Bruising

[HeronNS]

Five days after blood taken the bruise is about 4X1.5 inches beside the vein used. When I was walking home afterwards there was quite painful stinging at the site. Later, when I was getting ready for bed, I noticed a fair amount of blood on the bandage, and a swelling the size of a quail egg, plus various shades of red, some quite bright, in the area which has now settled down to being mainly blackish-maroon. Is this something which should concern me, or does it happen to other people? I do often bruise, not always, and never like this before. Scary.

[SheffieldJane]

Wow! I have had regular bloods taken since the 80's and I have had bruising but not that swelling you describe. It sounds like it is subsiding now but that wasn't normal. I know we bruise easily but not like that. Perhaps one of the nurses that post could shed some light on it. Why 5 days afterwards, I wonder? Did it seem infected?

Sorry, I'm not helping except confirming that I also think it was bizarre and something went wrong with the process of taking blood.

[HeronNS in reply to SheffieldJane]

The swelling was soon after, and for a day or so after. I applied pressure by bandaiding a cotton ball to the site, but it looked really awful. I've had fairly large bruises before, usually when they take the blood very quickly. If they take their time it seems less likely. Never anything that happened so quickly, and with such a large area of bright blood red under the skin. I really don't think it has anything to do with extra thin skin, more like extra large vein! When I was leaving the hospital I held the door open for a man coming behind me, then turned and stepped along the walkway, colliding with a woman who was running into the building. She nearly knocked me over, breathed sorry and kept on going but I actually had to grab hold of her or I would have been knocked down! It was a couple of minutes after that when the stinging started but by the time I got home, about fifteen minutes, I wasn't really noticing it any more. Do you think that could have injured me, even though the collision wasn't anything to write home about, just threw me off balance?

[SnazzyD]

So, the quails egg turned up on the same day as the blood test? Sounds like you had a big (for blood test) bleed into the tissues. It can happen and I've seen it before in others. Since being on Pred I have to press the vein for about 10 mins now. The bruising will spread and develop colours, gradually going to green then yellow like a normal bruise. It may even go down the arm with gravity. It resolve but slowly. The bigger the bleed the longer it takes usually. If it gets inflamed and painful get it looked at.

[HeronNS in reply to SnazzyD]

I will press longer next time!

[jinasc]

I used arnica cream and tablets to help disperse the bruising. But check with your pharmacist that it is compatible will all the medication you are taking. That is a golden rule, never buy anything OTC before checking and also check new prescriptions.

I never bruised by steroids use can cause this. I was very lucky with two of the practice nurses they were brilliant at taking blood and I never had bruising with either of them The other two, forget it and the hospital was a nightmare until I found out about a special team who were experts.

You skin also thins when on pred and I was advised to use Double Base Gel or Cream, your GP can prescribe this or you can buy it OTC.

Hope this helps.

[HeronNS in reply to jinasc]

More concerned by that swelling afterwards. The bruise doesn't hurt and is rapidly shrinking, after five days. It's quite spectacular and I have enjoyed grossing out family and friends! (And I wonder why no one ever calls me 🤣) It makes me a bit leery of future blood tests, will have to offer up other arm next time!

[SnazzyD in reply to HeronNS]

Did the nurse have a dig about having lost the vein? For me that is a big no no and if anyone does that to me I tell them to stop. If I can't find a vein when taking blood, I stop withdraw slowly and possibly start again, because if one has to keep poking about, let's face it it is pin the tail on the donkey time. Not good. Sometimes one can go out the other side, so there are two holes or go in at an angle such that it grazes the vein before going in properly. I'm sure the crash didn't help one bit though. In all those incidences extra pressure should do the trick.

[HeronNS in reply to SnazzyD]

Actually she remarked on how easy my vein was to find. I have been quite horrified by the size of the veins in my arms for several years, first noticed after starting pred, but maybe this predated pred.

[Hidden in reply to HeronNS]

I had the same thing a couple of years ago..she/I didn't press long enough. Like you say big bruise and small egg shaped lump for a few days. Almost happened again a couple of months ago. Driving home with blood pouring so I stopped and put pressure on it for a few minutes. Only had big bruise after that one.

[LongTimeEagle]

I suggest it's a good idea to visit your GP or a nurse in your GP Practice. They should be able to reassure you.

[SheffieldJane]

I think the crash with the rushing woman was a factor too. I have an overactive imagination and would start thinking that air had been introduced into the vein or something. Part of me would be fascinated too.The part of me that sits back and watches all this unfold, with slight horror.

I thought my nails were turning black this week. It was dye from my boots that I eventually got off with nail varnish remover. 😱

[SnazzyD in reply to SheffieldJane]

Don't worry, to introduce air into the vein taking bloods it would take some effort. The plunger would have to be pulled back a fair bit and then re-plunged (technical word there 😉) while the needle is still in the vein. You could see it happen. Normally nurses pull it right back to activate the suction and if you hear it go click, it can't be pushed back anyway. To get a lump from air, I'd imagine you'd need a bycicle pump to introduce it fast enough and if it was the vein blowing up like a quail's egg I imagine it would hurt like hell and you'd be grabbing the nurse by the throat at that point.

