Hi and thanks for your replies.
Marlene I too have had lots of blood transfusions in the past and some lasted longer than others. Sometimes the units were a little old, but generally they boosted my Hb for a while.
I used to get pre meded with Hydrocortisone and Phenergan or Claratyne and the blood was leukocyte depleted and irradiated and CMV negative (in case I needed a BMT).
This new doctor won't order pre meds because the lab says I have no antibodies (I know I had at least 6) and I haven't had a reaction since he has been my doctor.
The last transfusion was 3 units, the volume was 264mls, 268mls and 277mls. They all had long expiry dates. They are leukocyte depleted but no longer irradiated or CMV negative.
If the doctor is right and I need another 3 units next week, that will make 9 units in 4 weeks. I'm not on any iron chelation and my liver has already got moderate iron overload (according to biopsy) and has hepatitis as a result.
Birgitta, I'm sorry to hear that you are needing transfusions again. Thalidomide worked well for you for quite a long time. It's interesting that you use your heart rate to monitor your counts. I can't do that because I'm on Propanolol for arrythmia and it causes a slow heart beat. I monitor my count by how breathless and dizzy I get.
May I ask..........how do you know if the transfused blood is being haemolysed? When this happens is this what people mean when they say "transfusions stopped working"? Is haemolysis more likely to happen if the lab doesn't cross match properly? (In my case not detecting antibodies). Is it better to have fewer units of blood more often or more units less often or doesn't it matter?
I wish I'd kept count of how many units of blood I've had but when I first started I thought each transfusion would be my last and that I'd get well so I didn't keep records. After that I couldn't see the point. It must be easily 200 or more units (or maybe it just seems like it
).
It must be raining. A wet cat with muddy feet just jumped on my lap. Oh well, I love her anyway.
Regards
Chirley