Red Blotches : I've had this before! Red bruise... - PMRGCAuk

PMRGCAuk

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Red Blotches

11 Replies

I've had this before! Red bruise blotches on my arms. They are varying sizes from pinprick to a quarter of an inch.

I'm stuck on 10mg of Pred

I get them when I'm subjected to stressful situations such as loud people.

Yesterday I went for a stroll in the woods and an hour later the bloody things started appearing

I have been avoiding sunbathing which is tough on me :/

Does anyone have a "special cream" they use?

I have have ankle pain and am just about to get a fusion. Could that pain kick off the bruising? Yesterday was a walk on rough terrain.

I hope you are all well and living the dream :)

David

11 Replies
PMRpro profile image
PMRproAmbassador

They are purpurae (the larger ones) and petechiae (the tiny ones). They are caused by blood leaking from the capillaries in the skin (the small blood vessels):

mountsinai.org/health-libra....

medicalnewstoday.com/articl...

There is no real "cure" - prevention is better - and I don't think the sun makes them any worse. They will fade in time.

in reply to PMRpro

Thank you. I've been getting them for a few years now but they are particularly bad now! Thanks for the links PMRpro

PMRpro profile image
PMRproAmbassador in reply to

More likely when on long term steroids - although one of those links mentions steroids to help which surprised me.

I have asked that question before and thanks to you all I know it must be steroid induced. Anytime my peaceful routine is upset I get like this with tinnitus too. I love shopping but get bothered with all the fuss. 😭

piglette profile image
piglette

Mine used to be very bad but have improved as I have reduced the steroids. They don’t hurt and disappear after a couple of weeks so I just put up with them.

Sharitone profile image
Sharitone

I have petechiae down one lower leg - not the other🤔. None of my many emollients makes the slightest bit of difference! As they don't itch, I can't be bothered to care.

Louisa1840 profile image
Louisa1840

Not sure about living the dream davidcantswim but I'm very grateful for my life!!! I get these purple blotches on my arms all the time. They come and go with no seeming cause ( apart from being on prednisone) so I am interested thay you have picked up a link with stress . Mine just last for a few days and then clear up. A pharmacist told me to keep the skin on my arm moisturised which I do using creams I make myself from all natural ingredients. They are unsightly, true, but are much worse side-effects. I have gained over 15 kgs in weight in the 6 years I have been on pred and that DOES upset me........

in reply to Louisa1840

Hi Louisa. I am just about to taper from 10 - 9 mg after an age stuck on ten so that should be fun :/ I have been very lucky on the weight side of things and have lost 23 pounds since January and I really haven't tried too hard. Right now I'm steadying up and hoping to stay at the weight I am.

I dropped carbs a lot. I love sourdough bread and ate it like a madman! I love chips and baked potatoes and biscuits but dropped the lot and the weight fell off. I, now, into all the lovely clothes I bought in the States 12 years ago.

I do think the stress of social events really do get to me I am pretty much certain after five minutes of noise I get the bruising. And to think I was a professional DJ for almost 30 years often I had to stop touring around as the crowds were getting to me....And the noise and partying. I always just wanted to sit in a quiet room.

David :)

in reply to

By the way... Liz and I cancelled our PULP gig in Cardiff as we know what was going to happen!

Alchemy8 profile image
Alchemy8

These are presumably not the marks one gets as a result of hitting the skin on the arms or legs or putting too much pressure on them; I have been told this is a result of taking steroids and the thinning of the skin.

Yes :/ I am struggling with the appearance of them at the moment

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