I have noticed that most of the symptoms who posted here would be burning, numbness, tingling and only a few with very hypersensitive skin.

I have burning (used to be severe but now is lessened), patchy numbness, painful feet, no tingling but I have super hypersensitive skin!!!! It is very hard for me to wear anything particularly in my legs and arms. Anything that touches my skin is painful... I like this weather because I dont have to wear thick clothes. Last winter was my first winter with PN, wearing the thick winter clothes was a challenge. Now, I am wearing shorts and sleeveless and this gives me a relief!

To those with similar sensation, what kind of materials you use for your pants? I could no longer use jeans. Even the cotton and fleece pajamas hurt. When I use long pants, it has to be loose to minimize the contact to my skin but even then, when it touches, just a loose fiber or thread in my clothing gives me pain.

I suffer from this hypersensitive skin. I am a woman find it difficult to wear pants. I have been wearing cotton or nylon dresses. I have some nylon exercise pants that I can wear over a dress if I have to be out in cold weather. I get pants in one size larger than I normally wear.

On the Fibro board, some say silky material. Nothing tight, no elastic anywhere. Draw string type pants, loose tops.

I have not suffered from this until the last few days. I have small and large fiber neuropathy, hereditary, most symptoms confined to lower legs and arms but a skin biopsy two years ago did show nerve fibers breaking down at upper thigh. I have recently been experiencing pins and needles in thighs and bottom, but that was all.

In the past week I have developed severe burning and sensitivity over all of my legs and hips, to the extent that sitting in a chair or the car is unbearable, my softest clothes are irritating, I can feel the seams in my sweatpants, and I am fully conscious of the elastic on my featherweight nylon panties. It is driving me crazy. I am using a lot more of my Percoset than usual, and I am still only getting partial relief. I had the idea when this started that it was a temporary situation, but as the days go on I am beginning to panic.

It feels exactly like a severe brush burn or sunburn over the area, but there is no visible rash. I would love to hear more fom anyone with this experience, in particular about pain relief. I will have to move my doctor's appointment up because of using up my meds, and I am nervous about explaining this development, it seems so extreme.

I am on gabapentin, Tramadol pills for pain relief. I use Lidoderm patch in most painful areas.

You mentioned underwear. I went to Victoria's Secret and asked young saleslady which underpants were the most comfortable. I said I had nerve condition. She said she had one, too, and used Lyrica meds.

I was surprised that some one so young had this. This led me to ask "Were you in an accident?" She said yes that she broke her neck.

I am on Gabapentin and of course the supplements listed in the "supplements thread".

I could not wear anything that is tight (thermal clothes, leggings, etc). The seams of my skirts and shorts bother me, even the tags at the back or sides of the dress. When I sit on my recliner made of swede, the fibers really give me pain in my arms. It seem something small fine needles sticking out of the sofa. When I lie down, I try to minimize movements of my feet because any new contacts to the skin will give me the sensation of like a "sunburn being rubbed". I am using now silk pajama, its fine with me (but of course this will not hold come winter). I have to wear seamless socks and underwears because the garter bothers me.

I put Lidoderm patch, it gives me temporary relief. SInce the sensitive skin is all over my body, I have to be patient cutting it into little patches. Also, I had to limit the number of patches being used at one time. The patches dont hold much so I used the soft 3M Medipore to hold them. Of course, this makes me look funny with all those little patches all over my skin (but who cares).

Just came across your post and wondering if you or others have any lessons to share. I've got burning thighs (both). Diagnosed as PN but I almost feel like I have some type of skin infection + a nerve issue. Serious unbearable discomfort on wearing pants but some pants are not bad compared to others (even though all are 100% cotton - but seems like pant to pant the sensitivity is significantly different). I am using Gabapentin at a very low dose. I have tried Bcomplex but not B12 directly. Calamine lotion too. Nothing works though except being in shorts!

* any specific pants of material/brand of pants (mens) that works best? basically it seems like softest would be best based on my experience so far
* do pants that use twill/stain free/wrinkle free have something that could increase discomfort?
* any specific relief therapy - acupuncture?
* any specific skin treatment (topical ointment)?
* any other issues that could play a role (ex: I have been taking high BP and baby aspirin for years)?
* any impact of laundry detergent used on comfort of pants?
* any other ideas to get through a work day/commute?

Thanks for any tips.

Only the thighs? I have another question too. What type of blood pressure pill? Is it an ACE inhibitor? This family of drugs causes all sorts of grief for some people. I had a massive crisis reaction to lisinopril last Feb...due to the build up of bradykinin that these drugs cause. Burning stabbing pain everywhere, and swelling, and GI pain, and breathing difficulty.

Pain only in the thighs may be meralgia paresthetica. This is a sensory pathway nerve from L4-L5 in the back and gets compressed as it passes thru the abdomen. It exits at the top of the thigh near the side. Using Lidoderm patches at the exit,
sometimes puts the nerve to sleep (lateral femoral nerve).
this link has more:
http://www.aafp.org/afp/2000/0401/p2109.html
Figure 2B shows the location where the nerve exits the abdomen.
I had this as a consequence of a surgery (C-section). Using the Lidoderm patches when they first came out, resulted in a remission for me, after 14 days or so. I had had it for over a decade before! I only had it on the right side.

I do have burning on the tops of my thighs intermittently as part of hereditary neuropathy which has progressed up to my shoulders and hips. I pick my pants with care as some of them are more likely to cause trouble than others. A man would have far fewer choices, loose yoga pants are the most comfortable for me, they are a poly/Lycra /rayon blend. Jeans become unbearable after a short time, especially if I give into vanity and wear ones that fit closely as opposed to baggy, saggy ones. My favorite hiking pants are a nylon blend and they do irritate the skin, despite not being tight. I think the nylon fibers are the culprit- they seem to create uncomfortable friction.
A soft, all cotton khaki, such as L.L.Bean makes might be your best best, pre washed, and a size up. Polyester irritates my son, who has this disease as well, and wrinkle free finishes are chemically treated. If you tolerate microfiber, there are some extremely lightweight men's dress pants available. It is polyester, but has a softer hand.
If it is any consolation, this is a symptom that waxes and wanes for some of us, so it may improve.

So far, the materials that i can tolerate is a combination of rayon and lycra. preferably, I'd get a material with more % of lycra than rayon. This, is during those days when my skin is "cooperative", otherwise, even the softest fleece would bother me. sometimes on good days, i also could wear jeans with no problem at all.