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[STEELADDICTION]

Where to start.....About 2 weeks ago I developed a bruise on the front of my quad. It was not a typical grey yellow bruise, this was a very red purple and black bruise. A day later it developed a white hard center. I was so concerned, I went to the hospital where I was told I had a deep muscle bruise. Well the bruise disappeared but the lump is still there. This week I developed another bruise exactly the same as the first with a lump on my hip bone area. Right above it was another very small bruise the size of an eraser head with a small lump. None of these area's are where I inject. I'm about ready to freak out!! I'm in the progress of finding a new doctor since my current one has caught on to my activities and been giving me a lot of shit. Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions?

 

[healthfreak]

weird can you remember actually hitting the spot where it bruised.

 

[Nitrateman]

Find that new doctor asap. You need continuity and support from your principal health care professional. Tell him/her everything and if they have a problem with it, then interview another one and another one until you get what you need.

This going to emergency is bandaid health care. You deserve better.

Good Luck

Nitrateman

 

[STEELADDICTION]

weird can you remember actually hitting the spot where it bruised.

No, I can't remember any type of impacts. I'm thinking these were not caused by being hit or knocking into something.

I 100% agree Nitrateman. I am worried about being able to find a doctor who is understanding. It would be nice to see a heading for doc's in the yellow pages listed as Understanding Of Your Lifestyle! Untill I do find a new doc, I have decided to go to my current doctor today to see if it's anything to be alarmed about.

 

[tee]

Are you sure its not an insect or spider bite? It sounds like it could be.

 

[STEELADDICTION]

Are you sure its not an insect or spider bite? It sounds like it could be.

Honestly at this point I don't know what it is? If it was just an insect bite, I would be very happy. I'm hoping it's not small blood clots or something along those lines?

I will be finishing the bulking half of my cycle tomorrow and move right to cutting. I really don't want to abort this cycle over bruising, but I can't help thinking it has something to do with the gear?

 

[tee]

Honestly at this point I don't know what it is? If it was just an insect bite, I would be very happy. I'm hoping it's not small blood clots or something along those lines?

I will be finishing the bulking half of my cycle tomorrow and move right to cutting. I really don't want to abort this cycle over bruising, but I can't help thinking it has something to do with the gear?

You wouldnt be happy if it is a black widow bite, or especially a brown recluse bite. My roomate in college was drunk and use to sleep int he basement of the house we rented. He said he remembered a burning in his hip whne he was sleeping, but was too drunk to move. When he got up, he had what looked like a minor insect bite. Over the days, it got bigger and darker. It started leaking shit and got scabby. (Hungry yet?) Anyways, it got to about the size of a silver dollar, and turned black. After about 6 months, the black spot pulled away from his flesh and he pulled it out like a cork. He had a really cool hole in his hip that was over an inch deep and a couple inches wide. It was a brown recluse spider that nailed him. They can even be worse than that, or even kill you. Each person is effected differently. Fun eh?

 

[STEELADDICTION]

You wouldnt be happy if it is a black widow bite, or especially a brown recluse bite. My roomate in college was drunk and use to sleep int he basement of the house we rented. He said he remembered a burning in his hip whne he was sleeping, but was too drunk to move. When he got up, he had what looked like a minor insect bite. Over the days, it got bigger and darker. It started leaking shit and got scabby. (Hungry yet?) Anyways, it got to about the size of a silver dollar, and turned black. After about 6 months, the black spot pulled away from his flesh and he pulled it out like a cork. He had a really cool hole in his hip that was over an inch deep and a couple inches wide. It was a brown recluse spider that nailed him. They can even be worse than that, or even kill you. Each person is effected differently. Fun eh?

Okay, you win! Plus you just ruined my breakfast! I tried to get into the Doc yesterday but they couldn't squeeze me in. I told them forget it and I'll find a different Doctor. The bruise on my side is going away, but just like the one that was on my leg, the lump still remains? I'm not sure, but I really think this has something to do with the latest batch of Test E I made. My first bruise appeared after I believe my first injection of the new batch. I used a .45 micron filter but I used the same kind for my first batch. I have now switched to .20's. The only thing different I did was lower the BA level to 2% instead of 5%. I know 2% should be more than adequate, but everytime I injected with this stuff, the inject site would ache and be sore for days, not like my first batch. Any way, I am still trying to research for a new doc who is open minded, and untill I find him or her I'm just going to keep a close eye on things. I skipped my last shot of the bulking part of my cycle and will be starting my Prop/Tren injections today. My only problem now is I need more injection sites. This means letting my wife help out because I still can't figure out how you can inject in your ass on your own. My body is just not that flexable.

