Hello Ladies - Unfortunately Niraparib has caused my Haemoglobin to fall, I am due to have a blood transfusion tomorrow so that I can hopefully resume Niraparib next week. If any one can answer the following I would be very grateful.
Can my husband stay with me?
do you get fed?
Hi Lyn, sorry to hear about your anaemia and hipe the transfusion gets you back in Niraparib asap. I've only had a teansfusion as an inpatient post debulking op, but when I was having chemo there were some people having transfusions in the unit so same rules applied as with chemo, being fed and allowing 1 person per chair. Of course it might be a bit different at your hospital, but I see no reason why your husband can't stay with you. Judith
Thank you x
Hi Lyn, yeah my mum came to sit with me (along with my consultant who had his lunch with us!!)
It didn’t take long and I felt amazing when I left. Unfortunately that night my dad had a fall, and we ended up in A&E until midnight, I was buzzing but wouldn’t have been able to stay awake that long before the transfusion. When are you having it? x
And the lady came round with her sandwich trolley. I don’t like hospital food, even the sandwiches, so took one from M&S x
Total agreement - when I was a patient after my debulking the food was unbelievably bad. 🤢
Thank you - booked for tomorrow
Good luck , you’ll be fine x
I forgot to say I had to have a 4 week break after it, although I did convince them to let me start it back at 3 weeks x
That’s too bad Lynn but you’ll feel much better after the transfusion! I hope you can get back on the Niraparib soon. Maybe they’ll reduce the dose? They plan to start me on a low dose so my bone marrow can have a rest.
Thank you, my CA125 is rising slightly so I don't want to leave restarting Niraparib too long. Hope the lower dose works for you. x
Hi Lyn, sorry to hear you need a blood transfusion. My husband came to sit with me when I had one. I needed it before I could start chemo. The nurses set an alarm to check temperature etc every hour. It's no worse than sitting having chemo for a few hours, Husband got fed up quickly and took himself off for a Wetherspoon's breakfast! A good book is more reliable! Good luck, you will be fine.
Nicola x
All done - the usual department were short staffed and couldn't accommodate me today, so we were sent to the private chemo ward, very nice, lots of space, a menu to choose lunch from for me and my husband endless tea and coffed and biscuits, and a personal TV. The time passed quickly and was almost enjoyable.
Great news Lyn, well done. Now enjoy your weekend. Nicola x
Hi Lynn l've needed several transfusions along the way. They are quicker than chemo roughly an hour per unit so if your needing 2 units that's two hours. For me the big nuisance is that my hospital insists on blood matching the day before on every occasion!
Give it 48hours and you'll feel like a new woman...…… the effects of anemia come on slowly but can be really hard, so once you have that new blood you'll be dancing around the kitchen so to speak. Good luck with everything. Sylvia x
Hi Sylvia - I had one unit administered over 3 hours, I did also have to have the blood matching the day before. Can't say I feel any different at the moment, one nurse said sometimes one unit is not enough so we might see you again!
I’m currently on the ICON9 trial -Olaparib and Cediranib since June last year. I have had the dose reduced twice as experiencing low haemoglobin and I’ve had five episodes requiring transfusion. I’ve a port in situ so no digging deep for suitable veins thank goodness. Pretty painless and can be quite a pleasant day. Fed and watered, headphones to listen to music or radio, chats with other patients some of whom are regulars.
It certainly boosts me as before I’m feeling very fatigued and short of breath which can be limiting.
Good luck with yours Lyn.
Hope it’s a good vintage!
Cheryl
Thank you Cheryl - I did ask the nurses to add a Vodka and Worcester sauce to the mix but they didn't seem impressed 🤣- I don't feel hugely different today, maybe a little less breathless, have to wait until Monday to find out the numbers. Good Luck with the trial x
Sorry to hear you need this. I had to have two units of blood one day before my chemo later that day (12 hours in hospital!). My husband stayed with me as it was given to me in the same ward as the chemo.
I felt like a new woman afterwards.
Hope you do too
Love
Alex xx
Fluids, blood transfusion and CA125
Niraparib blood tests
Blood Results
Blood pressure - niraparib
Recovery after blood transfusion 
