bruising and RSD
 

:confused: Well let me start that my hubby has been DX with RSD following a failed Rotator Cuff Surgery and has been receiving Stellate Ganglion Blocks. One then a month passes and now two a week for three weeks.:( He is NOT ammused.He has had five of the seven so far.

Now last night he noticed he was bleeding under the skin of the affected arm. He had to think what he had done to cause it. Seems he hit the chest of drawers while walking past earlier, not a hard hit he barely felt it.

Today he has another very small spot of a like manner, however no known cause.

He has never been one to bruise (if you don't count this last shoulder surgery that failed and started the RSD) And it isn't a black and blue bruise either. It is blood yoou can see just under the skin but isn't raised.

My question is: Is this related to the RSD, is it common, is this a precurser to the lesions I see of other RSD'ers?

Anyone? Ideas?

Hubby has never been a good patient but he is more surlley than ever. I think one or the other of us needs to see a psyciatrist for xanax or something.:winky:

Thank You: Tired Worried Wife

I'm very sorry to hear that your husband has RSD. Have the blocks and stuff been helping?

I've never had the bleeding under the skin since getting RSD except for once when the nurse messed up and IV they put in (in a wrist that was sprained at the time...it was not pretty). But in my RSD areas my skin will turn a deep red or purple color...but that seems very different than what I remember the blood under the skin looking like. Maybe someone else has some experience with this sort of thing?

If he is easily bruising and having bleeding under the skin...I would definitely see a doctor right away and make sure there is not something else going on. It could be a sign of something else wrong (I know you don't want to hear that)...but better to get it checked out and be sure.

Again...so sorry that you and your husband are going through this. There are a lot of people on here, so I hope someone can answer your question about the bruising. The wacky thing (or one of them anyway) about RSD is how it can affect people very differently and not everyone has the same symptoms and our symptoms change over time. Good luck to you and your husband...I hope he gets some good pain relief soon.

Welcome to the family Trkdvr,
I agree with Catra about getting that looked at. I've never experienced bleeding under my skin but I do bruise easier in my RSD areas.
Some of us don't want to appear complainers but we need to do whatever it takes to keep this monster from spreading.
That's one thing I had to get used to. All my life I always thought of myself as this rough and tough truck driver who could just suck it up. And a lot of times I do. But trying to get a grip on this monster requires lots of communication and sympathy.
I am so sorry that you and your hubby is going thru this but do keep in touch here. Here is cozy, sympathetic, understanding and sometimes helpful family.
Just venting to understanding ears help.
Again welcome to you and your hubby...:grouphug:

Thank You both. I did let the Dr doing the blocks know, but he is just the one doing the blocks. The treating Dr is an Orthopedist, who he was sent to after his failed surgery. He was the Dr who DX him with the RSD.

Jimbo- How has this affected your truck driving? With the new CSA2010, I think just the meds would disqualify him not to mention the lack of movement of his shoulder.:eek:

The shots have helped the shoulder but caused pain where he didn't have pain. He has not been amused by them. Two more to go! But at least he can stand to have cloth on the shoulder again which is a good thing since winter is here. He also has reacted poorly to cool weather which is odd since he is a MI boy. They have also helped the swelling,for a short time atleast.

I do know that I will be having shoulder surgery myself next month and I fully expect to be taken care of RSD or not!:winky:

Sensitivity to cold weather (or even air conditioning) is very normal with RSD. I've always lived in Illinois so even though I never really liked the cold weather I was used to it during the winter. Now...anytime I am somewhere where the temp is less than 70 it aggravates my pain.

Is your husband on any medications that might be responsible for the bleeding under the skin? Even if you have to go to a general practitioner he should probably see someone just to check it out, as it may not be related to the RSD.

Good luck with your shoulder surgery.

He is only taking Vit-C, metaxalone (muscle relaxer), and norco. He has been having Stellate Ganglion Blocks and Lumbar ESI. We did ask if the injections would cause the bruise and Dr said no. The bruise looks like he is an elderly person with the thin skin that bruises easly even though he isn't nor has he ever been. He sees another Dr Monday and I will ask him. But yes they do look just like the bruises he has had from the IV's. Now if I can get it thru the nurses heads that Blood Pressure cuffs and IV"s DO NOT go on his left side ever, also ICE isn't going to happen so back off!:mad:

Now I have a month to teach hubby how to dry and straighten my hair:wink:

Thanks for taking your time to reply and may you have if not pain free at least less painful days:grouphug:

Not only did I loose my truck (I was an owner operator) I also lost the use of my left hand. My RSD hit hard and caused my fingers to claw and still spreading. Since the nerve damage left them not working I had my wrist fused to look more normal so no more driving for me. I also have compounding factors that play havoc with my balance. Lost my CLD:(
Doctors don't even want me driving a car. Sort of a forced retirement (lol).
I'm trying hard to except it because as I was once told it is what it is.
You and your hubby take care and stay in touch...

