Bleeding from fingers
Posted , 4 users are following.
my dad is 94, and had a stroke 3 years ago. been on plaxis blood thinner ever since.
he still lives on his own with lots of home care and support and does well for an old guy.
uses a walker to get around, is a bit weak but otherwise in good shape and his mind is sharp.
yesterday he noticed bleeding on one hand, then the other. it took some time to realize that the blood was coming through the skin, not from cuts or cracks, just oozing. it stopped after a while and there are faint bluish dots on his finger tips. some also between the fingers.
he felt okay and didnt want to see a doctor. but this morning it started again on the worst finger, which needed another bandaid.
i insisted on taking him to the ER, (its a weekend) even though it had stopped. i figured it was a strange and serious symptom.But the ER doc didnt know what it could be and basically sent him home, told him to use hand cream, even though his fingers arent dry or cracked..
He didnt do any tests, other than to pinch and see the circulation was ok, and just asked if he was on a blood thinner, which he is. i added that he has periodically taken ibuprofen but the doc didnt seem concerned with that.
Now dad doesnt want to see his own doctor because this ER guy made so little of it and he feels foolish for wasting their time. im concerned, and would like to know if this symptom should be taken more seriously. thanks in advance
0 likes, 4 replies
jen86183 brenda40251
Posted
Hello Brenda,
You sound like you are in the states, do you have a regular doctor to visit? Blood thinners cause bleeding, as we get older our veins and skin get thinner so it stand to reason it would bleed through the skin.
You have to do what is best for your dad, if he was my father I would get him off blood thinners and get him natural thinners. There are plenty of foods and supplements that keep the blood from being sticky which is what these tablets actually do. Drinking water is also important to keep the blood moving, these tablets can be pretty dangerous anyway the longer you take them and at his age probably not the best thing to take.
brenda40251 jen86183
Posted
Hi Jen, we are in Canada, and do have a regular doctor but it was the weekend, and making an appt with our doctor can take some time, unless it's life or death. I was concerned that this was a symptom indicating a larger problem - internal bleeding, maybe? I have no idea but I urged him to let me take him to the ER. I knew he was rattled by this, and so was I. The doc was unconcerned so now he feels better. As for getting off the blood thinner, I agree that drugs can add to the list of problems even though they may deal nicely with others. He does what his health support people tell him to do, which is walk every day, do what he can for himself around the house, eat good food etc. And take drugs. He enjoys his glass of sherry before lunch and his scotch before dinner... no one is about to take those away from him. I'm with you about keeping it natural, and hope if I make it to his age it's without too much chemical assistance. Your reply helped me to not worry so much, so I thank you for that. He is amazingly healthy, other than having had the stroke, and being weak in the legs. If he was moved into an elder home I don't think he'd still be with us, so I'm very thankful he has the independence and quality of life he needs to keep going as far as he has. Thanks again!
jen86183 brenda40251
Posted
He sounds fantastic Brenda, sending lots of good wishes to you both.
joshuapryce1987 brenda40251
Posted
Maybe its a thing that will go away over time. Visible blood cuts and scars, etc go away on their own most of the time. Give it a few weeks, and if problem continues then see the doctor.