Bruising like crazy.

[Merryfield]

Has anyone experienced frequent and easy bruising from being on steroids? My lower legs, esp my right leg, are covered with small and one a bit larger bruises. They are not painful and seem to pop up out of nowhere. Can it be the diabetes 2? Boy are they unsightful, along with my two knee surgery scars, giant age spots and a recent shin scrape.

[piglette]

I normally look like I have been in a pub brawl! Caused by the steroids.

[Merryfield in reply to piglette]

You, too! Every time I post about a weird side effect of steroids, it turns out I am not crazy! Black facial hair (and now long hair on my hands and fingers!), moon face, diabetes 2, elevated bp and now bruising. Yet I am doing laundry, running errands, walking the dogs and making soup. (With a couple of hours of lying down every afternoon.) You and others are exercising, gardening, painting, traveling, advising. All of us are amazing.

[piglette in reply to Merryfield]

You haven’t had the purpura yet then? That really adds to the bruising and makes the brawl look really impressive!

[Merryfield in reply to piglette]

No purpura yet. Egads. You have it? So sorry!

[piglette in reply to Merryfield]

That makes me look as if I have been fighting with a wild animal!!

[Merryfield in reply to piglette]

Lord, Purpura looks dire.

[piglette in reply to Merryfield]

I say I have been pruning the roses.

[Merryfield in reply to piglette]

pruning roses or wading thru thorns??

[Janstr]

I found it improved as my pred dose reduced.

[Merryfield]

That is good news. Am at 22.5 mgs of methylprednisolone. Will go down another .5 end of April.

[Bridge31]

Every time I even slightly bump or bang my arms or my legs and the damage takes forever to fade. The aftermath discolouration on my shins is permanent now. As Piglette says it looks like I’ve been in an accident. I can no longer wear dresses in the summer unless they are ankle length but “worse things happen at sea “ as they say so we soldier on.

I’m currently on 5 ( have been for months ) and I can’t say being on a low dose has made any difference.

[Exflex in reply to Bridge31]

regarding the discolouration, my GP said it’s the iron in your blood. When you bruise there’s an internal bleed, and over time repeated bruising leaves the iron (purple) discolouration. As well as 1.25mg of Pred I also take 75mg Aspirin. In my case it’s the blood thinning properties of Aspirin that is causing the bruising. I mentioned this to my new GP who said “the medication’s working then…”

[Lyndaki in reply to Bridge31]

I agree about lower dose not making any difference! 🥴 I’m on 2mg Prednisolone & the slightest catch on my forearms or shins results in a bruise! I often wake up with a bruised bicep where a nail has caught it in the night! Hey ho, I’m glad maxi dresses are fashionable, & thanks to living in Spain, the suntan covers the mess on my arms slightly!

[jolaine75 in reply to Lyndaki]

Yes I am the same.I have bruised too the least thing up comes a bruise.

[Merryfield in reply to Lyndaki]

Live on, maxis!

[Merryfield in reply to Bridge31]

oh bummer

[Merryfield in reply to Bridge31]

Sorry to hear, Bridge. If it weren’t for the difficulty in using the loo, I might buy some body stockings.

[Legsandmore]

yes, me too.

My legs bruise so easily, and l am struggling with excess facial hair. l had suspected it was the Prednisone, the drug that goes on giving.

[Merryfield in reply to Legsandmore]

Yes. Facial hair. And embarrassingly long hair on fingers and hands. 😬

[Koalajane]

For some strange reason I only get it on my arms

[Merryfield in reply to Koalajane]

hmm

[agingfeminist]

bruises appear without even the slightest knock...also nose bleeds...but it all stopped as I got on lower doses.

By the way it is impressive what some people achieve physically when PMR is under control but there are some of us who are much less impressive. The effects of steroids/PMR are very individual. After almost 4 years and now on a dose of 4 mg I am unable to walk further than a few hundred yards (though I walk most days). Exercise does my wasted muscles no good.

