be infused through the line. The time this takes may vary for each person and it’s painless.
You’ll typically be a wake for the transplant. Though the bone marrow transplant is fairly simple, there are certain potential risks that you should know.
One major risk of a bone marrow transplant is that your body might reject the donated cells. According to medical statistics, rejection can happen in up to 60 percent of cases. That figure can be devastating to Black Americans given how hard it is to find donors in the first place. Fortunately, there are medications you can take to prevent it. You should also let your doctor know if there are any signs of rejection such as jaundice, skin rash, vomiting, and abdominal cramps.
As with many surgeries, there’s also a risk of infection. You may also experience nausea and diarrhea.
Tips For Recovery
You may be in the hospital for a few days while you recover. Depending on your condition, you may need to be close to the hospital for several weeks. During this time, your doctor will check how well your body is responding to the transplant. These checks can include blood tests. If your bone marrow is responding as quickly as the doctors would like, you may receive blood transfusions to help.
In addition, you’ll be prescribed medications that combat rejection of the transplant and infections. Once you’re out of the hospital, your doctor will guide you on what you can eat and how much exercise is recommended to help with recovery.
Things you should avoid include unhealthy fats, salty foods, and alcohol. It’s also important to note that grapefruits and grapefruit juice can affect how well your immunosuppressive medications work.
Though sickle cell anemia predominantly affects Black Americans, there is a large disparity between those who need bone marrow transplants and available matches. If you have sickle anemia and might qualify for a transplant, it’s important to start the search as soon as possible to increase your chances. Once one has been located, you should adhere to the treatment protocol so the odds of rejection are less.