Have you ever donated plasma?

[Kodemaster]

This post:

http://www.astralpulse.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=187584#187584

Inspired me to start this thread...

Have you ever donated blood plasma? What was it like?

How about platelets or other blood products?

I'm working on getting up the guts to do so...      

Best,

Jen

[MisterJingo]

This post:

http://www.astralpulse.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=187584#187584

Inspired me to start this thread...

Have you ever donated blood plasma? What was it like?

How about platelets or other blood products?

IS there anything that can be donated from the neck or near the ear? (See the above thread so read why I'm asking this)

I'm working on getting up the guts to do so...      

Best,

Jen

I regularly donate blood and am on the bone marrow doner list. Blood donating is fine. Takes around 10-15 mintues, no pain and you're all done. You just have to take it easy for the rest of the day afterwards.

I've looked into donating platelets as they do it at the place where i give blood. That seems a bit more involved. You are hooked up to a large machine (looks like a dialysis machine) and they filter them from your blood. I think this can take quite a bit longer than blood donating, and you can't do it as many times a year. Also, if you've donated platelets you can't donate blood at that session (it takes the place of blood donating). It looks as painless as blood donating though.
I'm not really sure about blood plasma, I always assumed they could extract it from donated blood (in a centrifuge), but i'll ask my partner as she'll know (she works in the medical field).

In the UK you can only give blood 3 times a year, although i'm sure it used to be 4 around 5 years back. They have a strict criteria about donating too. Such as having had a tatoo or piercing can exclude you from giving for 6-12 months. Visiting certain countries can exclude you for a period, and certain sexual practices can stop you giving altogether. The criteria is pretty candid.

Edit: as far as I know nothing is donated from the neck or ear. Around 5 years ago (UK) they used to check your iron levels by pricking your ear to take a small amount of blood. This has stopped and they now use your finger tip (more painful imo).

[Grigori]

I donate platelets and am a prized cow so to speak    ... apparently I just have a high platelet count so I can donate in ~45 minutes. There are different types of machines the one I get put on is a single needle (some are two sticks  ) and they just spin out the platelets then pump what's left back in with a little magnesium citrate. It's really not a big deal, the needle is actually a little smaller than regular blood donation needles and they usually give you a movie to watch    

I give platelets roughly once a month but at certain times they are low and I get called in earlier. My recollection is that you "could" give platelets every 3 days or so if necessary but they try for once every 4 to 6 weeks.

If you have a high platelet count they'll luv you because otherwise it requires 8 pints of blood to produce one unit of platelets.

If you've never given blood before just tell them you are a bit nervous and would really appreciate their best person doing the stick. They will be happy to oblige because they really appreciate what you are doing and they do not want to scare you away so don't be nervous  It really is the gift of life and you'll be really happy once you've done it  

[Kodemaster]

Thank you for your replies. I've been doing a lot of research on this topic.

I dunno why, but I feel like it would get "addicting"...perhaps I'll feel addicted to the feeling of helping people..

Tell me your experiences in terms of feelings: both physical and emotional...do they use big needles? Did you pass out? Is it "addicting?" Also: how often do you do it?

Thanks,

Jen

[Grigori]

Well I go roughly once a month. They always try and schedule the next visit before you leave. The needle used for platelets is actually a little smaller than the typical blood donating needle.

As for the "emotional" aspect ... I don't really think about it when I'm there but I guess I'd describe it as a generally nice thing. I'm not sure why you'd be worried about it being addicting but there are far worse things to be addicted to.

My view is that it's a nice thing that I can do with essentially no cost to me, and I usually go Tuesdays around noon because that's when they get the good sandwiches in

I forget at what point this happens but if nothing else if you donate blood products enough times you eventually get on the "free" list where in the future if you need blood you wont have to pay for it   Since I'm kind of an idiot there's a good chance I'll need my blood back ... so I just think of it as a savings account in my local blood bank  

[Kodemaster]

Hi guys:

I finally got up the guts to call the Red Cross and make an appt. It turns out that your blood type determine whether they take platelets or plasma from you. If you're AB+ or AB- they'll take plasma. Otherwise it's platelets. I don't know what my type is, but it's most likely that they'll take platelets, because AB is pretty rare.

Regarding the "addicting" thing, I thought I might get addicted to the feeling of helping people. Obviously this would be a healthy addiction. I'm already excited about my appointment a week from tomorrow.

I'll let you know how it goes. It sounds like it's going to be really cool.

Jen

[AstralBorn]

I have donated both plasma and platelets...
What was it like? I wouldnt have a clue... I wasnt paying attention

-AstralBorn

[Grigori]

Good for you Kodemaster!  

Just remember no aspirin ~48 hours before if you intend to give platelets (aspirin lowers the count) and if you drink a little alcohol afterwards it's amazing how tipsy you can get  


Oh and you will post a follow up here wont you? Just so we know how it went and all  

[Kodemaster]

I went down today to donate, and they told me I have a fever of 99.8...I'm very disappointed, cuz I was really looking forward to donating...

I'm going to wait another few days and try again.

Jen

[Grigori]

Well you certainly don't want to give someone your cold via a blood product   ... but I'm glad you tried and don't worry you'll do it!  

[cainam_nazier]

I have given blood on several occasions.  It's kinda fun.  I don't make a habit of it though.  I kinda only do it when it is convenient for me.  But UBS comes out to my work several times a year.  Mostly because I work at a hospital so we kinda understand their situation a little more.

There are a couple of different reasons they won't take your blood or anything else when you go in.  The most common is your body temp and heart rates.  Most people don't realize that.  The only problem is they can be off set very easily by being excited or nervous and the like.  There may not be anything wrong but they won't take the risk.  They test every pint of blood they get just to make sure but if they have to toss it costs them even more because of the loss of material and to pay for proper disposal.

I have got great veins for donating though, plus I am O+, so my blood has more uses.  My dad however is O-.  Boy do they love him.  He is a true universal donor.  Primarily though O- blood is reserved for babies, mostly premies, and other O- people.  So every, what six weeks, they call my dad to go in and give blood.  He has donated a couple of gallons so far.  The cool thing is they do a drawing every month for the people who donate at the location he goes to.  He won a 60" TV one time, we still have it.

[paint1]

All this talk has got me thinking of donating too,I'm ORH negative.