LymeNet Flash: Blue veins showing all over my body?? Lyme related?

This is topic Blue veins showing all over my body?? Lyme related? in forum Medical Questions at LymeNet Flash.

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Posted by tothepoorhouse (Member # 8595) on :

So scary......I noticed when I took a shower today. My veins on my chest and arms were so prominent, Dracula would have been chasing me. [Frown]

Is this a lyme symptom that anyone has had?

Granted, I'm very fair skinned, but never noticed this before. Am I just becoming too self-aware and looking for anything different?

Just call me blue streak from now on.....all over my body. [Frown]

Posted by cantgiveupyet (Member # 8165) on :

I noticed this myself the other day before a shower.

mine is mostly on my lower stomach , below belly button.

ive lost weight so i thought that was why a lot of my veins are now exposed.

hopefully someonelse will know why

Posted by elley0531 (Member # 9434) on :

me also...at first it completely freaked me out. After some thought I realized that since getting sick I've lost 20 lbs, so there is very little fat to cover the veins...I honestly think thats what causes it-how much fat you have in certain areas.

Posted by Lesley (Member # 8678) on :

me too...i called my friend and asked her to come over...she saw it to...it went away about half an hour late...it was in my hands and for arms

Posted by Carol B (Member # 9110) on :

I've got blue veins all over my legs -but there's a name for them-They're called Varicose Veins, also tons of Spider Veins. [Wink]

My kids are not happy with the fact they are hereditary.
Don't tell Lymetoo, or she'll think I'm old.

My fair skinned younger daughter seems to show blue veins on her upper body of the type you describe. I notice those type of veins on the back of my hands, quite a network too-probably the only thin part of my body, besides my hair.

Speaking for myself, I get so tired of being fixated on my body and noticing every little thing. Wish i could take a vacation in my head from all this. I can relate to how hard it is to keep things in perspective.

One moment I think I'm near death, and the next moment I'm feeling fine and like everything's going to be all right. [dizzy]

Anyway- hope these fears at least have been allayed somewhat for you.

Carol

Posted by hatsnscarfs (Member # 6562) on :

I'm not skinny but I've often had the blue vein thing on my chest. It's almost like my skin is transparent.
hats

Posted by bettex99 (Member # 8109) on :

me too. I noticed it a few weeks ago after a shower. Especially on my upper body. A bit creepy.

Posted by kitkat32 (Member # 9682) on :

Hello,

I get this too. It is very common to have your veins show during or after a warm shower. The warm water dilates your veins and brings them to the surface. If your fair skinned like I am it is really noticable on your palms, inner arms and chest.

If they aren't painful or hot to the touch I wouldn't think it is anything to worry about. In my non medical opinion.

kit

Posted by 5dana8 (Member # 7935) on :

Me also. I am thinking its because I am so thin.

It doesn't keep me up nights but then isn't very attractive and is freaky looking. I wish I could gain more weight...sorry to whine

Posted by elley0531 (Member # 9434) on :

quote:
Originally posted by 5dana8:
Me also. I am thinking its because I am so thin.

It doesn't keep me up nights but then isn't very attractive and is freaky looking. I wish I could gain more weight...sorry to whine

Likewise. I feel like a freak, when I stretch my abdomen you can see this whole webbing of veins since I have so little body fat left. I'll just keep dumping olive and coconut oil on everything I eat [Big Grin]

Posted by TerryK (Member # 8552) on :

I'm not thin and in fact gained a lot of weight/fluid when my health crashed, even so, I had a lot of bluish veins that looked like they were very close to the surface on my chest and upper body. My doctor didn't have a clue as to why they appeared. I'm very fair skinned. They aren't as noticeable now as they were 23 years ago when I crashed.

I am not a medical professional but I think that it could be related to circulatory issues and/or possibly shrinkage of connective tissue.
Terry

Posted by cordor (Member # 9449) on :

I also have had a "veins popping out issue." I never had this before I started treatments for Lyme. It is actually really disgusting. I get it on my arms and hands only. The first time I saw it, I was pretty freaked out. I tried to describe it to my husband and I don't think he really understood how weird it looked. Then one night he saw it and agreed it was extremely unusual. I am not overheated, I am just sitting still watching tv or whatever and you look down and there are these huge dark blue "ropes" all over my hand and arms. From elbow area down to hands. It happened once in front of my lyme doc and he said "wow". He believes it is some form of vasculitis caused by lyme. He did blood test for vasculitis because he was concerned, but it was neg.
Other lyme people have told me that they get the same thing. Weird.

Posted by liz28 (Member # 4946) on :

Yes, I have it on my stomach.

Posted by badkitti30043 (Member # 2889) on :

Hi
I also began to notice the blue veins after I had began long term IV treatment, I had them on my chest, arms and especially breasts.. never had this before..

I am fair skinned and overeight thanks to lyme- weight gain of 50 lbs.

I have thick blood as well, and had additionally noticed a change in the overall texture of my skin/ skintone as well.

It was pretty scarry the first time I realized it was so visable.I don't have a clue what is the cause only a few posssible guesses..

I think it could be a claudication( they did recently find on in my right leg, Or it may be heart related in some way/ circulation related even...or venious arterial - of the uppe body.

I can tell you it has become not noticeable, or non existant since I stopped IV treatments 2 1/2 years ago.That kind of tells me it may have been vry relates..
Best ishes in getting this one figured out..

Posted by elley0531 (Member # 9434) on :

I will be asking my LLMD about it today. I'll let you know what he says.

