Blood transfusion symptoms and conditions

All I can say is shortness of breath, pulmonary embolisms and DVT's almost did me in 3 years ago. A week in CCU and a year or more on Coumadin. After a year I needed a blood transfusion because of an iron deficiency. Finally had endometrial ablation procedure and all is well. No periods or side effects. Completely off of meds and after 3 1/2 years I will be finished paying off all of my hospital bills in two more months!

FEMCON almost killed me.... or at least the nurse practioner.. i had written a post here before when the first two weeks of bleeding started... after that i waited and about a month after the heavy bleeding started again... i went back to the GYN and explained my problem, she couldn't even examine me because i was bleeding so much. the same nurse practioner told me to take two pills instead of one for two days and it would throw off my period and gave me a pack of new different pills.. i didn't start the new pack because by the end of the second night i almost drove myself to a hospital.... i thought i was going to die.... i had to sleep sitting down and took several trips to the bathroom to change my EXTRA LARGE OVERNIGHT (Always purple pads) pads.... the pain was unbearable where i walked really slow and would bleed nonstop.... a day later i decided to go to the hospital where they told me my hemoglobyn levels were at 8 and i needed a blood transfusion (really i had 2 because i couldnt stop bleeding after they had put liquid antibiotics in my blood) i was admitted and monitored with a heart rate monitor because from all the stress and being so weak i almost went into cardiac arrest by the time i reached the hospital...... it has been the worst experience in my life... i could go on about everything that happened those three days but just thinking about it makes me want to cry...... i hate my life

I had a Mirena fitted November last year due to severe anaemia caused by a fibroid which resulted in me having a blood transfusion. In the last 2 months I have been slowly gaining weight now 1 stone heavier than last Nov! and my stomach is really bloated, last week I had a terrible migraine attack which I have never had before. However whats is most annoying is an odourless non-itchy yellow discharge which I get nearly all the time, (feels like water coming out) my Gynecologist says the fibroid is causing it? but i wanted to know if its the coil? as I really want it removed but i doubt he will as the heavy bleeding/clots may return - I would appreciate it if anyone could shed any light on this.

I was put on Femcom FE a few weeks ago after having a blood transfusion due to heavy blood loss. I have just started my second pack and have strange feelings in my chest. I am not in any pain, but I have been short of breath and have feelings similar to indigestion. Would be interested to hear if anyone else has had similar symptoms.

I am 40 years old and November coming will make it one year since i am on this pill, I had to take it due to the fact that when I have my period I would lose a lot of blood and that made me very anemic where my doctor wanted to give me a blood transfusion, so my OBGYN thought that I should take birth control to minimize the flow of blood which it did, but the cramps are unbearable and i keep spotting I also have anxiety attacks and I am wondering if the pill has anything to do with it.

I have Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia (AIHA), was diagnosed in Feb. 2008. Have been ill for several years and finally it came to a head in Feb. I had a blood transfusion and then in the hospital 6 days later with a hgb of 4.0. I was so toxic and my blood so screwed up I nearly died. I was given another transfusion then (total of 5 pints of packed red blood cells) and started on Prednisone. For 3 days given liquid Pred injections, starting at 1000mg, tapering down to 250mg., then on the pill form at 100mg. Sweat poured off of me dosing down. I was off work for 2 months. I am still tapering but am now at 1mg. DR. added another drug, Danazol, after getting to about 10mg because my blood started going crazy again. My side affects with Prednisone have been, Euphoria, no depression, LOTS of hyper brain activity, thoughts running a 100 miles an hour but body at slow speed.Visual problems and a feeling of being highly drugged. 2 to 3 hours of sleep each night, compulsive behaviors and a lot of pacing back and forth. Couldn't hold my concentration because my mind wandered so much. Extreme Tremors in my back, hands and head. Wanted to talk constantly, if no one was around I talked to my Chihuahua or the TV. My cheeks puffed up and became hard and had a fat pocket puffed up on left side of my neck. My dog thought I was crazy, she was tired of the lights being on at 3 or 4 in the morning. Legs looked skinny but didn't gain weight until I got to about 60mg. Gained 25 lbs total. Tapering caused bad spasms in my calves, feet and hands. Thigh muscles would get extremely weak each time I went down a dose. At 50mg I started getting sleepy and could hardly stay awake. Went back to work at 35mg and couldn't remember how to sign on to my computer. Some memory problems since I was in the hospital, couldn't remember how to spell words I knew as a young girl. Started having hip pain about 3 months into the Pred, that hasn't stopped. At 10mg feet, knees, shoulders hurt deep in the sockets, muscles below my neck knot up, may take a while to totally get off this. Read on a couple of blogs where people cut a 1mg tab into 4 pieces to taper off the Pred. because of side effects. Had thrush in the beginning and break outs of shingles. I hope to God I never have to get back on this drug again, it is so HARD on the body but it did do what it was given for, to repress my immune systems. My next step is Spleen surgery, hope this is a cure for me, am sick and tired of being sick and tired. Wouldn't advise anyone to take Pred unless it's a life or death situation. It's prescribed too liberally and people have multiple problems, worse than I have experienced. I've probably forgotten some things, but there's enough I've mentioned to give you an Idea it's not good, but if Pred is all you have then you do what you gotta do!! My puffy cheeks have went down though, now my hair has become curly but at least I have hair and my chihuahua stills loves me!!!

