S/o donating: bone marrow

[Deleted]

Has anyone ever donated marrow? I am on the registry but have yet to be called. It seems scary and I heard it was painful.

[Marle]

I work at a place that collects it. Do you know anything about the process? There's 2 methods and both have some discomfort associated with them but it nothing too bad.

[Deleted]

No, but I am on the registry.

[lazyphoque]

Marle, do you have a good site to read more about it? H and I have talked about getting on the registry in memory of his brother who died of non Hodgkins Lymphoma and in honor of his dad who is fighting the same.

[alleycat]

I've done it. I was called 3 times. The first time I had blood collected and they did a bunch of tests on it. Once that work is in then your chance of being chosen is higher. But I was on the list for 5 years before I ever even heard a word from them. The first two times the patient went with other options. The 3rd time I donated and it wasn't that painful at all. I had injections for 5 days and then I went to the center and they took blood out and returned some of it back. It was outpatient.

[Marle]

The national marrow donor program NMDP's website has good and simple explanations.

Basically depending on the needs of the recipient they will ask you to do a traditional marrow collection or a peripheral blood collection.

The traditional is in an operating room. They'll put you out and lay you on your stomach and insert long needles in your hip bone to draw the marrow out. You'll be in some pain when you wake up but they'll give you pain medication.

The peripheral blood. You take a drug for a few days (it may be a shot) and that mobilizes the stem cells to the blood stream and may give you minor bone pain. The day of the procedure they stick you in both arms and pass your blood through a centrifuge that separates the cells they need and give you back the rest. You can have minor reactions to anticoagulant and low calcium and potassium but they would be treated right away.

[janegold]

I didn't know about the peripheral donation process. That sounds much less intimidating.

[Marle]

Aug 13, 2012 9:03:06 GMT -5 janegold said:

I didn't know about the peripheral donation process. That sounds much less intimidating.

it is and it's more commonly used unless the donor needs otherwise.

ETA: I mean the recipient. It's all about the recipient needs.

[nahoku]

I haven't but I've been meaning to get on the registry. Thanks for the reminder! I started filling it out just now but have to finish it later - I forgot my wallet today and don't have my DL# memorized :/

[karmasabiotch]

I'm on the registry and almost have it to a little girl but at the last minute it got cancelled. I'm sad to think of why that may have happened.

It's supposed to be a tough recovery but totally manageable. I've been on the list for 20 years and haven't done it yet, so I wouldn't worry about it now.

[underwaterrhymes]

I am on the registry, but think I have to remove myself as I have a genetic disorder that precludes me from donating due to increased risk of cancer.

[emsumm]

I'm on the registry, they encourage Jews to register because it can be harder to find matches for Jewish recipients. I'd do it if they called, but I've never been contacted.

[idris]

I'm also on the registry but have never been called. I think it's a small amount of pain relative to what it can accomplish.

[Marle]

Aug 13, 2012 12:36:04 GMT -5 idris said:

I'm also on the registry but have never been called. I think it's a small amount of pain relative to what it can accomplish.

Absolutely!