Hello,
I am new to this sort of stuff, but I have a question about my girlfriend. She has frequent bruising around her legs and knees for no reason. I have done a little bit of reading, but I have come up with no answers. She is a very healthy person, and doesn't seem to have any problems, but she almost always has bruises all over her legs. She says she has been like this since she was a very young age. I was wondering, is it possible there could be a vitamin deficiancy, or something more serious?? Thanks,
Jason

Hi!
I am not sure what exactly could be causing this. It could be a number of things and I think it would be worth it for her to go and have it checked out. My sister was the same way. She always had bruises and she bruised very easily. Also, when she twisted her ankle or something minor like that it took her 2-3 times longer to heal than a "normal" person. She went in and found out that she had a blood disorder called hemophelia. This is a blood factor deficiency. She has to now wear an alert bracelet at all times in case she would need emergency surgery because they have to premix her blood. I am not saying that this is what your girlfriend has but my sister "ignored" it for several years and we're so glad she found it out. Good luck to her and I hope it is nothing serious!

Sweety

Hi there. This could something as simple as a low platlet level. Platlets are the parts of the blood which help with clotting and (sorry to be so yuk!) scab making.

I suggest having blood work done, to include FBC, white cell and platlet.

Speak to the doctor and explain all the symptoms, he may suggest other tests. I'm sure it's nothing serious, so try not to worry.

I had similair symptoms for years, plus I had frequent nose bleeds. Finally after 1 year of doctor's visits and countless visits to labs for blood to be drawn, they determined it to be Von Wildebran's disease which is a type of hemophilia. Depending on what type, a person's body doesn't produce enough of a specific factor or factors to allow the blood to clot porperly and so excessive bleeding from "normal" injuries and frequent bruising is common. Suggest to your girlfriend that she visit her doctor and request a "bleeding time" test. What they will do is mimic a paper cut and wipe away blood every thirty seconds until the bleeding stops and determine her bleeding time. The average person has a bleeding time of 5-7 minutes. If hers is longer they will run tests to find out what is causing her bruising. My hemotologist said that this is a way to eliminate so many different disorders and the such because a longer bleeding time and excessive bruising show signs that there is more than just a diet problem for example. Good Luck!

Hi. I would urge your girlfriend to get checked out. I also have Von Willebrand's disease. It was discovered after I had a major bleeding incident during an emergency C-section. I had not ignored the symptoms but my visible symptoms come and go and is part of an autoimmune process and so was not readily identifiable. I had no symptoms when I went into surgery that day so now my Von Willebrand's levels are checked frequently even if I do not report the bruising or other bleeding symptoms. The Dr's still have not identified for sure the primary autoimmune condition I have but we are working on it. I urge your girlfriend to have it checked out. I had many complete blood counts that only reveal platelette levels and they were always fine. She may have to ask her Dr. to check her Von Willebrand's factor specifically. I had a good OBGYN and so it was found. She likely saved my life. Don't ignore it as it could lead to a serious lifethreatening situation in the case of a surgery or major injury and that is not the time to learn you have a blood disorder. Trust me on this one.

I would suggest your girlfriend go to see a Hemotologist (blood specialist). I have a blood condition, ITP (idiopathic thrombositopenia perpetua or something complicated like that). It is a disorder of the platlettes in the blood (platlets are needed to make your blood clot....ITP consists of LOW platelets).

If your platlettes are low, you have tendencies to bleed as well as bruising easily. You just look at me and it seems like I am bruising. When I get bruises, they seem to last FOREVER!!!

I would seriously considering getting tested for this. it is a matter of a simple blood test (CBC) to see if there IS something wrong with your platelets.

Tracie

Traci,
Could you please give me the link to the board you use for ITP! My 25 yr old daughter has low platelet count. Hemotologist was curt.. wouldn't answer her questions.. then rushed her out of office. This after insisting she be hospitalized with a count of 14!!!!!
As soon as the steroids decrease... so does her count.
Thanks, Deb

Yes, bruising near the joints and lower extremities can be a sign of a bleeding disorder. More info is at www.allaboutbleeding.com and www.hemophilia.org.

My providers & the research I've done indicates that the bleeding time test (done by a small cut & timing the bleeding) is no longer done by hematologists because it's not considered to be reliable. Your practitioners will recommend whatever tests they feel appropriate in light of your symptoms and history.
Some general pracitioners don't have the ability to order the most specialized tests that a hemotologist might. She should go to her general practitioner and go from there if he/she recommends specialists.