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Risks
By Mayo Clinic staffThe risks of blood and bone marrow donation are minimal. However, PBSC donation requires that you take a medication to draw more blood stem cells out of your bone marrow. This medication may cause side effects such as bone pain, muscle aches, headache, fatigue, nausea, vomiting and trouble sleeping. You can take acetaminophen for the discomfort. If that doesn't help, your doctor can prescribe pain medicine for you. These side effects usually disappear within a couple of days after you finish the injections.
The actual process of filtering the blood stem cells from your blood can also cause mild side effects, such as lightheadedness, chills, numbness or tingling around the mouth, and cramping in the hands. These can be treated and go away after you complete the donation.
- Bone marrow and peripheral blood stem cell transplants. American Cancer Society. http://www.cancer.org/docroot/ETO/eto_1_3_Bone_Marrow.asp. Accessed Feb. 18, 2009.
- Bone marrow transplantation and peripheral blood stem cell transplantation. National Cancer Institute. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Therapy/bone-marrow-transplant. Accessed Feb. 19, 2009.
- What are stem cells? American Cancer Society. http://www.cancer.org/docroot/ETO/content/ETO_1_4X_What_Are_Stem_Cells.asp?sitearea=ETO. Accessed Feb. 18, 2009.
- Filgrastim (granulocyte colony stimulating factor; G-CSF). Facts & Comparisons 4.0. http://www.factsandcomparisons.com. Accessed Feb. 18, 2009.
- HLA matching: Finding the best donor or cord blood unit. Be the Match Registry. Accessed May 4, 2009.
- Gronseth MJ (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. May 1, 2009.
