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Bleeding Under The Skin

Posted , 10 users are following.

ptolemy
ptolemy

I have purpura on my arms caused by bleeding under the skin. Most of them seem to be in long lines so look like I have been scratched by a cat while others vary in size from small dots to nearly a centimetre in diameter. They also itch and then sometimes break open, although the itching may be something else and the broken skin may be due to me scratching although I try not to. I have been on pred for PMR since January. Does anyone else have similar symptoms? My GP did not know what is causing it but plumped for the steroids. The purpura slowly fade and then new ones suddenly appear, one minute they are not there and the next time I look new ones have arrived. They are reddish to start with then fade and then disappear.

2 likes, 25 replies

25 Replies

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  • Nefret
    Nefret ptolemy

    Posted

    Ptolemy, Eileen, then I'm nuts too, can I join the club?  I proved the point to various family members at times.  Mine were positive results during high dose times but are better now I'm stable on 5mg.  Even so, I've had close encounters with various inanimate objects recently which not only look gruesome, but take a long time to fade.
    • EileenH
      EileenH Nefret

      Posted

      Of course!!! The more the merrier ;-) Who needs a Club Zero...
  • Jersey_Royal
    Jersey_Royal ptolemy

    Posted

    Hello, I get large dark red bruise type marks mostly on the front of my shins, I notice most of the replies are to arms & upper body.

    Does anyone get the bruises on legs,  Some just seem to suddenly appear for no reason, or perhaps if I just brush pass something they appear, 

    I have found that there are other type illnesses where the symptoms are these purple marks on legs?

    any info greatly appreciated.

    • EileenH
      EileenH Jersey_Royal

      Posted

      I get bruises on my legs too - from faint to genuine black ones! It all depends on how I kick myself ;-)
    • ptolemy
      ptolemy Jersey_Royal

      Posted

      My legs are permanently bruised with the greyish type bruise, which seem to come from nowhere. I only seem to get the reddish/purpley ones on my arms though. I did notice today one arm which had become pretty clear, was very itchy and now has developed a cluster of red. Once the patches have appeared the itching stops after a few hours. At least it looks like I have been pruning the roses or fighting with the cat, so people don't stare too much.
  • richard84351
    richard84351 ptolemy

    Posted

    Thanks for sharing all the information you did. I hope you are able to find complete relief, and if so, please share it with us. Whatever I find out, I hope to be able to help you, too.
  • superman58
    superman58 ptolemy

    Posted

    MY PROBLEM IS WHEN I GO TO ITCHING. ON MY ARMS...AND JUST WHEN IT SCRATCH IT LIGHTLY OR RUB PRETTY GOOD...BLOOD LIKE SPOTS AND LINES WILL BE ON MY ARMS UNDERNEATH MY SKIN...AND SOMETIMES IT WON'T GO AWAY COMPLETELY FOR A WEEK.
  • Steffiegirl
    Steffiegirl ptolemy

    Posted

    Hi ptolemy,

    I though when they appear out of the blue then it is called purpura. But mine only appear if I have knocked against something i.e an actually wound.

    Steffie

    • ptolemy
      ptolemy Steffiegirl

      Posted

      My GP calls it purpura. I think some of mine appear out of the blue but they are probably due to knocks and I didn't realise. I also notice they have started appearing if I scratch my arm for example, but they seem to be smaller spots.

    • EileenH
      EileenH Steffiegirl

      Posted

      I don't think that is necessarily a criterion - the term refers to spots that aren't a blanching rash and are due to bleeding from whatever cause:

      "Purpura is a condition of red or purple discolored spots on the skin that do not blanch on applying pressure. The spots are caused by bleeding underneath the skin usually secondary to vasculitis or dietary deficiency of vitamin C (scurvy).[1] They measure 0.3–1 cm (3–10 mm), whereas petechiae measure less than 3 mm, and ecchymoses greater than 1 cm."

      They can be due to various things but they are all haematomae and  size is the main differentiation:

      "Bruise, which is a hematoma caused by trauma

      Petechia, which is a small type of hematoma (<3mm)

      Ecchymosis, which is a large type of hematoma (>1 cm)"

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