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Bruising after 2nd heart cath?

lvfrogs
0 Recommendations

Hello everyone,
I just had my 2nd heart cath on Tuesday. The first one was about a month ago and they did this one to see if they should put a stent in or not. My blockage is in a very tricky place apparently. Well, this time, no stent again. They don't think it is necessary. My question though, to all of you, is how much bruising is normal? The first time, I had none. You can barely see where they went in (right leg). The 2nd time, it is my left leg and the bruising is all over, down part of my leg, the groin area is huge. I just want to know if this normal or not. The paperwork says report bruising if it goes down thigh, back, but wanted real life people to tell me what they have done. Thanks!

Explore topics in this discussion:

Plavix Cancer Pain Aspirin Stent Bruises Verapamil Skin cancer

25 replies

lvfrogs

Lidia,
You have given me a great mental picture of you falling off that wall, lol. My kids NEVER let me live anything down. I am always on them about not spilling anything on the carpet in the living room. Well, sure enough, one day, I spill coffee (and coffee stains so bad!). They remind me of that often and it was YEARS ago.
Hope you had a great weekend!
Colleen

grace5

Colleen, I don't mind you laughing at all, my kids won't let me live it down, good job the wall was only about three feet high, I probably would have fared better if I hadn't tried to save myself, you know, the whole arm flapping wobbling thing that happens in slow motion, I should have just jumped!
A&E is Accident&Emergency, sounds like it's exactly the same as your ER, apart from the name ;-)
Lidia xx

lvfrogs

Hi Lidia
I hope you don't mind, but that did make me laugh :)
I was picturing you just stepping back, like it was ok to do that. I am assuming A&E is like our ER here? An ER visit, on average, is at least 4 to 6 hours, even for minor things.
Be Proud of that Scar!
Hugs,
Colleen

grace5

Hi Colleen,
By nature I am over-enthusiastic and I don't acknowledge my limitations, and I'm more then a little clumsy too! I climbed the wall in my daughters garden so I could prune an overhanging tree....... then I stepped back to admire my handiwork.
I should have gone to A&E but it was a Saturday, waiting time in the hospital, if all is going smoothly, is about 5 hours so I settled for a bag of frozen peas and several sticking plasters, I deserved that scar! :-)
Lidia xx

lvfrogs

I will have to write this one down too. I like natural remdies also. Last year, though, I had a big skin cancer spot removed on my forehead. I ended up using Mederma. I don't know if the doctor just did an excellent job or it was the Mederma, but either way, you cannot see a scar. and it was a big one in the middle of my forehead. I looked like Frankenstein's wife. But I too, like to use natural remedies, so I will keep this in mind!
How did you fall off a wall???
Thanks,
Colleen

grace5

;-) Now for scars, bio-oil, pure simple and verrrry good! As you can probably tell, I am a fan of natural remedies, this oil is cheap and does a good job of minimising scars, I had a nasty one on my leg from falling off a wall (I was 52!) and it has 'softened' it so it is much less noticeable.
http://www.bio-oil.com/en/uses.html
Lidia xx

lvfrogs

Thank you Lidia, I read the posts from the link. Very helpful to know. I wonder does it work on scars too?
Just curious. I will have to get some.
You all are the best women, so helpful.
Colleen

grace5

This is a link to a similar discussion, I use Arnica, it helps to break down the bruises.

http://www.inspire.com/groups/womenheart/discussion/exceptional-large-hemat omas-with-plavix/

Lidia xx

lvfrogs

Annie7,
You are a good example of how each one can be so different! Thanks for responding and I am sorry though that you have had to have 4 heart caths. It has been one month since my 2nd one and the bruising is still there but not as bad! Thank you!