 

[tee]

My only problem now is I need more injection sites. This means letting my wife help out because I still can't figure out how you can inject in your ass on your own. My body is just not that flexable.

Just under hand it, reach back, and stick yourself. Its easy until you have to do it with your off hand. I never could twist around to jab it.

 

[stealthmeister]

bruises..tell me more

Hmm.... tell me more....do the "bruises" hurt? Do you have any small "splinter hemorrhages" in the nailbeds of your fingertips or toes? Do you have any bleeding from your gums with brushing, do you have a fever / chills, any visual or neurologic changes (weakness, slurred speach, etc.), any recent use of other drugs (antibiotics, anticoagulants, etc)? Any similar skin reactions or lesions in the past? where exactly are they located?

Many different cause of "bruising". A true bruise is, as we all know, usually just a traumatic injury and you get a bit of a hematoma (blood collection) under the skin and you see a bruise. Low platelets or other coagulation factors in your blood can also cause bruising via spontaneous local hemorrhages. Low coag factors can be either congenital things (hemophilia, von Willebrands Disease, etc. - which you would have had a prior history of), or aquired causes like drugs (aspirin, ibuprofen, some antibiotics, radiation or chemotherapy, etc.), infections that suppress the bone marrow's ability to produce platelets, or liver disease that inhibits coagulation factor production, etc. can all cause bleeding / bruising. Bleeding with low platelets often shows up as bleeding gums, cuts that take forever to clot, excessive menstrual flow (women), etc. Things like little hemorrhages in your fingernail beds can be associated with endocarditis (infection / inflammation of the hear lining and valves).....can give low platelets and little emboli (small clots) flung off into fingers, toes, etc, but even brain (thus a stroke with neurologic changes, etc), etc. Endocarditis would be a very rare cause of "bruising" or embolic "bruises", that would not be painful, but is a possibility with injection drug use with infection accessing the blood.

Also, various skin reactions / rashes/ lesions can look like a "bruise", but not be more than a cutaneous reaction to something. They may be itchy or peel, etc instead of hurt. Other very rare things to think about for purple "bruises" in young injection drug users is Kaposi's sarcoma....a blotchy, purplish, non-painful skin condition associated with HIV infection.

The above is only a very partial list, but would need a lot more info about your "bruises". Definitely see your doc and get your platelets checked, check other areas for such lesions, stop any new drugs / things you may be in contact with unless you really need them, etc.

Chances are it is nothing more than a bruise, but there can be many things to consider, so get it checked out.

Keep us up to date.
BPU

 

[stealthmeister]

follow-up

A follow-up to my own post.....be sure you find a doc that you can be completely open about your AAS use and injections, etc. as there are specific health implications to these things that will help make a diagnosis. This is yet again one of the problems of driving AAS use underground!

 

[STEELADDICTION]

I've never had anything like this in the past. My first bruise was on the front of my quad. The next one is on my side, right on my hip bone. Both were big black and purple bruises with a white center. The white centers are hard. The bruise on my leg is gone. A small hard mass is still there, but I think it's shrinking. The one on my side, the bruise is almost gone. The mass in this one is like a ball, I can move it around a bit with my fingers. Right above the bruise on my side, there is a very small bruise the size of an eraser head with a tiny little mass. I don't see anymore any where else and none of them have any pain or discomfort. As far as the splinter hemorrhages, I always get them on my fingers, but that's from being a mechanic at a steel mill. I really can't tell if there any worse than normal. No bleeding of the gums to speak of either. As for going to the doctor, I'm working on it. I was trying to get a referal from a friend for his doc who is very open with aas. But he doesn't take my insurance type. So now it's pretty much luck of the drawl whether or not I find a doctor that will deal with my aas usage. Thanks again for the reply bro, any info is appreciated!

