It is important that people with hemophilia understand how to recognize the signs of internal bleeding. An infusion needs to occur once the bleeding begins to restore clotting factors, so the sooner the symptoms are noticed the faster the bleeding can be stopped.
Before going in for an infusion, or administering one on your own, be aware of what to anticipate during and after the procedure.
During the infusion process:
First off, the infusion of clotting factor is done by injecting a vein through an IV needle with one of the various types of clotting replacements available. The patient should lie back and relax during the injection, which can last anywhere from 30 minutes to a few hours.
An article posted on Coagulation-Factors.com lists what symptoms a patient may experience and should be monitored for during infusion. The list includes the following:
• Change in skin temperature
• Leakage from the IV
• Loss of skin color
• Redness at IV site
• Swelling at injection site
• Tenderness
• Dizziness
• Fever and chills
• Flushing, rash or chest redness
• Spots or blotches
• Nausea
• Rapid heartbeat
After the infusion process:
Once the injection is finished the bleeding should stop after a few hours.
An article posted on the Internet Encyclopedia of Science Web site describes possible complications that could result from the infusion. Such complications are as follows:
• The development of antibodies which would restrict the function of the clotting factors
• The contraction of AIDS or hepatitis, but only in extremely rare cases
• Joint, muscle or other parts of the body may experience damage due to the delay of treatment
To learn more about the infusion process, how to find nurses to perform the injection, or where to go to get your own supplies to perform injections at home visit the Frequently Asked Questions section on the MedPro Rx, Inc. Web site.
Sources:
TeensHealth.org
http://kidshealth.org/teen/diseases_conditions/genetic/hemophilia.html?tracking=T_RelatedArticle
Kaiser Permanente
https://members.kaiserpermanente.org/kpweb/healthency.do?hwid=hw190139
Coagulation-Factors.com
http://www.coagulation-factors.com/articles/bleeding-disorder-treatment/infusing-fresh-plasma.php
The Internet Encyclopedia of Science
http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/H/hemophilia.html
MedPro Rx, Inc.
http://www.medprorx.com/index.html