Dear DD in Pain,
Sorry you have to go through this rsd mess. It sounds like the person you are speaking about is having muscle spasms. I had this happen to me within the first several months of being diagnosed several years ago. I was in the hospital for the rsd pain and all my body parts started moving up and down or back and forth. It was the craziest thing ever. I was lucky to have a good roomate and I could not even move from the spasms and she called the nurse for me and then a doctor came in to see me...took one look and his face turned white and his mouth dropped (lol you know you are in trouble when a neurologist does that). He ran and got me I believe it was ativan (or Xanax I cannot remember) and within minutes of getting that shot in my iv it calmed down almost completely. Maybe some type of anti anxiety or muscle relaxer can be used for pain and to calm things down a bit. I understand completely about the skin sensitivity. I cannot have my arms/legs exposed to any type of air/water. It is an entire process to get a shower. What I have found that helps me is to take a bath first. I start filling up the tub (and leave on my shirt to keep my arms warm from drafts (of course I use a lamp in my bathroom because the fan makes me worse from the air drafts). Then I take the shower massage and start from the toes and move up the legs until I can take the shirt off. Of course this is still painful but it is better than getting a shower...that is the worst. I then soak in the tub with epsom salts and gather my strength and get up and take a quick shower. I usually wet my hair in the bath and at least start washing it and then take a shower to rinse off. It seems to help me to have my skin already warm from the bath before taking the shower. Do whatever works. There is always a method to my madness haha. Sorry for your problems and I pray for an easier and restful sleep tonight (and for all my rsd friends).
Take care,
kathy d