Bruising after IVIG
-
-
July 21, 2009 at 12:29 pm
I am wondering if anyone has an explanation for this. My husband received his monthly IVIG about 10 days ago. It was given in his left arm. About a week later he got a wasp sting in that arm which resulted in massive swelling. He has never had a reaction to a sting like that in the past. It resolved with benadryl and ice packs after about three days.
This week he was wiring in a ceiling fan and had to go into the attic crawl space to put braces in. He leaned with a lot of pressure on that left arm while installing the braces. Now he has multiple red blotches and small bruises on his forearm. It looks really bad. He has some soreness where the blotches are. He is icing it again. It just seems that the arm where he received the IVIG all of sudden has very fragile skin. In some ways I am tempted to take him into the doctor, but so many are unfamiliar with IVIG and we certainly couldn’t easily get into to see his neurologist. I am wondering if anyone has experienced anything like this, or has any thoughts on why that arm would be so easily bruised?
Thanks for any help.
Laurel -
July 21, 2009 at 1:00 pm
Hi Laurel, I would get your hubby into the dr. There shouldn’t be that many problems after the infusion or sting. It sounds like his vessels were bursting while he was using it to brace himself-that is not a good thing. Don’t hesitate to have a dr check his arm out. Keep us updated Hun. Take care.
-
July 21, 2009 at 1:17 pm
Hi Cheryl,
I think that I will be unsuccessful with hauling him in to the doctor. He is very stubborn. I think the vessels bursting sounds right. I will monitor him carefully and get more stubborn than him if things don’t look better shortly. Thanks.
Laurel -
July 21, 2009 at 1:23 pm
Is it possible to call & leave a message for the neurologist to call you back? He might be able to offer some insight & your husband wouldn’t have to go into the dr’s office. I know how men can be with that…my husband doesn’t like going to the dr either.
Kelly
-
July 21, 2009 at 2:44 pm
Good idea Emily. I just ran up and the neurologist is on holidays. So strike one.
Laurel -
July 21, 2009 at 2:44 pm
Oophs Kelly! I called you by your daughter’s name. Sorry about that.
Laurel -
July 21, 2009 at 3:10 pm
Hi Laurel,
Has hubby had blood work lately? Low platelets, blood thinners, liver function, are all possible reasons. I would try to convince him to go to the doc and ask for blood work. Or…….call up and ask for blood work when you have the next infussion, he couldn’t argue too much about that!!! Otherwise, age could be a factor in the bruising.
Dawn Kevies mom -
July 21, 2009 at 3:40 pm
Hi Dawn,
He did have blood work about 3 or 4 weeks ago, and all was fine. He has agreed to go to a walk in clinic later today if things don’t improve. He is 62 so the age factor is in play. I kind of wondered about some platelet problem too.
Laurel
-
