For small fiber sensory, would it make any sense at all to make an appointment with the Cleveland Clinic's chronic pain medicine docs? As mentioned before, mine manifests as skin miseries.

This department offers a variety of modalities that are discussed with the patient at appointment time, then the evaluation is done and an opinion given as to whether or not they think the patient can be helped or not. And it's only a short ride from home.

We're supposed to go to England in mid-October. With all the adjustments I've had to make because of this thing, most especially the wearing of only lightweight skirts and tops of cotton, only certain sheets and pillows, not being able to go out when it's windy because it feels like slivers of glass hitting my face), am all but ready to bail out of the trip unless there's at least some significant improvement beforehand.

Cannot even imagine having to deal with those rough fabric airline seats, so would have to chug through the airports looking adorable with a bed pillow to sit on stuffed under my arm.

If the Clinic feels there is something to be done for this, I would not stop the supplements I recently started to take.

Would appreciate any feedback.

Thanks,

Sheltiemom

Oh don't bail out on the trip. I too always get totally stressed out about the pitfalls of traveling, but, in the end, I am always glad I went. Worst comes to worst, you come home and can gripe about all the problems.....but if you stay home, you know you missed something, and that is worse.

Can you get soft fleece clothing? Columbia outlet stores have fantastic soft clothes that are warm. You can also get soft long underwear. I think if you look at some of the clothing made for outdoors, you can find soft and warm stuff. I wear a LOT of fleece in the Fall, Winter and Spring. They even have thin fleece, SPF clothing for sun protection too.

You can wear the soft clothing in layers. There are nice neck warmers made of fleece that you can pull over your face to shield yourself from the wind. I have learned now to wear hats too! And I have a collection of themed cute socks.

--I'd do the trip (and see if I could find a lot of fleece to wear; I stick to mostly combed cotton and fleece myself).

Not all pain clinics are familiar with neurolgical pain, as opposed to the nociceptive pain of trauma or inflammatory process--you want to make sure that you can describe the allodynic/parasthetic pain as distinctly as possible to the people at the clinic (as you've done here).

I've done England, Scotland & Ireland over he years,
and wouldn't have missed the trips for all the world.
Suggestion on clothing. ......... ' Silk '
Warm fleece and cotton are nice. but silk underwear, long underwear, turtle-necks, dickies- worn under the cotton or fleece will make a world of difference.
Silk lounging P/J's, blouses & tops will feel great. A bit more $$ but worth it. Get it at LL Bean, or Sharper Image, or Land's End- to name a few places. You will never regret the expense

Where abouts in England are you visiting-sometimes Octobers weather isn't too bad so you may be lucky, the East Coast is more sheltered than the West which is wetter and any Coastal area is windy. I would tell the airline in advance what your needs are and ask them to supply pillows and extra leg room- here in the UK the disability equality duty means they should accomodate your needs- everyone is frightened they will be sued otherwise.
Hope you have a wonderful trip.