RE: Blood Transfusions for Anemia (Full Version)

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kitkat105 -> RE: Blood Transfusions for Anemia (9/12/2012 1:15:34 PM)

Excellent news. I hope you feel better physically. Are the doctors going to investigate any other causes of the bleeding?



yourdarkdesire -> RE: Blood Transfusions for Anemia (9/12/2012 2:42:21 PM)

$990 for a unit of blood?!?!?!?!?!? No wonder people in the states sell it. You can't do that in Canada. Damn, I would only need to give up 1/2 a unit to make me happy till payday!

No results? That is interesting as scopes are the definitive test. In other words, if they try to push a barium swallow/enema or a GI follow through at you, say no, because you've already gone beyond that already. Is it fresh blood or old blood you're losing?

You have every right to be frustrated MDA, I would be too.



CalifChick -> RE: Blood Transfusions for Anemia (9/12/2012 3:04:23 PM)

The cost is not for the blood itself (some states prohibit the sale of blood). The cost is for the recruiting donors, hiring phlebotomists, storage, handling, thawing, freezing, testing, transporation, etc.

Average charge in the US for a unit of blood is around $300-500. There may be other charges, for the processing of transfusing the blood to the patient.

Cali





MistressDarkArt -> RE: Blood Transfusions for Anemia (9/13/2012 1:27:16 PM)

Hi folks-
Felt great after the transfusion, back to schleppy today. Would have appreciated another unit but doc only ordered 1. The one unit did bring my hemo level up from 8.1 to to 9.6 (11.7 is low-normal) so I know it did some good and gave me a nice jumpstart.

Along with massive doses of iron and weekly blood monitoring, I think that's all that's going to happen unless I slide back down. It's possible the bleeding has stopped with discontinuation of an anti-inflammatory med a few weeks ago that may have caused it. Thanks everyone for your concern and well-wishes. I'll keep y'all posted if anything exciting happens.

PS: to DarkDesire: don't know about old/new blood. Nothing's coming from the GI tract and I no longer have a uterus so we're all mystified. Hopefully it's healed itself and now it's just a matter of getting the hemoglobin back up with supplements.



Hillwilliam -> RE: Blood Transfusions for Anemia (9/13/2012 2:00:52 PM)

ty for the update MDA.



Duskypearls -> RE: Blood Transfusions for Anemia (9/13/2012 8:27:57 PM)

MistressDarkArt, I am pleased to know you've found some relief. I hope it continues and your situation stabilizes.

I have heard the homeopathic remedy Phosphorous can be helpful for internal/external bleeding, if you wish to consider researching that option.



hausboy -> RE: Blood Transfusions for Anemia (9/13/2012 9:34:53 PM)

Hey MDA
glad you're feeling better!



DeviantlyD -> RE: Blood Transfusions for Anemia (9/13/2012 9:52:50 PM)

No maybe about it. There is a charge for the process of transfusing blood. The patient has to be crossmatched for every unit they receive and that isn't a cost-free effort.

Donor blood is from volunteers. http://www.aabb.org/resources/donation/Pages/donatefaqs.aspx

Blood products (plasma, cryoprecipitate, immunoglobulins, etc.) are usually frozen, with platelets being the exception - they require storage at room temperature.

Red blood cells are almost always refrigerated. Freezing units is usually done only for rare blood types or for autologous blood. (Definition here.)



DeviantlyD -> RE: Blood Transfusions for Anemia (9/14/2012 1:37:11 AM)

Oh and yay to the OP for feeling better. :)



MistressDarkArt -> RE: Blood Transfusions for Anemia (10/1/2012 10:50:03 AM)

Hello again, folks. Just thought I'd let y'all know I got the bill for that one unit of blood.

$3,361.47

I guess the 'billing verification' person was talking out her ass when she quoted $990. [&:]

Still waiting for the bill from the endo/colonoscopy. That combo generally weighs in ~ $9k. Next we are going for the 'swallow the camera' and if it turns up something there will be another scoping into the small intestine...I have no idea what that costs but I'm sure I'll have met my $5,000 deductible by then. It's an expensive year health-wise.

The good news is my hemo levels are rising steadily with lots of iron (ferrous sulfate) and I feel MUCH better. Another month or so of iron treatment and I should be back to where I should be.

Thanks y'all for standing by and I especially appreciate the notes on the other side.!



Ultimatetragedy -> RE: Blood Transfusions for Anemia (10/1/2012 7:39:53 PM)

THe cost of transfusion is much more than just the unit of blood--the hospital will charge for everything from admitting you, to placing the IV, blood tubing, nursing staff time, etc

Colonoscopies are NOT the gold standard for detecting GI bleeds--its often used as a first line as it is relatively easily accomplished. For smaller bleeds, doing an arteriogram or tagged RBC study will yield a much higher sensitivity. This test is much more complicated as it requires nuclear imaging studies to perform

Epogen is definitely a way to increase RBC production, but takes several days to see any benefit. However, if you continue to ooze/bleed, the EPO will have zero effect on your H&H...what good is it to make more blood cells only to have it bleed out of you?

Critical ischemia begins with a Hemoglobin of 5; below that, the oxygen carrying capacity is markedly reduced and end organ ischemia can manifest

When taking regular iron supplementation, its not a bad idea to be taking a stool softener as well--otherwise you can get some wicked constipation!!

Glad you are feeling better!!!




