Fibromyalgia Community

Erin,
OMG,I have never heard anyone say that they had the same thing that I do,I have had for many years the small white blister looking bubbles that I have on my hands that will break and then they get really ithchy and my fingers will swell,I always thougt it was allergies,still not sure, but I also have that feeling that my skin is really dry because they kinda feel that way but like you said when I put on lotion they are not dry,I have had that for most of the summer, but I do suffer badly with dry skin in the winter, it is already starting and usually it starts in the middle of the winter.So I know it is going to be really bad.Don't know what to do to prevent that.

I also have had C5 removed in my neck and now have a cadaver bone with a titanium plate,but this problem started really early before that operation,I do have a small patch of herpes of the skin that also produces the small white blister looking bubbles and when they come out,that place is very sore,sometimes it is sore because of the nerves and it comes out with stress,some people get shingles also with this.There is Vatrex and they gave it to me at first but I never took it,I still don't at this time,I used to control it with rest,but now it happens when it feels like it.

I just really think this is all fibro related,I sometimes hope it is just something I can take a pill for and fix but I'm not sure it is.Good Luck and please share more of this,Good Luck and hope this all subsides for you.

Hugs Donna

I really don't know what this is. The gold standard treatment for skin conditions though is hydrocortisone cream. It's OTC and not very expensive. Typically it relieves the itch and helps the skin heal.

Since this is the second time it's happened, maybe a Dermatology consult should be considered.

Hi Erin,

I hope you see this. Skin problems are so common with fibro. Here's some info from an article that quoted me (so it must be pretty credible, right?!).
"Around 50% of people with FM suffer with skin problems according to Dr Mark Pellegrino from Canton, Ohio, who has treated over 20,000 fibromyalgia patients. "Patients report tingling, numbness, crawling sensations and a burning or sunburn type feeling," he reports. "The main skin symptoms you will see on examination are areas of dry, flaky skin, non-specific red rashes, blotchy or mottled skin and bruising."

"Studies show overactive skin pain receptors," explains Pellegrino. "So the skin can indeed be painful and hurt at the lightest touch. The hypersensitivity of the autonomic nerves result in the symptoms of itching, numbness, tingling, burning and crawling sensations, as well as neurovascular changes leading to cold, dry, sweaty or mottled skin. There is also a phenomenon known as dermatographism where scratching your finger along the skin will cause a red mark or rash to form," he adds. "This is most pronounced in the skin overlying painful muscles and thought to be due to dysfunctional autonomic nerves overreacting to the pressure and causing a low-grade skin irritation."


I think the fibro's hypersensitized small skin nerves/autonomics predispose us to these skin problems. Our skin may become too dry because of the dysfunctional sweat gland nerves, and then our skin may try to correct this "dry irritation" by bringing "moisture" to the area. But the moisture may arrive as bumps or bubbles on the skin (known as vesicles) for some of us. These vesicles are yet another dysfunctional display of our skin autonomics. Yes it would be much easier and cosmetically better if our skin could just add more moisture like normal people, but our fibro does not make things easy for us.

So we try to correct dryness in a dysfunctional way, and end up creating "moisture irritation" signals, I believe. Then the dryness cycle starts over and so on and on and on..... I'm sure various stressors, irritants, co-exisitng conditions, nutitional factors etc all play a role in these skin issues.

The FMoral of this story: Our fibro problems are skin-deep.

Take care,

Dr. P

Hi... Dr. P... You are unreal... FMoral of the story... Our fibro problems are skin deep... lol... I sure don't feel like they are just skin deep... I feel like they seer thru me lol...

I too get these blisters... especially if I am in the sun... I have to wear pants and long sleeves if I go out in the sun... I should wear gloves because that is where they tend to have blisters... that and my face but that is rare...

I even swim in my long pants and long sleeves outfit... I know I look so funny... I am sure the neighbors think I am a dork... but life goes on... I do what I have to do...

then I have dry patches on my feet and arms and I have one on my neck now that has a blister on it... My feet are usually the worst... but my neck is catching up lol... the race is on lol...

Do you have dryness behind your ears too... mine is horrendous.... and just won't quit...

It hurts and burns and itches and burns and hurts... oh did I say that lol... well it does...

I didn't know it had anything to do with FM... My Dr. thinks it is shingles... I doubt I can convince her that it might be FM.. she thinks I put too much emphasis on FM... it is my excuse for everything... she isn't listening well anymore...