[HeronNS in reply to SnazzyD]

You could see if happen if you watched. I always avert my gaze! There's a reason I didn't follow the medical path so many of my family took! 😱 However maybe something like that was happening with the stinging?

[Hidden in reply to HeronNS]

I got the feeling she was inexperienced...also I close my eyes very tightly cos I am scared. 🐺

[HeronNS in reply to Hidden]

Actually I like the suggestion it was the initial clot being dislodged which caused the problem. It does take longer for a second clot to form. Also I usually don't have blood taken so frequently so perhaps I should have asked for other arm to be attacked! All being well it'll be three months before next time.

[Hidden in reply to HeronNS]

Unless they are very good phelbotomist (????) They can only use my right arm. Over past 18months it has actually become a bit scarred. Glad to say fewer blood tests at moment. And yes the lumpy time was quite a sharp pinch. These days I tend not to feel it unless they are not good at drawing bloods.

[HeronNS in reply to Hidden]

Thank you. An addition to my vocabulary. Phlebotomist, phlebotomy. Funny, it looks wrong no matter how it's spelled! 😎

[SheffieldJane]

Ouch!

[Soraya_PMR]

Next time you have blood taken, ensure you keep your arm straight after and apply direct pressure to the site. Years ago they used to say bend and hold which caused more bruising.

I expect that lady bouncing off you dislodged or stretched the clotting process.

Meanwhile enjoy the rainbow (it is nearly Halloween)

[Sandy1947]

Go to the Dr. and get it checked out so you know for next time. What did all knowing Google have to say? Have fun grossing people out! PMR with so many twists and turns is scary! Let us know what happens.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I have seen bruises like that - I hope I never caused one!

Difficult to say without having seen it but I'd suspect that your minor contretemps broke the clot sealing where the needle had come out that had been OK until then and let it bleed again without there being any firm pressure to stop the bleeding. As the others say you need pressure on a straight arm until the bleeding stops - the dressing, even with a ball of cotton wool, simply isn't direct enough.

My pet hate (apart from idiots who try to excavate a vein after they missed) is them putting a bit of gauze over the puncture mark and bending up your arm. That is NOT adequate nor professional. Our ladies keep us up to 10 mins to be sure - but we are both on anticoagulant therapy!!

[Rosedail]

Alas, it looks like it's been a while since you posted this, but since you have never experienced that sort of bruising before I would certainly recommend having a physician take a look at it or at the very least make a phone call for a consult and perhaps send a picture if there is someone with you with a phone camera. I have no experience with this sort of bruising myself. Also, for the future, please insist on an experienced

Phlebotomist.

[Carrollee]

Hi HeronNS

Yes this happened to me years ago with a routine blood test. Same thing, noticed blood coming through my jacket on way home from test and then saw egg shaped swelling. It is quite alarming but had seen it on my grandmothers hand after a cannula had been removed in hospital, mentioned it to a nurse on the ward who looked sympathetic but had obviously seen it plenty of times before so she just applied pressure until it dispersed. I did phone my surgery and was told to do the same to myself, I believe it's a nicked vein. I agree it leaves quite a spectacular bruise and I don't bruise easily but I did have Graves' disease at the time. It's never happened since despite many blood tests. If in doubt phone the surgery. All the best cc

[HeronNS]

Thanks everyone. The bruise continues to reduce and is turning the proper shades of grey and yellow. I did show it to my doctor this morning, routine visit, telling her what it was like a few days ago, but she didn't seem concerned, not concerned about the other little things I mentioned while she gave me a flu shot; yes I had a flu shot. Hearing that the match seems much better this year, and feeling myself rapidly descending into frailty, thought I'd give in and have one. Doctor had it all ready to give me, although I've turned it down the past two years since I started seeing her. 😎

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to HeronNS]

Had my flu jab on Tuesday - as she brandished the syringe she bllithely informed me she shouldn't be giving it us as we are both on anticoagulants and it is an i.m. one this year, not subcutaneous so could cause bleeding. The gubmint only ordered 600 of the special one - for a population of half a million! No sign of anything though and not even sore - that's fine...

[HeronNS in reply to PMRpro]

Good, no horrible bruise then!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to HeronNS]

No - which I'm quite impressed with! Might be hiding deep down I suppose! I'd say it was OH kicking me at night...

[HeronNS]

Nor was she concerned about the fact that CRP is now up to 23, more than it was before I went up to 4 mg. Just said symptoms remain the key, and not concerned when I asked if something else could be going on. Sigh. But at least she encouraged me to remain at 4, where I've been feeling pretty good, and gave me prescription for enough pred to see me through the next few months. 🙂

[Neverending63]

I find the amount of bruising can vary greatly each time. I have had anything from very little to massive bruising that takes weeks to finally go, including bruising with swelling. There seems to be no rhyme or reason as to which type I will get at each visit to the vampire.