MistressDarkArt -> RE: Blood Transfusions for Anemia (10/1/2012 9:12:44 PM)

Welcome, Ultimate and thanks for the info and well-wishes. My body's responded well to iron and I haven't had the GI problems with it many have. Tastes rasty when burped, however.

I have 4 docs on this, 2 are well-regarded GEs in my area, 1 is my internist, and the 3rd is also an internist and personal friend. They have a protocol to follow (probably dictated by Blue Shield) so while I personally would have gone straight to better diagnostics, that would leave me footing the entire bill. I might as well have just given them the keys to the house. [8D]



kalikshama -> RE: Blood Transfusions for Anemia (10/2/2012 6:54:47 AM)

quote:

Hello again, folks. Just thought I'd let y'all know I got the bill for that one unit of blood.

$3,361.47

I guess the 'billing verification' person was talking out her ass when she quoted $990.

Ugh, I felt that in my stomach when I read that! [:o] My condolences.

quote:

I have no idea what that costs but I'm sure I'll have met my $5,000 deductible by then. It's an expensive year health-wise.

I'm curious if this experience has led you to reconsider your high deductible (if you have a choice in the matter)?



MistressDarkArt -> RE: Blood Transfusions for Anemia (10/2/2012 11:19:57 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: kalikshama

I'm curious if this experience has led you to reconsider your high deductible (if you have a choice in the matter)?


I did the math several years ago when I opted for this plan. I applied the worst-case scenario as though EVERY year would be $5k out of pocket, added in the premium and decided it was 6 of 1, half dozen of another IF I had expensive problems every year. The lower deductible costs significantly more per month, and if I had a healthy year it would cost more unnecessarily.

No matter how you add it up, the $$ part sucks. And yes, my stomach dropped too when I saw the bill. Haven't gotten the endo/colonoscopy bill yet and we still have the swallow-the-camera + scope for whatever that finds. But I'm in for $5k total, so I'm trying to get this all done by the end of the year before the deductible turns over.



kalikshama -> RE: Blood Transfusions for Anemia (10/2/2012 11:36:34 AM)

Yay for informed decisions! Good luck packing in the rest of the procedures this calendar year.

I'm glad you're feeling better with more iron. I remember that when I was low, it was hell for me to get through the work day and I started missing lots of errors in my subordinate's work.



ScarletKissesx -> RE: Blood Transfusions for Anemia (10/19/2012 6:14:23 PM)

MistressDarkArt, from one anemic to another hopefully this advise will help as a preventative. I was diagnosed in 2003 with regular anemia, resulting in emergancy treatment, in 2009 I was told it had progressed to pernicous anemia (lack of vit B12 as well as iron) which is more common then you would think, this kind of anemia affects the nervous sytem and as a preventitive might I suggest a b complex vitamin and copious amounts of citrus fruits to help with absorbtion as regular anemia sucks but this type is a pain in the ass I would wish on noone :) I hope your recovery is swift and you that you don't have a repeat of this ordeal in future.



MistressDarkArt -> RE: Blood Transfusions for Anemia (10/21/2012 5:47:49 PM)

Thank you, Scarlett. As a a life-long vitamin fanatic (especially the B's) I was a bit shocked I was deficient in anything nutritional. Then I looked closely at my multi, and realized it had no iron whatsoever. Since I don't eat beef or enough leafy greens like kale, chard, spinach...I've probably been slowly draining iron out little by little for years and the blood loss put it into the danger zone.

Check your multivitamins, folks!



ScarletKissesx -> RE: Blood Transfusions for Anemia (10/21/2012 5:55:38 PM)

Its not just down to beef and greens, monthlys if there very heavy and if you drink high caffeine things such as coffee or a lot of tea it essentially leechs the iron from your blood, so my doctor told me before sticking a large needle into my hip lol liver is a very good source of iron, not the most appetising but my nana used to fry it with onion and bacon to get me to eat it, prunes as well i think, anemia is more common then you think in women but men as well. Or if none of that tickles your tastebuds, Guiness, very high in iron. :)



tj444 -> RE: Blood Transfusions for Anemia (10/21/2012 6:45:40 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: MistressDarkArt

Thank you, Scarlett. As a a life-long vitamin fanatic (especially the B's) I was a bit shocked I was deficient in anything nutritional. Then I looked closely at my multi, and realized it had no iron whatsoever. Since I don't eat beef or enough leafy greens like kale, chard, spinach...I've probably been slowly draining iron out little by little for years and the blood loss put it into the danger zone.

Check your multivitamins, folks!

Something I read recently, someone was taking fresh spinach and putting it in a deyhdrator to dry the spinach, then grinding it up (with a magic bullet/blender) into a powder. Then just adding it to soups, stews, pasta sauces, casseroles, smoothies, etc etc.. You could dry & grind kale, sprouts, and other greens that way too.. or you can buy spinach powder, apparently, but going that way likely costs more.. I thought that was a good way to increase the nutrition in meals.. for anyone inclined to go to a little effort..

growing your own sprouts too, would be fairly easy and you can add sprouts to samwiches, soups, casseroles, sauces, smoothies, etc.. I like sprouts as they are vitamin & enzyme packed.. It takes a little concerted effort to increase the greens &/or nurtrition in meals but imo, its worth it..

I am glad you are feeling much better... [:)]



MistressDarkArt -> RE: Blood Transfusions for Anemia (10/21/2012 7:56:29 PM)

Thank you Tj. The powdered veggie thing is a good idea and I can think of several ways to use it. Good suggestion.



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