Have you seen a doctor about this? It doesn't sound "normal", to begin with. you should get diagnosed.
Then if it's a matter of cooling down, perhaps coconut oil or aloe.

Have you tried an epsom salts bath - just warm, not cold but not hot... I had very low magnesium and had this kind of sensitive skin. We get so used to feeling badly that we don't ask doctors about blood tests to see if we have a deficiency. Recently I had extreme muscle pain and chalked it up to my illness(es). It was low potassium. If taking an epsom salt bath works and there is no reason you shouldn't take magnesium you might try 500 mg a day if you aren't already. As for lotions and such, I've been using one for a while that helps a bit to strengthen the top layers. It's called Aveeno Positively Ageless Skin Strengthening Body Cream. It's pricey so I mix it with st ives collegen elastic lotion to stretch it.

Maybe topical lidocaine would help. Try an OTC lidocaine spray for sunburn. Or, a lidocaine patch script from your doctor. Other than that, a script for Gabapentin. I hope that you feel better soon.

A doctor once gave me lidocaine ointment, but it did little help. The only thing that made me feel better was getting on gabapentin. My bedsheets stopped attacking me and walking in the sand stopped feeling like walking on shards of glass. My skin is still sensitive, but not to that degree anymore. But you said you don't want to start an oral med, so I'm not sure what other advice to give. I think trying something with lidocaine is a start, though.

I'm not sure if a doctor has ever explained this to you but.... if you drew a line of brain activity, mark it coma, sleep, awake and seizure (far L is coma and all the way to the R is seizure), a fibromyalgia patient's brain activity is somewhere between awake and seizure. This is why most fibro patients are treated with anticonvulsant meds, gabapentin being the most common one. My previous PCP explained the odd brain activity is part of the reason why our body feels so out of whack, everything hurts. And also why we can't sleep... because our brains are firing off with too much activity.

Try using organic Coconut oil. It goes into the skin easily and it provides a soothing sensation.

Thanks for your replies

Gustokitty - Pretty sure it is a fibro nerve like pain of the skin. I have had this skin pain at times in the past , but it doesnt usually last this many days. Thanks, Aloe might be a good idea, I have been researching Aloe gel products online - looks like the way to go is organic and with high Aloe content and listed as first ingredient.

Nina - I may have to see the Dr if it doesnt pass soon. As I said my tub isnt a soak tub for adult size people. My chronic gastric issues dont allow me take oral magnesium (and many other things).

Fantod - I had a bad reaction to Gaba in the past. Thanks for the idea of OTC lidocaine spray - I will try that. In fact, I might run out tonight yet and get some , I am so uncomfortable. Last I knew Medicare only pays for the patches if you have Shingles and I believe they are still quite pricey. Back in the day when I was still working I use to wear the patches at work and I remember that cooling feeling.

Blue - Aloha : ) Yeah, me and Gaba dont get along - I had a bad reaction from the very first pill, extreme panic and agitation, which is kinda weird because I took it when I was working years ago for thoracic outlet syndrome and did okay , but I have become more and more sensitive to meds. I cant even tolerate capsules with blue, green , or red dye - have an allergic reaction - severe skin type. Very interesting what you wrote about brain activity. I have not heard it explained that way, but I know about how it effects sleep.

Chichi - I will look into organic coconut oil , thanks.

For many years I have had episodes of days or weeks when I have EXTREME skin pain all over body, but I always have some pain like you describe. For 20 years have had to cut out all labels in clothes, avoid seams whenever possible, and I just spent $230 on super soft bamboo sateen sheets because even my regular bamboo sheets were feeling like sandpaper with this most recent flare up. The doctors don't seem to care what the cause of the neuropathy in my hand and feet are from, and they don't believe me when I tell them I have the same kind of pain from head to toe at times...pins and needles and burning all over. Even the neurologist I saw two weeks ago said it wasn't "in his field". So out of desperation I have been internet searching articles and found some excellent medical journal articles on "small fiber poly neuropathy" which seemed to more accurately describe my additions to peripheral neuropathy. I have none of the known causes given for peripheral neuropathy but these articles mention other underlying causes and conditions that can cause the skin pain all over....which includes issues with glucose tolerance. Ta da! I am not diabetic and get tested regularly but I have had LOW blood sugar issues for over 20 years. I am going to get serious about cutting out sugar again...many years ago, early 1990s, when they weren't acknowledging fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue yet, I read a book called Alternative Medicine" which described my symptoms to a T and suggested treatments and diet, including eating only organic fruits and vegetables, cutting out all processed foods, avoiding high carb foods, sugar, and caffeine. Gradually my CFS and fibro pain got better but when I fall off the wagon, the severe nerve pain in my skin comes back. I can ingest caffeine and sugar and within an hour begin to feel prickly on my skin, especially everywhere that gets pressure or touch when I am sitting. I just had $1200 out of pocket lab work done, I am so desparate for the pain to end. Mainly what the neurologist said was to stop taking any supplements with B6. I've been taking large doses of B complex for years because everything you read says B helps nerves.....I can't believe I never knew that too much B6 (my lab work came back with elevated b6 as well as a few other things) could cause neuropathy but when I researched it, there was lots of documentation. I found only one company online that makes a B complex without B6...called Desert Harvest so have been taking it 5 days now ...stopped my othe b complex over a week ago, and am already feeling less skin pain. What a relief. Many of us folks really need to know that all Bs are not good for us, especially when dealing with nerve pain. I have taken Gabapentin for years which has helped immensely for nerve pain in my back and down legs and in hip, but nothing has ever helped that burning, needles feeling all over my body...except watching my diet, and hopefully now reducing B6. Sorry for writing so much but I am hoping this info will help you or others. Dealing with these weird medical issues in trial and error and different for everyone, but if my neurologist wants to poo poo my severe burning and prickly skin pain, I am switching to so done who will take it seriously and look into this small fiber neuropathy which is a totally different animal than peripheral neuropathy and the standard tests like EMGs don't pick it up. The research paper I read the other day only came out in 2017 so I think methods for screening for it is relatively new. Forgot lead author name but he is with Phoenix Neurological Associates. Best of luck to you!

