the skin. Give it 5 minutes before deciding if it works. The reason I keep stirring with my finger is because it likes to settle on the bottom of the dish. Anyway, it works for me and I’m not giving medical advice, just saying it’s been a miracle for me. I sometimes itch so bad I will Maime myself and it would STILL be itching.  Felt like I would rather peel off my skin and be done. Sorry for the graphic description but this is a real disease!

[SportySue]

I had DH about 12 years ago. I overdosed on gluten knowingly. Treated this yucky skin plague with…Liquid Bandage (this product has addt’l titles) applying a coverage over each blister spot! I maintained doing that for a week & it stopped itching, discomfort & cleared rash. The product has anti-bacterial properties that probably jump started healing. P.S. eating supposed gluten-free food stuff for Celiacs is not strict enough…no such gluten-free food called oatmeal or corn. Originally, according to Elaine,Gotschall and Mr’s Haas (brothers) , celiac is mainly a carbohydrate intolerance. I found this to certainly be true for me. Good luck have a safe Thanksgiving meal. Sue Duby Macomb MI

[knitty kitty]

2 hours ago, SportySue said:

I had DH about 12 years ago. I overdosed on gluten knowingly. Treated this yucky skin plague with…Liquid Bandage (this product has addt’l titles) applying a coverage over each blister spot! I maintained doing that for a week & it stopped itching, discomfort & cleared rash. The product has anti-bacterial properties that probably jump started healing. P.S. eating supposed gluten-free food stuff for Celiacs is not strict enough…no such gluten-free food called oatmeal or corn. Originally, according to Elaine,Gotschall and Mr’s Haas (brothers) , celiac is mainly a carbohydrate intolerance. I found this to certainly be true for me. Good luck have a safe Thanksgiving meal. Sue Duby Macomb MI

Do be aware that the Specific Carbohydrate Diet can be low in Thiamine Vitamin B 1. 

Nutritional Adequacy of the Specific Carbohydrate Diet in Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5653423/

"Seventy-one percent of participants' daily intakes were below the RDA for vitamins B1 and sixty-seven percent for B9. One-hundred percent of participants ' daily intakes were below the RDA for vitamin D."

Do take a B Complex supplement, Vitamin D and extra Thiamine in the form Benfotiamine.  Benfotiamine has been shown to promote intestinal healing, too.  

Low-carbohydrate diet optic neuropathy

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/840092/

Another example of Thiamine deficiency in low carbohydrate diet...

And...

Thiamine helps!

Hiding in Plain Sight: Modern Thiamine Deficiency

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8533683/

 

[trents]

2 hours ago, SportySue said:

Originally, according to Elaine,Gotschall and Mr’s Haas (brothers) , celiac is mainly a carbohydrate intolerance. I found this to certainly be true for me. 

Yes, that theory has been around for quite awhile an probably originated with the book, Dangerous Grains by Braly and Hoggan. However, I do not believe it is given much credence by the scientific community. Your body actually needs carbohydrates to maintain health.

[Scott Adams]

To be fair, I'm think Ron Hoggan was not anti-carb as much as anti-grain--but he is definitely anti-refined carbs, and lower carbs in general (but leans toward complex carbs). He also never claimed that this would cure celiac disease, as does Elaine Gotschall in her book--she actually claims that her diet can cure celiac disease.

[Mark Goldbach]

I have good success with using over the counter Kroger's Full Prescription Strength Athletes Foot Cream as recommended by my Dermatologist.

I normally use once every two weeks due to foods being contaminated with gluten. :(

[trents]

1 hour ago, Mark Goldbach said:

I have good success with using over the counter Kroger's Full Prescription Strength Athletes Foot Cream as recommended by my Dermatologist.

I normally use once every two weeks due to foods being contaminated with gluten.

What's t he connection there, Mark? Athlete's foot medicines are antifungals. I don't see how they could address any problems with gluten contamination.

[Mark Goldbach]

Product details states "May provide relief from itching, burning, cracking, scaling and discomfort".

I have Celiac Disease and break out with an itchy rash, dermatitis herpetiformis.

The cream works for me.

[Scott Adams]

If you have DH you will likely also want to avoid iodine, which is common in seafoods and dairy products, as it can exacerbate symptoms in some people. This article may also be helpful:

 

[Mark Goldbach]

Good Stuff! The article even notes the Kroger Athletes foot cream works for others also.

Thanks

 

[trents]

3 hours ago, Mark Goldbach said:

Product details states "May provide relief from itching, burning, cracking, scaling and discomfort".

I have Celiac Disease and break out with an itchy rash, dermatitis herpetiformis.

The cream works for me.

It must have hydrocortisone or some other topical anesthetic in it.

[BoiseNic]

Trents - there is a lot of research and speculation that dermatitis herpetiformis, at least in part, can have fungal overgrowth as one of the causes or underlying factors. Fungal outbreaks are also characterized by extreme itching and burning just like dermatitis herpetiformis. If this theory is any bit true, it would make sense that anti-fungal creams would help with the itch. 

[trents]

13 minutes ago, BoiseNic said:

Trents - there is a lot of research and speculation that dermatitis herpetiformis, at least in part, can have fungal overgrowth as one of the causes or underlying factors. Fungal outbreaks are also characterized by extreme itching and burning just like dermatitis herpetiformis. If this theory is any bit true, it would make sense that anti-fungal creams would help with the itch. 

Can you provide us with some links to said research? Historically, celiac disease has been considered to be the only known cause for dermatitis herpetiformis - such that having dermatitis herpetiformis was confirmation of having celiac disease.

[BoiseNic]

I'm at work but I'll see what I can dig up when I'm off. Yes I agree that celiac disease is the cause of dermatitis herpetiformis, but there are some insights that suggest yeasts or fungus may be one of the things that initially triggers celiac disease in genetically disposed people. I believe I even read something about it on this site. I had to take repeated courses of antibiotics when I was younger due to a severe strep-throat and ear infection. Looking back, all my problems starting manifesting shortly thereafter. Antibiotic use can lead to yeast and fungus overgrowth, and skin eruptions from both dermatitis herpetiformis and yeasts have strikingly similar characteristics - particularly the extreme itching and burning sensations. I starting wondering about and intuiting this link due to my own experiences and symptoms, and have found a lot of evidence to corroborate it. That's why it would make sense that anti-fungal creams and topicals such as ketoconazole have helped so many people. 

[BoiseNic]

https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/kurumemedj/68/2/68_MS682018/_pdf#:~:text=This fungus may be associated,develop celiac disease%2C and vice versa.

[BoiseNic]

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1568997220301889

[BoiseNic]

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6906151/

[trents]

Good reads. Would seem wise for celiacs to cut down on carbs, especially simple sugars as candida thrives on them.

[BoiseNic]

I agree. It may help to explain some of the reasons people develop intolerances to other foods also.