On July 9, 2008, I was admitted to the hospital for severe anemia, due to a heavy period that was on it's 3rd straight week. Because I had lost so much blood, I had to get a blood transfusion (4 pints). Since my bleeding would not stop, my doctor gave me a shot of Lupron. I was discharged from the hospital the next day because the Lupron stopped the bleeding. A week later I got, what I think was my normal period (which I don't even know what that is anymore) and that lasted 7 days. Almost immediately after receiving the shot, I noticed my hair was falling out in clumps when I washed it. 2 weeks later, I started getting bouts of suddenly feeling hot and sweaty. I didn't think much of it. I just thought my A/C unit needed more freon or something. That was until I went to see another Dr. for a second opinion. I am 38 years old with uterine fibroid tumors and my first doctor wanted me to get a hysterectomy. I have 2 teenagers and do not plan to have anymore children, but I just wanted another opinion. My second doctor informed me that Lupron's side effects are hair loss, loss of bone density, hot flashes, and premature menopause. When he mentioned hair loss and hot flashes, I knew then that I was not going crazy! Anyway, the second doctor explained to me that the loss of bone density and premature menopause would happen if Lupron is taken consistently. I just want to know when is my body going to get back to normal. All I had was one shot of this stupid drug! The hot flashes are not only uncomfortable but also embarrassing! It's been 3 months since I received the Lupron shot and the hot flashes have not vanished nor decreased. I know that every female's body reacts differently to different drugs, but if Lupron causes all these side affects, I suggest that you read up on the drug before taking it. I was told that if my bleeding comes back that I can ask for another Lupron shot. Well the answer to that is thanks but NO THANKS. Seriously, I would rather bleed than go through more hair loss, hot flashes or any other debilitating side effect.

