BRUISING AND MUSCLE CRAMPS

     I am worried about my wife of 44 years of age.  She has many medical issues but we can't seem to get anyone or any one Doctor to give us a stright answer.  My wife developed a soft ball size bruise on the inside of her lower right leg about a week ago.  She does not recall striking it on any type of edge or furniture.  She has had severe leg cramps for some time and this has never happened before.  When I noticed, it was about the size of a baseball, very purple and raised.  when touching, it felt very hard and veiny simular to a himatoma.  Tammy, my wife thinks it was from severe cramping she had the night before.  I drew a circle around it to see if it would travel.  It moved about a quarter of an inch down the leg and out side the circle.  it is still purple around the outside area but, the center is turning white and is still raised.  I have never seen this happen to her in the past.
     She has since seen an urgent care doctor and he told her nothing, and her primary care doctor who hmmmed it off and never really examined it.  I am concerned and wonder if this is normal.  My wife is 268 lbs, 5;6 1/2".  The many doctors she has seen have her dignosed with everything to bi polar.  I am a full time Police Officer and I have delt with bi polar individuals, believe me she is not bi polar.  We can not get a single answer from anyone.  Her nurses are worried and don't understand why the doctors are not paying attention to this issue.  My wife does have Fibro myalgia, Post Ttramatic Stress Dissorder, and Osteo Arthritis confirmed by a Home Hospital Care doctor.  She had more to say than any docter has ever been able to.  We were not able to take her on as a primary care doctor due to her possition she currently holds.  Can anyone give us a direction to go.  We live in Albuquerque New Mexico.      

Please Help

Respectfuly
LDM

[S. Kaul, MD]

Hi there!

As for the bruise, if it is a single lesion, it is likely to be due to a minor trauma that she does not recall. This is likely to heal on its own in a week or two and should not be anything to worry about. However she experiences similar ‘non-traumatic’ lesions again especially if multiple, she may need an evaluation for secondary causes such as bleeding disorders, connective tissue abnormalities, micronutrient deficiency etc. Meanwhile she may benefit from taking some Vitamin C tablets for some days.

With the other problems that you have mentioned, she may need to see an internist, a rheumatologist, an orthopedician and a psychiatrist. I would suggest beginning with an internist, preferably at a university/ teaching hospital, to avoid running around and for better care.
Hope this was useful.

Take care!