The profound lymphopenia caused by fludarabine, bendamustine, pentostatin cladrabine...renders patients susceptible to transfusion-associated graft versus host disease, a fatal complication of blood transfusion. For this reason, all patients who have ever received fludarabine should only be given irradiated blood components.
You should carry a card in your wallet stating this in case of an emergency... the hospital gave me one when I was treated with fludarabine...
You can get a Medic Alert also...
Don't expect a paramedic to know...they don't. Unirradiated blood and blood products could be fatal to fludarabine treated CLL patients.
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Cllcanada
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I also have a card, however how often do people look in other people's wallets during accidents? I have a friend who is a paramedic and I asked her about this. I cannot remember the details however, as far as I can remember.....
I think she said ambulances in UK only carried irradiated blood but I think she said that has changed and now they carry something else to transfuse in emergency instead. Trying to remember what she said six months back is failing, I know it made me more at ease. I'll ask again.
I like the idea of the medic alert bracelet (?), more prominent than a card, any idea where to get them?
Bracelet would be really good I have actually received an irradiated blood transfusion, took some time to get the blood, it had to be ordered, then set the alarm off when scanned as they had spelt my name wrong but GOOD security:-)))
Would this apply, for patients who had only had 2 rounds of FCR? Which my husband had and had to stop because of very adverse reaction to the FCR. Causing Tacot subo's cardiomyopathy which subsequently resolved and periferal neuropathy which has improved a lot over the past 2.5 years.
His haematologist then chose bendamustin and rituximab which only made him somewhat tired.
When my husband had the first dose of Ivig a year ago we asked if it had been irradiated and the staff said they didn't know, surely nursing staff should know this?
So thanks again for putting my mind at rest.
I really appreciate the help and support I get from everyone here.
Need for irradiated blood products: potentially life-threatening transfusion-related graft-versus-host- disease has been described in patients actively receiving fludarabine.
The Canadian Blood Service recommends that patients on fludarabine should receive irradiated blood products, effectively eliminating this risk.
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