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Health

Easy bruising

(26 Posts)
MaggieTulliver Sat 24-Oct-20 07:47:55

I seem to get bruises frequently, sometimes I know how I got them but mostly not and always on my arms and legs. I’ve been to the doctor and had my bloods done which were completely normal and was told just to keep an eye on things. She said it was probably age-related and due to thinning skin. Also the bruises take ages to heal, I’ve had one for over a month and it’s showing no signs of going away. Does anyone else bruise easily and does it take ages for your bruises to disappear?

Sunnyoutlook Sat 24-Oct-20 07:53:17

Same here but due to long term steroid use, tablets and inhalers. Have to keep arms covered up as looking after DGC can result in bruises from even just a gentle knock.

silverlining48 Sat 24-Oct-20 08:05:40

It’s very common, dh was told by gp that they are due to age.
They suddenly appear for no reason and take a while to go,

EllanVannin Sat 24-Oct-20 08:15:40

Poor you. My mum was like that and half the time didn't know where the bruises came from, nor remembered knocking herself. I seem to remember her having a blood test because she'd been concerned that folk may have thought that dad was walloping her. Nothing was wrong. I can also remember her saying " where did that come from ".

Yet I'm so different in that respect as I was told years ago when I began taking warfarin that I'd bruise easily after the slightest knock. Not a sausage, not that I want a show of bruises but there's rarely been a sign, even after a door closed on my arm----a bit of a red mark and that was it. I've got skin like a rhino grin I was in my 70's at the time.

It's usually put down to age but as I remember, mum wasn't old at the time. Sometimes it could be medication, or even something in the diet that causes the blood to thin. Alcohol.

sodapop Sat 24-Oct-20 08:15:51

I have had this problem all my life MaggieTulliver I bruise if a fly lands on me. It's not helped by the fact that I am very clumsy as well. People often ask me how I got a bruise and I have no idea. I had various tests when I was younger but there seems to be no reason for it. As I am now 74 it obviously has not affected me too much apart from being unsightly.

MaggieTulliver Sat 24-Oct-20 08:20:03

? Sodapop! Yes the slightest pressure causes a bruise. I feel like the princess and the pea! Do your bruises take a while to disappear?

sodapop Sat 24-Oct-20 08:38:34

Yes they do MaggieTulliver and are often multi coloured looking worse than they are. My husband has come in for some comments from time to time grin

cornergran Sat 24-Oct-20 09:16:08

Mr C is the same maggietulliver, also told it is an age thing. I’ve always bruised easily, between us we’re all colours of the rainbow.

Marydoll Sat 24-Oct-20 09:21:55

I'm always covered in them, some very large and spectacular, which take ages to go away.
My consultant says it could be any one of my medications, nothing to worry about.

henetha Sat 24-Oct-20 10:46:18

Me too. I had a big check up last year and all the blood tests were normal. It's just age, I think.

Farmor15 Sat 24-Oct-20 10:52:49

Yes - I bruise much more easily now than when younger, sometimes not knowing how/when I got it. I'm now on a blood thinner and thought it would get worse, but hasn't. I banged my leg a few days ago, with no effect, but get bruises on arms/hands often.

Shrub Sat 24-Oct-20 11:38:40

I bruise more easily these days (age 69). I often get small bleeds on the inside of finger joints for some reason. They are quite painful when they happen. I walk around the house squeezing the joint with my arm up in the air.

MaggieTulliver Sat 24-Oct-20 13:16:49

Ah well, seems like one of those things that comes on with age. I have a massive bruise on my upper arm from a slight bang into the corner of a chest of drawers which has been there for weeks. Glad it’s not summer and can cover up.

farview Sun 25-Oct-20 21:37:40

Have this problem also...been told that it's due to sun damage also ...I've got lots of pre skin cancers and couple of skin cancers also

TrendyNannie6 Mon 26-Oct-20 06:47:30

I have this problem due to very long use of steriods, drives me bonkers but nothing I can do, just try to be extra careful, although now it’s colder my arms and legs are more covered

Lexisgranny Mon 26-Oct-20 06:58:30

Shrub was very interested to see that you had problems with small bleeds on your finger joints. I have had two or three of these this year. They are quite spontaneous, a sharp pain and the skin around the joint turns dark red and then blue. I have RH and mentioned it to my Rheumatologist during a telephone consultation. He said it was difficult to say what caused it, but asked me to send a photograph the next time it happened, but needless to say it hasn’t happened since.

Marydoll Mon 26-Oct-20 07:34:10

I have RA and get that too, Lexi's granny, I think it's tiny blood vessels bursting under the skin. It can be excruciating, but nothing sinister.

MaggieTulliver Tue 27-Oct-20 09:14:13

Does anyone notice their bruises hanging around for ages? They say you should get them checked out if you have them for longer than 2 weeks but I often have them for a month or more!

Marydoll Tue 27-Oct-20 11:32:46

Mine take forever to disappear, then the next lot appear. After my angiogram, my arm was black and blue from fingers to shoulder.
It was a month before the bruises faded.
It's unsightly, apart from that, they don't bother me.

MaggieTulliver Tue 27-Oct-20 11:53:14

Are you on a blood thinner Marydoll?

Marydoll Tue 27-Oct-20 11:56:32

No, but on RA meds, which are probably the cause.

Lexisgranny Tue 27-Oct-20 23:21:27

Don’t know where RH came, should have read RA

Granny23 Tue 27-Oct-20 23:38:22

My friend and I were talking about this the other day. She also bruises easily. often for no apparent reason and currently has a big bruise from her Flu jab. She mentioned it to her GP who assured her it was nothing to worry about - was common in older age and probably worse for my friend because she is a redhead. Has anyone else been given this reason?

Marydoll Tue 27-Oct-20 23:58:17

I'm a redhead! My mother was a midwife and said their hearts always sank if a redhead in Labour was admitted, as they often experienced complications and needed a transfusion, I never found out why,

welbeck Wed 28-Oct-20 01:22:55

i guess maybe because redheaded people's skin is often more sensitive to sun damage, it is more delicate skin, likened to fine porcelain.