Frequently Asked Questions

The duration of treatment can vary from patient to patient but most treatments take between two and three hours.

The frequency of treatment varies depending upon the disease being treated. In addition your response to the treatment may change the frequency of the treatment.

In most situations plasmapheresis is done 1-3 times per week. At the time of initiation of treatment you should speak with your physician for specific details related to the condition/treatment.

You are able to do most things that do not require you to move much including sleeping, watching television or reading. If you are receiving treatment through a peripheral venous access you will need to keep the arms outstretched for the entirety of the treatment.

Generally, you are allowed to eat or drink during the treatment, but we recommend to eat a well balanced meal prior to your treatment unless your are advised otherwise by your doctor.

Yes your family allowed to be with you through the procedure.

Drink plenty of fluids starting a few days before the procedure. Also be sure to visit the restroom just prior to starting the procedure.

First, blood will be drawn from you by placing a needle into each arm as long as there are good veins available. If for any reason this is not possible then arrangements are made to place a central line prior to the procedure. Second, blood thinners are added to your blood to prevent clotting and blood enters the centrifuge where blood components are separated and then collected. Thirdly, a replacement fluid is added to replace that which we removed and the remaining blood components along with the replacement fluid are returned to you. Lastly, the apheresis machines perform all the above automatically.

It is a procedure needed for certain diseases, which create proteins, called antibodies that exist in the plasma component of the blood. These antibodies can attack healthy tissue and organs in your body. Apheresis along with other medications directed toward your particular disease can help to control or treat your disease and improve your quality of life.

Some side effects of this procedure you may experience include discomfort at the needle site, decrease in your blood pressure, or dizziness. If you experience these or any other problems during the procedure you should notify your Apheresis nurse immediately.

There are a few instances in which Apheresis may be unsafe to perform and these include those who cannot tolerate large intravenous access placement either due to bleeding risk or otherwise technical difficulty, those who may have extremely low blood pressures, those who have allergies to any of the medications used during the procedure.