Easy bruising

[Nanna2024]

Hi all. Please could anyone tell me if they are having problems with easy bruising on forearms and shins.The gp says its due to the prednisalone, not the inhalers.

Many thanks in advance

[fraid]

Yep, black and blue here from the slightest knock but don't think it's from inhalers as I also have Osteoporosis fractures, had hysterectomy years ago and I'm now 68, my skin is like tissue paper. Plus M.E makes me more clumsy with balance issues so often bang into doors etc. The skin over bone is very thin, no muscle to protect it so easily bruised.I find if I rub any knock, use cold water it lessens the spread which is blood not clotting quickly so maybe worth a blood test? Hope that helps. 🤞

[Nanna2024 in reply to fraid]

Hi. Thank you so much for your reply. Yes my skin is like tissue paper. I can't even use sticking plasters now as taking it off causes more bruises.I've had blood tests and all is normal.

Bless you MS is tough especially ontop of the asthma.

I'm trying cerave cream to help the skin.

Fingers crossed

Take care x

[fraid in reply to Nanna2024]

I do not have MS. I have M.E.

Keeping your skin well moisturised helps and I rub Dove cream all round my plasters/ patches then more as I slowly peel them off. Also use Dove anti age shower gel but still bruise like a ripe banana. Also your skin does thin as you age, mine actually breaks so need to be careful to keep cuts clean as don't want ulcers which are hard to heal. 😕

Also I'm a sun worshipper so tan as much as poss in hope my skin becomes leathery so less delicate! ☀️😎

[Nanna2024 in reply to fraid]

I am so sorry. I had fat finger syndrome and hit the wrong letter.Yes, I think we need to treat ourselves well and indulge where we can.

Its interesting to me that others do have the thinning skin issue. It surprises me that I wasn't warned by my medical practitioner

[strongmouse in reply to Nanna2024]

I get bruising quite a bit and have thin skin (age 72 and have asthma).

My husband has diabetes and his skin on his legs break down very easily. Instead of using plasters we use a dressing, similar to melolin, and then wrap a bandage around it. Because he also has issues with infection and poor healing we've found manuka honey dressing promotes healing. He too makes sure to ensure his skin is well moisturised.

[Nanna2024 in reply to strongmouse]

We are the same age😉 i love manuka honey for healing. This getting old lark is a bit of a minefield. I've got vertigo now and I hate big dippers and funfair rides at the best of times. GPs seem to say everything is down to age at the moment

[janedivney in reply to fraid]

Oh! I just posted about thin skin! Perhaps we’re all more aware of our skin now the sun is shining 😊 I love the sun too, but it damages the skin so I stay covered up or under a parasol

[beech in reply to fraid]

I believe it is also warned that sun damage increases the fragility of the skin - from an ex avid sun worshipper!

[TarkatheOtter in reply to Nanna2024]

have you had your platelets checked? Mine suddenly dropped to single digits 18 months ago.

Hope you feel better soon 😊🌟❤️

[Jamesd1234]

I've heard that easy bruising can happen to people on high steroids. I do tend to bruise a little easier than most people too, although not constantly on prednisolone. A few years ago I had a fairly large tattoo done and got a lot of heavy bruising around the arm, which alarmed the artist a bit, and I think this could be due to all the max steroid inhalers i've been on. So I think bruising could be quite common for us asthmatics on a lot of medication and hopefully nothing to worry about

[peege]

I can assure you that inhalers can 100% affect our skin. I've taken Pred twice only since 2007 and my skin was appallingly thin for years, rips and scars aplenty. A respiratory nurse also told me it was impossible for inhalers to affect the skin. Not true, I asked my GP at the same practice if it can ever improve with a different inhaler, his answer was yes. On changing from Seretide to Fostair my skin has improved exponentially so much so that I rarely wear the double tubigrip on my arms that I used to. I popped them on lower arms last week when pruning roses. Steristrips 6mm are my go to for closing wounds & lessen scarring....and I always put sun block on my scars.

