BRUISING & INSOMNIA ?

I AM BRUISING at the lightest touch... My iron levels are good, just had all my labs done and everything was UP & GOOD finally, but I have started bruising over the slightest of pressure touching..... ? Usually it take a fair amount of pressure to cause me to bruise, but just in the last 2 weeks I have noticed some bruising on my arms, legs, and abdomen when I bump into something, or horse play, or even scratch myself from an itch, it leaves a bruise. I am 10 months out, and even to this day I find new and different things that are changing in my body. Like they say, after your RE-birth from WLS, you are learning all over again on how to live. OH, and if anyone has any secret cures or remedies for insomnia, that would be a BLISSFUL JOY..... Have had it since my son was born 18 years ago. The slightest noise and I am awake, I became an extremely light sleeper if I fall asleep, and my sleep can be broken by the slightest of anything. I am even talking the dog walking in the hall on the carpet. But as forewarned before surgery, that insomnia was a posibility, well I have tried so many different rituals, herbal tea and pills, and each one seems to only have a short term relief (3 days). Paige

Paige, I'm sorry I don't have an answer to the bruising. Have you seen your doctor about it? Re the insomnia, I don't know if it'll help but I was thinking of two things. One: Melatonin. Two, do you use a sound machine? It would help filter out those slightest noises that might cause you to wake. Hope it gets better soon! Sheryl In the Zoo

I have a problem with insomnia, too. The smallest noise and I'm awake and once awake I'm up for good. I started using a fan turned on high and so far it has helped. Take care, Fran

I LOVE THE NEW PIC FRAN... I have a few cd's Enigma & Enya that I play continous on loop so there is a continous rhythmic sound, but I hear everything that is not norm to the cd's... I am a FREAK OF NATURE..lol.... I even have hearing loss to one ear..lol... Paige

Hi Paige. I don't have the sleeping problem, but I have found that upon occasion, I get bruises, for unknown reasons. It doesn't happen all of the time. If it continues and is excessive, please see a doctor. In the meantime, I use Vitamin K. It is supposed to stop bruising and it seems to help me. Read up on it, it may help. Good Luck, Diane

Diane: Did you check with the Dr. on taking the Vitamin K? I just found an article about it on Web MD: "...vitamin K, and because this vitamin is involved in blood clotting, people who are taking blood thinners shouldn't drink wheat grass juice without consulting their doctor first" (Or take supplements I think) Just want you to be safe. I am going to ask about this with my doctor, however, since my platelettes are low and that does have to do with blood clotting! Glad you brought it up so I could check on it! Pam

Pam is correct, Vitamin K is good for those who have a clotting issue such as hemophiliac or free bleeders. My brother is a 'freebleeder' which means that his body does produce the vitamin K naturally as the rest of us, BUT, not enough. When he gets a cut that is deep enough he bleeds like water. When we were kids my mom MADE him eat LIVER & SPINACH once a week. Those are 2 foods naturally high in Vitamin K. So if your on any blood thinners at all vitamin K is a NO NO NO... I have a friend who had a rare genetic marker, cant remember the name of it but, her blood is ONE BIG CLOT, she has to take blood thinners, and injections, MUS****ch her diet for food that are naturally high in vitamin K (DARK LEAFY GREENS), can not eat them. Paige

Paige: Bruising like that is a sign your blood platelettes are very low. I had that on my last tests but it is not related to the surgery as far as the doctors know. I checked it on WebMD and found that the way to bring them up is a transfusion of platelettes. I am hoping that mine won't need that, but they told me specifically to watch to see if I bruise on slight bumps or if someone hugged me, for instance. It sure sounds like that's what's up with you if it happens when you scratch. Don't know about the insomnia, sorry! Maybe a sleep study doctor could help? Pam

Do you take any blood thinners or an aspirin a day - both can cause bruising..

I cant have asprin cause of the liver..... I was thinking anemia and I called the doc and she said NOPE.... Paige (discovering every day is a NEW day of learning something new after WLS, guess that is why they call it our SECOND RE-BIRTHDAY)