Last ngiht the tiny veins that run under my thumb skin even puffed out! I could feel them, they were actually causing my skin to be textured...strange for tiny vessels to do this.

Posted by alliebridge (Member # 9103) on :

I had the same thing happen with the veins in my feet, above the arches on the insides of both feet. They bulged out and hurt so badly that it woke me up from sleep one night. I massaged them and it subsided after a while.

This has happened a few times, though not lately.

I also noticed my body becoming "veinier" in general, but thought it was just from getting older. ???

I would love to hear what your LLMD thinks.

Posted by LYMESCIENCE (Member # 9259) on :

quote:
Originally posted by cordor:
I also have had a "veins popping out issue." I never had this before I started treatments for Lyme. It is actually really disgusting. I get it on my arms and hands only. The first time I saw it, I was pretty freaked out. I tried to describe it to my husband and I don't think he really understood how weird it looked. Then one night he saw it and agreed it was extremely unusual. I am not overheated, I am just sitting still watching tv or whatever and you look down and there are these huge dark blue "ropes" all over my hand and arms. From elbow area down to hands. It happened once in front of my lyme doc and he said "wow". He believes it is some form of vasculitis caused by lyme. He did blood test for vasculitis because he was concerned, but it was neg.
Other lyme people have told me that they get the same thing. Weird.

Clever doctor- He is correct! It is some kinda of vasulitits, but I remain unconvinced who remains the culprit. Suspect 1: Babesia Suspect 2: Borrelia Suspect 3: both

Here are a couple of pics to help you see if these look like you

In this first picture, notice the veins. Here they are reddish, but imagine if you can, they were blueish, and if so, would this look like yours? Or, have your veins been this color?

Posted by LYMESCIENCE (Member # 9259) on :

Huh, Lou why aren't my pics showing? I clicked on the image icon and put in the url?

Posted by treepatrol (Member # 4117) on :

You guys are all blue bloods [Big Grin]

Posted by LYMESCIENCE (Member # 9259) on :

quote:
Originally posted by treepatrol:
You guys are all blue bloods

Posted by elley0531 (Member # 9434) on :

I can't see the pics.

I talked to my Lyme doc about the veins...just had a follow up appointment. He said overall just another symptom, nothing to worry about specifically...he also mentioned it was just a mild form of vasculitis that comes and goes daily sometimes hourly just like any other symptom.

He also mentioned for those of us who have lossed alot of weight, the veins are going to be much more visible, but as long as there is no redness/swelling/pain not to worry to much.

Posted by Al (Member # 9420) on :

Due to low blood pressure, dizziness and fainting
I was sent for a Tilt Table test, It was very Positive. I passed out in 15 min.
This is the explaination of what is happening.
When I stand up blood pools in my legs and my blood pressure drops very low, To the point where my brain is not getting enough blood and I pass out.
The dr.explained that my brain is sending the wrong signal to my veins , To dilate instead of constrict causing the blood to pool. This dilation happens throughout the body. It's more noticeable in the arms and legs.
My heart speeds up to compansate causing Tachycardia.
It gets very complicated from there; The brain stem,Kidneys,Adrenals and maybe the Pituitary
are in the mix.
Sucessfull treatment for lyme would resolve these problems. I know a few people who recovered
with treatment.
Hold your arm down until the veins swell then raise it rapidly. You will see the veins constrict and have a tingling feeling.
I don't know if this helped or not, I'm just passing along information from my journey.

Posted by treepatrol (Member # 4117) on :

Pics

I could only get one lymescience

Posted by kelmo (Member # 8797) on :

I'm glad I found this link. My daughter said that list night a blue veing appeared just below the surface of her skin last night.

She is not thin, thanks to the disease, and her veins are VERY difficult to find for blood tests.

So...this is just another symptom of hyper-coagulation?

Kelly

Posted by AliG (Member # 9734) on :

OMG, I can't believe everyone here has this. I thought maybe I was aging prematurely or something. One day it totally freaked me out. Then, thanks to my Lyme brain, I forgot about it. [dizzy]

Does everyone here have the dark, thick blood too? I know we were talking about that on another link somewhere.

Posted by minimonkey (Member # 8693) on :

Wow -- me too. My chiropractor noticed this the other day, and I am noticing it as well.

I'm fair skinned too.

Posted by JillF (Member # 5553) on :

Same here.

I get the transparency/blue veins on my stomach, chest, breasts, arms, feet and hands (that I've noticed).

I've gained about 75 pds since my worse symptoms started 3 yrs ago - so I'm definitely not thin.

Taking a shower/bath really has nothing to do with it for me. No pattern for when it happens or how long it lasts (sometimes an hour, sometimes days).

I've also had the same thing happen with red spider like veins on my face. They come and go and no real pattern as to when/why.

It's very odd. Scared me at first but I guess I'm used to it now.

Posted by tic chick (Member # 9156) on :

Yup, me too! I guess I'm a member of the blueblood gang as well. [Eek!]

Freakish though my old neuro duck said "not to worry", so maybe I should!! [shake]

Tic

Posted by lymex5&counting (Member # 7202) on :

What many of you are describing is called Livedo

Reticularis. My girls

both have this. I think it has to do with lack

of oxygen either from their Babesia, heavy metal

toxicity or both. lyme x 9

Posted by elley0531 (Member # 9434) on :

see, mine doesn't look like that picture. My skin isn't discolored or blotchy, it literally just looks like you can see me larger veins more clearly...like my skin is more transparant.

Posted by kelmo (Member # 8797) on :

Same here, looks more like that chick in the Terminator