PREDNISONE.... a word that is unknown to the naive and despised by the the knowledgeable. Before i begin i want to tell you that prednisone for lack of better word F***ed me up. So heres my story with the pill. About a year ago i was officially diagnosed with Minimal Change Disease, now remember i am eighteen at the time, and was prescribed prednisone to cure the disease. Now being unaware of the severity of the drug and disease i casually continued life while taking 80mg per day of prednisone. Well this was good and all because it did in fact put me in remission, but the side effects were starting go surface. My face ballooned up "moon face", started experiencing random series of depression, became insomniatic, and unfortunately gained several pounds. Well this was not the end of side effects as for me. I continued with the medication and after 6 weeks of 80 mg i began my 5 week course of 60mg. Then after that i started 4 weeks on 40 mg and began tapering 5 mg every 2-3 weeks afterwards. Toward the middle of 60 mg the drug started taking its toll on my body as my skin lost its elasticity so i started getting gruesome strecht marks all over my body. I also became constipated for whatever reason most probably prednisone was at fault. I became very frightened actually terrified so i started to research about the drug in hopes of finding ways to avoid some side effects. In doing my research i found out very disturbing information regarding prednisone. Along with all the side effects that i mentioned above, prednisone also causes cateracts, glacoma, diabetes via insulin resistance, and osteoporosis. Now these i consider as the more severe permanent side effects as the list unfortunately is much longer. Finding out about the side effects i became extremely paranoid and started a very strict diet to hopefully avoid some permenat side effects. I admit reading about the information on prednisone created my paranoia and/or possible phycosis which ultimately led to my stress which led to my severe depression. Now this wasn't any old type of depression, i was sersiouly in need of some help. Everyone around me could tell something was wrong and really i dont blame then for in fact i felt as if my soul had died, the very essence of my being. Now magin if you can someone taking away your youth from you, sucking the very life out of you... thats exactly how i felt. To add along with the depression my grades became a wreck in college as i dropped several classes, lost a friend, developed problems with my parents as they tired to help me, and disrespected family relatives with my uncontrollable mood swings. A few weeks in of dieting and exercising i lost a lot of weight (15-20 pounds). As far as side effects non had changed i still had to deal with all that was mentioned above especially with the fragile skin that was a real burden as i had even a few stretch marks on my face from sleeping on my side. At this point of my long and what seemed to be a never ending journey i become exteremly weak. My body had no energy to run on as i refused to eat and when i did eat it was either foods that are considered free foods or protein nothing else. Everything at this time had been taken away from me including smoking marijuana (marijuana drops blood sugar as this would cause me to start feeling faint and lightheaded), alcohol (same as marijuana drops blood sugar), and the fact that i was not comfortable in my own skin (literally). I was driving myself insane. Everyday i was behind the computer searching for more and more. I was obsessed and became my worst nightmare. Oh by the way half in the medication therapy i showed 1+ grams of protein in my urine which my doctor possibly thought it could have been a relapse. This news i did not take lightly i had lost it and was prepared of comiting suicide. I cant lie, i really did not want to live anymore i just wanted to end this and suicide seemed like a very real and convienent possibility. If it had not been for my parents talking to me giving me a 3 hour speech and lecture i do not know what i would have done. Suicide at that point became out of the question because i could not do this to my family. So i went and purchased urine dip sticks to monitor the protein. The doctor had given me a 2 week window or chance to get back into remission or else he was going to prescribe me cytotoxic agents aka chemo therapy drugs. This was horrible news to me. So as i monitored my protein i found out of a very interesting trend. I noticed that my protein levels in the afternoon were in fact positive for protein and were usually up and down as far as how much but in the mornings i noticed i was always negative. Now this give me a huge bit of hope because when in researching about MCD months earlier i found out that there is a coniditon called orthostatic proteinuria which affects mostly young adolecent males and is a condition described as for some unknown reason there is protein loss in the afternoon when the person is upright and active then when they are supine or laying down the kidneys do not allow any portein loss. This condition is in fact harmless. I was very happy from then news and i told my doctor, he was somewhat doubting, but i don't blame him he is looking out for my best interest, but sure enough after the 2 weeks had past i went in again for my appointment after testing and i was negative for protein as i had expected. We began tapering after that point and i continusouly monitored my own tests at home and eventually i got off the steroid, actually today is that day after a 9 month period of heartache and distress. You know people say that they went to hell and back in a hard moment in life, well i went to hell stayed there for 9 months then came back. I feel so everyone who as ever needed to take steroids for long periods of time, i know its tough but believe it as it is indeed a potent drug and in most cases a miracle drug. It gave me a second chance at life and no matter how hard it was or how much pain it put me through i cannot complain for it did in fact cure me and thats why i can never hold any grudges. So thats my story i kno its not pretty but what can i say it is indeed mine whether i like it or not.

I just took myself off YAZ because of a calf cramp that was so severe we suspected a blood clot -- through investigation found out I DIDN"T HAVE ENOUGH BLOOD TO CLOT -- was so anemic they were worried in the ER I'd have a HEART ATTACK. I had just shy of 33% of the normal amount of blood -- no ownder I had headaches, was dizzy, had shortness of breath, etc, etc . . . no wonder, eh?

Everyone would APPLAUD my low, low, low blood pressure --- yeah me! Not.

Anyone else have serious, debilitating, blood-transfusion worthy anemia on YAZ? or is it just me?

KR

Has anyone had extreme heavy bleeding/clots after having the Mirena removed? This is day 3. The last time I had such heavy bleeding I had just had my son. When do you start to worry about the bleeding?