Hmm.... tell me more....do the "bruises" hurt? Do you have any small "splinter hemorrhages" in the nailbeds of your fingertips or toes? Do you have any bleeding from your gums with brushing, do you have a fever / chills, any visual or neurologic changes (weakness, slurred speach, etc.), any recent use of other drugs (antibiotics, anticoagulants, etc)? Any similar skin reactions or lesions in the past? where exactly are they located?

Many different cause of "bruising". A true bruise is, as we all know, usually just a traumatic injury and you get a bit of a hematoma (blood collection) under the skin and you see a bruise. Low platelets or other coagulation factors in your blood can also cause bruising via spontaneous local hemorrhages. Low coag factors can be either congenital things (hemophilia, von Willebrands Disease, etc. - which you would have had a prior history of), or aquired causes like drugs (aspirin, ibuprofen, some antibiotics, radiation or chemotherapy, etc.), infections that suppress the bone marrow's ability to produce platelets, or liver disease that inhibits coagulation factor production, etc. can all cause bleeding / bruising. Bleeding with low platelets often shows up as bleeding gums, cuts that take forever to clot, excessive menstrual flow (women), etc. Things like little hemorrhages in your fingernail beds can be associated with endocarditis (infection / inflammation of the hear lining and valves).....can give low platelets and little emboli (small clots) flung off into fingers, toes, etc, but even brain (thus a stroke with neurologic changes, etc), etc. Endocarditis would be a very rare cause of "bruising" or embolic "bruises", that would not be painful, but is a possibility with injection drug use with infection accessing the blood.

Also, various skin reactions / rashes/ lesions can look like a "bruise", but not be more than a cutaneous reaction to something. They may be itchy or peel, etc instead of hurt. Other very rare things to think about for purple "bruises" in young injection drug users is Kaposi's sarcoma....a blotchy, purplish, non-painful skin condition associated with HIV infection.

The above is only a very partial list, but would need a lot more info about your "bruises". Definitely see your doc and get your platelets checked, check other areas for such lesions, stop any new drugs / things you may be in contact with unless you really need them, etc.

Chances are it is nothing more than a bruise, but there can be many things to consider, so get it checked out.

Keep us up to date.
BPU

 

[Nitrateman]

Steel

Re this doctor who you wanted: can you pay out of pocket and then bill your insurance co yourself, using the proper forms and shit?

Nitrateman

 

[stealthmeister]

bruises / endocarditis

A few thoughts......first of all, I'll have to ask a few colleagues to get some more-than-basic answers. However, painLESS "bruises" may be more of a concern, as it implies something other than a common traumatic bruise. And, indeed, you had no history of trauma to those areas. It would be very unusual to have embolic clots / infection fire off to the areas you noted. Usually small infected emboli (from blood infection or something like endocarditis that I mentioned before) tend to go to the end of the blood vessel / capillary before they stop...meaning ending up in small vessels in the fingers, toes, small brain vessels (usually off of the middle cerebral artery because it is the most direct path), retina of the eye, etc. No real reason to just stop in the thigh or hip region. If they were near an injection site, it may suggest some local infection or lymphatic inflammation spread. If it involves several joints, that also would suggest infection...I have seen patients with "septic arthritis" requiring pus drainage from several infected joints at once if antibiotics cannot clear it. However, with those you should have other signs of infection.....general things like fatigue, aches, fever / chills, etc.

No signs of trauma or infection, and painless makes me think more or something like low platelets or a normal platelet count, but platelets that don't function properly from things like aspirin. The lumps you have are likely just residual blood that is slowly absorbing or local inflammation / fibrosis from the bruise. Maybe even a bit of lymphatic congestion.

As for endocarditis (in your PM......figured I'd reply openly as others may wonder the same thing)....usually a bacterial infection. Historically, it followed infection with rheumatic fever. You often have to have an underlying valve abnormality (ex. mitral regurgitation from mitral valve prolapse, etc) to predispose to infecting the heart valves / lining when you have a blood borne infection. That's why people with heart valve problems always need antibiotics before major dental work , to prevent seeding of those gram-positive bacteria from the mouth to the heart. Injection drug users are at risk because of bacteria getting into the blood from contaminated drugs or actually most commonly skin bugs that get injected with the drugs (always use an alcohol swab before injecting and do NOT touch that cleaned area before injecting!). Anyways, do you have a history of having a "heart murmur", irregular heart beats, or heart surgery as a child, to suggest a pre-existing valve problem? Signs of endocarditis include fever, anemia, petechial / mucosal hemorrhages (as mentioned above), splinter hemorrhages in nailbeds, arthritis (joint inflammation / infection), enlarged spleen, a new or changing heart murmur, etc. Advanced cases would have irregular heart rhythms and eventually heart failure where you have fluid in the lungs, inability to supply blood to the body, etc. Unless you're otherwise feeling sick, I doubt you have endocarditis.

