I believe I have celiac disease although my lab tests some years ago were negative. I have many intestinal symptoms, pitting of my dental enamel, bleeding gums, etc and more recently was diagnosed with vitamin D deficiency and osteopenia (even though I have been gluten-free for about 5 years).

There is a rash that I have gotten about 6 times in the last six years. It is very itchy in nature. I am suspicious that it is dermatitis herpetiformis. I got the rash again about a week ago and decided to go to my doctor requesting a biopsy specifically for determining whether it is dermatitis herpetiformis. I saw a family practitioner (not my regular doctor as she was out) and it appeared that perhaps he wasn't real familiar with the procedure. I had to make sure that he understood that the biopsy had to be from the normal-appearing skin and not just lesional skin. He took a punch biopsy including both apparently. After I left the office I got worried that he wouldn't order the correct staining. So I called the office and spoke to his nurse. She seemed to tag me as one of those nut cases that maybe thinks she knows more than the doctor. She ended up telling me that we should "wait and see what the lab report shows" and that the "doctor will do what is best for me". I told her to be sure and remind him that the biopsy specimen had to have the immunoflourescent staining for the normal appearing skin and hemoxylin and eosin staining for the perilesional skin.

However, my doctor called this afternoon and said that the biopsy showed nummular contact dermatitis. I asked if the immunoflourescent staining was done. He said no, "they (the lab) could tell it wasn't necessary after initial evaluation" WHAT?! That is why I had the biopsy - for the specific reason of determining whether it was DH - of whether I had IgA deposits. I specifically went in and thought the doctor understood that the question was about DH!!! Good grief. Now I have a doctor, lab bill for something that is of no value to me. Not even what I was after.