Personal stories about banking blood before surgery

These stories are based on information gathered from health professionals and consumers. They may be helpful as you make important health decisions.

Frank, age 50: I am very concerned about the risk of getting HIV from a blood transfusion. I know the risk is very small, but even that small risk is too great for my comfort. I am banking my own blood before my surgery to reduce this risk even more.

Margaret, age 47: After talking with my doctor, I feel much better about the safety of blood transfusions. She pointed out that the main risk is from having a reaction to the blood, and the risk is about the same whether I bank my own blood or not. I'm not going to bank my blood before my surgery.

Ginger, age 60: I had surgery a few years ago and had to have a blood transfusion. I had a pretty bad reaction to the transfusion, and my doctor tells me this is likely to happen again. It has something to do with an uncommon antibody in my blood that makes it react with most other blood. Now I have to have surgery again, and my doctor says I can reduce the risk of having another transfusion reaction by banking my own blood ahead of time. But they also said that they will keep looking for blood that my antibodies won't react with. For now, banking and using my own blood seems safest to me.

Francisco, age 30: I was considering banking my blood before my surgery. I asked my doctor how much blood I was likely to need during the surgery, and he said not very much. In fact, it is possible I will not need a transfusion at all. But he also said that if I chose to bank my blood before the surgery, I might become anemic and need a transfusion I could have avoided if I hadn't banked my blood in the first place. I've decided not to bank my blood before my surgery.

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