New symptom

[Buildashed]

This is a weird one, I started last week with a flare, I guessed it was a flare starting as I had the funny smell up my nose, foggy head was worse and a stabbing pain on my left side by my rib, I took myself of to bed so it could have it’s fling, 2 weeks I have been on the settee feeling sorry for myself. This new symptom is hard to explain, I can’t wear trousers even pyjamas are digging in my waist and my bra is unbearable, also when my clothes touch my skin it’s weird like something is crawling on me, so if I get up and walk about I’m shuddering all the time with this weird sensation all over my body. It’s driving me in saine I was wondering if any one else experiences it? Many thanks x

[Dizzytwo Moderator]

Hi there, I also suffer with the clothes irritating my skin. I guess most people do to be honest. And its not always people with fibro who suffer too.

If some clothes makes you itch, you may have what's called textile or clothing dermatitis. It's a form of contact dermatitis. Your skin could be reacting to the fibers in your clothes, or to the dyes, and other chemicals used to treat what you wear. Just a thought xx

[Buildashed in reply to Dizzytwo]

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply. I don’t itch I don’t know how to explain it, I suppose it’s like someone has a feather constantly brushing it across my body but it feels intense, also when you hit your funny bone on your elbow and you get that tingle I get that all over my body. My husband says Iv had it before, he remembers more than me lol, but it’s never been this intense xx

[Dizzytwo Moderator in reply to Buildashed]

Maybe it could be more like this.Formication is the feeling of insects crawling across or underneath your skin. The name comes from the Latin word “formica,”which means ant. Formication is known as a type of paresthesia. Paresthesia happen when you feel sensations on your skin that don't have a physical cause.

We fibromites have to remind ourselves not everything we experience is related to fibro xx

[Buildashed in reply to Dizzytwo]

Thankyou for the info very much appreciated. I do tend to put everything down to fibro, I do suffer from anxiety so it could be that, sitting wrapped up in electric blanket, just got the tingles in my back, so feeling much better, hope it goes soon otherwise another trip to the doctors. Xx

[Hidden in reply to Buildashed]

I think this is a fibro thing but not everyone gets it. Its a rarer symptoms xx

[desquinn Partner Volunteer FMAUK Trustee in reply to Hidden]

its not rare as a symptom . Its "just" pain in one of its forms. We have pain as a collective term then we have allodynia and parathesia and the like and then we have things like formication.

Its part of the whole symptoms conversation and how many there are and the synonyms that are used. I think its like colours and we can describe like cool, navy Prussian, teal, or cadet are just some that relate to blue. Talk to an interior designer and you can expend hours on why Prussian is "better" than teal whereas I would just say blue is fine!

Context is critical and in a clinical discussion and perhaps a research one the types of pain are important to distinguish and critical in decision making but it a normal patient setting Blue will normally suffice or Ouch! if you prefer. It does give some comfort to know the differences and to categorise them but not sure the utility in a patient setting beyond that except in these sort of conversations.

[Buildashed in reply to desquinn]

Thank you, much appreciated

[Nothing_but_books in reply to Dizzytwo]

I always run a second rinse cycle on any clothes that will directly touch my skin. If I'm having a very bad time reacting to clothing, I even run a short full wash and rinse cycle. I find that helps me.

[Buildashed in reply to Nothing_but_books]

Thankyou, I will keep that in mind x

[Hazel_Angelstar Administrator FMA UK Staff]

I have to be very careful with clothes, as just cannot tolerate certain textures against my skin. I either get the skin crawling feeling, pins and needles or burning pain depending.

[Buildashed in reply to Hazel_Angelstar]

Thank you for your reply, it’s good to know I’m not on my own, I have the burning inside my body, tummy and back it’s so weird, I’m never without pain, like us all, but this flare has really got me down. Something different all the time. It’s know wonder I’m anxious all the time. Thanks again. Much appreciated x

[Hazel_Angelstar Administrator FMA UK Staff in reply to Buildashed]

Yeah, I find that when I'm in a flare I get weird pains that I don't get normally xxx

[Yassytina FMA UK Volunteer]

Sorry to read you have been unwell for a couple of weeks now and that you pick up very soon. I do not like wearing wool on my skin since I’ve had Fibro and when It warms up I cannot wait to wear T-shirts or loose fitting dresses , maybe mention this on your next trip to your doctors surgery or even ring for some advice. Xx

[Buildashed in reply to Yassytina]

Thankyou so much, it’s a nightmare isn’t it, I’m cold all the time so I have the hot blanket on then I’m sweating, can’t win.I thought it might be some nerve thing going on, but reading posts some people are saying it’s not a Fibro symptom, if it don’t calm down soon I will have to go to my doctors. Thank you for your time x

[Yassytina FMA UK Volunteer in reply to Buildashed]

