My wife has been on Prednisone for 18 months now. In the past month, she has noticed that she bruises easily in the arms - and most of the time, she does not remembering bumping into anything, nor have any other reason for having a bruise. All of a sudden, a bruise appears here and there.
Could this be a side effect of pred?
Joe
Yes, it is. And no, it happens for the slightest reason. Handbag carried over the arm, tugging up a sleeve, brushing against a door frame etc. It happens far less once on a low of Pred. Is is nothing to worry about, but if it looks excessive it is time to go back to the doctor.
Thank you, Nevagivup. It's just that this had not happened in the first 16 months of pred.
Joe
I get a lot of bruises, especially on my arms - I blame it on my wife beating me!! Seriously, I've been on pred for just over 2 years and the bruising probably started about 18 months ago. If I really bump hard into something (like the corner of a coffee table) I usually tear a piece of skin off. I just replace the skin and put a plaster on for about 3 days and it seems to heal OK.
Funny! When my wife wakes up with bruises, she claims that I must have attacked her in her sleep.
Joe
Hi I gett the same problem especially with the skin sometime district nurses have to take over because of the skin being soft say it’s my age but I never had this trouble until I started steroids so think they could possibly wrong
But it is a pain in the you know what ha ha ha getting. Scared to do anything now
I am always getting bruises since I started pred. I can sometimes look like a prize fighter. Goodness knows what I have been doing. When I went to the osteopath you could see her fingerprints as bruises even.
It is a side effect of Pred. I couldn’t understand a smattering of bruises on my stomach. It turned out to be the kicking feet of my baby grandson as I changed his nappy. So very easy bruising.
the sweetest bruises ever.
That's true!
Probably Joe - happens to a lot of people. I think it can take some time for there to be enough tissue deterioration for it to happen. It is something that often happens with aging anyway - and pred is felt to speed up the aging process.
Hi more than likely, although age as well is a factor. I found arnica cream useful, and can be purchased from most pharmacies, supermarkets and on a well know internet site beginning with “a”!.
Tell you wife to keep her skin well moisturised as well, that helps prevent the bruising becoming grazes (the Pred makes the skin thin and fragile).
My forearms looked like I been in a hand to hand fight most of the time, in fact I’ve still got the scars to prove it!
I only had to look at a table or cupboard and a bruise appeared!
I've being having the same looks like I've been in an accident I got long silk gloves out of a catalogue very light and comfortable and seem to have stopped me gaining new bruises but steroids caused mine tell your wife to try them
Yes, it is. My arms, hands and legs are bruise maps! It also tells me that I was always a clumsy person. Clothing is no deterrent. But, double whammy - ageing also brings on paper-thin skin.
I never thought about being clumsy, but you are probably right that is probably my problem as well! I have got to the stage where I don’t really care about the bruises, if it bothers other people it is their problem not mine. I am obviously becoming aggressive in my old age, I must blame the pred!
Now that I think about it my wife has always had a tendency to bump into things, and now the evidence is there for all to see. Ha!ha!
Joe
This is no fun! Acting mardy, my new favorite word! I had bruises under my eyes and veiny hands and arms! Both seem a bit better as I decrease Pred. I’m still lying about my age on the dating site despite the new old woman look!
Ha ha Sandy, love it!
I have had Pred 12 years for GCA, but the Warfarin I take for atrial fibrillation, also causes purple marks on my body. My late Mom never had steroids in her life, but had very thin skin, which opened and bled easily. Awful to see.
Long term pred thins the skin & reduces muscle tissue, so the slightest bump result in a bruise or abrasion that can take weeks to heal, often leaving purple scars. Because it reduces inflammation in the blood sometimes th blood becomes thinner, or in the case of GCTA the blood cells change shape delivering less oxygen /iron so may take longer to,stop bleeding or a slight bump may bring worse pain than expected. The pred can cause the 'Buffalow' hump on the nape of the neck or the fluid or fat settles at the base of the spine- but this will reduce every time the pred dose is reduced, thank goodness! Unfortunately I've been on them 12 yrs, but even the lower dose causes me untold problems as it doesn't suit me- hence the specialist now wanting me to go on a,disease modification treatment- for those of you who know little about this- the mds are actually chemo drugs in pills! In the hope of wiping out the compressed immune system altogether- to kick start it hopefully without the problems that have brought us here. I wish you well for now & the new year.
Thank you for your detailed response, BabzAnn. I wish you much relief and a good 2018.
Joe
I have heard of disease modification therapy being used for multiple sclerosis but not for PMR/GCA. It should be interesting to see how it works for you.
I’ve had reduced mobility from these & other probs for so long n I’ve been on steroids for 12 yrs & they’ve helped at times but have given me diabetes, fatty liver disease & made my ‘familial hypercholesrerol’ probs far wise (I’ve Never been able to eat meat fish or fowl due to not producing an amino acid needed to help break fat down) so the DMD are meant to help reduce inflammation further- so hopefully I can get down to just 1mg steroids (the GCA dictates I remain on a low dose to prevent blindness) but- the steroids have also given me cataracts in both eyes! So, if I can tolerate the DMD it may happen one day- I’ve Just got to have my eyes checked Weds b4 starting the drugs. So watch this space!
Easily pleased.
Urgent advice please
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