I'm a 55 year old female. For over a year I've experienced substantial bruising on my body (some as large as my fist) with no recollection of having bumped or banged into anything. The bruises are rarely painful and it's usually someone else who points them out to me.
A few weeks ago I began having severe, prolonged nosebleeds and clots. The first episode lasting 2 1/2 hours required a visit to the E.R. I find myself very weak and tired afterward. Despite first aid to stop the nosebleed (ice pack or cold cloth on neck, leaning forward and pinching of nostrils), it is often 1-2 hours before the bleeding full stops. It's not easy holding a lean-forward stance while pinching one's nostrils for that length of time and I'm plagued with clots in my throat. This has caused coughing, gagging and later, nausea. I'm aware that I am losing approx. 2 or more ounces of blood each time which seems considerable multiplied by the number of episodes I've had.
A week ago I noticed significant weakness in my arms (i.e. trouble pushing the mower, unable to do even light painting for more than a minute or two) and almost constant fatigue. I've been taking 81 mg aspirin daily for more than three years and I've used a nasal spray for rhinitis for many years. When I stopped using them for two weeks, I did notice the nosebleeds weren't quite as prolonged, but there was still a lot of bleeding from the nostrils with large clots in my throat even when leaning forward.
I often use a nasal gel or a dab of petroleum jelly at night, but it doesn't seem to make much of a difference as to whether or not I will get a nosebleed. I have even been awoken at night with blood running down my throat. The nosebleeds started after doing a lot of document shredding at work - papers which might have contained mold spores as it had been stored in a raised area of a flooded basement. Once the nosebleeds started, I refused to shred any more of the documents. After five nosebleeds, they stopped temporarily. A month later they've started up again.
I do have a deviated septum. Test results showed my clotting factor is working normally. I also have high b.p., but my readings have been only slightly elevated (related to stress) and my physician doesn't think it could be causing the nosebleeds.
I recently had extensive blood work done, but do not have the results yet. After a nosebleed and sometimes between incidents, I feel pressure in my face. The wait time to see a ENT is long and I don't know how much longer I can put up with the misery. I also have a trip planned next month and I'd hate to be plagued with nosebleeds while on vacation.
Has anyone else had these same symptoms? Any suggestions?