Severe bruising : Hi just wondered if... - British Heart Fou...

British Heart Foundation

54,711 members34,242 posts

Severe bruising

Chrissydoll profile image
25 Replies

Hi just wondered if anyone has experienced severe bruising from meds taken after ha I had ha in April two stents fitted and on the usual drugs aspirin bisoprolol atorvaststin ramipril my legs and body r an absolute mess covered in severe bruising (worse on the legs )and half the time I really dont remember banging them or anything so much so I would nt wear a dress last nite on a nite out with my partner I feel really conscious of the mess they re in just wondered could it be the meds I’m on and if anyone else has had this thank u 😊

Written by
Chrissydoll profile image
Chrissydoll
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Read more about...
25 Replies
Calliope153 profile image
Calliope153

It;s the blood thinners and most of us suffer with the bruising. If you search previous posts you will see some people have posted pictures. It;s usually Clopidogrel or Tricagleor that;s the culprit (didn;t see either in the list of meds you gave). If you cut yourself or scratch yourself you will see it takes much longer for your blood to clot. I am sure other people will be along soon to add their comments but it's a known problem. Now I only have aspirin as a thinner I no longer have the bruising.

Chrissydoll profile image
Chrissydoll in reply toCalliope153

Ye it s horrible looks bad does nt it but ye I am on tricagrelor sorry forgot bout that one wen I had my first stent in 2009 I was on clopidogrel I bruised very easily then but not anywhere as bad as this and like u say the least little knock that’s it bruised I ve got up today with a couple of massive bruises on my thighs and it certainly was nt fallin over drinking 😆two wines all nite !! But guess theirs not a lot we can do about it eh thanks anyway !!

Calliope153 profile image
Calliope153 in reply toChrissydoll

I didn;t get on with Tricagrelor and after about 4 months was changed to Clopidogrel and the problem almost went away. Certainly the bruising was less and not so dark coloured (livid red rather than deep purple/black) The Tricagrelor is the new "gold standard" treatment and so there is a reluctance to change it. I also learnt to be very careful in the garden not to scratch or bump myself plus never swing your handbag or shopping bag and let it bump your leg......

Chrissydoll profile image
Chrissydoll in reply toCalliope153

Yes I find least little bump n oops another bruise it’s horrible but thank u

SpiritoftheFloyd profile image
SpiritoftheFloyd

I'm on Aspirin and Ticagrelor - both of which are blood thinners designed to stop your blood clotting. The downside is that you will bruise very easily. I frequently find a bruise on my hand/arm/leg and have no recollection of bumping myself. I'm slowly becoming more careful when working in the garden etc in an attempt to minimise the number of bruises i collect.

Chrissydoll profile image
Chrissydoll in reply toSpiritoftheFloyd

Ye sorry I am also on tricagrelor forgot bout that one it s just such a mess Hoping it gets a bit better as I m away soon on holiday and would really like to wear my dresses 😊

in reply toChrissydoll

Go ahead wear your summer dresses! Relax and enjoy your holiday. The tan will cover some of the bruising. Kristina x

Lee180 profile image
Lee180

Yep I get them all the time :( cuts while shaving are the worst for me

Zoesgranny profile image
Zoesgranny

I did have bruising to begin with on Clopidogrel but since stopping it, there’s hardly any. I definitely bruise more easily but it doesn’t spread as much as it did at the start.

benjijen profile image
benjijen

I was on ticagralor and aspirin after stents as part of clinical trial. One time I went to my GP about something else and she asked me if there was physical abuse in the household! I had a large bruise on my stomach and (as I don't have mirrors) I didn't even know! I can only assume it was through leaning across my desk at work to reach things, it was the in the right place for that to be the cause. Since the trial has finished and I'm only on aspirin the bruising hasn't been so bad, although it still exists.

Catwumman profile image
Catwumman

I have bruises everywhere, especially on my tummy thanks to my wee cat jumping on me from the windowsill when I am in bed!😭

Pink2320 profile image
Pink2320 in reply toCatwumman

Mine too - I am on Clopidogrel and Apaxiban - what with the cat and my clumsiness I am never without a bruise but as they are keeping me going - I "wear" them with pride.

Bebopper profile image
Bebopper

After having a stent fitted in May 2016 at the age of 72 following a heart attack, I was prescribed Ticagrelor. The dose was 90mg and I had to take it twice a day for 12 months. During that time I bruised very easily but I learned to live with this for the sake of the medical benefit. After the year was up I stopped taking it and the bruising problem disappeared.

