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| Hi all,
for all my life I was a blood donor and had no problems with it, even that I'm suffering a bit from low blood pressure. Ten minutes after the donation everything was okay again. Of course after our move to South Africa I joined the transfusion service again and give blood as often as possible. A few weeks ago I was "promoted" to become a donor of blood platelets (plasma) through cell separation. This morning I had my first appointment for the procedure and it was terrible. You know, they suck for a while and then you get the blood pumped back into your body again. That's when I got problems. My left hand started to hurt, got a metallic taste in the mouth and started to shiffer a bit. The nurse gave me some pills but it didn't help much. They say that is quite normal, especially during the first time. I should just go soft on myself today and will feel better after a short while. Well, now it's almost 9:30pm and I still feel like ****, fainty and have a headache. I even had to drop class today.  I'm thinking about getting back to become a normal blood donor again shouldn't it get better the next time.
Has anybody experienced something similar? Or am I the only one stupid enough to give his blood away for a sandwich?
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| Stefan,
I was a plasma donor on many occasions during college--beer and pizza money--never had a bad experience. Might have been a nerves/shock thing like the nurse intoned--first time and all. Possibly complicated by some dehydration or some such. |
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| Stefan I was donating whole blood for a few years before trying to donate plasma. I remembered the first time the fellow at the blood bank was keeping a really close eye on me and keep asking if I feel ok, beause people can have reactions when the red cells get pumped back to them. Anyway it went alright and I didn't feel as tired after a whole blood donation so have been donating plasma ever since. In your case maybe plasma donation doen't agree with you and maybe you might want to go back to donating whole blood.
As and aside the blood bank here won't let me donate until next month - because I went to South Africa last year they wouldn't let me donate for a year !
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| Bruce, you got money for the donation? Kewl! All we get is a sandwich (a good one though), some crackers and they show us movies on DVD. I know that plasma donation is a multi-million $ business but I donate at the red cross and they are poor. Another reason to go back to full blood donation: for that they come to our shopping mall and the local boy scout hall while I have a 1/2 hour drive to the plasma center. 
Don't you think that's a bit unfair, Janet? We all know that the HIV/AIDS rate in SA is very high but I guess you would remember if you had sex with risky people or if you've catched malaria during your stay. However, except the Kruger Park SA is free of malaria and other nasty illnesses. Bloody prejudices. 
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| I've been donating platelets for 10 years. Platelets and Plasma are two different things, but yes...they do sometimes take a little extra Plasma along with the Platelets so technically, you donated both.
It's common to feel crappy during and after donation. Personally, I think the technicians who say "Go ahead...do whatever you normally do...you'll be fine!" either don't donate themselves or don't really exercise all that much, because I can't work out for 2 days following donation (and I've tried, believe me).
You're chilled because of the infusion process (when they give the unused portion back to you). It's cooler than your body temp.
Here in the States, during the infusion we're given an anti-coagulant to help the process along (then platelets slip through easier). This ALWAYS makes me feel like ****, and it's been worse over the last two years for some reason. They claim they haven't changed anything, but I swear they've ramped up the meds. My husband has noticed a change as well. He questioned them, but they weren't too forthcoming.
My extremeties get tingly, my mouth tingles and gets a strange taste, and I get a bit dizzy. We're given Tums (an antacid) because the calcium in the Tums counters the tingly-effect.
Though "tingly" doesn't sound very impressive, it's quite uncomfortable when it involves the whole body. One woman actually passed out. Since platelet donation takes about 2 hours, feeling comfortable is key.
I think it's great you donate, but I wouldn't blame you for passing on the Platelet donation in the future. Honestly, it was a LOT easier a few years ago. Lately, something weird is going on, and I find myself hesitating before going in for a session. They're either using a new anti-coag or they're turning it up a notch, because we all walk away from our donation process feeling a little ickier than in the past. 
*If you try again, the Tums help a great deal, but you have to take them continuously throughout the donation, a little at a time. I pop 1 or 2 in my mouth every 5 or 10 minutes.* |
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| Hey Stefan I absolutely agree with your sentiments. However the blood bank here has its own prejudices and there ain't nothin' I can do 'bout it. Then again it pisses me off when I hear ads on the radio about how they are so desperately short of blood products and please donate...
You mean you get to watch dvds ? We only get the crappy sandwich/crackers/cup of tea in Oz.
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| Kabu: Yeah, it tingles. That was the word I should have used instead of shiver. It sounds harmless but feels real bad, like eating rotten sushi.  We also get some pills diluted in o-juice, I couldn't understand what the nurse was calling them but I guess it was some kinda calcium.
Janet: Yeah, DVD! There are some monitors hanging from the ceiling, like in a gym. The sound coming from wireless headphones to not disturb others. Pretty cool for a poor developing country, isn't it? Best thing is the sandwich though. When you check in they hand you a little paper where you can tick what kind of bread you want, toasted or plain, brown, white or whole wheat and then you can decide on whatever you want on it, chicken, ham, bacon, cheese, mayo, salad, butter and so on.
