Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
Noticed Bruises On Legs And Arms. Cholesterol Blood Work And Cbc Fine. Chances Of Leukemia?
Question: I have been noticing bruises on my legs and arms and haven't done anything to be getting them. I asked the dr. about it when I went for my cholesterol blood work and she ordered a cbc and said it would check my platelets. They called and said everything came back ok. Is there anything else I need to have checked for this? I know it can be a sign of leukemia. I am a 52yr old female. I don't smoke or drink. I have svt and mvp and take tenormin and have since age 23. I am 5ft 6 and weigh 124lbs.
Hi XXXXXXX
Thanks for the query.
Easy bruising can be for many causes such as
- Platelet disorders of counts like thrombocytopenia,
- Disorders of function like Glanzman syndrome where platelets are lazy i.e. normal in number but slow to clumping and degranulation.
- Deranged Prothrombin time (PT) /activated Partial Thromboplastin time (aPTT) secondary to many causes including iatrogenic cause by taking warfarin for cardiac arrhythmias
- And lax and fragile skin secondary to senile atrophy of dermis and reduced connective tissue supportive parenchyma and as a result of treatment with steroids.
So I believe getting her blood counts repeated along with Capillary fragility test can be helpful to detect bleeding tendency.
In the absence of other clinical symptoms leukemia is a rare possibility and complete blood counts can rule out leukemia.
Discuss about these possibilities with her treating physician and he/she can stream line these test for her. She also may be put on Vitamin C and Vitamin A supplement to improve skin texture and reduce easy bruising.
I hope this advice will be helpful. Let me know if you need more information.
Regards
Thanks for the query.
Easy bruising can be for many causes such as
- Platelet disorders of counts like thrombocytopenia,
- Disorders of function like Glanzman syndrome where platelets are lazy i.e. normal in number but slow to clumping and degranulation.
- Deranged Prothrombin time (PT) /activated Partial Thromboplastin time (aPTT) secondary to many causes including iatrogenic cause by taking warfarin for cardiac arrhythmias
- And lax and fragile skin secondary to senile atrophy of dermis and reduced connective tissue supportive parenchyma and as a result of treatment with steroids.
So I believe getting her blood counts repeated along with Capillary fragility test can be helpful to detect bleeding tendency.
In the absence of other clinical symptoms leukemia is a rare possibility and complete blood counts can rule out leukemia.
Discuss about these possibilities with her treating physician and he/she can stream line these test for her. She also may be put on Vitamin C and Vitamin A supplement to improve skin texture and reduce easy bruising.
I hope this advice will be helpful. Let me know if you need more information.
Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
What does stream line the tests for her mean? Do I need to have another cbc done? I just had one about one week ago? Are any of these other conditions u mentioned serious or life threatening?
Hi XXXXXXX
Thanks for writing back.
Stream line here means getting investigations like PT/aPTT and a peripheral smear and getting them reviewed by your physician. You can also upload the reports here and we can discuss it on this forum.
Yes, such bruisability can result in bleeding internally in the abdominal viscera or the brain when they can be potentially life threatening. If the PT/aPTT and peripheral smear is normal, then I dont think we need to worry. It is the age related change which makes the skin more vulnerable, that we had earlier talked about.
I hope that helps
Let me know if I can address any more concerns.
Regards
Thanks for writing back.
Stream line here means getting investigations like PT/aPTT and a peripheral smear and getting them reviewed by your physician. You can also upload the reports here and we can discuss it on this forum.
Yes, such bruisability can result in bleeding internally in the abdominal viscera or the brain when they can be potentially life threatening. If the PT/aPTT and peripheral smear is normal, then I dont think we need to worry. It is the age related change which makes the skin more vulnerable, that we had earlier talked about.
I hope that helps
Let me know if I can address any more concerns.
Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Aparna Kohli
I also have been tasting blood in my mouth and can suck and get bright blood from around a tooth. I have already been to the dentist and they find nothing wrong. I asked the dr. when I went for blood work and she just said maybe it was a blood vessle that burst. It happened again this morning and that concerns me along with the bruises on my arms and legs. What could this be that would cause blood to be in my mouth? Could it be associated with the things u mentioned. Also I was searching on the internet and found other things I wanted to ask u about. Ehlers Danios Syndrome and Amyloidosis and Cushing Syndrome. Are those any that u think I should be concered with checking on with my symptoms I have give to you?
Hi XXXXXXX
The diseases Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and Amyloidosis and Cushing Syndrome are associted with bruisability but not as readily as yours!
About bleeding in mouth which can be produced by XXXXXXX sucking- many normal persons can have that,
Particular when you are using a tongue scrapper daily to clean your tongue, or in the conditions I have told you in the first answer.
You can take the Vitamin-C OTC preparation for about a month for a good strenth of your small blood vessels.
I hope this would be helpful.
The diseases Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and Amyloidosis and Cushing Syndrome are associted with bruisability but not as readily as yours!
About bleeding in mouth which can be produced by XXXXXXX sucking- many normal persons can have that,
Particular when you are using a tongue scrapper daily to clean your tongue, or in the conditions I have told you in the first answer.
You can take the Vitamin-C OTC preparation for about a month for a good strenth of your small blood vessels.
I hope this would be helpful.
Note: For further queries related to kidney problems Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