You can help combat the pred induced diabetes by cutting out virtually all carbs and no sugars (or sweeteners) only carefully selected whole fruit (occasionally and no fruit juices)

sending you all good wishes for your PMR journey

[Merryfield in reply to agingfeminist]

Thank you Aging. I have been carb naughty in March on a trip. Gotta buckle down. But sorry about your weakness. Some walking still good. I hear you about muscles. I am losing weight due to diabetes meds but the fat remains. Keep plugging. 🙏

[agingfeminist in reply to Merryfield]

Thank you for your kind reply and encouragement

[PMRpro Ambassador]

While I was on pred above 10mg a day my shins were permenently bruised - I am also on anticoagulant therapy which didn't help of course. It is a common effect of long term pred - your skin thins as the connective tissue reduces and so the capillaries are exposed and become fragile, causing bruising.

And I see you are on methylpred - all those side effects appeared on methyl pred and went or at least improved when I was switched back to prednisone.

[musicality in reply to PMRpro]

Does anyone know if skin (connective tissue) and muscle breakdown after long term usage of steroid improve with lower dosage or stopping them altogether?

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to musicality]

I am now at 8mg pred and Actemra and the bruising is pretty much gone. I think my skin has improved too in the last year since I started Actemra - and that is after more than 10 years at above 10mg, for the last 2 or 3 at 15-20mg

[Merryfield in reply to PMRpro]

Actemra for RA only?

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Merryfield]

I don't have RA. I have had PMR for 18 years and been on pred for nearly 14 years. My rheumy has the option to use it, so he is.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to musicality]

I’ve had 3 joint replacement surgeries since finishing Pred in 2016 … all scars have healed extremely well and muscles back to pre Pred days (allowing for age of course😳)

[Merryfield in reply to DorsetLady]

Dorset, what a great outcome.

[Merryfield in reply to PMRpro]

Thanks, Pro. I will see gp in May and try to go back on pred.

[Nc74TR85]

Yes, I have loads, I only have to knock something gently and red bruising comes that take ages to go away. My arms are covered with them

[Merryfield in reply to Nc74TR85]

So sorry. Thank goodness for sleeves and tights.

[sampete]

This was my leg when I came out of theatre after a hip replacement. Obviously they're not very gentle with you when you're asleep. One was so bad it had to have a dressing on it.

Leg

[Merryfield in reply to sampete]

Holy moly. That is some bruising. How is it now?

[bluegirl7]

Hi Sadly the steroids make our skin so thin that the veins are near the surface so bruises happen all the time. If I hold a bag too tightly I get them on my fingers. I started on Pred in 2018. Now down to 1 mg but bruises are everywhere. I am over 70 and skin does not get thicker. So I do all sorts to hide legs etc. I do self tanning and leg makeup. With gowns I wear long gloves etc. It is an unfortunate side effect. Good luck.

[Merryfield in reply to bluegirl7]

You are making it work. I only expose my arms in dire heat.

[bluegirl7 in reply to Merryfield]

seriously self tan on legs and then use Sally Hansen leg makeup It is water proof and doesn’t stain clothing.

[Twopies]

my skin is so thin you can see every single vein, I bruise everyday all day. My skin looks nothing like my friends who are my same age and older—nothing.

[Merryfield in reply to Twopies]

We have what we have. I always marvelled at girls who had smooth unblemished legs. Tights and in the heat, shameless exposure of battered legs. Oy Vay.

[2013mayo]

hi,

Have them all the time, purpura, they look hideous, I can no longer go out without heavy duty tights or leggings, so upsetting, I also get them on my arms. I’m also on low dose pred, 5mg so it’s not made any difference, my doctor has just told me I must take the clopidogrel (blood thinner) which I stopped taking because of the purpura.

I hope it does get better for all of us 🤞

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to 2013mayo]

I had both purpurae on arms and bruises on shins - all gone with Actemra and lower pred.

[2013mayo in reply to PMRpro]

my consultant wants me to cut down on pred but every time I do I get poorly, it seems 5mg holds everything at bay, not been offered actemra ( I might of a while ago, can’t remember ). Maybe if I can ever get below 3mg it may help?

[Merryfield in reply to 2013mayo]

Do darned sorry. Pro seems to have had relief.