low Hg

Can transfusions be done outpatient? What is riba?

[IMstacie]

There are outpatient blood transfusions.  RIBA is a test that detects the presence of antibodies to hep C virus in the blood.

[can-do-man]

As Yuk said there is outpatient for transfusions, from what i was told it takes about 2 to 3 hours per unit.

"What is riba"............ little confused here, do you mean the drug ribavirin?

[can-do-man]

How Do Doctors Find Hepatitis C Antibodies in Your Blood?
Meet ELISA and RIBA. These are the names of two types of tests that detect antibodies in your blood. To determine if hepatitis C antibodies (HCAb or anti-HCV) are in your blood, doctors use a screening test called ELISA, which stands for Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay. There are many different ELISA tests, so doctors must use one specifically for hepatitis C. The ELISA test will search the blood sample for the hepatitis C antibody. If any are found, this means that you might have HCV infection.

[can-do-man]

Sorry, forgot to add this.

Blood test for hepatitis C

http://hepatitis.about.com/od/diagnosis/a/HCVtests.htm

[sh625]

I don't know alot about blood transfusions.It would be hard to believe they would do it inpatient the way insuarance company's are now.The RIBA test (which stands for Recombinant ImmunoBlot Assay) test for hcv antibodies in your blood.Since you are asking about riba and transfusions I am wondering if you are referring to Ribavirin which is one of the meds used in combo with pegasys or pegintron  to treat hcv.Ribavirin can lower your hemoglobin to the point of needing a transfusion or rescue drugs to maintain your treatment.

[jdwithhcv]

I was admitted for my transfusion.  

"Riba" can also be an abbreviation for ribavarin, which is one of the treatment drugs.  Ribavarin causes hemolytic anemia in a lot of people on treatment, and if the anemia becomes severe enough, transfusion is indicated.  On this forum you will see a lot of references to "peg" (peginteron) and "riba" (ribavarin) which are the SOC treatment meds.

[sh625]

Just curious.How long were ou admitted for?They put my husband on procrit when his hemoglobin got to 7.4 and I was hoping for a transfusion.

[jdwithhcv]

I was in overnight that time.  Hgb dropped to low 7s and I keeled over at home.  I came around in the ER and they said no way was I going home that day.  I had started procrit about two weeks before, but it took about a month to get my hgb back above 9.  I took procrit for 40 weeks and HGB never got higher than 9.5.

Its amazing how your body can adjust.  But 7.4 is pretty low, so watch him carefully and call 911 if necessary.  Good luck.

jd

[jusjames]

why would you want transfussion over procrit?

[sh625]

My understanding is the transfusion is more immediate relief.Truthfully my husband is terriefed of needles.One would think that by now he has just completed shot 19 that he would be use to it.The second shot of procrit he fainted,jerked eyes rolled back scared the crap out of me and our little girl.Shots aren't getting much easier for him but he has not fainted anymore.