What can cause easy bruising on my fingertips and palms of my hands?

Sounds like a trip to your doctor is in order. It could be caused by many things.

What is Synthroid? I conquer with the trip to the Dr idea. That could be the sign on some other conditions which need immediate attention. That was could, not is. But still it’s worth getting checked.

I assume you don’t take aspirin, since you said no pain killers. I will send the Q to a doctor here.

I would see a doctor since this is a sudden change. Probably they can check your platelets and maybe running time? I don’t know much on the topic, I am not sure what types of things can cause this.

@Adirondackwannabe Synthroid is thyroid meds, that would not cause bruising.

Thank you both. I do plan on calling the DR., just wanted some possible suggestions to be prepared b4 I go and spend $70, lol. My healthcare sucks. @ Adirondackwannabe, Synthroid is Thyroid medication. I have Hashimoto’s disease.

Thank you JLeslie!

Let us know what the doc says. :) Hopefully it is nothing serious.

@litlbren Yes, get it checked ASAP. One of the related questions brought back some memories of someone who waited to get it checked out.

You will find that easy bruising is a symptom of Hashimoto’s. More Hashimoto symptoms.

@wundayatta I had never heard of that symptom for Hashimoto’s. Interesting. I actually can’t find it on the list you linked when I skimmed it, but I believe it is there, too tired this morning.

@litlbren So, I guess make sure along with the other testing they check your thyroid numbers, TSH, t4 free and t3. Are you having other symptoms of your thyroid being hypo or hyper? That possibly you are under or over medicated?

Mayo has more about when to see a doctor for Hashimoto:

When to see a doctor
See your doctor if you develop these signs and symptoms:

Tiredness for no apparent reason
Dry skin
Pale, puffy face
Constipation
Hoarse voice

@JLeslie It’s down towards the bottom. Search on “easy bruising.”

I get my thyroid checked frequently. I dont have any other symptoms on the above list to be concerned about. The easy bruising on my legs and body Ive been used to, and aware of, for years. It hasnt been bad to the point of just being touched and getting bruised like on my hands. This hand thing is new, and just typing on the keyboard is painful. Sitting on my butt is not…lol…thank God.

I don’t know what they do to control Hashimoto’s. But I’m guessing that if the symptom is bothersome, you’ll want to see if they can do something about it. So you’re going to be spending $70. And probably more when they start doing more tests. It’s a horrible thing about the American system of health care when people have to think about cost in order to figure out whether they have a serious health problem or not, but remember, your life is irreplaceable.

@wundayatta Hashimotos is controlled with synthroid (or a generic equivalent) or armour thyroid (or generic). The symptoms are usually alleviated for the most part once the drugs get thenpatient back into normal ranges. A large number of hypothyroid patients have hashimotos it is very common. None of my friends or family with Hashimotos complain of bruising easily, again interesting.

Anyway, one problem can be the drugs need to be upped or lowered at times, so a hypothyroid/hashimotos person can actually be pushed over to hyperthyoid if over medicated, and then they get those symptoms. My thyroid is very difficult to stabilize and I am extremely symptomatic. Sucks. Although, I switched to the natural meds, which is Armour and I am much much better. @litlbren you might want to consider the Armour if you have trouble stabilizing. I figure if you are tested often, maybe you are having trouble with your dose? Armour has t3 and t4, while synthroid is just t4 and your body has to convert it to t3. If your GP treats you for your thyroid there is a good chance he has no idea armour thyroid is back on the market, and a good chance he never prescribes it.

Interesting. My thyroid has been borderline high recently, although it’s been coming back down. Could this be related to weight? Or is it because of the bipolar meds? Thyroid issues are common with people with bipolar disorder. I don’t know why. I guess I’ll learn if it becomes my issue.

Anyway, what behavioral changes can control high thyroid test results?

@wundayatta Actually, bipolar patients are monitored for thyroid because the thyroid can cause symptoms similar to bipolar, and the doctor wants to make sure they are not diagnosing bipolar when really the diagnosis is hypo or hyperthyroid. Treating the thyroid can bring the patient back to normal both physically and mentally. Hyperthyroid can induce manic type symptoms like unable to sleep, hi anxiety, overeating/ravenous.

Iron deficiency causes easy bruising, all over. I used to take supplements but now I just make sure I eat plenty of dark leafy greens and I’m okay.

^^^ I’m with you. How do you prep them to make them palatable?

Oh, I am just started changing my diet two weeks ago to eating many more green leafy and hoping it will increase my iron so I don’t have to take so many supplements. I am doing it for more than iron reasons, but I won’t go into it on this Q. I do not bruise easily at all, even when my iron is very low. Green leafy has K which does affect blood coagulation, because of the vitamin K. Vitamin C can strengthen capillaries, which can also help reduce bruising, maybe iron does too? I never heard of that before, interesting.

