I had an angiogram through my right wrist last Monday (11 days ago now) and since then, I have had not only bruising all the way up to my elbow but also excruciating pain in my hand and wrist. So much so that I was convinced it was broken so I had an x-ray. It is not broken but the pain is as bad is that. I went to the GP and she said it wasn't infected, as no swelling.
The pain is keeping me up all night. I am having trouble doing anything at all, typing (currently can only type with one hand) pain when dressing, cutting food, all the simple everyday things. Has anyone else experienced this? If so, how long did it last? Should I be concerned?
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lovelife11
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I have to admit that looks awfully painful. You say you have seen the GP already? If so they would have told you if there was a problem.
I am not surprised this happened, I have had 3 angiograms my 2nd one especially was quite brutal, I didn't have bruising like this but the physical upset and pain lasted a while.
Thanks for your reply, Heather. Sorry to hear you have had to endure 3 of these! How long did the pain last for you? I usually have a high pain threshold, but really struggling with this.
Thanks so much for your reply. The only blood thinner I took was what they gave me on the day of the procedure. I did have a small haematoma, however, this resolved pretty quickly. Perhaps it is the haematoma that is causing the pain. I just thought it would be getting better by now but the pain seems to be getting worse.
Gosh, that does look painful. I’m sorry you’re having to experience this.
I had an angiogram last year through my wrist, and my arm was bruised in a similar way to yours for up to a month. I couldn’t sleep comfortably with it, or do anything with that arm either.
I found that when I was in bed, propping up my pillows so I’m lying at a slight tilt, and placing a pillow or cushion under my arm helped alleviate the pain/discomfort a little bit. If you’re sleeping on the left side, you can place a pillow to the side of you and rest your right arm on there too.
As there is no fracture there, I do think it’s just a case of letting your arm heal after the impact of the procedure.
If you’re allowed, I would take a painkiller. Paracetamol is generally considered an all around safe pain reliever however, make sure you discuss this with your pharmacist or GP first.
Thank you. Yes, resting on a pillow has helped. Ice packs help a little too. It sometime feels like it's nerve pain and aches constantly, even without movement Did your wrist feel like this? I have been taking both panadol and nurofen, however I really don't want to continue this long term. Im glad to hear I am not the only one that has experienced this.
Yes. I had what felt like throbbing pain on a constant basis, with or without movement. I did try a hot water bottle temporarily, that eased it slightly. I remember they gave me paracetamol and morphine for the pain through an IV at the hospital, that helped the pain significantly and was more effective when administered this way. Unfortunately, this is not a permanent solution and we have to find other ways to ease the pain. I wonder if an over the counter heat or pain rub/cream would be an option?
Yes my arm was exactly the same with even more bruising than yours, big black bruises. I also got a swelling a few days later and thought it was an infection. I saw the nurse who said it was quite usual and there was no infection. It settled down in a couple of weeks. I had pain but not as long as you.
if it helps mine was identical (albeit I have tattoos so harder to see)
For 3 weeks after my stent, I thought they had damaged some nerves. certain positions hurt, couldn’t sleep as would roll onto it (or the wife would) and it was agony!
It will get better. I do still get the odd shooting pain every now and again When don’t everyday tasks.
Dr said it can sometimes cause issues with the nerve if lots of bleeding after op !
Also out if interest how quickly was the band taken off ! Mine was off within half hour !
Thanks for taking the time to reply. I really appreciate it. The air of the band was let out slowly, over a couple of hours, however, they actually made me keep the Tband on for 24 hours.
I just thought I would update for those interested. I just saw a hand and nerve Specialist, as the shooting nerve pain is pretty extreme. He reassured me that it is because of all the bruising surrounding the ulnar artery & ulnar nerve that is causing this pain.
I also asked the hospital for my operation report and it says that they tried going in through both the radial and ulnar arteries as had trouble with one side. This is why the bruising is so bad. Anyway, I've been told to rest it, use ice and elevate and in time it will (hopefully) heal. He also told me to only use Paracetamol for pain and to stop using ibuprofen as this can actually cause more bruising and bleeding because they affect how well platelets work. Hope this info will help someone else.
So glad you have got a definitive answer. My discomfort/pain only lasted about a week but I never had bruising like that. My first angiogram they went in through the top of the leg, the 2 other's through the wrist. Yours looks as if they used the wrong size catheter, it was to big!!
Do as the specialist says and hopefully you'll start to heal, the sooner the better!!
Hi lovelife 11 that does look bad did your GP give you any indication as to why this happened ? I had an angiogram through my left wrist in July 22 and never experienced anything like this just a tiny bruise and small pin prick size hole where they inserted the catheter really there was nothing to see. I do hope your arm is ok and you feel better soon 😊X
I'm not sure exactly why it was so bad. I think the combination of the blood thinners they give you prior in case they need to insert a stent and just the trauma of the procedure itself which caused the blood to escape from my artery and collect under the skin. Thankfully it no longer feels broken, only very very bruised. Coming up to day 16 now - and I can finally hold a cup in my hand for about 20 seconds... but still very bruised.
My experience (as a patient, not a doctor) is that this kind of bruising can happen. I had to have a line inserted into the artery in my wrist. As a result, my arm was blue/black from my hand right up to my elbow. The anaesthetist had a bit of difficulty placing the line apparently (I was unconscious at the time). When I'd recovered, my poor arm was so wholly dark it looked as though I'd had a bad experience with a tattooist who'd maniacally tried to create a full-on black background along my entire lower arm.
Good news? The broken/damaged vessels healed and my arm returned to normal within a month. It was a little sore afterwards, but that passed too.
Based on previous experience, I am reliably informed (by a neurosurgeon) that if a needle strikes a nerve it is a) bl**dy painful (I can vouch for that) and b) takes longer to heal than broken blood vessels. Nerve tissue can take a couple of years to fully heal when it's been seriously compromised, which isn't the case with you (you wouldn't be able to move your arm).
Your GP has ruled out the nasties, but I'd definitely return to them for a further check if this issue hasn't cleared up within a couple of months, just to be certain.
It seems to me from your post (I am not medically trained) that the placement of the line in your vein might have taken a couple of attempts to get positionally correct (some practitioners are much better at line placement than others) and that the needle may have struck a nerve, likely the ulnar nerve, causing irritation. If so, the pain will pass given time, patience, plenty of vitamin B12 and good hydration (drink lots of water).
This is just my opinion based on my personal experience and advice I have been given over the years.
I hope it's informative and at least somewhat reassuring for you.
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