Annie7

I had horrid bruising on the first cath and was not on Plavix. Went down almost to my right knee. I looked like raw meat. Took about a month for it to disappear.
2nd cath, on Plavix, was better. Third cath (still on Plavix) was better yet. 4th Cath, still on Plavix was just like the 1st. cath. Terrible brusing for a month. Just never know.

lvfrogs

Hello kentsdeb,
I would definitely call your doctor and see what he/she says. This was my 2nd heart cath, I have had a plug each time. The first time, you couldn't even tell where they went in, so small, no bruising. The 2nd time, sore, tender, bruising. I still have bruises and that was 1 month ago. However, when I went for my follow up and told him about the groin pain, he said to give it two weeks, if it wasn't better that he would do a CT scan. That is scheduled for next week.
The nurses at the cath lab told me that sometimes when they go in the left leg, there is considerably more bruising/tenderness. Had something to do with the arteries winding around. If you have had 6 previous heart caths, I would imagine that there is scar tissue buildup. But I think if you are concerned, call your doctor and make an appointment. It certainly can't hurt.
If it would make you feel better to get more responses, post your same questions on a new post so that some of the regulars on here will see it. I am new to this also, just diagnosed in April.
Hope this helps,
Colleen

kentsdeb

I had a cath 7 days ago. I have had 6 heart caths since 2005. I've never had problems recuping from the groin pain until this time. In your response you mentioned if it feels tight see your doc. Well that is exactly how I feel, tight and sore, slightly hard. I know they had to deal with alot of scartissue. Should I be concerned. They also used a plug this time. I'm pretty concerned, should I be? Thanks for any help. I'm new to this forum so any help is appreciated.

lvfrogs

I was on Plavix this time around so I am assuming that contributed to the bruising. It is finally clearing up and I see the doctor Wednesday for my follow-up! Finally starting to feel a little better. I hope you are too.
Colleen

lonewolf7

Hi frogs = ) When I had the stent put in, there was very little bruising at the injection site but since I've been on Plavix, I bruise really easily. Were you on blood thinners before the angioplasty? If so, it might have caused more bruising than before. Just a thought.

lvfrogs

Pam52, I am sorry for all that you have been through. You should have that in your charts and they need to be aware of that. I hope you are doing better now.
Wendylee, wow, 7 caths. I can't imagine. How are you now? I hope that you are doing good. Let me know, ok?
and Katie, I am still so sore too and have a huge spot where the blood pooled (I guess) above my groin area. Kind of a funny spot. and I am sore where there is no bruising. Go figure. I am glad that you do not have to take heart meds or blood thinners. Something to be thankful for.
I am on Verapamil and Plavix.
Thanks to all the answers on here, it is such a blessing to talk to women who have gone through it already and can give you good advice.
and to the women who suggested I see my doctor. I agree. If by Tuesday, it is not better or has gotten worse, I promise I will call. Thank you!!!

katie_colorado

I still have swelling above my groin site, some pain at the site, it it definitely better, but still there. My bruising goes all the way down almost to my knee. I have a couple knots and pellet like things at groin site, assuming the pellet thing is the broken collagen seal. I'm watching that area, but the worst part now is my upper inner thigh. I had blood pool into there and it is super sore. If it doesn't get better in a few days I'll have to go to my PC. And unfortunately I tend to scar up easily, so I may have this forever. I had my procedure done 5 hrs away from my home and I don't see my cardio until June 22.
I'm not taking any blood thinners or heart meds. I, too am glad that this is not unique and will just keep it monitored.

wendylee

After my last cath (7th one), I had bruising part way up and all the way down to my knee. The entire front of my thigh was bruised. It just kept growing for about 4 days. I also had a hematoma. Like Jaynie, they tried and tried to do it on the right side and ended up going through the left. It started healing after about a week.

pam52

When they went into my right leg for a heart carth, and then also for a stent to be put into my aorta, and right kidney, it left me with busing so bad it took months to heal... mine was do to the bleeding that they couldn't get stopped, I believe they used too big of a needle and my veins are not big... I tried to tell them after the second stent... it always causing an over night stay in ICU... not fun... if I have to another test of any kind and they go into the groin... I will make them understand.. also I had a seal and I am on asprin.
I hope all is well with you now... and you will need no more caths...
Pam

Lynnedz56

They told me no 2 people are the same. I had a hematoma and it is 9 days later. I had to go back to the hospital for some other complications and the nurses told me it was some of the worse bruising they have ever seen. The doctor told me that sometimes it gets worse before better. However, I too would have a doctor or nurse check it out. Advice from others is great, but it is just an extra re-assurance if you know what you are experiencing is normal.

vkl

All of the replies are helpful but I would encourage you to have your doctor or a nurse look at your bruising. I think it would give you piece of mind to know for sure if it's normal brusing or not.

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