I Hate Dialysis Message Board

Dialysis Discussion => Dialysis: Transplant Discussion => Topic started by: -Lady Noir- on October 17, 2010, 08:03:50 PM

Title: Plasmapheresis?
Post by: -Lady Noir- on October 17, 2010, 08:03:50 PM

Does anyone know about this process? Or has anyone had it?

Mikes transplant is going to be on the 1st December [YAY] and has to have 4 sessions of plasmapheresis..

Title: Re: Plasmapheresis?
Post by: galvo on October 18, 2010, 12:02:59 AM

No idea, but good luck to Mike!

Title: Re: Plasmapheresis?
Post by: cariad on October 18, 2010, 11:47:49 AM

I know there are people on here who have had it. Is he getting an ABO incompatible?

I think it involves chemo treatments which are never fun, but it sounds like he won't need much. There should be a sticky topic (one of the ones at the top) about those types of transplants which would include personal experiences. Hopefully someone with this experience will see this and reply to you.

Good luck!

Title: Re: Plasmapheresis?
Post by: -Lady Noir- on October 18, 2010, 12:34:09 PM

They never mentioned any other treatments... ! Yes, he's getting an incompatible transplant. His Dad is A blood type and Mike is O.
Apparently 4 plasma treatments is quite a low amount. Which i'm sure means his antibody count is not that high?

Thanks!

Title: Re: Plasmapheresis?
Post by: murphy on October 18, 2010, 12:40:50 PM

I had plasmapheresis treatments on and off for 5 months after my transplant to fight off the recurring fsgs.  Compared to dialysis it was a picnic.  Here the blood center is in charge of the procedure.  I had 2 nurses with me the whole time.  They use a catheter and remove your blood slowly taking out the plasma.  In my case the replaced the plasma with albumin.  If they do treatments daily they have to give replacement plasma.  Scheduled every other day your body will replace plasma on its own.  This was experimental in my case but after many treatments it stabilized my labs!  Whole process is done in under an hour.  I hope this helps.  good luck.

Title: Re: Plasmapheresis?
Post by: paris on October 18, 2010, 05:10:25 PM

Chemo and IVIG are different treatments than plasmapheresis.  Sometimes the three are used in a series.  4 treatments doesn't sound like too many treatments.  I hope Mike does well.  That was my next step in lowering my PRA . I had already done the chemo and IVIG. 

Good luck and please keep us posted   :2thumbsup;

Title: Re: Plasmapheresis?
Post by: Beth36 on October 19, 2010, 02:02:18 PM

My mom had a positive crossmatch transplant at Mayo Clinic 2 1/2 years ago and she had to do plasmapheresis and IVIg to lower her antibodies both before and after her transplant surgery. She also was given a drug called eculizimab (I am quite sure I totally botched the spelling but it's been so long since I've talked about it) to protect her kidney once it was transplanted. She's doing great. The treatments took a while but the kept her comfortable and she was able to surf the net and have visitors when she received her treatments. Good luck to Mike with his transplant!

Beth