Fever

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From: va_nuttiE76  (Original Message) Sent: 10/6/2002 9:40 AM

hi!

i encounter a fever every time i have blood transfusion. may i know what can i do to at least lower the temperature of mine. thank you. pls reply.

born2bvam76
 

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From: cicci51 Sent: 10/6/2002 1:49 PM

Hi dear friend,
 
you have to describe better the type of fever you are developing after your transfusion : max temp,how long it last,chill or other symptoms ??
 
In my opinion you are developing an allergic reaction to the blood .....
 
Many develops such a reaction ......if so you need to receive a preantive treatment
before the transfusion with cortisone ......
 
You better discuss this with your Doctor ......
 
Good luck
 
Cicci
 

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From: Danielle__RN76 Sent: 10/6/2002 4:53 PM

Hi Valerie.  The same thing started happening to me recently, so my nurse now gives me Tylenol before the transfusion.  I haven't had a problem since she has been premedicating me.  Have you talked to your doctor or nurse about your fevers?  If you haven't, you really should.  Fevers after a blood transfusion can be dangerous if not taken care of.  How long has this been happening now?

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From: vazirani Sent: 10/6/2002 9:14 PM

Where do you get transfusion? Maybe they are not washing the blood properly you know it has to be done at the right temperature as well. Get that checked first,
 
Are you in Bombay? Then contact Mumbai Thalassaemic Society and give your complaint against the unit. their email address is complaints@mumbaithals.com
 
We will see what we can do.
 
Take care
 
Ashish Vazirani

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From: va_nuttiE76 Sent: 10/7/2002 2:13 AM

i get my transfusion fr singapore..the fever is pretty mild and this actually happen to all the thals in singapore but the nurse just told us to drink more water..but i don't think there will be something wrong with the blood right?
 
born2bvam76
 

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From: vazirani Sent: 10/7/2002 11:30 PM

maybe not in the blood, but with the process
 

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From: va_nuttiE76 Sent: 10/8/2002 12:19 AM

what do you mean?the process?

boro2bvam76
 

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From: HayCheng Sent: 10/8/2002 5:45 PM

Are you getting unwashed blood? I remember I have fever when I was in Hong Kong. I had it almost every single time. 
 

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From: vazirani Sent: 10/8/2002 9:28 PM

The blood is washed right when thats done if the temperature is off by even a couple of degrees then theres trouble.

We have doctor here in Bombay who runs a private transfusion clinic I got transfused twice there the first time he tried to give me Avil sort of a precaution against any reaction but I realized he would do this to everyone. He was suppressing all the thal's reactions I have always felt that too much drugs are bad so I tend to hold out till I cant take it anymore this is what happened I got a reaction. The next time I took the transfusion it happened all over again all the other thals also agreed with my findings that this doctor did not have the right technicians.

This happened when my usual transfusion centre was out of commission for a year, now this reaction may seem normal to a lot of people but let me tell you that at Red Cross the quality of blood is so good even just one reaction in a year totally freaks out the doctor and the technicians. Not that they have to keep a track of it but why should it happen?

I know that from the blood donor to the transfused patient there are many steps but if you review them you will realize that blood really is very fragile the temperature, the no. of days, the processing all of it adds to the life or reduces it drastically.

Is everybody in your unit having the same reaction?

Take Care

Ash Vaz
admin@thalassaemia.ws

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From: va_nuttiE76 Sent: 10/8/2002 11:53 PM

my blood is wash..after they wash it they will put it inside a cooler box..then they will drive to my hospital to deliver the blood..during that process will anything go wrong too?

born2bvam76

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From: vazirani Sent: 10/9/2002 11:23 PM

Of course after wash the shelf life of the blood is only a couple of hours that may be the problem
 
Ash Vaz
admin@thalassaemia.ws
 

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From: Shikha Sent: 10/11/2002 11:32 AM

Dear Ashish,
 
How are you ?   I miss all of  you at the Red Cross group.  How is your mom?    I mailed you once but I think is better I call up.   How are all the thals  I knew in Bombay?  Good to see you on this board and hope to keep in touch.
 
your fren' .....let's see if u can guess.  Hint :  Back to the Future.
 

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From: ladyluck Sent: 10/18/2002 4:52 AM

Hi! I've also experienced so many times getting a reaction from the blood that is being transfused on
me. That would really depend on how old the blood is and the processing of the blood. That's why we (me and my sister) are required by our doctor that we get fresh blood in our local blood bank. And we are required to have at least 6 hrs. per pack, so as to minimize reactions.

Eileen

Hi

I dont think the fever during transfusion has got anything to do with washed or unwashed blood..
with transfusion, your body  suddenly gets warmed due to the load.. and it is not something to worry about. Here in the USA too, I see that it is a routine proceedure to give  a Paracetamol plus an anti allergic ( My daughter gets Tynenol and Benadryl) before the transfusion.

