procrit / transfusion

[neptune235]

Hey all,  hope everyone is well!

After 8 weeks of Pegasys + riba + alinia, followed immediately by 16 weeks of Infergen + riba, my hemoglobin was starting to sink like a stone.  I was quite anemic: exhausted, nauseous all the time, short of breath, etc.

At HGB = 10.1, I started 40,000 units of Procrit.  By the time I took the second Procrit dose, my HGB had fallen to 8.8.

So...yesterday, I was transfused with 2 units of packed red cells.  

I must say, I was nervous about this procedure at first (there is a vague "ick factor" for me) -- but seriously, it was a piece of cake.  The nurses at Stanford are expert at what they do, and I had an easy time of it.

And, I seriously started feeling better by the time I had returned home.  This morning was nice, none of the usual barfiness and whirlies associated with getting up to the alarm and getting ready for work, etc.

My best advice to everyone treating, is to watch your HGB number, and demand attention from your docs if it starts to tank!

[theflyjd]

Hi Neptune. When I first started tx  (Infergen-daily shots) last July, my HGB went down almost immediately to 8.5. They started me pretty quick on Procrit 40K and it went up to 9.0. For the 13 months I was on tx I averaged between 9.0 and 9.5. I was pretty tired but not half as tired as I was at the beginning. Procrit saved my life and my marriage. I have been off tx for 3 weeks tomorrow and just got results from labs I did yesterday. 12.5! I am elated!!! There is a light at the end of the tunnel. Good luck! 12.5!!!! Yeah!!!

[neptune235]

Not quite yet...my baseline viral load was 35 million, and now it is down to 46,000.  Slow but steady decline.  Hopefully, the trend will continue and I will get to UND by the 6 month mark.

[neptune235]

Yeah...it was falling like a rock.  I did feel a lot worse the last couple of weeks...but it was all the same symptoms, just more of them (exhaustion, nausea).

If you're hovering around 10, I'd be inclined to talk to your doc, tell them you'd like to try Procrit.

Anemia is such a crappy feeling to deal with on top of the other sides, I'd urge everybody to be as proactive as possible.

[CoWriter]

Have you cleared?

[portann]

Nice to hear how quickly you felt better with the transfusion. I also thought of it as "icky".

Your HGB really fell fast in one week, from 10.1 to 8.8. Did you feel seriously worse from 10.1 to 8.8 or was it more or less the same feeling? I ask because I've been hovering in the ten range and would like to know if I can feel anymore dead than I already feel? Or do I just wait until I hear from the nurse?