I was indicated for regular transfusions just over a month ago after finally being seen by a haematologist at the Toronto General Hospital Red Blood Cell Disorders clinic. I had the first transfusion just before Labour Day weekend; I took only one unit because I wanted to see if I could be content with an hb of 7-8g/dl (a level I used to tolerate very well), my pre-transfusion hb was 67 that day. That transfusion did not help much, so the haematologist recommended I get 2 units next time. My next transfusion was September 30th, I do not know what my pre transfusion hb was but it may have been lower than normal because I had pneumonia a week earlier. This time transfusion made a huge difference; I went to a concert that night and was jumping, screaming and, headbanging without once feeling shortness of breath or palpitations, when I came home, I was very surprised to feel no heaviness in my legs climbing the stairs, I walked up and down the staircase several times to make sure this was real, the next day I ran up a hill because I could.
Three days later, all my symptoms returned (shortness of breath and palpitations from minor exertion, dizziness and
blurred vision temporarily upon standing, lightheadedness, headaches, excessive fatigue).
5 days post transfusion, I was having the heaviest menstruation I have ever experienced. 8 days post transfusion I woke up to find these angry purple marks on my left thigh (pic attached).
Does this look like purpura?
Could someone have a delayed platelet antibody reaction in spite
of receiving washed packed rbcs?