Bruising - what do other ITP patien... - ITP Support Assoc...
Bruising - what do other ITP patients consider a "normal" amount of bruising?
Hi Nicky,
I consider 'normal' when the bruises are few, of a small size and normal (light blue, not dark blue or dark red) colour, and when they don't appear two easily - e.g. if I really hit myself I have a bruise but of not too big size and normal colour
I normally have bruised ankles, they've been yellow-green-blue constantly for around 4 months now.
For other bruising, I would call anything normal if it has a hard lump at the centre and appears to bruise out from this, causing a ring-like bruise around the site of trauma. Most of the time I would't know when I got the bruise, but at least I know it had an obvious cause!
My bruises are always black. They range from the size of a penny to to the size of a dinner plate. I never worry about the small ones although they look like a dot-to-dot picture but I always have a blood test with the large ones and it usually shows a considerable drop in platelets (I am usually very tired too), but i've never had any treatment.
This, for me is "normal"
I always photograph the bruises so I can show my haemotologist at my next appointment (so she can see the severety betwen appointments).
They are part of me & I won't let them dictate my life.
Normal? - what's normal xx
I cant imagine what it is like to have a bruise the size of a dinner plate. If my count is low I get the rash then if I start bruising I know my count is falling too low. When you get the big bruises do you go to A&E or do you wait for your next appt with the consultant? How do you know when the bruise is serious and you need treating?
The "dinner plate" bruises are not frequent. When they occur I go to my GP for a blood test and if it comes back low, I am called by my heamotologist. It never dawned on me to go to A&E!!?? although I have been with a bad cut that wouldn't stop bleeding. I have never had any medication treatment (except immunoglobulin infusions prior to a tooth extraction) during my years with ITP. The bruises are part of my life now, I know my signs of low count (not just the bruises) as I get very tired & then bruises appear. I work in an office & I sometimes try to think back over the day if I knocked myself - usually the answer is no.
I'm due to see specialist next month & seeing other's on here & the treatment they've had, I will be asking/mentioning the possibility of medicine intervention. xx
HI Lynnek It sounds like you have your ITP well under control. I have gone to A&E when I get the petechiae. I know then that my count has crashed and that it is in single figures and falling. Do you keep a note of your blood counts? If you can manage without the medication that sounds really good. Taking drugs does not take away the tiredness and fatigue. I am trying to get my count stablised but we are having difficulties with getting that sorted. Do you see your specialist often?
I always seem to have at least a few bruises.especially on my legs.mostly quite small. I bruise more not just when my count is low but if drops really quickly. I have a lovely bruise in the middle of my forehead at the moment. I Dont worry about as have never had a serious bleed.
I have never had a bruise on my face, I suppose I could be considered lucky with that. Though I have had brusing on my neck and my sister thought they were love bites but they were from low blood count and within hours I was in A&E having platelet transfusions.
i have had my full leg bruised before after being hit with a bus on holiday,because of my job i am always covered in bruises they start of with a lump where i initialy hit myself then depending how hard the knock was they spread quite a bit and go black/purple and stay like that for a week maybe more depending some times and leave like a permanent faded mark,,i have to work so i will always be black n blue for the forseeable future it seems 
Hi toolski How do you know you will stop bleeding and that it will not turn into a haemorrage? Is your blood count stable? I too get on with my work but I dont bump and hit myself because I am at a computer most of the time.
Hi, my 5 year old daughter was diagnosed 2 years ago, but has probably had ITP for at least four years. Her count has always been between 11 and 25 although there are times when I suspect it had been lower. Sheis always covered in bruises and petechiae. It is normal for her to have about 100 bruises but over the last 4 months she had had 170 bruises. Poor thing looks like a leapard or dot to dot, luckily it doesn't bother her too much.
I read your other post. I have no experience of childhood ITP and wish you and your daughter a speedy recovery. If you read toolski's post he is often covered in bruises and just gets on with life.
I am constantly bruised and my bruising lasts for weeks. I quite often bruise if somebody grabs my arm so i often have handprint bruises which are difficult to explain! I dont have any treatment for itp at all though - i took prednisone when i had a count of around 30 and it didnt have any effect so the doctors just leave me!
I have bruises that are a year old. They fade somewhat but when my platelets are low The bruises darken again. They never entirely disappear. I have to wear leg protectors (up to the knee) when in bed. My bruises are most always degree of purple. I've only been to the wound doctor once for a bruise on my leg that turned into a huge blood blister. It took four months to heal with weekly visits to the wound doctor. Now it's just another purple spot. The wound doctor did recommend putting a washcloth in very warm water on old bruises to help fade. This has been a very humbling experience for the vain person I use to be. We are what we are so must learn not to get too upset over the things we seem to be unable to control. Perhaps this is a lesson for some of us and that's even hard for me to admit. I just have a problem with not being able to find solutions for bothersome things. Oh well......
HI 22-patience. I have different coloured bruises. My ITP bruises are brown and fade quickly. They come when my count is below 10 and falling. I know to go to A&E because without intervention my count will fall to zero. Other normal bruises are blue and I call them "ouch" bruises. That means if I press them they hurt. I know that these are caused by me knocking myself. I am lucky that the bruises clear easily. When I explain my condition to people I always say I am lucky because when I bleed it does not hurt. At least we are pain free. Take care. Nicky
It sounds like my leg bruising is a bit different from other itp'ers------in that if I even touch my leg while putting on my stockings I get a bruise---and it's so painful when it happens and turns color almost immediately. I'm believing my skin is suffering from too much prednisone which I've taken daily for at least five years. Up and down dosages---anywhere from 50 mg to 5 mg per day. It's taken it's toll on my body------incl skin.
Have you asked your consultant about that? I was on a dose as high as 80mg and that affected my appetite much more than my skin. I put on four stone and hated it. My personality changed and I became very aggressive, I slept less than three hours and night and was manic all the time. I suffered from memory loss and still have problems with my memory now, even though I have been off steroids for over two years now. They are horrible things. Nicky
For my daughter a normal number is bruises is arround 100. Some are very small and others the size of a fist. There is always a lot of petechiae as well.
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