PS........Biofreeze lotion in tube or roll on is the only topical that works for me and allows me to get to sleep with this kind of pain when even soft pjs and sheets hurt.

Hi Megan. Thanks for sharing info and your experiences. I wear comfy clothes and no tags Mostly cotton clothes. I wouldnt say I am a snazzy dresser , but I wear what is comfortable for me. My sheets and bedding dont usually bother me because they are soft and comfy too, but when my skin pain is bad it does,

Dont give up finding a Dr that can/will help you. I went to the University of Michigan a couple of times for more expert help than I could find in my area for other things. Not sure if you have a place like that in your area.

I tried Biofreeze earlier today because I always have some on hand and it didnt help , actually made it worse. I went to Walmart tonight and the lidocaine spray they had said not to use on large areas (they only had one kind). So I bought the Aloe vera gel they had, it is not organic , but it is a alcohol free clear gel and aloe vera is the first ingredient. It is helping and you can use it liberally and as frequently as needed. I would like to be dipped in a vat of it. : )

That is good you found out your B 6 was high, since stopping it has helped your skin pain. I dont take vitamins/supplements, my stomach doesnt tolerate such things. But I guess if things dont turn around , I should probably have some blood work checked. My Vitamin D is chronically quite low for about 4 to 5 years now. I tried the pills, the chewables, and liquid Vitamin D and they all made my stomach ill. Lately, I have been trying to drink milk ,I tolerate it okay unless I am already nauseated and then just the thought of it makes me gag. I know the low Vitamin D makes my fatigue much worse.

Mildly- thanks for responding. That is so interesting that we are all so different..I would have thought Biofreeze would have worked on anything just because of the cooling effect on my skin. It does wear off fairly quickly though so I have to put it on just before I try to sleep. So sorry your tummy doesn't handle pills or supplements etc...I have taken so many for so many years I can't imagine life without them. When my health plummeted in the early 90s and I started researching my symptoms, there was such an emphasis on nutrition and I wondered if i wasn't absorbing enough in digestion, so started with supplements and eventually also discovered digestive enzymes. I had dropped a lot of wait and looked anorexic for years, then started taking the enzymes and started gaining weight. I'm so glad to have found this group, We have a great group here that was started in 1999 but I don't get there much unless my health is so miserable and I'm trying to find answers. ..so with this last flare up I was eager to go to a meeting but they are not having one till June for some reason. It is so nice to be around folks who are going through similar issues. Can anyone tell me how you get your pic on here? I enjoy seeing what folks look like, makes it more personal.
I live in a big city..Kansas City area, but all of the best Drs are further out in the suburbs and I don't feel well enough to drive very far, and no support people to help me at this point in my life. I pay a fortune in insurance with a 5000 deductible , am not able to work, so any treatment or tests isn't covered but I am grateful I can shop around for Drs with just a $30 copay. Problem is all the Drs are owned by hospitals. I am near two hospitals so each has many dr office buildings nearby, but when all the Drs of one specialty are in one practice, they won't let you change from one dr to anyone else in the same group if you don't work well with one, so I essentially have only one choice in each of the two groups. Frustrating, how am I to get to know if the dr is the the right fit for me till I try them. I'm stuck now with one I don't care for....the neurologist who told me he didn't know anything about nerve pain anywhere else in my body so to go. But I can't transfer to anyone else in that large group...so have to try the group owned by the other hospital, and if they stick me with another one who doesn't care, I'm sunk! Anyone else having this problem with specialists in big groups owned by hospitals?

Milily - After I posted, I remembered that you can now buy Lidocaine patches OTC. You are correct that a script for them is quite pricey. I bought some Lidocaine gel from Amazon a while back. Glad to hear that the Aloe is helping. Fibromyalgia is a betcha the best of times. Hang in there.

Milily I often have that burning skin feeling like it has been sandpapered. It is part of fibro and nerve damage on my part. When I am like that I freeze cotton fabric squares and place on my skin. It burns at first but does help calm the nerves that are going nuts. Lidocaine patches can also help.

Milily, yay for aloe helping you :). I'm sorry if I came off sounding like you had to take something. That wasn't my intention. I guess I was just trying to explain how the brain makes us feel like our own body is attacking us. Hugs and I hope you feel better soon.

Well , I wrote a long reply and DS ate it. I will try again tomorrow , I am too annoyed right now. In short, things have gotten worse with my skin, nothing is helping, and I am making a Drs appt and hopefully can get a appt in timely manner. I am not entirely convinced this is from fibro now.

Did I mention that when I went to a neurologist a few weeks ago(Ive been in high skin pain mode for a few weeks now) and he gave me tons of lab test. I was high in B 6. Ive been taking B complex for years, the more my skin hurt, the more B I took, not knowing that B6 actually causes nerve pain. Dr told me to cut out the B6 from my supplements, and the only B complex made without B 6 is brand called Desert Harvest. I've been taking it for a week now and my skin pain is better. I can't believe no drs or my extensive reading on neuropathy and nerve pain never mentioned it! I also meant to mention that I can take valium and it calms me and helps with my skin nerve pain. Anything to calm down my nervous system helps. If I ingest caffeine, like tea, coffee or chocolate, sugar, or eat too much salt or sodium, my skin pain flares up badly and sends me into long episodes of pain. You are in my thoughts.