Easy bruising while in range

[NewValveNY]

Hi All,
I have been taking warfarin for almost three years. My INR is usually between 2.0 and 3.0 which is my therapeutic range. I find that as time goes on, I get "black and blue" much easier. For example, if I lightly bang my arm on a doorknob, I may get black and blue on my arm. After lifting a heavy carton which I press against my upper chest may leave a small bruise on my chest, if my watch winder presses against the back of my hand, it may leave an small eraser sized dot on the back of my hand. Is this common for most people, or is my therapeutic range possibly lower than what was suggested and I need to talk to my doctor?
Thanks!
Allan

 

[catwoman]

Allan:
Your profile show you are taking Ecotrin, which is enteric coated aspirin. That's contributing to your bruising.

I took 81mg aspirin for a while -- on the advice of my former cardio -- and was bruising quite a bit, even when in range. My new cardio sees no reason for me to take aspirin. Since dropping the aspirin, I haven't noticed as much bruising.

 

[NewValveNY]

Thanks for the suggestion! I will talk to my doctor about that.. Have a great rest of the weekend!
Allan

 

[Bina]

Ditto for me.
While taking 81 mg aspirin in addition to my Coumadin, I had more bruising and minor bleeds.

 

[catwoman]

Ditto for me.
While taking 81 mg aspirin in addition to my Coumadin, I had more bruising and minor bleeds.

And when I told my former cardio that I was bruising more while on aspirin, he told me to just reduce my warfarin. That's one of the reasons I found a new cardiologist.

 

[Nancy]

You might also want to have your blood platelets checked out.

 

[olefin]

I've taken a 81 MG aspirin for as long as I been on warfarin. Both the cardiologist I've been to highly recommend it.
I've also notice as I've gotten older that I bruise much easier. I notice my parents and wife's parents as they got older had more bruises and the weren't taking warfarin or aspirin.

I see no difference in the amount of bruising when my INR is in control or high.

My wife has taken 1 full size aspirin daily since she had phlebitis when she was 38. She has no problem with bruising.

 

[jax]

I bruise very easily too but then they kept me on the low dose aspirin as well. If I just lean against something that has a sharp edge even if it isn't a hard bump I will be black and blue. I even seem to have a permanent bruise where my bra strap sits against my pacemaker. Some times it will be lighter than normal but the bruise is always there. Guess it has just been something I've gotten used to as I have always bruised easily just not this bad.

 

[Cameron]

I take 81mg asprin and am running at around 13mg/day of warfarin. I have noticed that I am bruising more easily and seem to think that that started some months after my surgery. I mostly keep in a range of 2.5-3.5 on the advice of my cardiologist, which is higher than some with aortic replacements, but suits my mindset which is attuned to the brain v blood cell adage! I have on my list of things to do to ask my cardiologist about the asprin as I have read a couple of articles calling in to question its use in certain situations.
Cameron

 

[Herb M]

It is not unusual to bruise while on coumadin/warfarin. I also take 81mg aspirin but did not relate my bruising to that. There are times when I find a bruise which I cannot connect to anythin I have done or felt. It doesn't worry me.

 

[NewValveNY]

Thanks for all of the feedback! I really appreciate it! I will be calling my doctor and asking him about the 81mg aspirin.. maybe I can try being off it for a while to see if there is a difference. I know it is pretty typical to bruise when taking coumadin/warfarin, but the ease of which I am bruising is what concerns me. Nancy, I had usual bloodwork over the summer and everything was fine.

 

[csutherland]

Jerry's dad lived to be 95 and had no heart issues that we know of, thus no warfarin use. (Actually, no medicines at all, but that's another story). Anyway, his forearms were always covered with what looked like pooling blood just under the skin. Jerry's look the same way at 72 and he's always saying, "My arms look just like Dad's." Jerry is on warfarin, of course, but I've said all this to say that old people just get thin skin. The poster of this thread looks like a young guy, though, so the warfarin/aspirin probably do contribute to his.

 

[olefin]

Celia, I agree with you.

The way I look at it, bruising is a minor thing, if there is a chance an aspirin a day will prevent a stroke... then I'm not about to stop the aspirin.

 

[Cooker]

I stay in range and bruise very easily and it takes longer for them to dissipate ... I’ve gotten use to it, no big deal for me.... oh, I guess getting older has something to do with it as well

 

[MarkU]

I guess I'm lucky that I have never bruised easily, which is good because I do lots of "high-risk" stuff like carpentry, working on cars, triathlon training, etc.

My theraputic range is 2.5 to 3.5 for my INR.

Worst thing that happened to me in the past couple of years was crashing on my triathlon bike at over 20 mph. Other than the road rash where I ground the skin off my leg and shoulder, I really wasn't bruised that badly.

Mark

 

[NewValveNY]

Hi everyone,
Thanks for your posts! I spoke with my doctor and he said to stay off the aspirin for one week and to call him back to see about bruising. My INR is right within range today after not taking aspirin for two days.. and I will check it again at the end of the week just to make sure I am still in range. I started free weights, I instruct Spin classes, and am generally active. I will post next week to let you all know what my doc says.

 

[Bina]

Your INR should stay in range....aspirin does not affect it.
Hopefully your bruising will simmer down though.

 

[NewValveNY]

Bina..
I hope so too.... The last straw was a black and blue dot on the back of my hand that became bigger from the winder knob on my Polar Heart Monitor watch... I have been wearing that watch for years..I use it for working out.

 

[catwoman]

Aspirin affects platelets, not clotting factors. That's why it won't affect your INR. However, it will affect bruising/bleeding.

When I first went to my previous cardio, he said not to take aspirin. Then, after attending a CE seminar, he advised I take it. My new cardio says that my risk factors -- other than the mechanical valve -- are so low that he sees no value in my taking aspirin daily.

I do have a rather pretty bruise right above my left knee right now, with a knot underneath. I suspect it's the price I'm paying for trying to hoist some cargo into the trunk of John's Honda Civic -- I really shouldn't use my knees to shove things around!!!!!

 

[COLLEEN S]

I'm not on aspirin, warfarin for 1year 2mos. and YES I bruise easier than before. But then I always did bruise easily. But now they appear at random.