You're not alone - I had no idea but my first visitng nurse explained that easy bruising is part of MS. Not much you can do except try to be more careful with yourself. Hard to do - I get bruises all the time but I'm not exactly grace all the time, lol. Use insect repellant to cut down on that mosquito stuff - I don't go outside much so I don't have that. Bruising tho? All the time and especially from needles - several marks from 10 attempts to find a good vain recently. They'll go away though. Also, I think taking daily vitamins helps with this and I forget which helps with bruising more but vitamins will probably help too. :) Keep your chin up!

I have terrible bruising too. Some of it I can't even recognize how it got there. Insect bites are terrible! I had a spider bite that seemed like nothing and developed into cellulitis. It left quite a scar on my thigh. I don't even inject in that thigh at all anymore.

It may not be MS but just naturally thin blood. When I used to be able to donate blood they were always amazed at how fast I would fill up the bag. I learned that I could never take aspirin or ibuprofen. I don't bruise quite as easily now. You may be taking other drugs that are thinning your blood also. Somthing you might want to consider. Good luck.

i dont bruise as easily as i used to since i started getting the b-12 shots... dont know if that had anything to do with it or not...i still get the odd bruise but no where near as bad as it used to be....
the blotchiness i still get though....

hugs
heather

I never thought about bruising...I guess I'll watch now.

I do break out in a skin rash, but I think thats because I'm allergic to certain things like Red dye 40 and vanilla extract. I get itchy on the palms of my hands and feet.

I agree with JHad, that you could, in fact, have another problem. I suffer from borderline anemia and have similar problems to yours.

I think it's so easy for us (and for our neuros) to blame every sx we experience on our MS. Problem with this is that some sx that could be treated will go untreated.

Zia

I do have anemia. I do take B-12 shots. I do take vitamins. I bruise easily, even daily. I think it is because I crash into things all the time. I usually don't remember. Since I cannot figure it out,I just tell myself that not everything needs an explanation. Just wish I could listen to myself.

I had the MS for awhile before I started any of the CRAB's shots. And I didn't bruise. Now I do. When I had to stop the Copaxone for awhile the bad bruising stopped. Course the doc will never admit it is that. I know the Betaseron I take with the Copaxone will cause you to bruise easy. So hey could even be your shot. or as we age thinning of the skin... bruise easier... who knows. I ain't 70!!! Course today I feel it. :-)

I have noticed over the past year that I have been bruising alot easier...I have been on B-12 shots for about 6 months now, and that hasn't stopped the bruising. I watched a movie the other night and had my elbows rested on my inner knees (sitting indian style) for about 20 minutes...when I got up after the movie, I noticed two huge bruises on the same spots! I was astonished that I caused them in such a short time and silly way! OH well...could just be another silly MS symptom, or something completely different...who knows at this point. I'm sick of trying to figure out. hehehehehehe.

I also bruise easily but the Copaxone shot areas do seem worse...all comes with the territory I guess...I try to massage the areas to help..not sure if it really does anything or not...you are not alone

Since the things to avoid have been listed,
I have found that selenium can be good for the skin and scalp. Make sure to eat leafy vegs for the vitamin K, and grapeseed extract is good for the bruising too. Mederma can help with the scars, it really does work. I use aquaphor for general skin protection and Neutrogena sesame oil also.
I have always had bad skin, so I use a good soap like Aveeno or Cetaphil.
Good luck

It is now anormal thing for me to have buses and no idea where they cme from. But the bug bites are getting to me. I am thinking I must scratch them- they do itch.and that makes them worse. new scars. I read that the scratching can be due to anxiety they recomend lorazepam. Well I just roll with the bumps and keep drinking water taking vitamins and lots of skin cream. I love being out in the sun so I use sunscreen and luckily haven't had any bad reactions from spending time in the sun. When I feel off I go in to the shade or airconditioning. I havven't been taking vit K or grapseed or selenium which I used to use a lot. I take basic ABCDE and Zink- of course the right kind of D. I try to exersize everyday or otherday use weights for some of it. keep moving. And exersize my brain -games soduku puzzels computer games read lately I have been using my creative thoughts and helping decorate a friends home. I really enjoy it. So what s a few bruses or scars? a little decoration? I fall in slow motion so no one usually get hurt- the dog usually catches me. - Good Luck

Because MS has robbed me of really feeling my extremities, I just always figure the bruises are from whacking myself. YES, I have more unexplained bruises with the MS, but I was always a klutz with unexplained bruises and having MS for 13 years has not changed that. I came home from a family reunion with so many bruises everywhere, I figured it was due to many strong hugs! I just can't think that there is anything wrong with that though I'm sure it has taken me longer to recover (she remarks with a smirk).

I don't focus on my bruises as much as my partner does as he is afraid of being accused of abuse. PLAEEZZEEE--I'm a redhead; just try it buddy... I'm just a klutz myself! xo Cj

I haven't had so many mystery bruises since I was a drunk college student. Sometimes I wonder if I sleepwalk.

Thanks, all of you, for your suggestions. I made an appt. at the clinic and was seen today. I think that the PA who saw me was pretty surprised when she saw my legs--how you can see the veins, the little dots (scars?) from mosquito and other bug bites, and that my knees were purple! The purple was a new thing, I think.

Anyway, she ordered some bloodwork to check for anemia, Vitamin B deficiency, etc. It will be a couple of days before the tests come back--they have to be sent off.

Thanks so much for your suggestions! I always appreciate the advice that the people on this site have to offer. You're all greeeaaaaat!