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Prednisolone - side effects - bruising/thin skin

Posted , 25 users are following.

Guest
Guest

Hello again -

I have been treated for PMA and Temporal arteritis since last January and am currently on 7 mg/day of prednisolone with a view to trying to reduce 1mg every 4 weeks as suggested by the rheumatologist. I am 71.

At present the worst side effect for me has been easy bruising and thinning of the skin. The slightest bump or friction on shins and arms produces dark purple bruises due to subcutaneous bleeding. Also - even a mild scrape (eg from a cardboard label on trousers which I was trying on in a shop) can cause the skin to break and bleed. My rheumatologist tells me that this will improve as I reduce the dose but this does not seem to be happening. What are other people's experiences of this? Do I have to get down to a much lower dose before I see an improvement or will this problem persist even when I (hopefully) manage to come off the steroids?

I would be grateful to know what other people think.

Purple cat.

3 likes, 68 replies

68 Replies

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  • escot
    escot Guest

    Posted

    Yes, I too have been on steroids since July 2013, and like you the slightest knock or brushing against something, comes out in a bruise, I started on 20mg and now on 8mg,but the aches are back in my arms and shoulders, and now they are appearing in my wrists and hands,ankles and sometimes I am finding it very hard to walk
  • Judygirl
    Judygirl Guest

    Posted

    I am eternally grateful to the forum.  My poor old legs have been in

    a purple snit for so long, at 3mgs of prednisone nothing has improved.

    Thanks to those who told "their story" I can now be a little more tolerant

    and hope we all return to "normal" soon.  Thanks again.

    • carmwoman
      carmwoman Judygirl

      Posted

      I HAVE played sport most of my adult life out in the SUN with uncovered arms, however I was also on Prednisone for my Crohns Disease. I HAVE not been on 5he Predisone now for 20 years, but I make sure My badly bruised and scarred arms and legs are covered because they are unsightly.
  • p63638
    p63638 Guest

    Posted

    Having to edure pain comming of steroids is not that bad i have copd after long heroin use. heoin users go through this pain every day of there lives. Just think that your not alone and drop every 3 days think it will not kill you but make you better.
    • EileenH
      EileenH p63638

      Posted

      Do you have PMR/GCA? If so - if you reduce the pred dose you are on every 3 days you will be back at square one in very short order. I note from your profile you are a "beginner" - before telling people to reduce their medication I think you had better learn a bit about PMR and GCA.

      Would you tell someone with an underactive thyroid or rheumatoid arthritis to reduce their dose of medication that is keeping them functioning? I trust you wouldn't - and in PMR pred is the medication that keeps us functioning. The only available medication that keeps us able to walk and do normal daily tasks. In the case of GCA it is protecting us from going blind. We all hope one day the disease will go into remission and we won't need it. But in the meantime we would be in pain every day of our lives - not from taking heroin but from the illness.

      If you HAVEN'T got PMR or GCA then why are you making this sort of statement here?

    • trebZ1900
      trebZ1900 p63638

      Posted

      Heroin use/abuse is a matter of choice. PMR/GCA/RA are not.
  • tony09890
    tony09890 Guest

    Posted

    I bought one of those wooden wheeled massage thingies the other day with the intention of massaging my forearms daily.   Once was enough, I now have purple bruises all over my forearms.
    • EileenH
      EileenH tony09890

      Posted

      Really not a good idea - for more than one reason! With pred you're risking the bruises and with PMR you are risking making your muscles rather uncomfortable! Many people with PMR can't tolerate massage because the action on the muscles can release cytokines and apparently cause a flare in the symptoms. If you are used to massage then you tend to expect it I suppose and don't worry about it as much but others can't cope with it.
  • Judygirl
    Judygirl Guest

    Posted

    I have experienced exactly the same thing, even went to a vascular surgeon

    to ask if I had vasculitis and was told - no that the condition was due to the

    ingestion of prednisone and would improve as I decreased the dose - however,

    I am now down to 3mgs and there's no improvement.  My lower legs look dreadful but I have no pain, my concern is could this happen elsewhere and cause irreprobable damage.  I am 87, had PMR for l8 months and have reduced

    very slowly allowing my body to adjust; this is my only concern and hope it

    will eventually resolve itself, otherwise I am relatively healthy for my age.  May

    I suggest that ones' eye sight be monitored carefully as I have recently been

    diagnosed with glaucoma which can be caused by prednisone.  I am using eye

    drops to reduce the high pressure and am doing well.  Giood luck to everyone

    and a big thank you to those whose wisdom is expressed on this forum, it is

    greatly appreciated.  Seasons greeting s to all.  Judygirl.