Well I have said what I wanted to say... I think... I don't feel so alone now... thanks for the subject... and thanks for the input Dr. P...

Bless you all.. take care... luv... jan/angelldakota

I have never had significant dry skin or rashes with FMS, but I have had dermatographism. That is a blast, I could draw pictures or write on my skin and it would come up as red lines within seconds. It didn't hurt or itch or anything, just turned red.

I have known other people who do not have FMS, that also had this at one time or another during their lives.

Your info is always interesting.

Take care, Annette

I know Dr.P answered this, but I just want to put in a dermatology thought.

We have a problem with fungal irritations in this family. My Sis, My Husband and now my son have a problem with little patches of blister like things that pop and peel.....it is from too much water usage. They use medication, and then Lubriderm lotion to have as a barrier.

Maybe a derm visit would help too. It is a classic look, he would know if it fits.

Good luck, it IS always something with us. The other thing is it can be seasonal in coming on and get better at other times.
Good luck, Nancy B

Thanks for the answer Dr. P.

I think i have decided that it was an allergic reaction to the generic brand of cleaner i was using on my counter tops and bathroom tops.

Its much better than it was now that i stopped using it.

I tore through my house looking at anything that was "new"

Hey Donna :)

Is there anyway you may have Ezcema ? The way you described the little bubbles and that break and get really itchy. Ezcema is allergy related and ezcema does not like to be dry. I have ezcema and I treat it with a topical cream that that my doctor prescribed that works amazingly ! After I have the itchy to wear I can't itch it anymore, my hands become very irratated from the friction and become cracked and swell and becomes very painful.

So just a thought ! Here is a link explaining ezcema a bit more :) http://www.webmd.com/allergies/guide/eczema

Hello Dr. P:
I have had psorasis for about 4-5 yrs. now. It was really severe by the time I found a good Dermotoligist.I tried every cream and or ointment there was, but this Dr. said I needed to treat mine from the inside, not the outside. So, I was on methotrecsate (or however you spell it) for about a year. Now I have been on Enbrel (the shot) twice a week. IT's wonderful stuff. My psorasis all but cleared up and the best part, my arthritis didn't hurt so much.Anyway, between my derm. and my pcp, they think thats what brought on my fibro. I don't know, but my psorasis was the uglyist thing you ever seen. I wish one of my drs. could find something for my fibro like he did for my psorasis. And by the way, my arms have been killing me since yesterday. Just my arm! and elbows feel like someone is sticking a knife in them. What do you think???

lesfm1

so-would it be possible that when I say my ear itches and feels like something is crawling in it this might be fibro related? The doctor swears my ear is fine every time she looks in it but it drives me crazy. Sometimes, but not always I will end up with a bit of moisture coming from it - even though an hour before it was dry. COMMENTS WELCOME-it is driving me crazy!

All started MANY MANY yrs ago, with Psoriosis ... NOW, full blown fibro, osteo arthritis , spinal stenosis, osteopinia, some hyper reflex disorder ... and more than I can begin to keep listing .... I have had so MANY, MANY tests SCANS, MRI'S etc ... I am in to debt so over my head that the STRESS alone from that is, well ... not helping ( am being kind about that statment ) I have a list longer than your arm of meds I can NOT take ,,,, somewhere somehow someone has to figure this all out!!?? I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE MY LIFE BACK ... HMmmmm??? What's next???

I have had a problem since childhood where I am hypersensitive to certain materials like metal.Touching metal usually drives me nuts,makes my mouth water and is the most unpleasant sensation.I also have a problem sometimes with paper,I cant touch it without lotion on my hands to act as a barrier btween my skin and the paper. My hands are also very dry which isn't painful to me but still very unpleasant,like scratching a chalk boars lol.
When my son was growing up I would have to put the dollar for his lunch in his pocket bcause he couldn't stand to touch it.I had never mentioned this to anyone so he didn't hear me talk about it.
I also used to sleep in socks everynight so the sheets wouldn't touch my feet.My son was always very fanatical about his socks.This disease sure causes some weird problems that truly affect your life.

I hear ya about the doctor not listening. Mine are doing the same thing, and I really need a doctor who will listen and treat these symptoms! The more I read about FM, the more I learn that it IS the cause of most, if not ALL, of our pain! It affects everything! and I get those painful dry patches, too, and it feels like shingles, but it's not. Very confusing and tough to treat all of this. Take care.

I have had these long before FM and it's from nerves during menses mostly for me. The onlyy spine problem I had at the time is a light curvature.