Well, I am seeing a dermatologist on May 1st, hoping that I would be diagnosed with DH by skin biopsy, in the process getting a firm diagnosis of celiac disease, that will hold up anywhere.

So, for four days I ate two slices of rye bread, or yesterday, I ate two waffles for breakfast. I weighed myself today, and in those four days I've gained EIGHT pounds! My joints are aching, my hands are stiff and swollen, my eyes are tearing, I have acid reflux and heartburn, my knees buckle going down the stairs, I'm itching all over, I have a stomach ache, chest pains, clumsiness, I'm irritable....................lots of symptoms I had BEFORE going on the gluten free diet. And I was steadily losing weight as well.

Even though I am getting rashes (which was the point), everything else just isn't worth it. Seeing all those problems coming back is confirmation enough for me, even if the rashes all go away before seeing the doctor. Especially the weight gain is the clincher. NO WAY will I risk gaining back all the weight I've lost!

Strangely, I appear to be back where I was before getting so sick with chronic diarrhea last May (which lasted until October, at which point I went gluten-free). I am constipated more than anything, no D at all. I guess I've healed enough to not have the 'classical' symptoms any more when consuming gluten.

I understand, I'm not willing to do that at this point, nor do I think I could last long enough for a gluten challange to be effective. I'd probably drop out after 1-2 days...

Is there any hope that your Dr can squeeze you in now??? Explain to them what you've been going through, and how important it is to you. If they can understand that you are literally killing yourself in order to be in a "testable" state when you see them, perhaps they can make some time for you now???

Michael, to get a specialist appointment here in Canada as fast as I did seems like a miracle as it is, its not likely I'd have any chance of seeing him earlier. Plus, I don't think I have a blister at this point that would work. The only one I got was right on my nose, and I popped it! Other than that, it's just things like pimples, hives etc. at this point (and the back of my head feels like I have lice again, even though I know I don't, it freaks me out though).

I might get some nasty looking ones even if I stop eating gluten, as those things are often quite delayed anyway.

Another thing is, that we're going to Vancouver from May 6th to 14th (from us, a five hour plane ride west). A business trip for my husband, but hopefully fun for Susie (our youngest daughter, 14) and me, as we will be visiting relatives there we've never had a chance to visit before. I don't want to look like a freak!

Thanks for the support, though, I appreciate it.