Hope that helps. More later. Let me know how things are going.

 

[STEELADDICTION]

No, the doctor I go to must be in the insurance network that is offered through my employer. I have an appointment with a new doc on Friday. I'm already nervous yhinking about telling him about my aas usage.

Steel

Re this doctor who you wanted: can you pay out of pocket and then bill your insurance co yourself, using the proper forms and shit?

Nitrateman

 

[STEELADDICTION]

A couple years ago my primary doc thought she heard something when listening to my heart. After getting 2 other opinions, tests, and seeing a heart specialist, I was told I was fine and anything my doc did here was very common and normal in weight lifters. As far as pain in the bruises, both were tender to the touch. I just can't remember any type of impact that would have caused either of the bruises. The lumps are what concern me the most. Another question I have is when I do tell the doc about steroid usage, say he writes down blood clotting due to aas usage, could that make it's way to the insurance company and then to my employer?

A few thoughts......first of all, I'll have to ask a few colleagues to get some more-than-basic answers. However, painLESS "bruises" may be more of a concern, as it implies something other than a common traumatic bruise. And, indeed, you had no history of trauma to those areas. It would be very unusual to have embolic clots / infection fire off to the areas you noted. Usually small infected emboli (from blood infection or something like endocarditis that I mentioned before) tend to go to the end of the blood vessel / capillary before they stop...meaning ending up in small vessels in the fingers, toes, small brain vessels (usually off of the middle cerebral artery because it is the most direct path), retina of the eye, etc. No real reason to just stop in the thigh or hip region. If they were near an injection site, it may suggest some local infection or lymphatic inflammation spread. If it involves several joints, that also would suggest infection...I have seen patients with "septic arthritis" requiring pus drainage from several infected joints at once if antibiotics cannot clear it. However, with those you should have other signs of infection.....general things like fatigue, aches, fever / chills, etc.

No signs of trauma or infection, and painless makes me think more or something like low platelets or a normal platelet count, but platelets that don't function properly from things like aspirin. The lumps you have are likely just residual blood that is slowly absorbing or local inflammation / fibrosis from the bruise. Maybe even a bit of lymphatic congestion.

As for endocarditis (in your PM......figured I'd reply openly as others may wonder the same thing)....usually a bacterial infection. Historically, it followed infection with rheumatic fever. You often have to have an underlying valve abnormality (ex. mitral regurgitation from mitral valve prolapse, etc) to predispose to infecting the heart valves / lining when you have a blood borne infection. That's why people with heart valve problems always need antibiotics before major dental work , to prevent seeding of those gram-positive bacteria from the mouth to the heart. Injection drug users are at risk because of bacteria getting into the blood from contaminated drugs or actually most commonly skin bugs that get injected with the drugs (always use an alcohol swab before injecting and do NOT touch that cleaned area before injecting!). Anyways, do you have a history of having a "heart murmur", irregular heart beats, or heart surgery as a child, to suggest a pre-existing valve problem? Signs of endocarditis include fever, anemia, petechial / mucosal hemorrhages (as mentioned above), splinter hemorrhages in nailbeds, arthritis (joint inflammation / infection), enlarged spleen, a new or changing heart murmur, etc. Advanced cases would have irregular heart rhythms and eventually heart failure where you have fluid in the lungs, inability to supply blood to the body, etc. Unless you're otherwise feeling sick, I doubt you have endocarditis.

Hope that helps. More later. Let me know how things are going.

 

[stealthmeister]

bruises - more thoughts

A few thoughts......re: the abnormal heart sound possibly in the past...often young athletes will have a 3rd heart sound (I have as a competitive triathlete for years) and is fine. If you were a 65 yo couch potato a 3rd hear sound could be a sign of heart failure, but you would have other signs. Other sounds like a mild murmur from something like mitral valve prolapse (affects over 5% of young females) is also common and since they don't really have any important prognostic / outcome implications, they may say it was fine or nothing, etc. That would be reasonable, so as not to freak someone out unnecessarily. That may have been your case and there is nothing to worry about.

