This bruise http://imgur.com/a/QgXLUuq appeared on my wife's thigh today, no impact to cause it. She felt the pain, then noticed the appearance. She says it hurts pretty bad, in a throbbing way, and more so when she touches it, and she wants to scratch it. The small varicose vein patch in that area has been there for 3 years though.

She had something similar on her lower calf a couple months ago, and the bruise and pain lasted a few weeks. There is/was no varicose vein in the calf area.

For context, before we married, she was an RN that specialized in geriatric care, so she's familiar with blood clots, possible risks, and also blood thinners and issues that can go along with those. She kind of wants to know if there's potentially something serious going on, but she's stubborn as a mule about going to the doctor

She's 43 y/o, not overweight at all, doesn't use drugs/tobacco, only occasional light alcohol consumption. Eats fairly healthy, and is very active and healthy.

Thanks for any input!

http://imgur.com/a/QgXLUuq

Sudden unexplained onset, throbbing pain, and itch makes me think of shingles. Often accompanied by a red rash, but not always.

Can that be in one spot, go away, and reoccur in another spot? Accompanied by a bruise?

Hard to tell from a photo, but two things:

1. Go see your primary care physician/Internist
2. Do what he/she says.

Your wife is an RN. Symptoms could be a DVT (deep vein thrombosis), which I'm guessing you wife may think too - she's concerned, so you should be. Since she had a previous and similar experience, and no known cause, worth ruling out. Your FP may recommend a Doppler (sort of an ultrasound), MRI, venography or just warm compresses - could also just be a mild contusion. Current meds are important to run down, but doesn't sound like she has a long list of risk factors, although the greatest risk of ignoring is an occult pulmonary embolus, and you can have a DVT or PE with no previous history. Shortness of breath, chest pain or blood in sputum are a MANDATORY trip to the ER. See a Doc. Soon.

Maybe start taking an 81mg (baby) aspirin?? If it is clot related, this might get ahead of it.

She on Prednisone at all?

quote:

Originally posted by kkina:
She on Prednisone at all?

Nope

quote:

Originally posted by Doc H.:
Hard to tell from a photo, but two things:

1. Go see your primary care physician/Internist
2. Do what he/she says.

Your wife is an RN. Symptoms could be a DVT (deep vein thrombosis), which I'm guessing you wife may think too - she's concerned, so you should be. Since she had a previous and similar experience, and no known cause, worth ruling out. Your FP may recommend a Doppler (sort of an ultrasound), MRI, venography or just warm compresses - could also just be a mild contusion. Current meds are important to run down, but doesn't sound like she has a long list of risk factors, although the greatest risk of ignoring is an occult pulmonary embolus, and you can have a DVT or PE with no previous history. Shortness of breath, chest pain or blood in sputum are a MANDATORY trip to the ER. See a Doc. Soon.

Thank you! No current meds FWIW

I won't pretend to know what it is....but if it were me, I'd want to definitely rule out a DVT …..soon !!

quote:

Originally posted by Outnumbered:

quote:

Originally posted by Doc H.:
Hard to tell from a photo, but two things:

1. Go see your primary care physician/Internist
2. Do what he/she says.

Your wife is an RN. Symptoms could be a DVT (deep vein thrombosis), which I'm guessing you wife may think too - she's concerned, so you should be. Since she had a previous and similar experience, and no known cause, worth ruling out. Your FP may recommend a Doppler (sort of an ultrasound), MRI, venography or just warm compresses - could also just be a mild contusion. Current meds are important to run down, but doesn't sound like she has a long list of risk factors, although the greatest risk of ignoring is an occult pulmonary embolus, and you can have a DVT or PE with no previous history. Shortness of breath, chest pain or blood in sputum are a MANDATORY trip to the ER. See a Doc. Soon.

Thank you!

You're very welcome - and good luck!

Can't tell from the pic exactly where it is on the leg.
If your RN wife is anything like my RN wife, they ARE terrible patients!

If she really wants to know, (or at least get a best guess), she's gonna have to talk to a Doc.

Having a wife that is also an RN, it's tough to get them to do what would be normal for us: go see a doctor!!!!
Sometimes, it's impossible to see the trees because of the forest!

Any update? Hoping all better now.

My mother had multiple dvt events in her lifetime. So many that we lost count. However, she lived to be 85 years old.

Any suspect areas on the calf area of her legs was an automatic trip to the ER or doctor.

I will cast another vote to get her to have it checked out. Certainly not something to mess around with.

Not a doc but I would call that a sign of something metabolic or hormonal going on. Good time to get a full metabolic panel done including CRP, lipid panel, liver/kidney function and fasting glucose. Hopefully it's nothing but perhaps a symptom.

Any news on how she's doing?

quote:

Originally posted by Outnumbered:
This bruise appeared on my wife's thigh today, no impact to cause it. She felt the pain, then noticed the appearance. She says it hurts pretty bad, in a throbbing way, and more so when she touches it, and she wants to scratch it.

Hurting as in sore or, hurting as in pain?

Try putting a cold compress on there, get the muscle to relax. Take an aspirin and elevate...you know RICE.

If no improvement, see a physician.

Any news on how she's doing?


Ouchy has appeared to have resolved itself as Outnumbered most recent post suggests below:



posted October 08, 2019 08:13 AM
Beer-battered fish fry, bratwursts, cheese curds, and beer! Wisconsin!

We ended up going in to urgent care, as she didn't feel well a couple days later (tired, some discomfort near sternum, couldn't catch breath). The doctor was nearly immediately dismissive of DVT based on lack of swelling and red streaking, and ordered a fairly standard blood panel, plus Lyme's test!

Tammy was SLIGHTLY low on iron count, and the doctor explained it as iron deficiency causing fatigue and stress/worry, with no explanation of the spontaneous leg issues, other than "well, you're a busy mom and sometimes we don't even realize when we bump into something and get bruised". REALLY??? Painful bruises that last 1-3 weeks and she wouldn't notice an impact causing that? WTF?

Since then, the last bruise went away after a week and a half, and the chest/breathing discomfort subsided, so she's back to not wanting to go in, especially after the last disappointing visit. But, at least we'll get a hefty bill for a worthless hospital visit to look forward to, so there's that!

Thanks for the update. Might want to see a hematologist if internist thinks it is needed. Glad she is better.