Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Never know it works until you have to stop

Hi Mike. Do you know whether most people having a hip replacement need blood?

Good luck, Wendy. Hope your pain is controlled (talk to the docs about this) and you can do the exercises you need to do. I've had to stop MTX a couple of times, or 3, and always found it was working more than I thought it was. My husband had to stop his for a time and discovered the same thing. It's sneaky like that. Stay strong.

I only know one person who had a hip replacement and she didn't need blood. Hardly a huge population sample, though. You should be able to bank your own if your counts are high enough. Blood transfusion is very safe, though. More tests done on donated blood than 20 yrs ago. And the lab will do cross-match to make sure of no problems. Don't fret too much on that risk. But ask your doc about banking your own blood if it makes you calmer. Calmer before surgery is infinitely better for healing afterwards.

i don't know if your worried ask the dr. when i had a knee replacement i didn't need blood. the knee was a short surgery about 2 1/2hr my only regret was waiting so long to have it done. mike

Oh Wendy, I am so sorry. I hope it doesn't get too bad before you start getting help for the surgery pain. I think of you often. My husband had to go off his med for an upcoming surgery and he is really hurting also.

Praying for you.

Hugs.

I banked 2 units once for myself and didn't need them. Since then, I had 3 after heart surgery and 2 after spine surgery. I decided that I am very thankful to people who give blood and am going to believe all I was told about the safety. I haven't worried about it at all.

Hi Wendy

So sorry you are in more pain. I know all about something working and then not having it. I questioned Remicade's effectiveness till it stopped working. Miserable. Wish there was something else you could take for pain before your surgery. It's never simple, is it? Wishing you less pain and a speedy recovery after the surgery. Exercise??? Do as much as you can and don't kill yourself or feel guilty if you don't get them all in.

Glad you are here.

Hi Wendy: When is your hip surgery? When I had my hips done almost 20 years ago I banked my own blood but they might need 4 weeks notice for this procedure before your hip operation. Talk to your surgeon and let him know you would like to use your own for the transfusion. A couple of years ago when I had a hip revisions I needed donor transfusions for one of the revisions because they had to do a bone graft before they replaced the necessary parts. Maintain a positive outlook and continue to do the pre-op exercises. I admire the direction of your studies...Tom

Wendy, I hope you do bounce back as has happened for Steve before. Hate to see you in such pain. Hang in there.

Love and Warm Hugs,

Thinking of you Wendy!

Hugs.

Hi Rumble. Thanks for the support. It appears it is too late to bank my own blood, but they have done the cross-matching and will have blood products on hand. And you're right about the improved testing so I guess I should try not to worry about this point.