The hematologist sucked me dry!

[Adam_W]

I had my apointment with the hematologist today to try to figure out why my accesses keep failing. As expected, they had to draw blood. A LOT OF BLOOD! I literally lost count after 20 tubes. I felt fine until my dad got there to pick me up. I started feeling very weak, and I just wanted to collapse on the lobby floor and sleep (or die). I got home, and I felt a little better after I ate some chicken. I called my nurse and told her what was going on, and she suggested I give myself some extra EPO, and actually infuse fluids during my dialysis instead of removing them. I'm on the machine right now, and I don't have the UF on at all (on the NxStage, you don't have to worry about back-filtration if the UF isn't on), and I'm infusing about 100cc saline every half hour as my nurse suggested. I've been on a little less than an hour and I already feel a ton better. It's kind of rare when I'm actually glad to be on the machine. My nurse is going to talk with my doctor about maybe giving me some extra iron, on top of the once weekly dose I'm getting now. After all this, I hope they can give me some VERY good answers regarding the clotting issue. I'll keep you all updated.

Adam

[Sluff]

Glad you are feeling better.   

[Mimi]

That sounds like the pitts, Adam.  Hope you feel better soon.

Love, Mimi

[kidney4traci]

  Sorry you to hear you were so drained.  Nice to hear that the fluids helped.  Considered yourself huged... 

[Joe Paul]

Man thats rough, glad you are feeling better 

[2_DallasCowboys]

So sorry to read about your rough time, Adam!
Hope you are feeling better and get those access
problems squared away real soon!

Anne

[willieandwinnie]

  Adam, I'm so sorry you are having a ruff time. I hope they get you fixed up soon. 

[KICKSTART]

I usually get about 8 to 10 tubes drawn off every time they do a blood test , but 20?!!! No wonder you are feeling weak , ask the nurse next time if her last name is Dracular  Hope you recover quickly !

[bolta72]

Boy, after awhile it seems one thing after another with us, hope you are feeling better.

[rose1999]

Hope you'll soon feel better and get an answer to the clotting issue. 

[The Wife]

20 tubes?  That would make anyone weak!  Hope things get better for you soon.

[Psim]

20 tubes -- yikes! Hope you continue to feel better and they figure out your clotting problem.

[livecam]

They've been doing that to me too.  Hand, then arm, lovely shades of black and blue.  Prograf levels be bouncing and they be testing alot!

[donnia]

Wow, that sounds rough!!!  Hope you are recovering well.

[KR Cincy]

Way to hang in there Adam...soak in the saline!!

[Adam_W]

Other than feeling a little tired right now, which is probably caused by acute anemia from the blood loss, I feel just about back to normal. Getting a half litre of saline definitely helped, and my nurse had me double my EPO dose, for this week, and that should help with the anemia. Thanks for all the support. I'm supposed to get a call from the hematologist on March 6th with my test results. I hope I never have to have that much blood drawn again. If I had been a cartoon character, I would have probably been slowly deflating as the nurse was taking the blood 

Adam

[st789]

Geez....20

Take care

[devon]

Are you sure it was a hemotologist? Sounds more like you visited the Blood Bank or Drakula's Castle!

Glad you're doing better and thanks for sharing that event. I might help someone (like me) avoid the same reprecussions in the future!

-Devon

[MyssAnne]

!!! 20? Adam, I am surprised you're not flat, after so much blood taken out!!!!


I'm glad you're starting to feel better, though!!  That was smart, calling your nurse, to let her know, so she could give you suggestions!

 

[stauffenberg]

The condition you experienced is clinically well-known and called 'hospital anemia,' since it usually results from too much blood being taken from hospitalized patients for testing.  What is so tragic about this medically caused condition is that it is largely unnecessary, since many lab tests require only one or two drops, not a whole test tube full of blood.  The reason an entire test tube full is taken for each test, however, is to provide extra samples to compensate for errors, to avoid the nurse taking the blood having to keep track of which test requires how much blood, and to compensate for partial clotting.  Essentially, the medical profession prefers to make patients sicker rather than to get its own house in order.  This is especially bad when the patients are already suffering from anemia, as all dialysis and about half of transplant patients are.

[kitkatz]

and why didn't they just take a pint?

[okarol]

I hope they figure out how to help you (without taking MORE blood!) The blood clotting problem will only get worse if you've got pure saline running through your veins! Take care!
 

[KT0930]

OMG, more than 20 tubes? The most I ever had was 18, and had to go home and sleep the rest of the afternoon! I sure hope they figure this out after that ordeal!

Glad your nurse had some suggestions and is contacting your doc for you. Your nurse sounds great, from what I've read in some of your other posts.

[Ken Shelmerdine]

What sort of a haematologist is it that allows you to go home in that state? After taking all that blood he/she must have known you would be near the point of collapse, I hope you've since given them a piece of your mind!