A curious case of bleeding through skin pores

I had a peculiar case, recently. A patient, Mr. X, suddenly experienced bleeding through the skin pores on his back- much like sweating, but sweating out blood. He had previously seen me for allergies and food intolerances, but never mentioned anything of this sort. I asked Mr. X about any dietary changes and if he was taking any new medicines or supplements which may thin the blood. He told me that he had only started taking my supplements recently, but mentioned in passing that he had increased the dosage of one particular drug he was taking on a regular basis. Careful investigation led me to the culprit- It turns out that particular drug, in extremely rare cases, could reduce platelet count thus increasing the risk of bleeding. Mr. X stopped taking the drug immediately, and he hasn’t experienced bleeding through his skin pores since.

Two reminders from this case:

1. Before you increase the dosage of a drug (or supplement), tell the doctor. Ask him or her about the possible side effects associated with it.
2. Find a practitioner who is willing to work with you to solve your health problems. Mr. X had seen another doctor prior to seeing me. That doctor told him his acute condition probably had to do with platelets, but didn’t go one step further to investigate.

Dr. Ardyce Yik ND is dedicated to helping her patients achieve and maintain optimal health. She occasionally gets some odd cases. Click here to read about the case of the disappearing eyebrows. Click here to read about the case of misdiagnosed ADHD.