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Old Tue Apr 26, 2016, 01:40 PM
DanL DanL is offline
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Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 590
Greg,

my hospital and oncology team are at odds, so it depends on who is treating. The hospital says 7 unless symptomatic or receiving treatment. the oncology team says 8 is great, but will give you two to three bags if you are below 8. The hospital will only give you one to bring you up.

for the platelets, the science is clear on the RH issues, but in terms of how your body responds - platelets only have about a 10 day life span. when you get platelets, they have a maximum 5 days left, but realistically about 3 because of the average age of a platelet in the donor's system, which is presumably somewhere around an average - 5 days.

Fresh, non-expiring platelets help alot, but the hospital is almost always pawning off the expiring platelets, which I understand from a business perspective. ABO matched, RH matched irradiated platelets can and do make a difference if your body is not holding platelet transfusions well, so if you aren't seeing an immediate bump after transfusion, or they are going away within a day, ask about how old they are- were they expiring - and whether you can get matched platelets next time. It made a difference for me when I needed them for oral surgery.

dan
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MDS RCMD w/grade 2-3 fibrosis. Allo-MUD Feb 26, 2014. Relapsed August 2014. Free and clear of MDS since November 2014 after treatment with Vidaza and Rituxan. Experiencing autoimmune attack on CNS thought to be GVHD, some gut, skin and ocular cGVHD. Neuropathy over 80% of body.
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