Feeling sorry for myself!!

[joat]

Have just returned from the local Minor Injuries Surgery, must be the umpteenth time. Handbag slipped off shoulder and strap slit skin right across lower arm. Was about to reduce from 8 1/2 to 8 but think not. Am covered in bruises and have been for the past two years. Any suggestions other than using Doublebase Dayleve Gel to strengthen skin would be welcome.

[HeronNS]

What an unpleasant experience. Hope you heal quickly. A recent discussion makes me think that people seem more susceptible to bruising if they are taking blood thinners, or omega-3 supplements, or both. Otherwise, if you have no contraindications there seems to be anecdotal evidence that Vitamin K can help reduce bruising. This would, I expect, be the Vitamin K1 available in lots of foods, like leafy greens.

[joat in reply to HeronNS]

Thank you. I only take Adcal D-3 and Omeprazole so will certainly look into Vitamin K.

[Mikb in reply to HeronNS]

Is it bad to take omega 3 supplements while on prednisone? I do take a baby aspirin every day on the advice from my rheumy.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Mikb]

The new guidelines for management of GCA are likely to discourage the use of low dose aspirin - as the benefits are not found to outweigh the risks associated with bleeding. Personally I would wonder about the wisdom of all 3 being taken together - but if you aren't experiencing excessive bruising as a result it is probably OK.

[Mikb in reply to PMRpro]

I do have terrible bruising, though even that is lessening at lower doses of prednisone (currently at 6). Where my arms used to be covered before, now I just have one or two. I guess I will cut out the omega3 and research more into the low dose aspirin. Though I trust your medical background and extensive research! I just like to dive into the internet when something like this pops up. Gives me reason to keep sitting lol.

[HeronNS in reply to Mikb]

nccih.nih.gov/health/omega3...

[Mikb in reply to HeronNS]

Thanks for that!

[Rose54]

Arnica will help with bruising

[joat in reply to Rose54]

Thank you. Did try sometime ago but did not do anything. Will give it another go. Legs were so bad have only just started to wear skirts again, some bruises have lessened in colour since I last reduced.

[Joaclp in reply to joat]

I use vitamin k cream and arnica and the bruises go away--until the next time.☺ Also have a prescription for healing the open-wound bruises. Will look for it and send the name.

[joat in reply to Joaclp]

Thank you, sounds helpful.

[Janicep]

How about a handbag that goes over body rather than just on shoulder

[joat in reply to Janicep]

Yes know what you mean as this has happened before and know what I should do BUT had a bad foggy day, thought I might feel clearer if I got some fresh air and was on my way out!!!

[linda49]

Hi Joat

It seems that the simplest action results in our arms and legs being ripped to shreds. I don’t know about you but I notice I am much more clumsy these days. I caught my arm on the kitchen door handle the other day and like you, the skin tore like wet tissue paper. I’m on blood thinners so often have to use a dressing as the bleeding takes a while to stop. I bought low adhesive individual dressings ( available in the supermarket) as I was finding that even removing regular Elastoplast type dressings was bruising my skin…… I try to keep my skin moisturised as much as possible and use Dermol 500 which GP has put on prescription for me. It can also be used in the shower or bath instead of soap and is much less drying than soap products. I find it less greasy than Double base.

Take care

Linda

[joat in reply to linda49]

Yes the Double base is very greasy so will ask for Dermol next time. I find I misjudge doors, cupboards even chairs. Perhaps loss of concentration? My surgery issued me with Allevyn large plasters which do not pull at the skin when removed but this time the wound needed professional dressing.

[Sandy1947]

So sorry about your injury. With PMR I had to ditch the heavy bag and go to a cross body, light weight one with compartments inside for cards and money so no more wallet. I am also on the clumsier side with PMR hand and finger weakness dropping, spilling and making a mess along the way! My coffee barely makes it entirely in the cup!

I’m praying new bruises hold off until after my son’s casual wedding Labor Day weekend on a riverboat in Ufala, Oklahoma wherever that is!!!!

[joat]

Yes, it is my purse that is the problem, quite large and the coins weigh heavily.

Hope all your bruises disappear and that you enjoy your son`s wedding, I have no idea where Ufala is.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to joat]

Have to change to contactless card payment...

[joat in reply to PMRpro]

Haven`t got used to my new card so still carry a small amount of cash, old age!!!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to joat]

There is very little use of cards here - you CAN use them, people just tend not to. And we stand at the checkout finding the right change!

