Anyone have Splinter Hemorrhages?

[Shezian]

HI

I haven't been diagnosed yet. Its been nearly 3 years since my symptoms have started. I have on and off days and always changing symptoms. Not sure if this at all fits with vasculitis. In the past week, l have noticed 2 small splinter hemorrhages, on my right thumb. Has anyone else had this?

Thanks

Sue

[Cmd83]

I had splinter hemorrages on my finger nails when I started getting really ill before diagnosis. Have you seen a consultant yet? Three years seems like a very long time to have not being diagnosed...

[Ayla Volunteer]

I had a few pre diagnosis, too. I have MPA. I believe it is one of the symptoms of MPA but not one that everyone gets and, of course, it can just be that you just have splinter haemorhages anyway! As Cmd83 says above, three years does seem a long time waiting for a diagnosis, do you know what the hold up is?

Ayla

[Shezian]

Hi Ayla, how are you?

The hold up is they don't seem to know what is going on. I saw 6 different specialists last year and decided that this year l wasn't seeing anyone. So far l haven't until next week when l will go in and see about my thumb. I feel fine for months and then feel not so good for weeks. Feel good at present except this thing on my finger is causing me anxiety. My inflammation markers are normal and renal function normal, that why the doctors aren't concerned. I thought l may have brain vasculitis as my main symptoms is feeling floaty and sore jaw and dull ongoing headaches, but l don't think that vasculitis is a p-anca vasculitis. As the doctors don't know what l have got, l am trying to connect the dots myself.

[Shezian]

Ohnl forgot to ask, can they take a biopsy of a splinter hemorages?

[tracynoe]

I have splinter hemorrhages I don't get as many now as I used to pre treatment. I also have secondary raynauds and this also makes me prone to them due to the abnormal capillary loops in fingers. I don't think they do biopsys of them but if there was any suggestion of abnormal capillary loops them they can do a nailfold capillaroscopy.

[magcor]

I have cerebral vasculits, like you my inflammation markers were and are always normal. I had symptoms simular to ms but it was a very sharp witted doctor that saw splinter heamorraghes on my finger nails, very quickly I had an mri scan and dye test of the brain.

[ehughes]

when I was diagnosed in Feb 2011,the splintering was very apparent on both hands under the finger nails...they do disappear,but I`m constantly checking ...

[Shezian]

Seems like splinter hemorrages are common amongst vasculitis suffers. I only have 2 on my right thumb. One dot and one longer one, on the distal side of the nail, which apparently doesn't signify any kind of disease, and because it's on one finger apparently it means nothing, and could be from injury. I didn't injur my nail. If the splinter is proximal and on more fingers, , then that has more of a signifance. But with me having p-anca positive, (neg MPO), l am worried that my body is giving me a sign that l may indeed be suffering with some kind of disease.

I have had a brain MRI a year ago when my symptoms were more severe, somehow my symptoms have settles for a while. I didn't have any dye or anything. But my MRI came back clear. Do you think l need to have another one? I was reading that if you have brain vasculitis then the MRI will always show up something. So far l haven't but like said l may need to get another MRI. I have positive p-anca which isn't related to brain vasculitis either.

I don't think l have Reynaud as my finger never turn blue which is the main symptom.

If l had something like brain vasculitis, from what l have read the symptoms progress very quickly and severe headaches are the norm. My headaches are more dull across the forehead annoying headaches, but nothing that bad that l need to take meds. I never, ever have fever. My vision is normal. Also, my symptoms come and go. I can be feeling normal for 6 months and then it comes back, sometimes it hangs around around for a few days and then sometimes a few weeks. So go figure. I just don't get it anymore. I am very frustrated and confused and just want answers. Unless l am dropping dead nobody seems to care.