Apheresis Blood Draw vs Whole Blood Draw
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I have been a long time hemochromatosis sufferer and have always been treated by phlebotomy -- one unit every two months.
I read about a procedure called apheresis which is also a phlebotomy but it only uses the plasma A centrifuge machine returns the platelets and whole blood cells to your body. The process takes a little longer than a "regular" phlebotomy. A smaller guage needle is used.
Just wondering which method takes out more iron per session.
New forum user.
Many thanks,
John
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Chris8968 john_t_19555
Posted
jwrhn1951 john_t_19555
Posted
Apheresis removes platelets not the red blood cells that contain iron and is of no use for someone with haemochromatosis.
You may be confusing this with a double red blood cell donation in which they filter out the RBC's and put the rest of the blood components back. They do it every 16 weeks instead of 8 weeks and take about 500gm of iron each time instead of 250gm with a regular phlebotomy.
I've been doing DRBC for about a year and like the convenience of only having to go in 3 times a year instead of 6 times. As It removes twice as much iron each time the place I go to requires a higher hemoglobin that a regular phlebotomy but mine is always high anyway. They use a smaller gauge needle so its easier on the veins.