I just received a blood transfusion 2 units

My Hemoglobin has been slowly decreasing from 14 when I started 10 weeks ago to last Friday the 14th it was 7.8. My Hepatologist said OK we have to transfuse you now. By the way I have been taking 40,000 IU's of Procrit since BEFORE I started the TX by 3 weeks and the doc added another 20,000 IU 2 days before the transfusion. a little late huh?

Well my Hemoglobin has gone up to 10.4 right away. But I feel like I have the flu...it's almost like the blood donor was sick when they gave the blood. I know, I know, it sounds wacked.. BUT my brother just donated blood and they didn't ask him about being sick or drinking or using drugs. Just HIV. The doctors at the emergency room do make a point of letting you know the risks. 4 months ago at Loyola Hospital here in Chicago they got about 6 or 7 organs for transplants and  all the organs had HIV. Scary huh. The doctor made a point of telling that charming story before I agreed to the transfusion.

It's really not that horrible and I feel better, at least I don't have to put my head between my legs, while trying to catch my breath and rest my head on the kitchen counter all the time.
I hope I don't have to do this again. It took 7 hours for 2 units of blood to go into me.

Anybody know how many transfusions one can have during TX? My mother knows a man who has cancer has transfusions every 2 weeks.

[Myown]

4 months ago at Loyola Hospital here in Chicago they got about 6 or 7 organs for transplants and  all the organs had HIV. Scary huh. The doctor made a point of telling that charming story before I agreed to the transfusion.
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I read about that. I don't get it. Plus the fact they didn't ask your brother all the questions they are supposed to ask him. if a person is in need of a transfusion,just have to do it I guess and hope the donor was healthy. The other thing is the blood supply is not getting tested for chagras and why they are not testing for this is beyond me. But I could guess why, but I'm not looking to get into a debate on forum. I'm a mellow chick these days:) But anyhow I hope you feel better and hope you don't need anymore transfusions. Below is an article on chagras.Maybe you'll want to ask your doctor why they are not testing for this yet. I know if I needed  blood I would want to know if there is a way they could test for chagras.

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/notes/2007/np16/en/index.html

Blood donations and poor safety in blood banks have led to infections with Chagas disease in countries outside Latin America as some people who may be unaware they carry the infection have donated their blood to the national blood supply. As a result, the disease has now appeared in several countries in Europe and various parts of the United States of America.

[zazza]

Sorry to hear you needed that blood transfusion. Hope you will start feeling better soon.

[wyntre9]

OMG!  I feel so bad for you!  What an ordeal.

I'm glad you're feeling better, B, but I don't know anything about transfusions and I have no idea of how many you can have on TX.

I just hope your HgB doesn't drop to the point that you need another one.  7 hours - that's a long time.

wyn

[merryBe]

you know, I'm really sorry you had to go through this, but it's usually a really good thing and a good outcome these days. they do far more to screen blood and organs than they used to.
there are several people in here that are still alive due to transfusion.
the chances now are, last I read, about 1 in 600,000 that you will contract a disease via transfusion.

while I like to be told everything by docs, I think it was pretty callous of that doctor to tell you the scariest story right before they did this, and Christmas. It sounds like you got Doctor Grinch.

try to remember that's a worst case scenario...where someone did not do their job AT ALL in screening/testing that persons organ's/blood.

If there is some disconnect, or one person not doing their job, one intern at the end of a 48 hour shift, then yes, something could go wrong,
but people are transfused every day, and half a million are helped for every one that is not.

have a peaceful Christmas, and try not to worry.
m
maryB

[traveler65]

I also had a 2 unit transfusion at week 15 of tx. I had been on 60,000 units of procrit weekly and my hemo was still under 8, so it was transfuse or quit tx. Mine also took about 7 hours, and I had to sign a paper that stated I could be at risk for HIV, HCV, or several other complications. At one week after the transfusion my hemo was up to 11.5 and I was feeling much better. It started down again, but with the procrit I was able to complete tx. At the end of week 24 my hemo was back down to 8.7.
I did miss my riba for week 15 due to the low hemo, and my doc told me not to take any reba after shot 24.
I was UND 6 weeks post tx and will do my 6 months pcr in January. If I have relapsed I will try and wait for new drugs as I know I would never make 48 weeks with the effect that riba has on me.
Good Luck.