hi
Just wondering if anyone else has had experiences of having saline drip when they have their venesections.
My haematologist has suggested it as she wants to take a full unit this time to stabilise my red blood count. I usually only have half a unit as it takes me a four weeks to recover after ie light headed and v tired, more than normal fatigue.
She feels the saline will help to stabilise me quicker.
many thanks
I used to get saline when venisecting but AFTER they have venisected the blood off. Some nurses like to put the saline in one arm and venisect the other arm at the same time. The problem with this is you are venisecting diluted blood ie you are venisecting some blood and some saline, makes no sense unless blood is so think they have trouble venisecting it eg when initially diagnosed and Hct might be 70 for example. The best way to do it is do the venisection and immediately afterwards infuse the saline. I did this for more than 10 years. The alternative or what you can also do is have smaller venisections more often. I could not tolerate the 450ml full venisection every 3-4 months so I changed to getting 125 ml every month or so and had 125 ml infused in afterwards. You may get some resistance from some nurses or docs re the above , I did, however after a consult with Clair Harrison 11 years ago she wrote to my local Haem suggesting smaller more frequent venisection suddenly any local resistance I had experienced disappeared.
oops typo 4th line should read
makes no sense unless blood is so thick (as opposed to think)
The downside of more frequent tps is more wear and tear on your veins.
Was this an issue for you, and what guage needle did they use?
Thanks
Makes sense and I don’t know re gauge of needle. I’ll ask. What’s the relevance or importance of gauge ?
no issue for me over 10+ years, the trick is to get a good nurse of course and alternate arms, if its only125ml they could use a smaller needle. Best to get the consultant to ok the smaller needle as I found nurses tend to stick to the standard procedure, I suppose they have to.
Here in the states, I had zero luck getting them to use a smaller needle.
I had luck interviewing an infusion center first in regards to needle size and then found a GP affiliated with this center to monitor my care. This worked great in Arizona. Went to Banner infusion center.....asked to talk to someone in charge and they said they'd use a 20 guage needle. From there I found a Banner GP to manage this part of my care. Has worked wonderfully! Kerry
Thanks Kerry.
Eventually the Hydroxyurea did its job, so tp's have not been necessary now for 2 years. Hopefully never again.
although I don’t have venesection (et) that sounds a really good idea. I used to feel so light headed after giving blood.
Hi Sanga,
Yes, I too get Saline after my venesections. I feel much less tired afterwards!
Hi Sanga,
They used to do the saline after each phlebotomy (I went from twice a week, to every 2 weeks, and am now up to every 3 weeks - not alway successful, and not always needed). Now, they don't bother with the saline since they know I am a very big water drinker and will replenish the pint they took out. I've only had a problem with very low blood pressure a few times. In those instances, if me drinking water didn't bring it back up, they hung an IV.
ainslie is correct. They shouldn't run the IV before or during because it dilutes the blood, which somewhat defeats the purpose. If the nurse starts to do it first or concurrently, you explain to them why you don't want them to run it until the end. Honestly, I've found many nurses just don't know better because no one told them running it first or concurrently will dilute the blood. The ones I've mentioned this to were grateful. They said they never knew but it made sense.
As far as the lightheadedness, I rarely get that anymore, but did in the beginning. The fatigue is a whole other story. Before the phlebotomies I was extremely fatigued all the time due to the thick blood which I suspect didn't allow the blood to flow freely enough to get enough oxygen to all my vital organs. Now that my HCT is better controlled and blood thinner, I'm so iron, ferritin, etc., that I'm still fatigued all the time, but my mental state is better because I am not as fearful of a blood clot due to the very thick blood. I had been drinking 100 oz water a day, but have recently been trying to get it to 120 -140 oz a day. That does help with the fatigue but it means more trips to the restroom 
I have had it after. One time they put me in the back of the clinic and my blood was flowing too fast and the took off 1000ml and I of course passed out. They let me go home but the next day I could hardly breathe. I had to go back and get saline. Also the last regular time I had it I only let them take 1/2 or I was going to insist on a saline drip because after that incident they seem to wipe me out. And luckily I have never needed them more than 2xs a year and on Besremi now so hopefully never again. But if they offer it I would do it! But agreed probably needs to just be after the phlebotomy
Yes! That is the way I have to do it to keep from passing out from lack of blood volume. I had one haematologist that didn't have the facilities to do it, so I had to go back to one of my prior ones that had her own treatment room on site.
Yes I always had a bag of saline AFTER they took 500 ml of blood. I never felt bad or dizzy after any of my phlebotomies; however, after doing so for 5 years, it took a toll on my veins and the blood simply refused to flow out so I had to stop.
Good luck to you Sanga!
My last venesection they gave me a bag of saline afterwards. It was the first time getting this in the 20 yrs doing this procedure. Definitely couldn't hurt being hydrated up afterwards. In terms of needle size, I've learned to interview the head person at infusion centers first in regards to whether they will let me use a smaller needle size (20 guage size) If they will allow this, I then find a GP who is affiliated with that infusion center to assist with managing my care. Has worked wonderfully!!
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