Grom,

I was put on an anti-inflammatory for the rib re-section, for the acute inflammation following surgery. I stayed on it for months though, as no one told me to discontinue it. I don't think ordinary anti-inflammatories do anything for the type of nerve inflammation we TOSers have in the BP/ thoracic outlet area, that is chronic and doesn't respond to them.

Anyway, after some months I noticed easy bruising whenever I bumped myself, bruises that got terrible-looking and stayed for weeks, and anytime I had blood taken there were some type of problem.

When I went back for the pec minor surgery six months post-op from the rib re-section, the pre-op tech found a vein ( for anesthesiologist), only for it to blow, then had a hard time getting bleeding to stop. Dr A. and the anesthesiologist took over.

At follow-up I asked him if anti-inflammatory could be responsible for these things, and if I could go off it, and he agreed. There is no long-term benefit from long term use of an anti-inflammatory, I believe, and I think it was responsible for the bruising and other vascular-type sx I experienced as they cleared up completely once I was no longer on it.

I don't know if this is the case for you, but if you are still on an anti-inflammatory, you might want to speak to your Dr about discontinuing it and see if these events stop.

beth