Blood Spots

[Phed]

Since starting Steroids back in August last year for GCA I have been getting Blood Spots or purpura (I think that’s what it is)on my arm’s every now and then, they just seem to appear out of the blue, is it quite natural to get them? I can’t think it’s my Thyroid Medication causing them as I have been on that for a few years now and have never had them till I started Steroids, I know the skin gets thinner with age (I’m 69) so maybe it’s just a coincidence they have started to appear in the last 9 months.

[SheffieldJane]

The skin also gets thinner and more fragile while we are on steroids unfortunately , with a tendency for easy bruising. I think I have read posts about Perpura too. My skin got better on the lower doses and I always use a plain cream like E45.

[Hidden in reply to SheffieldJane]

My arms get in a terrible state,the slightest bang and i am bruised sometimes skin tears and bleeds.It looks terrible i cover up with long sleeves very self conscious about it.Pred makes skin so thin and fragile.xxx

[Lejazzhot in reply to Hidden]

Tissue paper skin. Would be happy if I only had bruises. But my skin breaks so easily and bleeds arms and legs covered with lacerations some bandaged others closed and healing. It’s been one year on pred. Even at 4mg my skin breaks and bleed. Not my nature a vain person but this is so ugly. I feel so disfigured and embarrassed when others see this.

Every day is a challenge. Just yesterday on the sidewalk someone’s small bag hit my shin. They walked on unaware and I had barely enuf tissues to stop the blood flow

This is

[Lejazzhot in reply to SheffieldJane]

Even at 4mg I bruise and bleed with the slightest brush against something. So terrible. I walk around with several 4x3 adhesive bandages on arms and legs. And carry many in my bag for emergencies which occur almost daily. This has been the worst result of pred. But troubling because it has not improved with tapering. I need chain mail

[Linny3]

I get them all the time. They look awful and I believe it is the prednisone.

[ICHost in reply to Linny3]

I am off of Prednisone now, thankfully, but I too got the red spots without and provocation.

[piglette]

I have had them virtually since I started pred. They look as if I have been fighting through brambles sometimes. This week I noticed I have one shaped like an equilateral triangle. Very strange.

[Meggsy]

Yes I get them. Corticosteroids impair the body’s ability to make collagen which is the main structural protein in the skin. I guess you could compare it to the mortar holding the bricks together in a wall. If the mortar starts disintegrating it weakens the wall. 🌻

[scats]

I'm using crutches at the moment and the rubbing of the arm supports means my skin can have a giraffe like pattern some days, very attractive!

[Constance13 in reply to scats]

Giraffe like pattern! I'm trying to imagine what that looks like.😂😂

[scats in reply to Constance13]

I'm not putting up a photo. Numerous irregular blotches between wrist and elbow in my case.

[Constance13 in reply to scats]

Spoilsport - I put one up for you!😂😂

[Phed in reply to scats]

What a good explanation giraffe like pattern I totally agree with you😂😂

[mtrafter]

I have had them for around 18yrs came with my first autoimmune disease they are on my trunk, arms and thighs no relation to start of Pred 3yrs ago.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Pred makes the capillaries in the skin more fragile - that is why we tend to bruise more easily and develop petechiae/purpurae. The tendency also increases with age - I didn't have them too badly because of pred to start with but the tendency is increasing now and of course being on anticoagulant thereapy doesn't help!

I develop them just from carrying a bag over my arm if the handles slide down the skin - do you know what I mean? I was emptying our camper last week, pulling things out of drawers, boxes and cupboards - I have amazing bruises on my shins and a few purpurae! I find that when the purpurae heal they leave a brown patch of skin and are more likley to develop again if caught on something

[Phed in reply to PMRpro]

I’m glad you mentioned you had brown patches on the skin left behind after the petechiae/ purpurae I guess I’m just so aware of them on my arms as my skin is fair, I guess it’s time for fake tan to disguise them a bit better in the summer 😂 just out of interest will the brown patches ever go away?

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Phed]

No idea to be honest - it is only the larger spots I notice and some do tend to become a new purpura rather easily! But the ones that don't repeat offend do seem to fade with time, and of course I do tend to brown a bit in the summer.

[Lejazzhot in reply to PMRpro]

Many mundane activities like carrying bags are challenging. I love when the cashier says it’s not heavy! Thank you very much. I’ve pretty much given up carrying bags of groceries because of what they do to my arms.

[Hidden]

I have easy bruising and purpura from nothing ( ie. in a spot I couldn’t have hit). My left forearm is the primary spot. Elbows a constant and if not purple, brown as PMRpro mentioned. Been thus since the start. One of our add-ons and I have age as well.

[Cofab2]

It is helpful to read all these posts and know I am not the only one. Along with the red, bruise like blotches, my skin tears really easy. I can smooth it back over the flesh, put ‘New Skin’ liquid on (burns like blazes) and cover with gauze and stretchy wrap. It eventually heals. NO TAPE..as it takes the skin with it! I too, am so embarrassed with my arms, and try to wear long sleeves! This occurs on my legs, too, if I scratch a spot, or scoot along on the ground, when weeding garden....ugh. But...at least with pred (down to 5, which seems to be my magic #) after 5 years, at least I can do a lot more with less pain. Thanks to all for your helpful posts. I am in USA

[pball]

I have found this very interesting as I did have a bunch on my lower legs and being on prednisone this has gone away.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to pball]

Are you sure they were petechiae/purpurae? And not a vasculitis rash? Which would improve with pred.

[Phed in reply to PMRpro]

I guess I’m not sure now if it’s vasculitis rash as they just come up as one blotch at a time rather than a rash, once they go down I’m left with the brown blob, does vasculitis leave the brown blobs behind as well? I only ever seem to get them between my wrist and elbow.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Phed]

Don't know - just I was surprised at them going with pred.

[Phed in reply to PMRpro]

I’m hoping to have a medication review in a few weeks time so I will mention it to the doctor hopefully I will have one on my arm and they will be able to tell me what they I will take a picture also just incase they decide not to appear that particular day.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Phed]

How long do they last?

[Phed in reply to PMRpro]

It can take a week or more for them to start to go depends how big they are the brown marks they leave behind take a good few months before they go.

[Phed]

About a week it depends if they are small, sometimes if they are bigger it takes a little longer but the brown marks they leave behind take a few months to disappear.

[Peptink]

I get these purpurae as well. Looking back, it seems that I’ve been getting them since I started the steroids last December. Sometimes I can feel just a twinge in my hand and sure enough within an hour or two I will have a nice big purple spot on my hand. They don’t hurt but look horrible. I talk with my rheumatologist on Monday and I’ll mention them to her then.

[Phed in reply to Peptink]

It will be interesting to hear what your Rheumatologist has to say about them, some of mine just appear without any warning, others start by a slight itch which I don’t scratch but it makes no difference as they still appear.

[Pollyanna16]

As another who has constant tears or bruising on my arms, I wonder if anyone has found taking a Collagen supplement helpful? Just a thought. X

[Phed]

Thank you for all your reply’s, I guess I just have to learn to live with them 🙁

[Lejazzhot in reply to Phed]

It’s a bitch. A terrible side effect. Every day a challenge not to tear my skin.

[Hidden]

Hi everyone! I'm down to 9mg and getting a lot of blotches appearing too frequently . I am quite vain when it comes to my appearance and hate this!