[Nanna2024 in reply to peege]

Thank you for your comment. I too have received different views on this at my surgery from 2 different doctors. I am currently on fostair, I was changed from symbicort (due to cfc's)I was advised to get gauntlet gardening gloves.

My concern is; if this is what it does to our skin on the outside what is happening on the inside

[peege in reply to Nanna2024]

Yes that worries me too. I noticed in my medical records that my gall bladder was noted with thinning walls after recent scan 😬

[Nanna2024 in reply to peege]

Oh my goodness. That doesn't sound good at all

[fraid in reply to peege]

Afraid my thin skin easily bruised well before my asthma reared its ugly head after so many years without it, to need inhalers atall. So many reasons this happens inc. old age. What can you do? For me it's being careful not to bash my elbows etc. plus I find a tan leathers my skin so thicker and less prone to bruises.To each his own. 🤷‍♀️☀️😎🤗

[annaemmalucy in reply to peege]

Hi I suffer from bruising too but I can't use Fostair so use Seretide for many years now. I do know that this is the culprit. I use Aveeno to moisturise. The sun if used correctly is a friend to me.

[OMGWT in reply to peege]

Normally I’m low dose corticosteroids inhaler for along time about 8 years. Started with high dose though. No one is mentioning much of dosage please elaborate.I recently tried less than 1 mg( I asked my doctor since it was scored pill I could try less for first time use) I believe it’s prescribed so I could take an antibiotic needed.i guess my oral pred is for emergency,urgent only but it helps in many ways but had some issues with my skin and other like high BP.i believe the reaction from the antibiotics would have been worse without the prednisone.

Does anyone deal with other skin issues like rash,allergies ( the patch test alone caused me a bad reaction even scarring )

[peege in reply to OMGWT]

You're very unfortunate to get more skin reactions than most of us. I only (only?) Get the skin rips. Whilst on lower dose Seretide I even had such thin skin on the soft tissue of throat that the slightest scratches - from toast, a crisp, French bread crust - and a blood blister would form. Once one was golf ball size blocking airway, I had to get my son to pierce it with a fork. Also in France I had a huge rip, a lot of blood & son insisted on taking me to A&E, where I was given 22 stitches. On having it re-dressed a few days later the nurse went to rip off the mepore plaster, I said no no, my skin will rip off too, he laughed & ripped anyway. Of course I then had an extra wound but I hope he learnt something that day. From then on they used easy remove sticky dressings.

Anyway all hugely improved since changing to low dose Fostair. I never ever have to take prednisolone, it made me feel so ill when I took it in 2007.

When I had hospital allergy testing they just scratched my arm in 6 places, no patches.

[OMGWT in reply to peege]

yours and others sounds worse skin breaking from my understanding.that’s why I asked about dose of any cortico must be really high. I have so many issues along with health but I’m on low dose inhaler.so having taken such low amount recently -first time ever oral pred. I ended in hospital but I can’t tell what the exact cause of yet. Some skin I noticed bruised easy and other like extremely dry skin even my nose.things worse though when I tried to skip a day of inhaler. I didn’t understand my high BP. I have a lot of skin issues but trying to see my “ staging”.i have noticed for years I’m very cautious maybe 🤔 I’m worse off than I realize( slow gradual decline).

I’m shocked and saddened by so many people with as u call it skin “ rip or tissue paper”.as for the moment I think I have more damage from IV,labs,like veins, artery I probably need to see vascular.and infections.over long term so I didn’t know this could happen .Or what to look for. I don’t get much medical help no matter how much I paid over the years.some even the wrong treatment 🙁

[Ern007]

Steroids cause bruising and thin skin. Your GP is right.

I take Pred at times and avoided what you have, but I take a blood thinner called Riveroxiban which as the same result with a bump.

[vissidarte]

1) Both the people who say it's the steroids not the inhalers and those who say it is the inhalers are right.

