Lips have been chapped for months

This is my first post on this forum, and I honestly didn't know where to post this topic. Sorry mods, if you could move this to the respective forum, I'd appreciate it.

Anyways, my problem is this: since November of 2012, my lips have been chapped by nighttime. I've looked up the issue online and the only remedies include drinking water (which I drink tons of) and other similar solutions that haven't worked for me.

The condition of my lips has required me to use Carmex sometimes in combination with Vaseline on my lips nightly before going to sleep. If I miss applying either of the two for a night, the next morning my lips are dry, slightly peeled and chapped. And since the condition has existed since last November till now, the weather/humidity has no play.

I just want to know if there's anyone else with this problem and whether or not they can offer solutions. I surely don't want to have to use Carmex and Vaseline every night for the rest of my life!

TIA

Hi, my lips always tend to be chapped... and I happen to have chronic fatigue syndrome. Anyway, the only things I have found that help my lips without tasting yuck or being nasty chemicals are:
MooGoo full cream moisturiser - I use it on my face, and one time some of it accidentally got on my lips; it helped so much that now I deliberately put it on my lips! But that only moisturises the lips, it doesn't seal it in. So after that, I put on paw paw ointment - but not the normal stuff which doesn't do a lot of good, the stuff that also contains Bio Active Manuka Honey. The MooGoo honey lip balm is good for on-the-go, but using the moisturiserer and paw paw/manuka honey mix (I use Coco Island brand) is more intensive, so you could use that before bed at night and after you've washed your face in the morning.

By the way, I have dry mouth too and I find Biotene mouthwash helps, but it took a week or so to notice much of a difference

PS. Had seven fillings over the summer! Ouch! Kept on bringing on FMS/CFS flare ups! (This was before using the mouth wash; haven't had any cavities since then.)

memaw 12, that sounds nasty! I hope you find something that works for you too :)

It was mentioned on the FMS forum that gum problems can results from fibromyalgia... I wonder if that is related to the high incidence of dry mouth in FMS and CFS?

Jasmine, I think you're right about the FM causing dry mouth as well as certain meds that we take. I know that the antihistamines I take add to the problem. That's what they do. Dry out your sinuses. In the process, they dry out the salivary glands too, apparently.

With both FM and CFS, we have a situation where one problem seems to bring on another. It just mushrooms sometimes. The CFS/FM causes allergies, we take antihistamines for the allergies, they cause dry mouth, the dry mouth causes tooth decay, and on it goes.

Last year I got private health insurance that had a high dental coverage and waited (in pain) for 2 months during the waiting period before I went to the dentist about the dental pain. Glad I did! It saved me about $1,800 having the private health rebate. Even then, I had to borrow money from my dad to pay for the gap payment.

I get dry mouth even without medications (it took a long time to get medications because I was under 18 years old for 2 years of the time that I've been sick). But taking the antihistamines during autumn and spring certainly makes dry mouth even worse, yes.

Wow, yet another set of symptoms and issues that aren't all just in my head! Thank you for posting nikhsterboi( I hope that's right) obviously this is a regular CFS/FM thing. I haven't had the quantity of dental issues (yet) although I need a filling right now in the tooth next to the one I had pulled a couple of years ago, I've also had all 4 wisdom teeth pulled in the last couple of years. I also have the Medicare that doesn't cover eyes or teeth, although they do have one that does, which I am trying to switch to now that it doesn't conflict with my cancer treatment. When I lived in AZ they were always trying to get me to switch but since I moved to WA I keep getting, we'll call you? Oh, well I should remember to be grateful that I have medical insurance, since so many do not. Anyway thanks for the info

I do too, though if i told a doctor they would just say drink more water. So I just discard it as a symptom of my illness and as more of a regular person problem.

When I was taking acne medication, I used Carmex every few hours. Was the best for me.

Hello, welcome to the HW forum. I dont want to sound like gloom and doom, but will post the truth in my case.

My fibro started by the time i was 30, am 62 now. I hate to say this, remember its me, so it may not apply to anyone but me....I know that as soon as I was first given meds for pain my mouth and eyes have been dry. I use Tears for my dry eye. I have taken so many dry mouth meds. with no real help.

I had so many dental problems, which was not common for me. Then 10 years ago, after having so many teeth that were rotting from the roots of my teeth, I started losing so many good teeth it just made me sick.

I had one tooth that the roots were so long it was compromising my sinuses. I had it pulled to try and stop the pain. The hole in my gum heeled, but the hole that the surgeon left open in my sinus cavity became horribly infected that reached into all my sinus cavaties. I have never had anything that hurt like that headache. I had surgery on my sinuses, had a 2 day hospital for strong pain IV med. I hurt for years after that. I ran fever and just hurt all over, that was the fibro and CFS. On top of all of this I got a staff infection in sinuses. Had gotten it in Hosp. Pain was off the charts headaches.

Things went on for years, fibro, CFS, headaches and teeth all rotting. I gave up on trying to save teeth and had them all removed almost 4 years ago. There was no way to prepare me for the change in my face. From my nose down was just caved in. My life has never been the same. My gums are so dry that my gums are just drying out and changing. Cannot stand false teeth they hurt me so bad. Now, I am a recluse. ON top of all of this my ideopathic neuropathy started in my feet.The last 4 years have changed my whole life.

I want to finish this but I cannot type more right now. I will be back.....hugs to you all....Cathy

I use lip balm - Blistex or Carmex - throughout the day. I know some of my issue is that I have a habit of licking my lips and pursing them together, but my dad always had dry lips too. It just seems like normal maintenance to me to reach for the pot of balm every so often.

The best face cream for my dry skin is Merle Norman's "Moisture Emulsion". I've used it for about 30 years and have almost no wrinkles on my face. I'm 73. It's very soothing, not greasy, and only takes a little dab. It's a little more expensive than over the counter stuff. You have to find a dealer that sells in.

For my lips I used to use Cover Girl Pure Gloss but it's been discontinued. I'm looking for a replacement.