Chrissydoll profile image
Chrissydoll in reply toBebopper

Hi ye that’s wot I am on 90 mg 1xtwice a day but I ve never known bruising like it tbh but if that s wot I have to take then that’s fine by me least I m still here thanks to the wonderful staff at b pool Victoria and as u say it will go wen I stop taking them eventually thanks !!!

Qualipop profile image
Qualipop

OMG you shoudl have seen my lower arm after an angiogram and stents. It was purple from wrist to elbow. It carried on bruising like mad until I was taken off ticagrelor. It's quite normal. Be careful when brushing your teeth, your gums can bleed too. If it's really severe and you are certain you haven't bumped anything, see your GP.

Chrissydoll profile image
Chrissydoll in reply toQualipop

Omg eh sounds bad but yes I will mention it anyway at my follow up appt which hopefully will be soon thank u

Hill4332 profile image
Hill4332 in reply toQualipop

Me to they went in above the wrist so from the bottom of the hand to nearly the shoulder was black. Wrist hurt a lot but that might have been the cuff they put on when they finished putting in the stents ,they kept releasing it over a few days before they took it off completely

Qualipop profile image
Qualipop in reply toHill4332

Crikey that's a long time to keep the cuff on. Mine was taken off after about 2 hours first time, the day after my HA and second time, a month later which didn't bleed or bruise, it was less than an hour.

Hill4332 profile image
Hill4332

I've just had the second heart attack in four months as one of the stents was too small and got blocked . Apparently very unlucky but it did cause some damage to the pumping of the heart.Was only a week after I had finished rehab so going through that again. They had changed some of the meds just before but this time they are adamant not the ticageglor one but they have now reduced the bisiniprol and changed the statin despite my cholesterol being normal

Lindels profile image
Lindels

I'm 64 and had a heart attack on 24.3.19 and had 1 stent inserted in my RCA then, and a further 2 inserted on 14.6.19. I'm on the exact same meds as you Chrissydoll and I'm covered in bruises. I wake up with new ones nearly everyday it seems ! The bruising on each arm after each radial angiogram was dire - and during the last one, they had to abandon it due to a lot of pain and spasm and ended up going through my groin. I was given Fentanil for sedation / pain relief, which frankly did tiddly squat. I have to go in for a further angiogram and probably more stents in my LAD in September, and I am absolutely dreading it. I'm hoping that they will give me a general anaesthetic for this or failing that, more effective sedation.

Maisie2014 profile image
Maisie2014

Don’t like the sound of that Lindels. I don’t mind the bruises if it means I’m still here. I’m coping with the extra weight the meds have given me but another angioplasty? It doesn’t bear thinking about.

DavidG1971 profile image
DavidG1971

Yes - I’m a constant mess. Just back from holiday and my girlfriend found bruises I never knew I had when putting on suncream. I don’t mind the bruises so much as the worry of bleeding. I bit my tongue a few weeks back and bled for 8 hours. Ended up in A&E as I couldn’t stop it myself.

Chrissydoll profile image
Chrissydoll in reply toDavidG1971

Oh gosh that’s bad wot a long time to bleed eh !!! I ve had s couple of nose bleeds and my god did they bleed for hours too it’s horrible !! My partner sad every day to me theirs another bruise and their it is but like everyone says hopefully after a year I ll drop taking it and the bruising ll stop I m going on holiday in few wks hoping to get my legs out 😆for some sun but my legs look a mess atm !! Hope ure s settles down

DavidG1971 profile image
DavidG1971 in reply toChrissydoll

Don’t think us boys mind how the odd bruise looks. Bit easier.

Chrissydoll profile image
Chrissydoll in reply toDavidG1971

😆😆😆

Not what you're looking for?

You may also like...

Bruising

Morning all Hope you're looking forward to the long weekend since HA and stents last year I have...

Terrible amount of bruising returned - 6 months after heart attack

Hello all and I hope someone here can give me some advice. I had a heart attack in April and...
Jane4297 profile image

Ticagrelor bruising

I am 5 months post HA and stent. Came home very bruised from the angioplasty. That cleared up well...

Arnica advice

Hello all, Wondered if anyone was using arnica cream/tablets for their bruising? I’m on the usual...

Clopidogrel and bruising

Hi all came home from work today with bruising on both ankles where I was working in confined space...
Danny462 profile image

Moderation team

See all
HUModerator profile image
HUModeratorAdministrator
Luke_BHF profile image
Luke_BHFPartner
Amy-BHF profile image
Amy-BHFPartner

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.