If you are on steroid inhalers, depending on the dose of your inhaled steroids, you are getting a dose of systemic steroids equivalent to about 2mg / day. You can reduce this by rinsing out your mouth after inhaling as the dose mainly comes from medicine that hit the back of your mouth.

Those who say it isn't the "inhalers" probably mean "it isn't the non-steroid medicine in the inhalers".

2) Corticosteroids over a long period of time weaken a class of cells called "epithelial cells" - so any part of your body that uses that sort of cell is likely to show problems. In particular your capillaries (the very smallest blood vessels) have walls made up of nothing more than a single layer of these cells. The one's near the surface of the skin are likely to break easily under pressure or due to small bumps, hence the bruising. This isn't an issue for most people inside the body because there aren't the same bumps and pressures that there are on our outer skin.

3) Concern about wider problems: It can cause problems with inserting and maintaining a canulas because a canula has to get its tube into the blood vessel without damaging the blood vessel wall. If your epithelial cells are a bit weak they won't tolerate pokes or a lot of jiggling, so a nurse has to be especially good at getting the canula to go straight in.

More importantly, the canula has to be very well secured after it is inserted so it jiggles around as little as possible. Some nurses will say "oh it will be fine" if you ask them to put on extra tape, but they are probably thinking of people with normal strength blood vessel walls, so you may have to point out to the nurse that you have weaker blood vessels due to long term corticosteroid use.

[Keem59]

Hi..I had bloods taken to find out about my clotting, it was fine. But I found out that Montelukast a tablet I take causes bruising. But Prednisone, breaks down collagen and thins the skin, causing bruising...it also damages your bones and causing osteoporosis. How long are you on it for?

[crille]

Hi,

Yes, Prednisone makes your skin delicate and bruise easily. But even inhalers and other corticosteroids thin your skin. I have been on inhalers for about ten years and have had bruisers for about the same time. For another issue, I started taking Prednisone six months ago, and I bruise even more now. The slightest knock and I can feel a bruise coming on with a tingle. (76 years old with multiple health issues).

[Gummybearx]

I bruise all the time, have loads everywhere as I type this. I don't take Pred,but am on Trimbow and Montelukast, clenil modulite and unphyllin. I have asthma as well as Hashimotos/hypothyroid, I also have vitiligo. Have had asthma since birth and other diagnosis in my 20s,am 51 now. I am constantly bruising,also suffer with aneamia on and off too.

[Starstream20]

Hi, yes forearms are dreadful skin so thin now. I came off steroids last December and I thought it would improve but hasn't, on Biologics now and still have Fostair inhaler.Have to be so careful with my arms

[Danielmystar]

Hi im the same but I even get it on my neck my eyes if I rub my eyes I end looking like I've got black eyes it takes 2/3weeks to clear I had to go to the hospital not long ago because I'd been putting clothes into washing machine my arm rubbed off the rubber part for the door which actually tore my skin off it was a mess and painfull it's also a nightmare when I look like a panda with black eyes I'm on steriod inhaler but even before that I bruised easy .

[BarrieB]

I’m pretty sure the inhalers are responsible. I was on Seretide for many years and developed nasty re/purple bruises at the slightest touch. My skin was fragile too and broke with just a slight scrape. It’s a long story but after an intense pred course I thought my asthma was cured and stopped my inhaler. Miraculously the bruising stopped. This lasted for about two years until my low level asthma returned. Back on a different inhaler but at a lower dose and the bruising is back but not as bad as before. Pretty conclusive I would say.