I took Zyrtec for some time, as a prescription med. 14 months ago, my blood pressure spiked, for no apparent reason and after 8 different anti-hypertensive drugs, I had no improvement. I was extremely lethargic, I gained 20 pounds, I had severe dizziness, couldn't sleep through the night the last 5 months, my heart would race, constant back ache, and I felt like a snail - no energy to even walk for 10 minutes. Last week, after 3 nights without sleep, and a blood pressure that was so high, I feared a stroke, I went to the emergency room. After a blood test, I was told I was severely anemic! The doctor immediately administered oxygen and ordered a blood transfusion. I continued taking the Zyrtec while in the hospital, and the nursing staff, and my doctor were baffled that my blood pressure would not drop, it continued to rise! All the cardiac tests they performed came back normal, so there's no problem with my heart. The chest X-ray came back clean, no problem with my lungs, I was just anemic, but that didn't explain why my blood pressure would not drop. I came home and forgot to take a dose one night. I slept through the night, but thought "that's because I'm so tired," and the next morning when I checked my blood pressure, it dropped significantly. I couldn't figure out what was going on, I was going CRAZY! That night, I took the Zyrtec, and ALL the horrible symptoms returned. Well, I was pretty sure what the problem was and began researching the next morning. I some information that stated some severe side effects were found after it went to market. The side effects included: aggressive reaction, anaphylaxis, cholestasis, convulsions, glomerulonephritis, hallucinations, hemolytic anemia, hepatitis, orofacial dyskinesia, severe hypotension, stillbirth, suicidal ideation, suicide and thrombocytopenia. That was the LAST dose I took, my blood pressure began to drop the next day and I began to improve overall. I'm scheduled for a kidney function test because that was my backache, the glomerulonephritis; which is an inflammation of the blood vessels in the kidneys. It may be temporary, but can lead to scarring and damage to the point of failure, requiring dialysis and transplant.

Be aware that "Brick Red Stools" in children can suggest a bleed from Mackel's diverticulum and hence must be referred to a paediatrician. Mackel's diverticulum is a congenital condition. The bleeding usually settles on its own but very rarely the child can become severely anaemic and may need a blood transfusion. Surgical intervention also is very rare.
GS
UK

i had this shot last June. i would never do it again. i had insomnia and night sweats for a month. i was up every hour on the hour wiping my self dry i was dripping wet from head to toe.. i had to wear my husbands running clothes for the sweat. the sweat was making me cold with my pj's. had to sleep w/ towels.every morning i would be so depressed from not sleeping i couldn't function at work. had severe anxiety( had to go on Xanax) had hair thinning, I lost 6 lbs went down to 100lbs and I'm 5 ft. become severely anemic the doctor wanted to do a blood transfusion. i could not stop bleeding for months clots galore. this is just a short version of the problems. the drug finally stopped working after 9 months.doctor wants to give me depo medrol. i don't think so!

My gyn put me on Loestrin because it's low dose and wouldn't affect my hypertension as much as other pills. well...it gave me horrendous headaches around the second week I was on it. They were sooo bad that I would sit in my office at work with the lights off and an ice pack on my head. and OTC drugs like Tylenol and Excedrin wouldn't help them. Also I started having really heavy break through bleeding that lasted from the time I started the pill until about three weeks later. I mean heavy to the point that I would stand up and it would GUSH. Soaking through a super tampon, super pad, and onto my pants. On a few days I had to change my pants at work. I stopped taking it and when I went to the doctor, they said I was severely anemic from all the bleeding to the point that I almost needed a blood transfusion. I'm not messing with this pill anymore.

I am 29 years old and was taking Loestrin 24 Fe. Six days after taking the pill I started having severe pains in my right leg and trouble breathing. Come to find out about two and a half weeks later I had developed blood clots in my leg and had traveled to my lungs. Thank God it was caught in time. I spent 6 days in the hospital on total bed rest, they wouldn't even let me go to the bathroom. I was on blood thinners through the IV and in pill form. I also had to have a blood transfusion because of the periods I had two weeks apart from each other, which were extremely heavy. I went through 80.tampons and 48 pads. The ER doctor said if I had not come to the ER that day I could have died that night.

benadryl in IV with blood transfusion left me with extremely restless legs. it was a miserable feeling. I believe that double the usual orescribed amount was given while nurse was "cutting up". Previous experiences left the same result but less intense than this time.