Extremely dry chapped lips?

[bethm1129]

Anyone experiencing extremely dry lips with all of this? They continually peel.

[piglette]

I get extremely dry lips. At night they even stick together. I never had the problem before steroids.

[bethm1129 in reply to piglette]

hmmm, ok. Maybe its the Pred then. **sigh**

[Longtimer in reply to piglette]

Yes, dry lips, dry eyes and very dry nose....horrible....

[piglette in reply to Longtimer]

I get dry, sore eyes too.

[Twopies]

Yes yes and yes. Always look a little puffy to me.

[softekcom]

Yes, I have been experiencing dry, peeling and cracked lips for ages. I've always thought it had something to do with pernicious anemia (Vit B defficiency). Either that or possibly some kindof dermatitis. Does anyone know of any remedy for this? Has anything worked ?

My eyes are constantly watery, not dry.

[MiloCollie in reply to softekcom]

Watery eyes does mean dry eyes. They over water to combat the dryness. Simple dry eye drops are great. Xx

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to softekcom]

To add to MiloC's comment: in dry eye, the normal thick viscous tears aren't formed properly and the surface of the eye dries out. The body reacts by producing loads of thin watery tears but they just aren't the same quality and because there is so much you end up with streaming eyes.

[softekcom in reply to softekcom]

I was checked by an ophthalmologist yesterday. Turns out my eye pressure is high - 40 in the left eye and 32 in the right. I have been prescribed eyedrops that I will collect next week.It could be the Prednisolone. But I remember having raised eye pressure a couple of years before I was prescribed steroids. So not sure.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to softekcom]

Pred can increase the eye pressures, did for me, but they returned to normal as I reduced the steroids..

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to softekcom]

That is high - do hope the drops work well. How long have you been on pred? Were you advised to have you eyes checked regularly? You should have been.

[softekcom in reply to PMRpro]

No, don't remember that advice tbh. The eye pressure was picked up at my annual sight test at Specsavers in Feb, and they referred me to Opthalmology. But I remember slightly raised eye pressure a couple of years before Pred was prescribed. So it seems to have been there even before Pred.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to softekcom]

Anyone on pred should have the pressures checked. According to the local eye dept, it either happens fairly soon or it doesn't. But until you have a good idea, a baseline and annual checks are recommended. Not that msot doctors seem to notice ...

[prunus]

I put lipsyl on mine every night to keep it at bay.

[Broseley]

Yes I use Lipsyl every night, which seems to help, as if I forget, it's much worse.

[diana1998]

Vaseline?

[Raewynne]

Yes my lips are continually sore since being on prednisolone.Put pawpaw cream on them.Helps a bit.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

It couldn't be thrush could it? It is possible to get it on the lips and it dries and cracks them. If yo uthen use lypsyl or the like the reuse of the lipstick can keep reinfecting it - something you apply with a finger is better to try out. And ask the GP because thrush will need an antifungal treament.

[bethm1129 in reply to PMRpro]

Thats a good thought. I'll see if its yeast. Thanks!!!!

[softekcom]

Never thought of that. Because I get the dry corners, I thought it was Vit B deficiency. Lipsyl hasn't helped. I have just started using Blistex, which seems more moisturising.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to softekcom]

I used to have a problem - very sore lips and reddened around the sides outside the lip. It would tingle when it started but never looked like a cold sore but I tried using acyclovir cold sore cream and it worked very well, especially if I started using it quickly. Worth a tube maybe?

[Hidden in reply to PMRpro]

Acyclovir is available at a wonderfully low price for a 10 pack on Amazon amazon.co.uk/Virasorb-Cold-...

[SheffieldJane in reply to Hidden]

That really annoys me about Amazon. Who wants a pack of 10? These things are for occasional use. Do they have a use by date?

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to SheffieldJane]

That is one thing I don't worry about an expiry date! I won't tell you how old the tube currently in my handbag is It is handy to have several tubes around because i found if I put some on as soon as the sensation of drying lips started it didn't get worse and I used most of a tube every time!

[SheffieldJane in reply to PMRpro]

My mother had the same Golden Eye Ointment for my entire childhood. 😂

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to SheffieldJane]

And we survived ...

Was reading a who's right thing in the Guardian the other day, partners of various sorts (married, together, flat mates, whatever) and was a pair who fought over the butter! She wanted it in the fridge, he wanted it in the pantry. She reckoned it would be rancid - depends how big the piece is you keep out doesn't it? Couldn't see the problem myself - each to his or her own! I like cold butter - good excuse to slice it onto the bread

[SheffieldJane in reply to PMRpro]

Yup!

[Hidden in reply to SheffieldJane]

I need a pack of 10! I have bought 20 before. Just ordered 10 new Raspberry ones as the Shrek ones are sold out.

I really am addicted.

😜

[softekcom in reply to PMRpro]

No tingling, doesn't feel at all like a cold sore. Just dry and peeling/cracked. The Acyclovir sounds promising, so will try it.

[Hidden]

I've always thought I have chapped lips even if they aren't chapped they feel it. I am addicted (really!) to Chapstick.... 40 years + and prior to that Lypsyl. Now I use Carmex mint flavour from the Amazon. I have bulk purchases of them all.

Sometimes I get family in the USA to send me goofy ones. At the moment I am using a Shrek one.

I also have a wholesale pack of Acyclovir (Lipsor?)

I am totally addicted

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Hidden]

You seem to be!!! But overuse is also bad - it makes the lips even drier ...

[Hidden in reply to PMRpro]

I think I'm too late for weaning myself off lip things. My wife even carries an emergency chapstick with her. To not use Chapstick would be like a massive step down of pred. I kid you not!

I am so fussy it's really sad!

[borednow]

I use Ultrasun lip protection SPF30 although they've now brought out a new one with SPF50 which I've just ordered from that AMAZing website!!!

[bethm1129]

Thank you all. Some helpful hints in there. This is a truly dry lip issue. My top lip has shriveled a bit as if i smoked Marlboro Reds since I was 13. I've never smoked. This just happened about the time my symptoms started in Nov. I use Vaseline and various products that don't have salicylic acid in them (many do). No help. Just wondering if this was a regular symptom. I'll deal with it.

[Sharitone]

I have the same; I use Neutrogena hand cream, of all things, several times a day. Beware of lip salves with an SPF factor, as they are more likely to cause allergies.