hemoglobin

[wackykathy1982]

How low can hemoglobin be before you need a transfusion

[frijole]

How low is yours now?  I was your age when I started treatment and being  female and over the age of 65 are two factors that make anemia a pretty good possibility for you. (well you are just under 65 but close enough...)

My doctor only threatened me with a transfusion once, and that was when I dropped below 9. I did take Procrit for a good part of my treatment. Tell me about your treatment?  What week are you on, are you taking a PI? what is the state of your liver?  

I just listened to a video presentation on CCO (Clinical Care Options) last week and they discusse anemia with regard to cirrhotics.  I can look for a link if you would like to watch it.  You have to register with them, but it is free.

frijole

[pooh55811]

The decision about when to do a transfusion is, to some extent, individualized depending on the situation, what symptoms the person is having (if any), the cause of the low hemoglobin, the rapidity of the drop in hemoglobin, and how low the hemoglobin is. Doctors also differ about how low a hemoglobin can be before the person needs a transfusion.

Therefore, an exact number may not tell the entire story.

Here are a couple of older threads dealing with anemia, low hemoglobin, anemia treatment, and transfusion:

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Hepatitis-C/Anemia-and-dose-reduction/show/1693075

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Hepatitis-C/Hemoglobin-levels-and-anemia-on-Incivek-Inf-Riba/show/1694740

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Hepatitis-C/Whats-the-lowest-Hemoglobin-level-before-transfusion/show/373812

Here is a link to an article about transfusions in certain situations, but it is not specific to Hep C treatment. The type of anemia people get with Hep C treatment is hemolytic anemia. The article may or may not be of help to you.

http://www.wadsworth.org/labcert/blood_tissue/redblood.htm

I cannot find any specific article or guideline for when to give transfusions for anemia during Hep C treatment. If I find one, I will post it.