New here - Looking for answers!

[davidx]

Hi everyone-

I am new here but am glad I found this site. I am posting in the PN section but I am not even sure this is definitely the right place so if anyone could suggest another section to post this msg in please let me know!

I have had the strangest symptom for about a year. My legs (particulary my knees) have very sensitive skin. When I wear pants and I walk around and they rub on my legs I get weird/uncomfortable/painful sensations. Anywhere from mild discomfort all the way up to the feeling like a band-aid is being constantly ripped off my skin. When I wear shorts that are above the knees, I no longer have the symptoms.

Any thoughts? Any help or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks very much

-David

[Silverlady]

Hi David,
Nice to meet you. Just some more questions to help us help you.

You mention your legs, but you don't mention your feet. Is there pain in your feet? If so, describe the pain.

Have you seen a doctor for this? If so, what kind of doctor? If you have seen a doctor, what did he say? If you did see a doctor, did he run any tests?

Billye

[Norway]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allodynia
Read this, it might be what you ask for

i have small fiber neuropathy and Alldyni to touch, and temperature

[davidx]

Thanks for the responses.

I do not have this sensation in my feet. It is primarily the skin around and on my knees. When I wear pants and I walk around, the fabric just doesn't feel "right". Sometimes it's just annoying and other times it can be painful. Sometimes I just get it on the back of my legs and not on the front! I know it sounds strange but the intensity and location changes at times.

As for doctors...I have been diagnosed with lyme disease so this may be the cause but there is no way to know for sure. I have had a number of blood tests, MRIs, skin biopsies, EMGs, etc. and a few things show up here and there but nothing to help diagnose the problem.

I am wondering if this is the right section to be posting this message at all?

I have read about allodynia and this may be what I have...the doctors have just called it hypersensitive skin. One of the skin biopsies was for the small fibers but it came back normal?

Norway- maybe you can tell me about your symptoms and treatment?

Thanks for any help.

-David

[bonnie]

Try this site- www.painonline.org.allo.htm - It's easy to understand. I have pn in my arms, legs, face and neck, shoulders. Sometimes it feels like warm water is being poured down a limb or finger. Once, I was in the back alley, and my husband caught me doing a strange dance. I thought a mouse had crawled into my shorts. My knees have been an issue for a long time. Front,back, and sideways. My neuro says it's allodynia. Standing still makes it worse. I can't wear a $100 skirt that hems at the knee but you probably don't have that problem. I have no solution just a name. That at least means I'm not insane. I take comfort in that and offer it to you.

[darlindeb]

I complain about clothing touching me all the time--I often refer to myself as the "princess and the pea!" I can't stand my clothes too tight cause they touch me, I can't wear some shoes, because they are touching me, dont like cuffs on sleeves, cause they are touching me, blankets have to be just right, not too heavy cause I can't stand them touching me--thank God I am not alone.:rolleyes:

[davidx]

Thanks for the responses. It doesnt appear that temperature bothers me...it's just clothing that rubs on my legs (particularly on my knees). I am being treated for lyme disease as this may be the cause of this problem. Have any of you been diagnosed with lyme?

Darlindeb- It sounds like you have this sensitive skin throughout your body? When did this start for you and did the doctors have any idea what caused it?

Bonnie and Norway- I am sorry that you both have PN...do they know what caused this?

Is allodynia a type of PN even without pins and needles?

What kind of treatment have any of you tried? I sometimes you lidocaine patches and I have been told by my doctors that meds like neurontin, lyrica, etc. might help.

I would say that the antibiotics I am on for lyme have helped the symptoms to get a bit better but I still have a long way to go!

--David

[glenntaj]

--is just a term that refers to pain being caused by normally non-painful stimuli, such as the friction of clothes on skin. It implies either some form of small-fiber neuropathy or some central nervous system problem, and there's no reason that Lyme couldn't cause either or both, unfortunately.

[nide44]

..........or some ........ problem, and there's no reason that Lyme couldn't cause either or both, unfotunately.
Lyme is a major player in causing PN.
Glenn,
Your law of Seasonal Exacerbation has to say
".........Summer,.....and Fall,....and Winter,...and Spring !":cool: :)

[darlindeb]

To be honest David, I do not believe I ever mentioned this part of my neuropathy to the doctors. Amazing isn't it? I guess I just thought it was a quirk of mine, not part of the neuropathy. What am I thinking? Of course it must have something to do with nerve endings. Some times I swear, the lights on and no ones home inside my head! I wear shorts when I am home, all the time, I haven't thought about why. You turn the light on!!!!!!

[davidx]

Thanks for all the replies. If it was a central nervous system issue, do you think it would be more widespread? I had a skin biopsy done looking at the small fibers but it came out normal. So the mystery continues. I know it could be from lyme but the question is will it ever get better?

It turns out that I also have elevated vitamin B6 levels. I read that too much vitamin B6 can cause PN type symptoms. The funny thing is that I do not take any supplements? Does anyone know what kind of doctor deals with vitamin absorption issues?

Thanks for all the help.

-David