anyone ever need blood transfusion because of low rbc

i was curious and if you did why?

[newleaf09]

Many have done it, mostly in response to very low hgb when there was not time for the procrit to bring hgb back to safe levels.

[Magnum]

After my last hip replacement, a sullen looking doctor walked into my hospital room telling me my platelets had significantly dropped and that I would be receiving a blood transfusion.

I don't like to hear those words, since that's how I contracted Hep C in the first place. It was a restless night with the wind outside howling, as I waited for a nurse to take me somewhere to be injected with blood of unknown source after she withdrew more for testing. She had a satanical look on her face, or perhaps it was my imagination. Who knows...

As the sun rose on that fateful day, that same doctor came in after receiving the blood work results that morning, and told me the platelets had once more rebounded and I didn't need the transfusion after all.

This tells me that things can change in a short period of time. That day was very sunny as I smiled trying to force down the hospital food, smiling because I was thinking how wonderful it would be to lay on the beach in the Bahamas with a Pina Colada in my hand and a couple of island girls to show me around once I finally clear this invader....

Magnum

[nygirl7]

Actually I don't remember very many people doing it and I"ve been on here about 5 years. I had transfusions after a dreadful accident but not in respone to anemia although I had a very extreme case. I waited for the procrit to work and it finally did. I just didn't want to chance it. Not to say though when it is desperate - it's time to do it and when you get in the lower areas it sure is.

[meakea]

There's a 17 year old girl whose Mom posts on a different Hep C forum and both the Mom and daughter just recently found out they have Hep C.  The daughter's liver biopsy was Stage 4 already so they started her on TX about 16 wks ago.  TX has been a nightmare for her and she had multiple transfusions because the procrit wouldn't work well enough for her.  Pretty much everything that can go wrong with TX went wrong for this poor teen.  She ended up being taken off TX this past week because her VL wasn't reducing enough.  Now they're back to square one with a Stage 4 liver.

[jdwithhcv]

I had a transfusion around week 8 or so.  I had bad anemia and had started procrit but it had not yet had any effect.  I keeled over from hypoxia and ER docs admitted me for transfusion.  My hgb was at 7.4 or thereabouts when I was admitted.  They kept me for one night and gave me several units of whole blood.

[thegypsy9164]

I had a tranfusion (2-pints of rbc) at week 10 as my hemoglobin got down to 7.1, I was passing out and not at all well.  At last check (week 23) it is back down to 8.7 and they are considering another.  The Telapravir study I am on does not allow rescue drugs but does allow for transfusions.
Joey

[eureka254]

My husband had 2 units blood transfused in early May due to low hgb/rbc.
When his hemoglobin hit the 8 range they started him on procrit and reduced riba, but when it continued to drop and hit 7.3 , they insisted on transfusion -- they explained that they did not want to reduce the riba below 800mg -- the stakes are pretty high for a stage 4 -- and the lack of oxygen was dangerous, putting additional stress on the body, especially on the heart muscle (and having a pre-existing heart condition made the risks considerably higher and potentially life-threatening for my husband), and though he dreaded doing it, he felt considerably better after the transfusion.  He's currently taking 2 doses of procrit a week in hopes of staying out of transfusion territory (hgb currently in the 9s).  Hope that helps.~eureka

[annieCinMD]

That's awful. Study won't pay for Procrit but will pay for transfusions. They should never let anyone get that low. My study flags anything below 10. Mine raised an alert this week at 9.8. They took me off all meds for the time being. My neutrophils have been low for 3 weeks, and my hematocrit is also low. I also have an infection that won't clear. It's starting to take it's toll. They were concerned about that. I feel a little better after a day and half of no tx drugs. I just hope I don't lose the UND that I found out I made a few days before they took me off the meds.

[jonney4141]

yes annie that is why i may have to do blood transfusion, because i have been off riba for over 2 weeks and they do not like doing that especially if i am responding, they said the quicker you get back on meds the better, i guess the rescue meds take awhile to work? my rbc was 8.4, she said my wbc are improving but the rbc are getting worse, so did some more blood work and go again wednesday, if not better they want to send me to mcu in richmond va......

[annieCinMD]

Sorry to hear this. I don't know about rescue meds because they did not give me that option. They said they didn't have Procrit needle with a small enough dose for me. I don't think at 9.8, it was super critical anyway. My neutrophils are probably of more concern, and with all 3 of them tanking, I guess they felt it best to take me off for a bit and see if I stabilize. I was on 2 other drugs, in addition to Peg and Riba. Where in VA are you? I used to live in Centreville. My kid is out there now. Just me and the cats and the hermit crabs right now. A good opportunity to rest.

[jonney4141]

i am in hampton roads and newport news area...

[annieCinMD]

I know that area pretty well. My ex in-laws and one of my cousins live down there.

[IMstacie]

right now I'm at 8.7 or was earlier this wk.  Doc is on vacation, nurse ordered procrit (took her 3 days to find a doctor to authorize it) but I probably won't get it until Wed. (3 more days).  Don't like the waiting and always wondering if it is dropping lower.

[thegypsy9164]

Actually, I provided my insurance information when I had my transfusion and the hospital used that although the study, supposedly, was supposed to foot the bill.
Joey