I was just wondering if anyone has gone in for their first meeting with the oncologist and had them treat your anemia first off with a blood transfusion?
My husband's hemoglobin was 10.0 about 3 weeks ago at our last PCP visit when we found out about the myeloma diagnosis. Our first visit with the oncologist is on January 7. I didn't know if they would wait to see if treatment would help or how they would go about treating the anemia.
Thanks
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dogmom - Who do you know with myeloma?: husband
- When were you/they diagnosed?: December 2015
- Age at diagnosis: 58
Re: Blood transfusions for anemia?
Hello, Dogmom:
From my casual read of the issue, doctors seem to transfuse (or consider it) when the hemoglobin level is somewhere around 8, and some wait until around 7. If an individual has naturally low hemoglobin, they seem to be able to get down lower without symptoms. Another factor is what point do you experience excessive fatigue or shortness of breath. In any case, I think 10 is well above the level that transfusions would be considered. Good luck.
From my casual read of the issue, doctors seem to transfuse (or consider it) when the hemoglobin level is somewhere around 8, and some wait until around 7. If an individual has naturally low hemoglobin, they seem to be able to get down lower without symptoms. Another factor is what point do you experience excessive fatigue or shortness of breath. In any case, I think 10 is well above the level that transfusions would be considered. Good luck.
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JPC - Name: JPC
Re: Blood transfusions for anemia?
JPC, thanks so much. I just hope the blood work we get on Thursday is still holding at 10. It will be approximately a month since it was checked by our PCP.
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dogmom - Who do you know with myeloma?: husband
- When were you/they diagnosed?: December 2015
- Age at diagnosis: 58
Re: Blood transfusions for anemia?
When I was initially diagnosed, my hemoglobin was 6.3 and hematocrit was 18. I received a transfusion immediately.
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goldmine848 - Name: Andrew
- When were you/they diagnosed?: June 2013
- Age at diagnosis: 60
Re: Blood transfusions for anemia?
Hi Dogmom,
My husband's hemoglobin was slightly over 8 when he was first diagnosed in 2011. He received a transfusion before they started his chemotherapy back then.
During 2015, his hemoglobin bounced around from just over 10 to a little over 12 each month, depending on if his monthly labs were drawn during the week he was off Revlimid or not. He has experienced a great deal of fatigue and shortness of breath since late 2011 and brings it up at every PCP visit and every visit with his multiple myeloma hematologist. Both said that hemoglobin levels in these ranges were not low enough to transfuse, despite his fatigue and shortness of breath. It gets very frustrating for him.
Once your husband has had a few treatment cycles, his hemoglobin might begin to recover somewhat on it's own and he'll hopefully start to feel better from that. But the various treatments can also knock the hemoglobin down a little, too. Everyone responds quite differently, as I'm sure you're noticing when reading the posts on the Beacon.
Best wishes to you both,
Chris M.
My husband's hemoglobin was slightly over 8 when he was first diagnosed in 2011. He received a transfusion before they started his chemotherapy back then.
During 2015, his hemoglobin bounced around from just over 10 to a little over 12 each month, depending on if his monthly labs were drawn during the week he was off Revlimid or not. He has experienced a great deal of fatigue and shortness of breath since late 2011 and brings it up at every PCP visit and every visit with his multiple myeloma hematologist. Both said that hemoglobin levels in these ranges were not low enough to transfuse, despite his fatigue and shortness of breath. It gets very frustrating for him.
Once your husband has had a few treatment cycles, his hemoglobin might begin to recover somewhat on it's own and he'll hopefully start to feel better from that. But the various treatments can also knock the hemoglobin down a little, too. Everyone responds quite differently, as I'm sure you're noticing when reading the posts on the Beacon.
Best wishes to you both,
Chris M.
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Chris M
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