Thank you both for your responses. Yes, it is DH - I had the biopsy done a few months ago. I monitor the forum quite frequently and you all have been a tremendous resource for me. I'm hoping that by next week my hands will be back to normal. It's quite unusual (from what I've researched) to have the DH on my hands. I wish I could celebrate the disappearing of the rash with a nice pint of Guiness, but I know I can't drink it anymore Hopefully the Bard's Beer company will get things up and running soon! I think I'll be one of the first on their list to drink it! Have ag reat weekend everyone!

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Hi Heather,



Dapsone usually clears DH within literally a few days - less than a week. It's trial and error as to how large a dose is required to be effective. Usually doctors like to start people on a low dose and increase it if necessary. As you've been gluten-free for a while it may be that you'll be OK on 50mg per day. Let us know how you get on.



Annie

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Hi,



On dapsone you should get releaf after just a handfull of days if it is DH. If you come off of dapsone, expect the rash to return equally quickly.



You say that you have been on the diet for 5 months alone, well for many that is long enough to show some improvement. For many others however it takes a few months of dapsone first to get any improvement at all once on back diet alone again. A typical number i hear mentioned is 2 years on dapsone. (Thankfully for me it was 7 weeks on GF diet alone for things to start to clear up, 6 months for the job to be pretty much completed. I havent had any real problems since sticking to the diet - but I think I am lucky.)



Rob.

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Ok, I just started on dapsone today, 50 mg a day. How long will it take for the DH to start to disappear? I'm also following a GF diet and have been for 5 months now. I sure hope the DH clears up fast

I had a bad reaction to Dapsone due to an allergy to sulfa. My DH rash did not subside until I was GF for six months. I did have problems with 'hidden gluten' in restaurant meals. Also have had to be vigalent re: ingredients in vitamins, over-the-counter meds and other Rx meds. I even had to give up the waffers at Communion in Church. But I have been sympton free for about four weeks, which is the first time in three years I can say that. I wish you the best....

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Ok, I just started on dapsone today, 50 mg a day. How long will it take for the DH to start to disappear? I'm also following a GF diet and have been for 5 months now. I sure hope the DH clears up fast

Thank you for your good wishes! I've been on the dapsone for 6 days now (50 mg) and the rash is still with me. My doctor called me on Saturday with my liver blood work and apparently my AST was twice as high as it should be already. And I had that blood drawn the day after I started on dapsone! I have to get it re-drawn on Thursday and if it's NOT as elevated, he will let me increase the dose. I'm so miserable and have had this for 3 years. I sure hope it gets better soon. I'll suggest the sulfapyrididine if this doesn't work. I'm going on a big trip to Atlanta, GA in July, and I'd really like this be cleared up by then

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Replying to:

I had a bad reaction to Dapsone due to an allergy to sulfa. My DH rash did not subside until I was GF for six months. I did have problems with 'hidden gluten' in restaurant meals. Also have had to be vigalent re: ingredients in vitamins, over-the-counter meds and other Rx meds. I even had to give up the waffers at Communion in Church. But I have been sympton free for about four weeks, which is the first time in three years I can say that. I wish you the best....

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Replying to:

Ok, I just started on dapsone today, 50 mg a day. How long will it take for the DH to start to disappear? I'm also following a GF diet and have been for 5 months now. I sure hope the DH clears up fast