Donating Plasma tomorrow.....

77Rumours77 · #1 06-15-2006, 12:29 AM

So I am going to donate plasma tomorrow... I have never done this. I know it is done with a big mo****in needle! I just want to know, who has done it, whats it like... does it hurt? Can I get some infor please. Thanks

Jacob

amber · #2 06-15-2006, 01:06 AM

How is this procedure performed?

Before you donate blood, the healthcare professional will check your blood pressure, temperature, and pulse. You will lie down on a bed or cot, then he or she will tighten a wrapping, called a tourniquet, on your upper arm to increase the pressure on the veins in your arm so they will swell. This makes it easier to identify the larger veins and to insert the needle into the vein. The healthcare professional will clean the area where the needle will be inserted with an antiseptic wash, then insert a large needle into the vein. You will feel a slight sting as the needle goes in, but the rest of the procedure should be painless. The blood flows through a tube into a sterile plastic bag that holds around one pint (450 ml) of blood, also called one unit. People usually donate one unit at a time. The average man has 10 to 12 pints of blood in his body, while the average woman has 8 to 9 pints. A small sample of the blood you donate is put aside for testing for infectious diseases. No blood is used until all test results have shown that it is safe. All donated blood is also classified and labeled by type, either A, B, AB, or O, and as RH-positive or RH-negative. This is because donor blood must be matched to the recipient's blood type. The sterile bags, which contain preservatives and an agent that prevents clotting, are kept refrigerated. Whole blood is usable for 42 days.

Some patients may feel light-headed when they first stand up after donating blood. You will be given juice to drink and cookies or crackers to eat to begin replacing fluids and increase your blood sugar levels. You will be told to drink plenty of liquids to replace lost fluids and to avoid strenuous activity for the remainder of the day. You may feel a little sore around the area where the needle was inserted, and their is a slight chance of infection in that area if it wasn't well cleaned before the needle was inserted. Your blood volume will return to normal within hours after donating blood if you follow the guidelines for drinking liquids. It takes several weeks, however, to replace donated blood cells and platelets.

http://www.hmc.psu.edu/healthinfo/b/blooddonation.htm

Brad · #3 06-15-2006, 03:11 AM

I've done it two or three times. Doesn't hurt any more than the needle that they stick in if you were just giving whole blood. The only differences are:

1) it takes about 30-45 minutes longer

2) your arm will get really cold. That's because they start pumping (what should be room temp, but not always) saline into you to help replace the fluids they are taking out of you.

No big deal at all...and be proud that you're doing it! Not everyone who gives blood can also give plasma!

Brad

MirrorInTheSky · #4 06-15-2006, 11:07 AM

I usded to do it, too. In addition to the saline they pump into your arm at the end, as they separate the plasma from the rest of your blood, they pump the "leftovers" back into your arm intermittently. I''m sure the leftovers have some sort of medical name, but I don't know it.

The Catdancer · #5 06-15-2006, 11:46 AM

I did it too and there's not much to it. I just laid there and watched a movie. I was kinda bummed when it was all over because the movie hadn't finished yet and I wanted to see the end (it was Black Water or something like that). The first time I got a little dizzy but I drank some juice and felt fine.
Good for you for doing this!!!!

DavidMn · #6 06-15-2006, 01:17 PM

I've donated over 4 gallons of blood over the years, and I like it because it's the only situation I know of where whatt I donate goes directly to help people.

trackaghost · #7 06-15-2006, 01:22 PM

When I saw the title of this thread I immediately thought you were donating your TV.

DavidMn · #8 06-15-2006, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trackaghost

When I saw the title of this thread I immediately thought you were donating your TV.

Oh you are so 21st century!

chiliD · #9 06-15-2006, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 77Rumours77

So I am going to donate plasma tomorrow... I have never done this. I know it is done with a big mo****in needle! I just want to know, who has done it, whats it like... does it hurt? Can I get some infor please. Thanks

Quote:

Originally Posted by trackaghost

When I saw the title of this thread I immediately thought you were donating your TV.

Um, I think you just take out the plug & tilt the TV to one side and the plasma just empties out like draining the oil from your car engine.