Dear kdp,
I get terribly dry skin (always did, not as a result of CFS) and I recently started using pure organic castile soap. It's made fom nothing but olive oil, no perfume, no nothing. It is so gentle onmy skin. I think the abesnce of sodium laureth sulphate is important.
The other thing you can try if it gets even worse is to buy emulsifying ointment from the pharmacy. It comes in an industrial-product-looking tub and is always behind the counter, not on display. You don't need a prescription, it is a totally bland inactive product. You can use it as moisturiser or scoop out a lumps and rub it in your hands with water to soften it and use as soap. Again, no perfume, no nasty ingredients etc. It is safe to use on cut a bleeding skin if you get severe eczema.
KDP, I've been taking quality fish oil for about three months but my mast cells are still exploding like crazy. I haven't noticed any improvement at all.
God of pleasure, it sounds as if you are allergic to bites and stings. You get a huge shapeless lump from them. If you put on antihistamine cream immediately and take an antihistamine tablet as well, it can help a little bit. At least it avoids them going septic from infection, which they can when they are so big and swollen. I was also advised that taking plently of vitamin B6 helps keep insects away, especially mosquitoes, and this really does work for me. I reckon it must be safer than using insect repellant which is full of toxins.