I think washed or unwashed blood would cause more sever reaction if all.. like rigers or red blotches.. than just a fever.

In india also it was a routine thing to give a Crocin ( paracetamol) before the transfusion.

But please ask your doctor, if you could try this with your next transfuion.


Shikha Mitra

Fever during transfusion can have many causes and when fever occurs in the presence of other symptoms it may indicate a serious reaction, and the transfusion must be immediately stopped.

http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_body/medical_care/transfusions_p3.html

Hemolytic reaction. Hemolysis (prononounced: heh-mah-luh-sis) means the breakdown - or destruction - of red blood cells. This is the most serious type of immediate reaction, and it can be life threatening. It occurs when the patient's blood and the donated blood do not match. It happens because antibodies in the patient's blood attack the red blood cells in the donated blood and destroy them. If a hemolytic reaction occurs, transfusion must be stopped immediately, and all the symptoms must be treated appropriately. Hemolytic reaction is very rare, though, as health care professionals take many precautions and double-check blood before giving a transfusion.

The most common fever reaction is due to antibodies in the patient's blood reacting to white blood cells in the donated blood.

http://kidshealth.org/PageManager.jsp?dn=chp&lic=48&ps=207&cat_id=20120&article_set=22625

Fever. This is also very common and usually mild. Fever can be accompanied by headache, nausea, and chills. A fever reaction occurs when antibodies in the patient's blood react to white blood cells in the donated blood. Fever can be controlled by slowing or stopping the transfusion and giving the patient a fever-reducing medication. If a patient needs additional transfusions, and this reaction keeps happening, a special filter can remove almost all of the white blood cells from the donated blood before the transfusion.

Use of leukocyte filters can reduce these reactions.

http://www.nybloodcenter.org/products/index.do?sid0=5&sid1=35

Leukocyte reduced red blood cells are cells that have been filtered to remove many of the leukocytes in the unit. Leukocytes are removed using filters...used to reduce the risk of nonhemolytic, febrile transfusion reactions for those who have had febrile reactions following transfusion.

Washing red cells can remove the bulk of the antibodies from the donated blood.

Also from http://www.nybloodcenter.org/products/index.do?sid0=5&sid1=35

Washing a unit of Red Blood Cells with sterile normal saline removes about 99% of plasma proteins, electrolytes and antibodies. Saline washed Red Blood Cells are indicated for patients with or for those who have allergic or febrile reactions to plasma components of the blood product. This product may be used in patients with antibodies to IgA or IgE immunoglobulins or thalassemic patients.

Allergic reactions are also common and can usually be treated with antihistamines.

http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_body/medical_care/transfusions_p3.html

Allergic reaction. This is quite common and usually mild. Often the only symptom is a skin rash. Allergic reactions to blood transfusions occur when antibodies in the patient's blood react to proteins in the plasma of the donated blood. Allergic reactions are usually treated with antihistamines. In a few rare cases, an allergic reaction can be severe (a condition called anaphylaxis), and the blood transfusion must be stopped to treat the anaphylaxis.

We have heard many stories of mild to severe reactions during transfusions and in all cases it was to the benefit of the patient to have recognized the signs of a reaction. All transfusing patients should educate themselves to recognize these signs and what they may mean.

I used to get fevers (and headaches) too during the transfusions and had to take paracetamol to cure it.

Then the doctors recommended me to take anti-histamine syrup before every transx. After this, I no longer get fever during transx.

 

Yes, getting a temperature or a headache is most common with blood transfusion, because of the sudden load in the body. So unless, there are other symtoms along with the fever, I dont think there is a need to worry. As I said, as also Danielle, that a paracetamol and an aniti-histemine is  a common practice before a transfusion.
But what Sajid had during one of his transfusion, red blotches and respiratory problems.. well, that is not good at all. And when such a thing happens, the blood must be stopped at once. Then the doctors normally give medication and wait to re-start the blood. Most times the second time the transfusion can be carried out, otherwise the blood is discarded.
Many a times, riger ( massive shivering) and fever can set on after even 30mins -1 hour after the transfusions.. many a times after you have come home. As per my experience, again I used adminster a paracetamol and anti-histemine. It would normally take 30-45mins for the recation to subside.

I guess one learns with experience as how , when and what medication to take.

Many of the reactions get totally eliminated with the use of leucocyte filters, which again because of the price are not used in India. The reactions are mostly due to the handling of the bloood in the labs, or some component of the blood reacting to something. The problem, with saline washed blood is  that once you use a saline washed blood, I think you will have to continue with saline washed blood for every transfusion, which might not be possible in most cities in India.

shikha mitra