Extreme Dry Lips, anyone get this?

Question

Since getting Lyme, a symptom that I have noticed is extreme dry lips to the point where they are cut and I am constantly using a lip balm for it and even something to "sugar" the lips to get rid of the dryness but it only comes back. Has anyone had this? I would love to find something that would really work.

Ricobord · Answer

Thanks for that link.  There are some fascinating articles on that site about boron deficiency (who knew?) and treating autoimmune disorders and chronic inflammation. Of the statements he makes that I am familiar with, all are consistent with other sources I have read, which gives him credibility.

JackieCalifornia · Answer

yeah, isn't that odd ... about not being able to overdose on Vit B.

This morning I looked at the 'B complex' combo vitamin I take every day, and it alone has the following 'daily values':

3,333%  Vit B-1
2,941%  Vit B-2
   250%  Vit B-3
2,500%  Vit B-6
   100%  Folic acid
   833%  Vit B-12     <<==
     17%  Biotin
   500%  Pantothenic acid

Egad!!!  Well, when I was taking the EXTRA B-12 on top of this 833%, maybe I actually WAS overdoing it.  I don't think I changed anything else at all, and still think I was just getting all out of whack somehow.  Ah well.  

Another mystery of life!  Sigh.  :)

youvegottobekidding · Answer

I forgot to say, provided you're getting enough of all the other B vits, of course.

youvegottobekidding · Answer

Apparently it doesn't really matter, my doc said it does no harm having too much B12 in you. 
When he saw my result he just laughed and said "Well you won't be needing any more B12 shots for the next couple of years!".

mojogal · Answer

It is interesting, that is why I am having my blood tested every 6 weeks or so. I was low on b12, D and Mag, taking supplements but don't want to over do it.

JackieCalifornia · Answer

Thanks for the data!  I am still taking a B complex capsule, but have cut out the 'extra' B12 entirely.

I am wondering now about the B12 shots some people get and how they know when they are no longer deficient and instead overdosing on the stuff.  Hmm.

youvegottobekidding · Answer

Glad to hear it worked!

Jackie, I did just the same thing with B12!! When the lab tested me, they re-checked my blood 6 times, because it was so high they thought they must have made some kind of lab error! Whoops. 

If you take too much of any B vit, you get deficiencies in all the other ones. I would dare to speculate that maybe your mouth problem was caused by a deficiency in B2... which I think is the one that gives you angular stomatitis when deficient, if I remember rightly.

mojogal · Answer

the blistex worked so fast, my lips are almost normal so thank you, relief!

JackieCalifornia · Answer

I made the classic mistake of thinking if a little [B12] is good, then a lot will be better ... duh. Since B vitamins are water soluble (right?), I figured they would just wash out of my body ... but no. I cut back to a 'normal' dose and the cracked lips/corner of mouth cleared up pretty fast.

mojogal · Answer

That is interesting, I am on a lot of b12.

mojogal · Answer

I like that list, thanks

JackieCalifornia · Answer

fwiw, I got parched and peeling lips, esp. in the corners of my mouth, from taking too much Vitamin B12.

Carol in PA · Answer

This might be due to a vitamin deficiency.

DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS
By Walter Last
http://www.health-science-spirit.com/deficiency.html

mojogal · Answer

So far I can tell a bit of a change with the blistex so thank you for the suggestion.

Stargazer_Lilies · Answer

I had a bad case of it recently...in additional to chronic peeling/flaking of my facial skin. My dermatologist took skin scrapings, and found no evidence of yeast, fungal or bacteria infection. All topical medications I tried over the year does not work. She wanted to do skin biopsy but reluctant to do on my face.  *sigh*

mojogal · Answer

Thank you, yes it is interesting about the bacteria but makes sense otherwise this would have gone away a lot sooner. It has been over a year now some days worse than others.

youvegottobekidding · Answer

I used to have this problem too. 
In case the suggestions from Valkyrie don't work out for you, I cleared mine up with Blistex (cream for cold sores). 
It's interesting about the infection issue that Valkyrie mentioned. After using Blistex for a while a stopped getting problems and I hardly ever need it now - so I wonder if it cleared something up?

mojogal · Answer

Thanks, I am going to try it right now.

Valkyrie568 · Answer

Unfortunately, I have had this. It started for me right after the forest fire where I suspect I contracted Lyme's but I had always assumed it was due to the constant fever I've run since then.  

I have heard that a lot of chapped lips, hands, etc. are actually due to bacterial infections as opposed to ordinary dry skin, so if that's true Lyme's patients ought to be prone to this. The most helpful thing I've found for this is to use Neosporin as lip balm. I don't know if it is the antibacterial action or just the emollient that helps so much, but I strongly feel it is the combination. As I've gotten deeper into my herbal studies, I've been making my own lip balm with coconut oil and clove oil, both of which are antibacterial and antiviral and they also give me much better results than plain lip balm.