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aikoo
18-05-18, 05:42
New here, longtime HA sufferer.
After much work (meditation, affirmation, mindfulness and lifestyle changes) I was able to reduce my HA to a tractable level for a few years.

Suddenly one day I noticed the corners and top ridge of my lips often have a purpleish hue. I did the rounds of doctors, heart and lung tests, bought a home pulse oximeter........my heart and lung health are GREAT, bloodwork normal, check the oximeter about 100 times a day and it's never below 98%.

I've spent hours and hours of googling and can't find ANY explanation for purple lips other than low oxygen, anemia, or Reynaulds. The doctors don't think I have any of these, but my lips are still purple! I'm terrified there is an underlying pathology that is being missed. I feel exhausted and debilitated at the idea of another long, awful bout of anxiety that cannot be resolved by medical means.

Has anyone else experienced a symptom like this, or had a scary symptom with no apparent medical cause?

BigPlay
18-05-18, 12:44
Have the doctors said it is life threatening? Does having purple lips change anything? I'm going to assume the answer is no.

Why worry about it - it won't change it! Try to enjoy your life and not focus on things you can't change.

Fishmanpa
18-05-18, 13:17
Suddenly one day I noticed the corners and top ridge of my lips often have a purpleish hue. I did the rounds of doctors, heart and lung tests, bought a home pulse oximeter........my heart and lung health are GREAT, bloodwork normal, check the oximeter about 100 times a day and it's never below 98%.

And the doctors affirmed that indeed there is a purpleish "hue" or is that your perception? Do people comment on it? What did the doctors say about it? And for your own sanity, ditch the oximeter!

Positive thoughts

Shadowhawk
19-05-18, 01:53
And the doctors affirmed that indeed there is a purpleish "hue" or is that your perception? Do people comment on it? What did the doctors say about it? And for your own sanity, ditch the oximeter!

Positive thoughts
I will second this recommendation. It became a huge fixation for me, and a major source of (needless) stress (i worried about the color of my lips for a while too). I would literally watch it for hours, and worry about every single dip, and over think the whole thing.