spontaneous bleeding under nails

[ke647]

I started a discussion about this issue several years ago, and it is now closed, so I wanted to start a new one to update information. I had spontaneous bleeding under the nails of my big toes, it was not from injury. I went to the doctor, who belittled me. the bleeding area eventually grew out. 2 year later I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, Hashimotos Thyroiditius, and was placed on Armors Thyroid. This week, I started to develop new symptoms related to autoimmune disease, (joint pain which moves from joint to joint). In my search of Lupus info, I came across pictures of bleeding under nails, as a symptom of Lupus:
"Inflammation of blood vessels in the skin (cutaneous vasculitis): Inflammation or bleeding from the blood vessels can lead to small or large blue spots or small reddish spots on the skin or nail beds"
So for others, this may be a symptom of auto-immune disease, and/or Lupus.  Here is the link to the Lupus photos:
http://www.skinsight.com/adult/systemicLupusErythematosus.htm

I do not know why a doctor could not have understood this 3 years ago, or maybe they just didn't think insurance would cover it. Negligent.


This discussion is related to spontaneous bleeding under toe nails.

[thyroidian]

Hi .
I hope we can piece this together too, its a post were by most off us have been fobbed off by the doctor, with this problem, i just thought i was being over concerned, when i brought this up, however, when i got fobbed off, as though this was nothing to be concerned about , i never really looked into it.

Until , they kept growing out of my nail bed, and then kept coming back, thats when i started looking into this, I do know this can be a sign of heart conditions, and blood clotting issues, along with auto-immune diseases.

If your toe is still bleeding, i would ask your doctor to check your platelets, along with your thyroid,
I also was told that they can come with inflammation in the body also. and can be a sign of bloodclots in the heart and lungs.

Maybe we all maybe able to piece this together.
Good luck
Nicola

[jmostar]

Thanks so much for this discussion.  I, too, have spontaneous bleeding under my big toenail(s). I first noticed it about a year ago, didn't know what it was. Thought it might be fungal, but didn't respond to any treatment. Finally, after a while, I realized that the nail was actually not attached to the nail bed, so I cut about 2/3 of the toenail on one toe and 1/3 of the toenail on the other big toe off.  Under one of the toes, it was evident that the purple spot was a dried blood clot.  I continued with anti-fungal home treatments, until the nails grew back (about 7 months).  Within 2 months, the left big toe had a spot again.  This time, I decided to go to a podiatrist since it was returning for no apparent reason (vainly trying to save the toenail).  The podiatrist's first reaction was that it was fungal until she cut the nail off and the toe started to bleed.  She said that I have spontaneous hematomas under the toe nail.  I'm 31 and fairly healthy. Not diagnosed with any chronic illness, no major complaints of illness, only taking multi-vitamins on a regular basis.  The podiatrist said because I am fairly healthy, she's stumped.  In other non-healthy people, hematomas under the toenails are often signs of heart problems/blood clots, etc.

It is now 1 week later, and my toe is still bleeding. I'm now beginning to get concerned.  Thanks to everyone for sharing their stories.  Many years ago, I do recall a doctor suggesting that I might have some thyroid irregularities, maybe I'll mention that next week at my follow-up.

Will keep everyone posted, maybe together we can piece together the issue.

[ClairedeLune]

My mom has this toe bleeding problem...she has also has swelling and pain in her wrists and ankles, and whenever this happens she sees "worms"/floaters in her eyes. The eye doctor said it was nothing important, and the general care practitioner thinks she has arthritis. My mom has been tested for thyroid conditions and graves disease, but the tests were normal. She also has protruding eyes...as though there is some sort of pressure behind her eyes. This last time the symptoms occurred, we also found some sort of a lump on her shoulders. Does anyone else have the same symptoms?

[thyroidian]

Wow just reading your interesting post.
I have graves disease, which is an autoimmune thyroid disorder, causing over active.
Just had my second surgery.
Well i get the bleeding under the nails, which show up as dark splinter like bits of dried blood under the nail, and you have to wait for them to grow out.
Well i went to my gp with mine who told me they are called haemorraghing splinters, and are usually a sign of heart disease. or auto=immune disease.
I dont know how true this is , but i get them really regular, and there is no way to get them out , you have to let them grow out  which takes months.
I also have a cortisol problem to.
But my GP just blowed me out, and didnt seem interested.
Do you have any blood clotting disorders?

I was left like you.
Thanks for sharing an interesting post, thought it was just me.
Nicola

[ke647]

I wanted to add that I was only diagnosed with Hashimoto's because I read about my symptoms online, and then asked my dr to order a test for Thyroid antibodies. She did and it came back over 470. (normal is  < 20).  She said no need to treat it! I was in pain, couldn't stay awake, and many other hypo symptoms. I went to an endocrinologist on my own, who found dangerously low ferritin, vit. D and cortisol. I was put on Armors Thyroid, D and iron. My antibodies dropped in half and many of my symptoms left. I am still fighting my autoimmune issues from stress. But in my experience, most of my doctors have been no help at all, and in fact, had I not self-diagnosed, I'd probably be in nearly a coma from going hypothyroid without treatment. And to have to endure being taunted with symptoms of bleeding nails, just because the doctors were too lazy, ignorant, or stupid to look into it.