I was racing around like a fool on Sunday making 4 cheese scalloped potatoes and using the mandolin to slice those potatoes super, super thin. Got to the last one and I promptly sliced my thumb as well....yes, yes....I know and I was being careful, but just took a second. I don't usually have any difficulty clotting ( this has not been my first kitchen accident) but this time I bled and bled and bled despite exerting pressure, paper towels, cold water, etc. Ended up wrapping my entire thumb in a plastic bag so that I could finish prepping for dinner and it was an epic because I realized how important a functioning thumb is on my right hand!!!
I am assuming it is the prednisone that has affected the clotting??? I also had a burst blood vessel in my eye last week after a flurry of dust related sneezes and it took nearly a week to clear up. I am finding that everyday on prednisone can be filled with fresh experiences....Anyone else finding similar moments?
Cheers
Written by
Cairocat
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So sorry to read about your little accident. Most painful.
Our skin is very thin due to Prednisone medication, so we really have to be extra careful.
Hope your thumb will heal quickly. Keep it clean and covered.
Yes it's happened to me too and took ages to heal.
YuliK 🌷
Yep been there...left thumb 18mths ago and its got a scar to.prove it. Are you sure it doesnt need a stitch or a butterfly plaster or two?
I just wrapped it and if it bled through raised my arm again and wrapped it again on top of the first dressing. It bled on and off for a few days. I redressed the following morning with anti bacterial/septic cream. I kept renewing the dressing twice a day and kept one on for over a week as everytime i knock cuts like that they bleed again. I have diabetes and everything takes longer to heal! I presume pred with its spiking sugar and thin skin effects provides similar context.👍ouch!🌻
Oh poor Dear!! I had the same experience with my new mandolin. I guess they provide those guide/shields for a reason??😁
Ordinarily No problems with clotting, but the slice off my thumb did take a bit of gauze and above my heart, to quit bleeding. Had a couple of eye bleeds also, the doc said no worry.
Yeah...I did have the "guide" to prevent "issues"... but was on the....last one.....AGH!!! The clotting was a major issue....blood dripping everywhere and I was using paper towels for wrapping. Never had that happen before and I am not a
beginner to ...slashing and gouging my fingers...
Thank you for your reply....let's just keep ....staying safe!!!
Regarding the eye, thanks to a suggestion from my eye doctor I use (preservative free) artificial tears both occasionally for dry eyes and if I get a burst blood vessel, and the burst blood vessel heals a lot quicker.
I always read your responses/comments because you are so....well informed and centered, positive and ...gentle... so thank you....It is a good thing you don't have those issues...
It might be an idea to go to the doctor and discuss these problems , they may seem small but if you add eye issues into the mix it's always a good idea to let the GP know and ask for any extra advice or help .
Keep a diary of all these small things , especially if the occur quite regularly to show the Rheumatologist or GP too , if a pattern grows it may need addressing .
Getting eye drops from the GP are better than over the shelf if you are getting inflamed or broken vessels in your eyes is good advice , it's coming to Summer and more of these things can happen.
Skin and small blood vessels can be fragile and prone to breaking with Pred , so it does need monitoring.
If you cut is still quite raw , deep or seems wide it would be a good idea even now to get some stick on butterfly stitches to stop the cut reopening and secure it .
Then covering with a square of dry cotton dressing pad ( for protection and comfort ) and securing with thin gauze wrapping and tape with micropore ( the gauze let's it stay dry and breathe and that helps healing.
Adding a finger support tube ( from chemist , like a flexible roll on elastic tube ) for a week while using your hand will also help keep the wound in the right shape and stop it rubbing or breaking open while you use your hand.
After a week change the dressing leaving the butterfly in place , and obviously keep moving the thumb and massage it gently ( except for the cut section) .
This helps blood flow in the area to improve the healing .
Keeping even small cuts dry with steroids helps them heal quicker .
When you take the dry dressing off and feel happy to remove the butterflies ( for a deeper cut it can be best to leave it a couple of weeks ) keep it dry .
Use vaseline on it in wet places or a finger protector tube to keep it drier , clean and stop it splitting again or giving you pain when you press it for awhile .
Seems like a big phaff but it's worth it to help it heal quicker and stop it getting infected , something which is easier to happen on steroids too.
Hope the scallop potatoes got a round of applause for all the pain you went through to get them done . You deserved a chef's medal and a big glass of wine for that one.
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PMR and difficulty tapering prednisone. 
Still difficulty in tapering 
monitoring my GCA with difficulty
Calcium supplements etc.