[OMGWT in reply to BarrieB]

When the bruising stopped did u stop the pred and what was the dosage

[BarrieB in reply to OMGWT]

I was originally on a high dose of Seretide (250 mg) too high as it turned out because my very mild asthma was complicated by silent reflux and bronchiectasis which took a longtime to diagnose. The pred was needed for something else, a mysterious “viral based myalgia” I.e they didn’t really know! After the massive pred (60 mg)and slow tail off over 12 months all symptoms just vanished and that’s really when I stopped the inhaler completely. Another mystery virus and more pred I’m now back on Soprobec 100. The bruising stopped after I stopped both pred and inhaler. It came back at a much lower level when I started the much lower inhaler. Definite connection.

[OMGWT in reply to BarrieB]

250 mcg that still sounds high.( I’ve tried multiple kinds cortico and non) im comparing to the ones I’ve been prescribed and a high dose for me was the symbicort 160mcg was too much. i knew it helped with many of my symptoms and breathing/ oxygen levels.so I finally realized there was a dose of 80mcg and as I explained to the allergist I know it helps but the side effects were worse on the higher dose.

60mg of prednisone sounds outrageous .Yes I agree it sounds connected .when I tried the pred. I tried to match my inhaler in mcg not exactly but to avoid getting worse side effects.100 mcg sounds more tolerable.

I tried multiple times over years to stop any cortico. but even before the cortico my temperature would drop so the inhaler also helps keep me warm also amongst many other….there is no issue for me in microdosing.if it works why not?

[BarrieB in reply to OMGWT]

Yes I was on holiday in Oz and had an allergic reaction to I think fine dog hair. Coughed so much I damaged ribs and thought it was a heart attack. The 250 mg was meant to be temporary but my GP was nervous and didn’t want to change. It took a long time to get a proper diagnosis. I didn’t know about the 80 dose. As my asthma is the least of my symptoms that may suit me better. At present I’m better than I’ve been in years so will probably leave it. That knocking sound is me touching wood

[Birthday60]

Yep!!! a side effect of steroids. lovely purple smudges where I brush against anything - done worry me at all

[Nanna2024]

My goodness, thank you so much everyone for your replies and information. I certainly don't feel so on my own with this now. Thank you all again x

[Dogsbody2all]

I also bruise really easily and don't remember how I came by over half of them. I'd put it down to getting older but it makes sense that the meds aren't helping.

[brooklake]

It's the steroids for sure. Thins your skin called onion skin.

[Maya_227]

Hi, I suffer with thin skin, bruising and blood collecting under the skin from the slightest knock or friction. This has been going on for many years. I was on Seretide for years and am now on Fostair 200 and Montelukast.

My haemotology consultant said the problem is not caused by my asthma medication and I have had 3 years of testing. He got excited at one point as it looked like I may have a very rare bleeding disorder. Unfortunately my diagnosis is a mild unnamed (as of yet) bleeding disorder.

I strongly believe the problem is caused by the meds. I am constantly covered in unsightly bruises and tears which attract a lot of attention 🙃. My partner is also on Fostair 200 and he is now experiencing the same.

Getting the dog out of the car!

[Scrofulous in reply to Maya_227]

Your skin looks exactly the same as mine. I've been on Montelukast and Luforbec for years. Your consultant is talking out of his arse. The asthma meds are responsible.

[Scrofulous]

Rubbish! I've seldom had prednisone orally, but I bruise and skin tear at the slightest touch from having been on inhalers. After all, what are most preventer inhalers but steroids, and what is prednisone? No, let me guess. Oh I know ! Steroid.

[Pipswhips]

Have you had your iron levels check via blood testI sometimes find out that I got bruises and I know I haven't knocked my self.

The gp did blood test and found out I was anemic

They put on iron tabs but had problems them also with liquid so i have to go hospital for an infusion

And a blood testevery 6mths.

Next time you see a gp or nurse ask to check your iron levels.

Are you taking medicines for acid reflux as I read some where that the medicine can stop you.ftom absorbing iron.

Hope this helps you.

[Ernegirl]

I also have this problem but it has been linked to my inhaler Pulmicort. In addition to the bruising my skin is very thin and it breaks open often in v shaped cuts just by coming into contact with almost anything.