Donating Bone Marrow - Anyone done it?

Lokolo

So I am a "regular" blood donor and have had an email about donating bone marrow.

Before I say yes at my next session and they take some more of my blood to do tests, can anyone tell me what it's like? From reading, you have both your arms needled up, with blood coming out of one, and going in in the other! And you have to do it over 2 days!

Now I don't particularly enjoy giving blood (does anyone?) as I am a bit of a wuss and don't like pain.

Can anyone tell me how painful it is? It just just the same as giving blood with the needles?

(I realise I could have asked it in the blood thread but it hasn't been updated in over a year!)

Whalie

I have been on the list for years. About 5 years ago I received a letter saying I maybe a possible match so was asked to supply additional blood samples at my doctors. A few weeks later I heard that they had chosen someone else who was a closer match.

I would say sign up but the likely hood of actually being a match will be slim. If that does happen, just think that if it was a close family member or friend of yours requiring it you would go through anything to have them well again. A small amount of pain/inconveniance is worth saving a life.

Mr_Mink

The Anthony Nolan trust have a good description of what is involved, there are two methods in use these days. Both are a bit painful but don't sound the end of the world. I too am a complete wuss but I wasn't put off enough to not sign up once I knew what was involved.

ladymarmalade222

My son has undergone 2 Bone Marrow Transplants. The first one was not successful so he needed another around 18 months later. Fortunately when they took the donation they removed enough for an adult patient and as my son was only 3 years old they were able to freeze half of the marrow which was used second time around.

We were only given the age of the donor, the sex and a rough area of the country he was from but I am so grateful for what he has done for my boy, I cannot put it into words. He had been given a prognosis of a matter of months and 8 years later he is a typical boy driving me mad!

I was given the opportunity to contact the donor 2 years following the second successful transplant but it had to stay vague unless the donor wanted contact. I just explained how much he changed our lives. The card I sent was delivered through The Anthony Nolan Trust but the donor did not reply back. I totally respect his wishes but I had to let him know what a wonderful gift he gave my son.

My son also had to have many white blood cell infusions before his transplant and the hospital preferred the same donor to donate the cells as it meant there would be less complications with rejection when they came to do the Bone Marrow Transplant. I was amazed that a donor came to the hospital around 3 times a week, often unsociable hours to donate his white blood cells, what a special person to go out of their way like that when they were most needed, and I believe they did not give much notice either, it all depended on how poorly my son was day-by-day.

Anyway, I just thought I would put my experience into the mix to show you the other side and how much it can make a difference.

I know there used to be really scary stories about how much it hurt to donate but it really does not.

I hope you are able to find the information you need to decide what to do.

Take Care

xxxx

Lokolo

Thanks everyone. Yes I found some descriptions of what they do and blood donations seem quite easy in comparison! It's only how painful it will be is what I am worried about (blood going out of one arm and going in in the other!)

As a 25 year old I am more likely to be a match but I will get them to take some extra blood at my next donation anyway to put me on the list.

Thanks.

mountainofdebt

Lokolo wrote: »

Thanks everyone. Yes I found some descriptions of what they do and blood donations seem quite easy in comparison! It's only how painful it will be is what I am worried about (blood going out of one arm and going in in the other!)

As a 25 year old I am more likely to be a match but I will get them to take some extra blood at my next donation anyway to put me on the list.

Thanks.

Actually you don't need to give blood to register with the Anthony Nolan Trust - you literally sign up on line and then they will send you a pack including a specimen jar in which you spit into.

That's all for now.

Please do it today - don't put it off you'll only forget.

Whalie

Reading Ladymarmalade222's story is why I stay on the list. Thank you for posting. xx

moggymutt

One of my ex pupils donated bone marrow only a few years after she first gave blood. I remember that she was very scared and frightened of giving blood but we managed to persuade her to give it a go and she went down with some of the other 6th formers. Then within a very short time she was contacted about her bone marrow. I saw her a while afterwards and she had no regrets at all. Amazing to think that she so nearly never gave blood that day, which is when she signed up.

kazzah60

I am VERY proud to say that my 20 year old son donated stem cells via the Anthony Nolan trust in November last year.
He registered whilst at Uni ( he knew his blood group) and about 8 months later was contact the the AN trust to ask if he would consider being tested to see if he was a potential donor
He had another blood test ( similar to an ordinary blood test) and then when it was confirmed he was a close match he travelled to London for further investigation and then when it was found he was a very good match they asked if he would still consider donating stem cells - he did a fair bit of research (he was studying radiotherapy at the time) and discovered that stem cells are usually used for younger patients and this made him more determined to help.
For about 7 days before the donation he had injections to increase his white blood cells ( a nurse comes to your house/place of work) and then when the appointed time came we both travelled to London to give the cells.
The Anthony Nolan organisation paid for a hotel room at the Holiday inn for both of us and gave us a £30 per head meal allowance ( we only used 20!) and we were at the hospital the next morning for 9 am
the staff were wonderful - they took my son off for about 30 mins to set him up on the machine and then I could go and sit with him, - he had a needle in both arms and one was drawing out blood - it then went through a machine ( reminiscent of a washing machine) and within 30 minutes it was collecting stem cells - the "cleaned" blood went back into the other arm - NO PAIN at all according to my son.

by about 4pm they had collected enough for two treatments and we could go.

The hospital brought tea, coffee, lunch etc for us and to be honest it was an easy process for my son - he sat with his phone and kindle and was fine - no problems whatsoever.
A representative of the AN trust came to see him and brought a goody bag with a t shirt and some other giveaways in it and made sure we had everything we needed
This week we had a letter to say that as of April this year the recipient was still alive and making progress.

I would urge ANYONE to give it a shot - these days it is rare that bone marrow is actually needed ( which IS more painful to give) most transplants are of stem cells and my son was telling me that there is an ACUTE shortage of young male donors between 18-30 - and these generally make the best donors and give the best cells - certainly there was a lady in the bed next to my son who was possibly in her 40's and she was there for the same length of time and they were considering if she needed to return the next day to donate more to make up the amount- this is probably because she was older and her cells took longer to extract.

I cannot praise the Anthony Nolan Trust enough - they followed up with my sons to ensure HE was well and suffering no adverse effects.

to be ABLE to give the gift of life for a few hours sitting on a bed is amazing - and I am immensely proud of my son and everyone who donates

Lokolo

Thanks everyone but thank you Kazzah that is exactly what I was after.

Although i will sign up with ANT i will also mention it when I next give blood as i am not sure around the rules of giving blood and then having blood tests!

sarahj1986

I am on the bone marrow list and have been since I was 18. My mum died when I was 12 of leukaemia and so for me its important to give what I can. Ive given 22 pints of blood but I have now stopped that because the centre where I used to go were horrible people and it put me off, I even spoke to the blood donor service about it and nothing was done so I thought why bother! I am on the donor list for all my organs, they can have what they want from me when I die, the only thing I couldn't give is my eggs because they are my babies should I decide I want to have a family. If I can save a life then I will do all I can