Concern

[QAGS]

I am concened that the blueish bruise marks on my lower legs may be liver related. I am on MXT 20mgm weekly and folic acid 6 days a week. My ankles are swollen , looks like fluid retention. Please help

[helixhelix]

If you are on MTX I presume you are having regular bloods tests? When was the last one? If a while ago can you ask your team to have them taken again, as this will show up any signs of liver or kidney problems

[QAGS in reply to helixhelix]

thanks helixhelix, yes you are correct. I had my 3 monthly one taken on Wednesday, two days later the D/ Nurse was back with an urgent request from the lab to take another, FBC, LFT, U&E,so I guess there must be a problem. I am itching all over too. I am really worried, and will hope to get the result asap.

[helixhelix in reply to QAGS]

If it was really critical you would have been told to stop your drugs immediately too. So more likely to be a blip of some sort that can be adjusted.

[Fruitandnutcase in reply to QAGS]

Itching is interesting. A year ago my husband was told repeatedly that he just having a reaction to his covid vaccine to take s9me antihistamine - even though he was constantly being sick and was so itchy all over that he was scrubbing himself with a nail brush.

Eventually after this had gone on for over a week he struck lucky and was referred to a locum from another practice who said she didn’t like the sound of the itch - she thought the severe itching could be a symptom of a liver problem and organised bloods. He had the bloods on a Monday afternoon and got a call from the doctor next morning telling him to pack a bag as the hospital wanted him in.

He spent ten days on an IV antibiotic drip. Turned out he had a massive liver, pancreas and gall bladder infection. He looked absolutely dreadful before he was taken into hospital, I was sure he looked a bit yellow but the whites of his eyes were still a normal colour.

He is now on a list waiting for gall bladder surgery and has been told if it happens again to go straight to A&E. He was very lucky he didn’t end up with sepsis.

So if you are still very itchy and haven’t heard back from anyone don’t sit around and wonder it could be very serious, it might be nothing but don’t take a chance.

[mairtea in reply to Fruitandnutcase]

Absolutely agree that liver function etc need to be thoroughly investigated in case there's an underlying problem like you describe. Or the itching could be something unrelated? About 20 years ago (pre RA) I woke up one day with terrible itching. It only got worse over the next few days, so I went to the doctor. He suggested it could be a food reaction and to keep a food diary. I needed an elimination diet to do so, but I finally figured out that I was reacting to wheat - which I'd been eating regularly all my life with no obvious problems up to that point! The itching eased within days of eliminating wheat.

[Blackberrywine]

I agree with Fruitandnutcase. It's not always wise to wait for GP response. NHS is all over the place ATM.

[Deeb1764]

we are all different but I reacted to a lot of drugs weirdly sometimes so I got put on antihistamine as this the stopped this issue of itching - I still get the odd spurt of itchy skin but this is more to do with the fibro i now have than RA meds. In regards to bruising I also bruise much more now but this mainly I think to being on pred and sometimes quite high doses etc. So worth checking things out but RA can throw out lots of weird stuff but on the whole it was simple things or changes to be sorted.

[AgedCrone]

I see you live in a care home….I think you should mention your concerns to a member of the staff there.The bruises are probably nothing too significant….but to ease your mind, do ask to see the doctor who attends your home….I’m afraid we are not qualified to give you medical advice .

[helixhelix in reply to AgedCrone]

I hadn’t picked up on that, so agree. Need to ask the care staff to take action.

[Runrig01]

I agree with fruitandnutcase, you need to seek help, rather than wait. Ask to see a GP as you are correct that the itching could be related to liver issues. You could ring 111 and chat with them, they’ll have access to recent blood tests, to advise further. I am regularly covered in bruises to the point my hubby gets anxious, thinking people will assume he’s abusing me, he’s not. I’m on prednisolone and clopidogrel the antiplatlet which is not a good combination.

[Green230461]

I had itchy palms for a while on methotrexate. I told my consultant and he took me off the tablets immediately saying that itchy anything is a sign your body is not happy! So get medical help as quickly as possible to get yourself sorted my lovely 💐

[helixhelix]

Did your care home take any action for you this morning??

[QAGS in reply to helixhelix]

not yet helixhelix, I am going to ring the GP surgery this afternoon ( mornings are a nightmare to get through) thank you for caring x