[joat in reply to PMRpro]

Had to have a new credit card and then a week later a new Visa as both had been used illegally. Whoever used the credit card tried again after it had been blocked but this time from Nigeria! Had a phone call from both Banks to warn me so they were really on the ball.

Just a bit of gossip - grandson got GCSE results mainly A`s, Maths,Physics,English, Design and the rest B`s. Wants to be an Architect! Made my day.

[piglette in reply to PMRpro]

The only problem for me with contactless cards is that they are limited up to thirty pounds. Probably a good thing as it makes me think twice on the other hand. I would be flashing them all day otherwise. We have a fruit shop that only takes cash, no plastic bags just paper ones and no carrier bags. Incredible they get away with no plastic in this day and age, but rather nice and nostalgic. I always take in handfuls of coins as they are always short.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to piglette]

No specialist fruit and veg shop here uses plastic and it is at a minimum in the Spar supermarket - the wonders of environmental awareness

[piglette in reply to PMRpro]

UK want to copy Finland and get rid of cash it seems. I must admit I do not use cash like I used to and I very rarely write a cheque.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to piglette]

What's a cheque????????????

[piglette in reply to PMRpro]

They wanted to get rid of cheques in U.K. in 2015 but failed. I notice petrol stations won’t take cheques any more. I suppose other places do too, except I don’t know as I never use them.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to piglette]

Can't remember the last cheque book we had! Not sure I could fill one in now

[Telian in reply to PMRpro]

Me too then we've been having work done on the house for a while and they like cash or cheques! So I requested a cheque book just in case. Funny thing was when we had the chimney swept she had a card reader!!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Telian]

What a sensible woman! You only get the money if it is there - no bounced cheques!

Small repairs here often come at a standard "30 euros" - in cash obviously! Though our most recent computer problem was done by the young man and he didn't want to charge anything! He gave in to our protestations and said "5 then" - he got double as a decent tip. When you think it costs a small fortune in the UK just to get it looked at we consider ourselves very fortunate!

[Telian in reply to PMRpro]

Wow that is cheap, I'm presuming they do a decent job too..

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Telian]

It comes back working - usually while we wait and usually better than before! I think they make their money supplying IT locally and designing websites and programming - two quite young and nerdy computer freaks who then enjoy a bit of light relief. A Windows 10 update fried OH's newer laptop - he could do nothing with it, not even boot it. The boys took about an hour to reclaim it - and said that W10 updates fry about 1 in 10 computers! Must be costing some people a LOT! They also recommend good and cheap programmes to download - one of which together with McAfee and W10 have removed a bad problem I had with my little laptop which never had any space available. Just Mc and W10 alone didn't do anything useful.

[piglette in reply to PMRpro]

I read somewhere that the black economy eg cash payments is 18% in U.K. and even higher in Italy. I think that is why they seem to be discouraging cash in U.K. and wanting to get rid of it. They are losing out on tax.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to piglette]

It is much tighter here since Monti - and the Finance Police are brilliant!

[piglette in reply to PMRpro]

Isn’t Finance Police an oxymoron?

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to piglette]

I think it is them that ski the slopes looking for dopes smoking dope...

[Telian]

It works for both of you then, you get your job done and they enjoy doing it. I don't have W10, my son isn't impressed by it anyway so we've never had it installed on my laptop, it's never got enough space I just reboot when needed. He's (son) a computer whizz, not his real job, always had an interest and can fix any problem, so he's our technician. When I'm ready for a change I'll upgrade but it's not like I'm doing employed work anymore so don't need it. You do need someone that knows what they're doing and sounds like you've found some good 'uns there!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Telian]

I'm not ecstatic about W10 - OH got it with the new laptops and gets on with it OK. I only do word processing really so it's not a problem - and all the stuff we work on tends to be from academia and as doc.x files - or whatever the new one was last week...

[piglette in reply to Telian]

My computer died last year (bought in 1999) and I was using W2000 I had upgraded from W98. My new computer has XP on it. The trouble is if I got W10 most of my current software would not work, I would have to buy more and then have to learn it, which just makes me feel very tired.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to piglette]

Yup - XP forever ... We have to be able to work with others who do use W10 though. Sigh...

[Telian in reply to piglette]

Exactly, that's why I'm not keen on getting W10, if what you've got works for you that's all that matters.

[Hidden]

So sorry to read that, how painful, poor you! Handbag 👜 now not shoulder bag, you deserve a treat after that!

Hope it heals quickly 🌺

[joat]

Thanks for your message. Still rather painful but hope it is healing, had five large steristripps put on!! Trouble with hand(bag) it occupies one useful hand.

What a lovely picture you posted recently.