Yes maybe well worth a visit for a piece of mind, a bit different but if I knock myself I go threw the roof now and my nerve ending on my fingers are extremely sensitive I dread getting stung by a bee as pain is awful compared to when I didn’t have fibro . Oh the joys 🤣take care x

[Rubble46]

Hi it may be a possibility that you have tactile allodynia I’m no doctor but you describe similar symptoms to myself and my doctor told me I have this he also mentioned wearing cotton and natural clothing flat bands on trousers no wire bra you will eventually get used to it hope this helps x

[Buildashed in reply to Rubble46]

Thank you so much, looking into new no wire bras at the moment. Also will invest in cotton clothes, it’s driving me mad, will try anything. X

[Annmarie09]

Yes became sensitive to everything even touch. Stop wearing bras cut labels out of all clothing.

Not sure about the small thou sorry xx

[Buildashed in reply to Annmarie09]

Thankyou so much for the tips, I’m on it now.x

[Hidden]

I have this more often than not. I just want to be naked!! I hate clothes. Everything feels uncomfortable. I judt got dressed to take the kids to school and the tshirt I'm wearing I feel likes suffocating me, the jeans feel too tight but they aren't and bras and pants can f off! They feel like handcuffs. Uts the weirdest thing. I spend most of the time at home in loose comfortable pj bottoms and a vest. Sometimes even that annoys me. Xx

[Buildashed in reply to Hidden]

Hi thank you so much for your reply, that is exactly how I feel I am living in loose massive baggy pyjamas so they don’t dig in my waist, and no bra, but even when I move about and the material brushes across my body I shudder it’s a weird feeling. Be glad when it does one, I know it will have its fling and calm down soon and hope. Really appreciate your feed back snd to know I’m not imagining it. Xx

[E3178]

I am similar. Itching, crawling, stinging, burning. Cut out labels, soft no wire bras, silk long sleeved vests, wear underclothes inside out to avoid seams, loose clothing indoors etc, etc.

[Buildashed in reply to E3178]

Hi, it’s a nightmare isn’t it, just no let up it gets me down. Thank you for replying it means a lot. I just checked my diary, my hubby said I have had it before and he was right, 2020 exactly the same, just seems like worse than ever. X

[Flowerc]

I have had a stabbing pain on my left side in my ribs recently feels like someone is stabbing me with a knife if I roll over in bed sometimes and sometimes when I bend down it does it it’s so painful I have been to the doctors on Monday as the last doctor I saw couple weeks ago brushed it of when I mentioned it so she has just sent me for full bloods again the doctors frustrate me as you know when something really isn’t right don’t you

[Buildashed in reply to Flowerc]

I remember I had it 2020, had blood tests nothing showed up, but worse this time, so will probably have to go back again. So glad your getting tests done maybe you can let me know how it goes. Take care and thanks for your reply x

[Flowerc in reply to Buildashed]

Yes I will let you know

[Josie-Anne]

Hi Buildashed,

There may be a few things at hand, the funny smell up your nose could be to go with your sinuses and the pain around your waist is usual I get it and it hurts when I wear my bra it’s called costacondritis, if you look it up you can see how it affects your ribs top and bottom and that may be what’s causing the pain, hope this helps x

[Buildashed in reply to Josie-Anne]

Thank you so much for that information Josi-Anne. It sounds very much like costacondritis, I have it in my chest as well, thinking about it I got carried away in the garden on the hoe a few weeks ago, I felt so well, but paying for it now. Been resting for 7 days I just hope it goes away. Many thanks xx

[Josie-Anne in reply to Buildashed]

You welcome hun, hope you feel better soon 😁

[Josie-Anne in reply to Buildashed]

try a hot water bottle or a wheat bag wrap they help too 😊

[Dodo71]

Hello Buildased.

I'm sorry to hear that you're feeling so unwell.

I'm going through the same thing as you at the moment. My Dr told me at I also have costochondritis now. It's not just pain, as you say it's a horrible feeling all over the body. Yesterday was really bad, I have hardly slept and clothes hurt, and the smell is awful. What gets me through flare ups are my young grand children, seeing them, talking to them on the phone or watching videos that my daughter send me. I hope you too can find something to cheer you and get you through this time. Take care of yourself.

[Buildashed in reply to Dodo71]

Hi Dodo71, thank you so much for taking the time to reply, just knowing that someone else is going through something similar helps so much. This feeling is horrendous, this will be my third week, it’s the tingly weird feeling on my chest and back and digging in my rib. Think I need to stop stressing and feeling sorry for myself, I haven’t moved off the settee which I think is probably doing me no good to be honest. Might give my doctor a call tomorrow see if I can increase my meds I’m only on a low dose of duloxetene. I hope you too feel a little better soon. X