Crisis during exchange blood transfusion

[Della30]

Hello Everyone,

I hope you are all well and keeping warm.

I had exchange transfusion today and half way through I started having sickle pain in both legs. I was given opioid injection for the pain and came home. I am still having the pain.

I know that exchange transfusion does not prevent crisis and my pre sickle levels were high. I also had hysrectomy 2 weeks ago, before that I had decapeptyl for 2 months to induce menopause. That 'hormonal chemotherapy' side effects nearly killed me. But I must say recovery post surgery is going well.

I am wondering if everything I have been through lately precipitated crisis and body unable to take demands of exchange transfusion caused crisis midway during the procedure.

I hate admissions especially at this time of the year, my last hospital admission - the memory of it still hunts me. I have tailored off the pain meds for the hysrectomy and wonder the impact a full blown crisis will have on the surgery recovery.

I have enough oral medication to manage at home currently and if it does not subside, I may go for DAY pain management emphasis on day.

Thanks everyone for reading this, expressing this to people who understand is therapeutic. I will really flare up if a health professional tells me I should not be sickling during or just after a exchange transfusion. A Dr once said that to me and I had to explain in technical terms how 4 weekly exchange transfusions does not eradicate all the sickle cells in my blood, it just reduces it and I can still have a crisis 🙄. She still went to her colleague for confirmation. You would think she came back to apologise.

Please keep me in your prayers. Lots of fluids, take my pain meds, rest, keep warm, pray, stay positive, lots of smiles (if possible) and guard against stress. Did I miss anything 😳

Thank you all.

[Arrey-Echi]

Hello Della,

Sorry to hear about your ordeal.

Hope you are feeling much better today.

Sending you lots of positive vibes and love.

True, not every Dr know how to manage us; that's why it is important we know as much as we can of our condition so that, we can know when they are not doing things well or saying gibberish

Hugs and blessings.

Keep the fight.

[SCWBTDOM]

Hey Della!!..I am 37yrs old with SCD its been a long hard ride for me also. But Im glad to say that i haven't been hospitalized sinse I was very young! But its definitely been a day to day struggle for me. Im on oxycodone 30mg, hydrxyurea 500mg, and folic acid. But when my pain gets too severe I find myself in the ER. I hate going to hospitals because they look at u crazy when ur in pain and think ur sum dope head lookin for a fix smh. And the doctors have NO knowledge on how to take care me so tbe give me iv's wit morphine and send me home smh. I just wanna tell u to stay 💪. I drink lots of water and my meds also hopefully we find a cure and thanks for ur uplifting words!!💯🙌