Thinking about it, yupp, I will definately give it a second try. 
Talking about prejudices, you'll almost never see black people donating. Here we just had a political dispute about the rascist bosses of the transfusion service not accepting black donors. I find that rather strange since all donations are going to be checked for HIV/AIDS anyway. Aren't they?
Edited by afroyogi 2005-03-24 3:05 PM
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| I think it's cool that you're willing to give it another try. 
Any donation is very much appreciated, but a straight platelet donation is in much higher demand. Your one donation is used within a few days (platelets don't last in storage like whole blood), and it takes something like 8 whole blood donors to give what you gave in 2 hours.
(We get Oreo cookies at our facility.)  |
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| In the UK, blood and platelet donation are completely voluntary and unpaid. We get a drink and a biscuit afterward. They often play music but not always. I give in a very lovely medieval church so I at least have something attractive to look at.
In Britain, we are constantly short of donors, particularly those of African descent. I'm told that this is, in part, due to some myths concerning donation in relation to religious belief.
In general, it amazes me some of the questions I've been asked/told by non-donors. There's the obvious ones like "I don't give as I don't want to catch AIDS" ('Scuse me?! They do use a new needle per person you know!), but I've also heard some really off the wall stuff too.
There is some evidence that doning is actually GOOD for the donor (see http://www.blood.co.uk/)
Fee |
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| You should hear what my extended family has to say about donation. 
Even better are their excuses for not participating in the Bone Marrow Registry or the Organ Donor Program.
I can let the Bone Marrow thing slide (it is not without complications), but really...refusing to be an Organ Donor?! I keep telling them, "You're DEAD! It won't matter at that point."
Get this: My sister is convinced that if you have agreed to become an Organ Donor, the Emergency Room won't "work as hard" to save you. 
*Mind you, if the shoe were on the other foot, they'd gladly take the darn kidney.* |
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| Oh boy! Yep, I've heard that one too about organ donation.
The best one ever was someone telling me I was brave because I've left my body to medical science. Brave?! What do they think's going to happen? I'm going to have an anatomist leap out the bushes one day and start cutting bits off?!
Fee |
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| Some people!
I always carry a little card with me that clearly states that in case of my death my body is free for exploitation. What I don't like though is when people are made involuntary organ donors. You don't believe that? Better do! In the USA some congressmen currently are working on a new law that will make every motorcyclist an organ donor, no matter what he or his family thinks about it.
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| There have been debates here to about making organ donation 'opt out' rather than the current system of 'opt in'. Personally I'm against as I don't think we've tried hard enough to get the message over to people and because I think no one should have a loved one in that position without that person's wishes being known.
Fee
Edited by Orbilia 2005-04-04 4:48 AM
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| afroyogi - 2005-04-01 2:18 PM
In the USA some congressmen currently are working on a new law that will make every motorcyclist an organ donor, no matter what he or his family thinks about it.
What's so special about motorcyclists ? |
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| bomberpig - 2005-04-04 3:31 PM
What's so special about motorcyclists ?
Okay, since you ask so nicely there's really nothing special about us biker types - my point exactly! By making motorcyclists involuntary organ donors you define them as a special species, like citizens second class. Although I personally think that EVERYBODY should be an organ donor I'm not too fond of the political idea behind this new development. It's like "Them greasy *******s will get run over anyway, their bad. They had it coming didn't they? So let's at least give 'em a chance to do something good for society and exploit their dead bodies in order to help better people survive." I rather decide for myself if I wanna donate my organs or not. It's about human rights ya know.
Just the other day one of my american friends reported the following encounter which left me rather speechless: He was standing with his bike at a traffic light, when a cell phone babbling soccer-mom turned up right next to him. She had the window down and shouted at him like "Do you know how dangerous these things are? You stupid guys and your machines should be forbidden!" And while he was still thinking about a cunning remark about illegal use of cell phones in the car and that she was a much bigger danger in traffic than he, she was pulling away with a grim smile on her face. BUMP!
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| Here's a wacky question for this woman: What business is it of hers? No one's forcing her to ride one. I'm always amazed at some of the ballsy remarks strangers will make to one another.
And she was on her cell... that's beautiful. I see idiots on the phone in traffic all the time. Some appear to be in control, others are weaving left and right. Once, a guy in front of me hadn't realized the light turned green. I waited patiently for a slow 5 seconds and then beeped my horn, not so much to piss him off but simply to call his attention to the fact that everyone was moving except him (and me). He gave me the finger. He's the one on the phone, stopped dead in traffic on a busy route, and he gives ME the finger. With my kids in the car, no less.
*sigh* |
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A question for blood donors