The lumps as I say may well be just some undissolved blood from a true bruise, or some local lymphatic congestion if inflammed or infected. But keep an eye on it, if it's getting red, expanding, etc. it may be infection or pus that needs antibiotics or drainage. Watch for fever, chills, etc. also. Again, if you have a problem with platelets or a reduction in coagulation factors, even minor trauma (that you may not remember) may be enough to give you a bruise. The fact that there are discrete, mobile lumps also makes it likely that whatever is there extends to below the skin, so things like a local rash or reaction, etc are less likely.

Re: bleeding / bruising....I'd hold off on any aspirin, anti-inflammatories (ibuprofen, etc), anticoagulants, and a variety of herbal things like even garlic that can thin the blood, until you get you platelet count / function and coagulation times checked. That is, unless you are on them for other medical reasons.

As for your doc.....patient confidentiality should always, always be respected above the concerns of the fucking insurance companies. However, I am Canadian and we don't have the insurance issue up here, as medical care is provided to all. I would be very frank with your new doc about your concerns. He should only be required to submit a diagnosis for payment / insurance ex. "bruising". I don't think the insurance companies need to know any more than that. But then, I don't work in that system.

Hope that helps. Keep us up to date.

 

[STEELADDICTION]

Again, thank you very much for all the info and time you have spent answering all my questions. If I can think of anything else, I'll let you know. Otherwise, wish me luck at the new doc's. I'll let you know how it goes.

A few thoughts......re: the abnormal heart sound possibly in the past...often young athletes will have a 3rd heart sound (I have as a competitive triathlete for years) and is fine. If you were a 65 yo couch potato a 3rd hear sound could be a sign of heart failure, but you would have other signs. Other sounds like a mild murmur from something like mitral valve prolapse (affects over 5% of young females) is also common and since they don't really have any important prognostic / outcome implications, they may say it was fine or nothing, etc. That would be reasonable, so as not to freak someone out unnecessarily. That may have been your case and there is nothing to worry about.

The lumps as I say may well be just some undissolved blood from a true bruise, or some local lymphatic congestion if inflammed or infected. But keep an eye on it, if it's getting red, expanding, etc. it may be infection or pus that needs antibiotics or drainage. Watch for fever, chills, etc. also. Again, if you have a problem with platelets or a reduction in coagulation factors, even minor trauma (that you may not remember) may be enough to give you a bruise. The fact that there are discrete, mobile lumps also makes it likely that whatever is there extends to below the skin, so things like a local rash or reaction, etc are less likely.

Re: bleeding / bruising....I'd hold off on any aspirin, anti-inflammatories (ibuprofen, etc), anticoagulants, and a variety of herbal things like even garlic that can thin the blood, until you get you platelet count / function and coagulation times checked. That is, unless you are on them for other medical reasons.

As for your doc.....patient confidentiality should always, always be respected above the concerns of the fucking insurance companies. However, I am Canadian and we don't have the insurance issue up here, as medical care is provided to all. I would be very frank with your new doc about your concerns. He should only be required to submit a diagnosis for payment / insurance ex. "bruising". I don't think the insurance companies need to know any more than that. But then, I don't work in that system.

Hope that helps. Keep us up to date.

 

[STEELADDICTION]

Well I'll be off to my new doctors appointment in 10 min. Pretty nervous, I'm really not sure how to tell him I use aas. I really feel it would be a benefit to have a doc on your side to help out when things like this arise. Also a big plus to have blood and other tests done when needed. God I hope this goes well!

 

[stealthmeister]

Keep us up to date. Re: the doc....his first priority should be to diagnose any potential problems and treat them appropriately if necessary. The more upfront you are about it, the better. He may provide feedback and recommendations, but he shouldn't be judging you or giving less than full care because of your AAS use. If he does, he's a dick. Again, all this would not be an issue if AAS were not driven underground! Another thought would be to get connected up with a specialist in sports med or at least a family doc with a serious interest in sports med. Those guys will have seen and heard it all before when it comes to AAS.