I still think go to the doctor and have tests run since this is a sudden change.

@gailcalled I love spring mix with either Paul Newmans sesame dressing and add chicken breast if you eat meat. Or, spring mix Paul Newmans rasberry walnut vinagrette and add apple slices and walnuts. Both dressings are low fat and delicious in my opinion. Remember you want a little fat when you eat leafy greens because the fat soluble vitamins(A, D, E, K) need it to absorb better. This can be acheived by adding nuts, fruits or veggies that have fat, meat, or oil in dressing.

I am talking about the tough greens that have to be cooked, such as kale, collards, mustard greens and beet greens. The most common method is to sauté with a little garlic and seasonings but that gets boring.

And I make my own dressing with EVOO, various vinegars, Dijon mustard for starters…easy as falling off a log.

@gailcalled Well, I’m in Missouri, so we use bacon grease for flavor with greens (I know it’s horrible but it tastes soooooo good!). Or I eat a spinach green salad. Steamed brussell sprouts and asparagas. I do a LOT of stir-frys.

I adore sesame and ginger dressings, too!!!

I make some of my own dressings too.

I hate Kale, but I was just reading Eat to Live and the author is obsessed with Kale. I think the book has recipes in the back for Kale, but I did not get that far. I don’t have the book handy, my husband does, or I would flip through it for you.

I do add spinach to a lot of soups for extra dark greens that way. Bok Choy supposedly has a lot of the same benefits and I love that added to rice stir fry or just sauteed on it’s own or with other veggies.

In The Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone has a recipe for sicilian collard greens with pine nuts and raisins.

Ingredients are:
Collards greens
Pine nuts
Garlic cloves
Olive oil
Raisins
balsamic vinegar

I can write out the whole recipe if you are interested.

@KNOWITALL: Bacon grease defeats the purpose of the greens, but to each his own. You can throw lots of stuff into a basic oil and vinegar dressing. I like tarragon and or dill when I can find them fresh.

@JLeslie: Thanks but I have read Eat to Live and The Kind Diet. Sautéing greens is pretty routine.

I’d like to hear it. I also sometimes put spinach leafs in my morning smoothies, too, I forgot.

@gailcalled I don’t use a lot, just enough to coat the bottom of the pan, and it’s the only way I get my husband to eat green beans and greens. Plus my cholesterol is awesome, I don’t eat much salt or anthing like that.

@KNOWITALL I am surprised to hear pork fat is used up where you live for greens. Here in the south it drives me crazy that they add bacon to everything green. I had never experienced that other places I have lived. I can’t order green beans at a restaurant here. It isn’t that I don’t eat pork, I just think it is disgusting. I love bacon, but I don’t want it in my cooked veggies.

@JLeslie Oh honey, a lot of us consider ourselves southern in a lot of ways- lol I make some mean cornbread too, no grits though!

Can’t you order things steamed at restaurants? When I cook for myself or family, I usually steam and use Touch of Butter, no salt. Or unsalted real butter.

@KNOWITALL The local ones not too much. The chain restaurants are obviously the same menu around the country. Oh, but watch out, Outback steamed green beans have a hunk of butter in them. That drives me crazy to call a veg steamed and add fat to it automatically. If someone wants to add some of their own butter fine, but for a restaurant to prepare steamed veggies that way I find misleading.

In my opinion pork fat and butter are very similar health wise, so if you prefer lard I think go for it.

@JLeslie Weird, we are a college town though, so we have a ton of health nuts. All I ever order at Outback are the margarita’s, I’m not a big fan of their food.

The only thing I use lard for is pie crusts, old-school style! :)

I have anemia and my blood counts are all messed up along with my electrolytes.

White blood cells. Red blood cells platlets bilirubin etc. My iron is ok but my B12 is a struggle for me to maintain. But I bruise all over the place just not hands and feet. I do take a lot of supplements and eat greens.

Homemade dressings make the salad. eevo mustard avocado rice wine vinegar applecider vinegar they are all wonderful bases.

I also juice or smoothie one meal a day. That has helped alot.

@rosehips Are you very thin? Do you have Any sort of autoimmune disease you don’t have to answer, just mentioning it as an FYI for you because electrolytes, especially low potassium, can be part of some autoimmune diseases.

@JLeslie I do have an autoimmune condition. I thought it was odd that the OP would only get bruises on hands and feet esp so easily. I can’t think of another reason.. not being a doctor that would… that would cause such a focused effect.

@rosehips The OP mentioned she has always easily bruised on her legs, but this is new.

If it was anemia that should show up in a cbc.. At least a few red flags.

Willebrand-Juergens syndrome which is the most common bleeding disorder most affected people don’t know about. I didn’t until dental surgery gave the dentist a hint.