Oh gee jimbo so sorry to hear that. I know how it feels to look at a big truck rolling down the road and feel it should be you. However sleeping in a stationary bed every night is also appealing!:wink:

The only time I miss my truck is when I see one like it. I had a 1991 KW in mint condition. I had just completed full restoration a few weeks before the accident. The job I miss a little but that's more of just missing being the bread winner. Although I drove long haul I spent more home time than most.
I mainly just miss doing up keep around the house...:(

Sorry to hear about your husbands DX and your having to live with it also, it is no fun ride for anybody. I too have had and do go through series of Stellate ganglion blocks and he's right....not amusing in the least. I also end up with pain and weird sensations where there were none to begin with! Some of them do help and others have not. My pain management doctor usually does 2 a week for 2 weeks then 1 a week for 2 weeks, by then I am shot and ready to ring her neck!!!:mad: I think I'm due in December to start my 3rd round of them. After the injection, I am out of it for the rest of the day and feel half drugged the next day, but most of all, my neck aches from the damned needle!!!:eek:

Anyhow, my orthopedic surgeon was able to get me a Tens Unit for at home, they used one periodically at PT. The cold weather is no fun, but the dampness is even worse. :mad: I have been known to wear gloves in the house :( We all try to find ways of coping with our pain and sometimes as others have said on here, just knowing there are others here that understand, is a relief..because some people think "there is no way you could have all of these symptoms and problems that come and go, you look fine to me.":(

Sonny,
I feel for you on the SGB's,but do tell what they sedate you with! Some ppl come out sleeping-he comes out ready to go! He hardly waits for them to stop the gurrney and he is up and grabbing his clothes! Then they keep him longer because his blood pressure starts going up-up-up even after they give him BP meds. 202/128-they look at him like "how is he still living" LOL
It would be nice for him to be sedated for at least the rest of day-he isn't an easy going person.
Now that his whole arm feels on the verge of falling asleep,he realizes the feeling he has had in his fingers was the same thing he just couldnt verbalize it. He says its very agrivating, he was talking about it yesterday but it intensified enough to pin it down last night.
He just wants the Dr's to stop and let him get on with his life!

So sorry to hear about your husbands RSD, I hope he heals soon.

I've had RSD since I was 12 years old and am now 16. It started in my left leg and has since spread to include both arms and possiby my back, although my doctor isn't sure about this as I have other underylying back conditions.

I have had severe bruising right from the start of when my RSD spread to my arm. My arm can go from being 'normal' coloured to black within a few hours. It was so bad at one point my Doctor actually thought I had a blood clot (my arm was swollen as well). I had to have an ultrasound but thankfully I didn't.

I was later told that bruising is a very common symptom of RSD, but my doctor thought it was something more as he had never seen bruising so bad in any other of his parents with RSD.

I'm really prone to bruising, especially in my RSD limbs. I only have to knock my limbs slightly and they will bruise. I have been told I have Ehlers Danlos Syndrome as well and bruising is a symptom of that too so that could be making things worse.

I hope your husband feels better soon. I wish I could suggest something to help but unfortunately I can't. Just tell him to keep moving no matter how much it hurts, not moving will only make things worse.

All the best and if you ever need someone to talk to who understands i'm here.

I don't think they are sedating me with anything except the "anesthesia" they inject in me. I cannot lay down or sleep for 3 hours after the injection. I can't eat or drink for 2 hours after either because of the nubing in the throat/neck. I do have to take my anxiety medication beforehand. Maybe they or his PCP or something could give him valuim or something like that to relax him on those days of the injections, so he will be more at ease. I know even taking my prescription I am as anxious as ever until the injection is over. They make me stay there for 30 minutes after also to monitor blood pressure and make sure I don't pass out or have a reaction etc. One day I was fine and 45 minutes later my whole arem went limp, asleep, numb whatever you call it. My doctor came out and said "no way it took this long to kick in" So, i looked at her and said " OH, so I'm lying?, why in the hell would i do that? come over here and pick up my arm and see what it does." Sure enough she did and was amazed, I had to call for a ride home and be put in a sling. First time that ever happened to me. Every time is different, that is what worries me, I have no idea where that liquid is going each time they inject it....

I also bruise really easily on my legs, and they are very dark bruises too. Very light bumps that still result in a lot of pain because of the RSD but shouldn't physically cause a bruise do every time. And I also get bruises that I don't know where they came from. At any point you can look at my legs and see them covered with bruises- you'd think I was in some high contact sport or something. I think it's definitely a symptom of RSD.

We saw the Dr today,he has cancelled the SGB and after noticing that hubbys hand and arm shrinking (atrophy) has ordered a EMG. Things just get worse and worse. He also going back in sling to support his arm. :eek: