Purpura

[2013mayo]

Hi everyone, I’ve started getting purpura on my legs again, they all cleared up for about 6 months and now they are back, I’m so disappointed, I’ve not not knocked my legs in any way, I’m always careful as I hate the look of them. I’ve actually really cut down on pred, I take half a mg per day. I do moisturise every day, I’m very careful and avoid anything touching or contact with my legs but here they are again, today I woke up with another one, last week I got out of the shower and there was a large one on my leg, I do get small ones on my arms which I can cope with but the leg one are huge. Any idea what I can do please. They take so long to clear up and then leave a very ugly brown patch.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

If they went away and have returned for no apparent reason I think you probably need to ask the GP. There are other causes besides pred and it can't always get the blame. However - is it on areas that have been exposed to the sun over the summer? And yes - I know it has been a rare sight in the UK!

[2013mayo in reply to PMRpro]

🤣, I’ve seen my doctors about this in the past and they are pretty useless.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to 2013mayo]

Goes without saying I suppose ...

[Koalajane]

strangely I don’t get them on my legs and I am still wearing shorts and do knock them. I only get them on my arms and know if I brush against a door frame along they come. I get them from putting in my backpack from putting my arms through. I start to celebrate they have nearly all gone and walk into something!

[2013mayo in reply to Koalajane]

I can cope with them on my arms, but legs, I find it really difficult to put tights on and I hate wearing them 😢

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to 2013mayo]

Can't remember when I last put a pair of tights on!!!!

[2013mayo in reply to PMRpro]

🤣

[Bridge31]

I’m with you 100%. No matter what dose I’m on ( currently 4mg ) the damage to my legs is as you say really ugly and exactly as you describe. We go to Portugal a lot as our daughter lives there so now it’s always long dresses or trousers.

I did try putting on tights last winter but I had to give up 🤣

[2013mayo in reply to Bridge31]

Terrible isn’t , let’s hope with time it I’m improves 🍀🍀🍀🍀🤞🤞🤞

[Bridge31]

P.S. When they cleared up did the brown patches go ?

[2013mayo in reply to Bridge31]

No 😢

[Bridge31 in reply to 2013mayo]

😔

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Bridge31]

Actually I am finding that they are less obvious - not sure that they are fading, more that the surrounding skin is starting to tan again.

[2013mayo in reply to PMRpro]

Yes it does improve the look when you get a tan, that’s the brown patches but as the tan fades then the brown patches are more noticeable again

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to 2013mayo]

Mine tends not to fade over the winter but that probably reflects later and earlier times to get a tan!

[2013mayo in reply to PMRpro]

I tried fake tan once, never again, I didn’t like it on and washed my legs vigorously to get it off, what a disaster , huge patches of purpura 😢

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to 2013mayo]

Never appealed. pale and interesting does me fine!

[MDT1]

Bless you - I get them on my arms and hands for no apparent reason at times, I had lots at high doses but once below 7 they seemed to go away and now they have become more frequent again at 2 and under! My GP was not interested at all

[2013mayo in reply to MDT1]

Just don’t understand why we get, there’s no explanation 🤷‍♀️

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to 2013mayo]

What - get purpurae? Pred makes the tiny capillaries in the skin delicate and they leak with the slightest pressure.