Over the weekend I developed lots of small bruises mostly on my arms but some on my trunk and behind my knees. I have had SVT and AF for 4 years and had my first ablation in March. I take Apixaban, Flecainide, Atenolol, Atorvastatin and Sertraline. My blood pressure is quite high at 170/80. Could the high blood pressure be exerting sufficient force to cause all these bruises? Has anyone had lots of these little bruises and did you change your anti coagulant? I have put in a call to the Arrythmia nurses and have my post ablation check up by phone next week.
Thank you wise people.
Written by
Outtheresinger
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Thanks Bob. My GP didn’t want to add another drug to the mix until after my ablation. I haven’t had my post ablation check up yet so I am still on all the same drugs and double the amount of Flecainide so I will see my GP after my check up and get it sorted then.
I get small bruises very easily, for example yesterday I gently knocked my hand on the car door, hardly noticed it but low and behold up sprang a small bruise. Similarly I was tightly holding a pot in the garden this morning and yet again where I had held it for some time had formed a bruise.
I am assuming it’s causeed by my anticoagulant. Can you think back if you have had any tiny knocks or pressure points which you were maybe unaware of as it was so minor. Yes ask your af medics, always best to check.
I have bp that high at times but it comes down again. Best to get expert medical advice on this too as you say, Best wishes. X
Hi Meadfoot like you I do get odd bruises where I have knocked myself but these are really weird being in groups of 3 or 4 In in completely different areas of my body (in my armpit and on the back of my thigh). I spoke to the Arrythmia nurses who told me to see my GP for a blood test. So I am waiting to speak to the Duty Doctor I will let you know when I solve the riddle.
Oh that is interesting. Do you get them sequentially? I have had 20 appear in groups of 3 or 4 since Friday. The first ones are nearly gone but new groups are still appearing. Just spoke to the GP who is also puzzled going for a blood test tomorrow.
No, they just pop up. As you say like someone has poked you with a finger. At times I can almost feel them go.
Interesting, I have a similar issue and normal/low BP and no anti-coags. I am 66, very active, the only drug I take is Flecainide and I take quite a few supplements. For some time now I have noticed I bruise easily e.g. resting one leg on the other in bed. Now I find I get red patches (stage 1 pressure sores I believe) if I rest my elbow or legs too long on a hard surface or push too hard on something with my forearm. The last one took several days to go, so I consulted my GP who did a lot of blood tests which looked OK, admitted she didn't know and I now have a telephone appointment with a hospital Haemotology doctor. I would be most grateful for any leads on this.
Hi, I experienced a similar problem about two years ago prior to being Anticoagulated . They looked like finger markers on both arms and my abdomen in groups
I had a large number of blood tests under the care of a haematologist.
I had taken to drinking tonic water with ice and lemon ( no gin!) very regularly and in reasonable quantity . When I stopped the bruising went away. It may have been coincidence but the haematologist thought not.
Just a thought - is there anything new in your diet?...
Your post rang some bells with me. I seem to have read somewhere about the quinine in the tonic water affecting people especially tonic like Fevertree which has "real" ingredients. I have had to give up alcohol because it triggers AF so I have been drinking ginger beer and tonic but only Tesco's best not Fevertree! I wil see what the tests say and then may give up tonic as well as everything else. Such a shame AF seems to mean giving up alot of things but not taking up anything particulary special to compensate!
I used to get purpura on my forearms. For an entirely different reason, I was switched from Apixaban to Rivaroxaban. The purpura went away, but were replaced by bruises which look like they're a week old. My doctor isn't worried about them. I've tried arguing that the dose is too high (he disagrees). I don't think that it's a common side effect.
Not sure whether this is relevant to your query but my wife's on apixaban which she's been taking for about 6 years. She's noticed that before the "bruise" appears, she gets an itchy sensation at that location.
That sounds a bit strange! My bruises behave like ordinary ones starting off black then fading through purple, green and yellow. I have them at all stages now but they do seem to be less appearing now only 2 small ones overnight. I'll post again if I get a sensible answer from the tests.
are the little bruises purplish? Please ask your dr about this ---- Erythema nodosum is a type of skin inflammation that is located in a part of the fatty layer of skin. Erythema nodosum results in reddish, painful, tender lumps most commonly located in the front of the legs below the knees. The tender lumps, or nodules, of erythema nodosum range in size from a dime to a quarter. I had this back in 1984, it was a warning sign that I was developing another disease -- in my case it was Sarcoidosis, but it can be a warning for other diseases too.
Thanks Goldy no they aren’t purplish just normal bruises and not just on my arms but all over so hopefully it isn’t what you had. I’ve had blood taken today and they are
My wife is on no medication and she goes through stages where what she calls "Jesus tattoos" just appear on her lower arms and hands. Dark purple and not raised.
Taking Flecainide and drinking tonic water increases the QT duration due to both having constituents to do so. Never take Flecainide with anything that can also increase this as it can lead to LQTS and ventricular tachycardia or TdP.
Taking Sertraline or Fluoxetine together with Flecainide also increases the QT interval. If you must then have an occasional ECG and check that this does not exceed 470ms. Normal is 440ms.
I had to stop Sertraline and there is no other antidepressant that does not prolong QT. 😪
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Low blood pressure from tablets
Second Day Out From Cryoablation with Migraines and Afib Episodes 
Very high blood pressure
An EP’s view on atrial fibrillation after his own experience 
Cut loose from hospital support