     

  • escot
    escot Guest

    Posted

    Yes, I have the same problem, but it seems that other people have the same problem, I know a lady who takes Prednislone on higher  dose than we do, she tinks it is great she says she feels great on higher, dose, she does not wear skirts, only trousers and long sleeve blouses she is about 85yrs old.

    personally I cant wait to get off of them I am reducing at the rate of 1 mg per month so next month it will be  5mg I was initionally given for PMR but then with a change of Rheumi it was discovered that I did not have PMR but Fibromyalgia plus crystals in my joints, As I also suffer with COPD I am advised to take a few days on a higher dose of Preds

     

  • catherine87418
    catherine87418 Guest

    Posted

    Im 52 & just been diagnosed with PMR & have started taking 15mg of prednisolone. I've started to notice slight bruising a fortnight in. I've read that taking vitamin c will help stop the bleeding as welll as improve collagen. Another vitamin is K, but you need to speak to your doctor & get it prescribed.

  • brenda52577
    brenda52577 Guest

    Posted

    Hi I've been on prednisone for over 2 years for temporal arteritis . Prednisone is a deal with the devil . Without it could have lost my sight but the after effects are horrific . The deflation on my skin is like someone just let the air out of a balloon . My skin is so dry i think ide need to lay in a bath of moisturiser to get anywhere near hydration of my skin . The problem is prednisone destroys your collegen which accounts for a large proportion of your body. It can't be replaced it has to be produced by your body which takes time . Don't believe any adds which tell you it can replace collegen because they can't . It's a slow healing process of the body . Take lots of vitamins leafy veg and any supplements you think may help it's a case of try it and see . Vitamin c has definitely helped me . Hope this helps . You will get better . Take care

  • sandy08116
    sandy08116 Guest

    Posted

    Hi Brenda - and others on the wonder drug  cheesygrin

    I was diagnosed GCA in October last year. CRP level was 76. Immediately put on high dosage prednisone and within weeks, CRP down to 4, currently on 7. Biopsy of minor temporal artery confirmed diagnosis which was first mis-diagnosed as TIA by locum at med centre. (Thank goodness I kicked and screamed or else I would have been happily chomping on statins and slowly going blind!) Fortunately, no eye damage and disorder localised to temporal area. Over time, headaches, auras, jaw claudication went. The paper-thin skin remains. Just one little bump - even a handshake - produces ruptured blood vessels, but more of a talking point than a worry. So do the dry, gritty eyes. Artificial tears clears that problem. Even tastebuds returning to normal which is the best news for a devout foodie and food photographer!

    Now remains tapering off prednisone and other medications: Omeprazole to reduce acid in the stomach, low dosage aspirin as a blood thinner and Fosamax (once weekly) to prevent bone marrow damage. I was told to eat lots of fibre, eat fruit, drink milk. Any side-effect issues were not a problem and could be dealt with. The tonne of weight I've put on? The moon face? Just for the duration. Don't let it bother you. Blame everything on Prednisone. Of course all this was a challenge to tolerance: I hadn't seen a doctor in 20 or more years (thought they were there to kill you), never had any drugs other than the occasional paracetemol, fit and healthy, (I will be 75 in a couple of months' and play competitive petanque three times a week) and suddenly I was drowning in them! But I knew it was par for the course. Grin and bear it, it will all go away in time.

    Both my GP and hospital rheumatologist are thrilled with my progress; they respect my desire to be kept informed and understand what is happening; case notes are shared between the three of us, they say attitude helps enormously.

    And I have a mountain of respect for them - and our universal health system!

    Good health, Brenda. 

    Cheers from Auckland, New Zealand. 

    • EileenH
      EileenH sandy08116

      Posted

      Just a point - Fosamax is not to prevent bone MARROW damge, it is to maintain bone DENSITY.

      This is a very old thread, started by Guest over 7 years ago in fact. If you look you will see there are few or no responses to the last half dozen or so posts.

      I would suggest you post this as a new thread because it does have useful info in it.

    • sandy08116
      sandy08116

      Posted

      New to this, Eileen. How do I start a new discussion?
    • EileenH
      EileenH sandy08116

      Posted

      Just below this post you will see a green box saying "Start your own discussion".  Click on that and it brings up a couple of boxes - think of a title and then write the post in the second box. It already says the name of the thread so it will arrive automatically when you click on the other green box that says Post your discussion.

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