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Transfusions
Hi Annm,
As Marlene wrote normal red blood cells live about 120 days - ours and especially our red blood cells from transfusions don't live that long. Many patients have hemolysis - the red blood cells break much too soon - and their red blood cells live much shorter time than 120 days.
I always look at the bloodbag to see how old it is - blood that is 11 days or less is supposed to be best.
It is not common to give one unit of blood when you have MDS but that can be because it is expensive to test the blood units and to give the blood - you have to pay the nurses. Most clinics prefer to give two units with longer intervals.
Good that you counts the units of blood that you get. You should ask about your ferritin (iron) level too. There are patients who have quite high ferritin level at dx before transfusions due to hemolysis.
Many doctors start giving the patients drugs to prevent iron overload after about 25 units of blood but they look at the liver tests too. The liver don't like too much iron and the liver tests can increase. It take years before a high ferritin level will really damage the liver, heart and other organs so when the patient is very ill they never give drugs for iron overload.
Kind regards
Birgitta-A
72 yo, dx MDS Interm-1 2006. Transfusion dependent at dx with HGB 70. Have received 142 units of red blood cells. Treated with Desferal in connection with transfusions after 40 units of blood, Ferriprox (gave low white blood cells) and low dose of Exjade. Started with Thalidomide June 2010 with good result. Last transfusion Sept 2010. HGB 134, WBCs 4.3, platelets 84 and ferritin 979.
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