When I gave blood today they asked me if I wanted to donate whole blood or platelets. The phlebotomist said they could use the platelets, but then when she noticed I am O negative she said I should probably stick with whole blood, as they can give it to babies and it is always in need. They were busy, so I did not have time to ask many questions; I was wondering if any of you guys knew anything about this. She mentioned that the process can take up to two hours, but you can give more often. As of now I have to wait eight weeks between whole blood donations; if I also donate platelets, can I still give whole blood on that schedule, or would I have to wait the full two months after I gave platelets to donate whole again?

Go for 2%.

Quoted: ... but then when she noticed I am O negative she said I should probably stick with whole blood, as they can give it to babies and it is always in need.

You will be getting phone calls frequently. O neg = "Universal Donor". Your blood can be given to almost anyone. Demand is high and supply is small.

If you are willing to donate, congratulations!

i've done both.  the process is about the same.  The whole blood goes much faster because they do not need to separate the components.  

When I used to regularly give platelets, you could give platelets again or whole blood after a fairly short period of time.  (I don't remember the exact period - maybe a few days?)

A POS

I've donated 9 pints so far.

It's about time for me to go again, as a matter of fact.

I've only donated whole blood so far, but I understand that a lot of places pay you to donate platelets.  $40 per visit, I believe.

I'd stick with giving whole blood.  I'm O+ so I get called pretty often.

Just so all you well meaning guys know, the Red Cross *charges* hospitals $500 per unit (pint) of blood that you donate to them for free. Also they say they'll tell you if they find a problem with your blood during testing, like signs of Diabetes or HIV. They don't. Legal reasons. You might sue them if they tell you, they say.

Blood donation isn't a total scam but it's close.

Quoted: Quoted: ... but then when she noticed I am O negative she said I should probably stick with whole blood, as they can give it to babies and it is always in need. You will be getting phone calls frequently. O neg = "Universal Donor". Your blood can be given to almost anyone. Demand is high and supply is small. If you are willing to donate, congratulations!

Same here O-neg. After about 4 gallons I quit because they started hitting me up for money after I donated.[send letters, phone calls] I probably should try it again but all the nurses around here about 90 and their hands shake while they try to insert the needle.

I usually donate platelets at here:
City of Hope

I usually go there on a Sat at 8am and spend about 2.5hours in bed and donate 2 units of platelets.  You can donate platelets after 3 days, whereas for whole blood it is after 3 months per FDA rules.  I'm doing this espcially "for the children."  When I was visiting the CoH Med Ctr, I saw children there was being treated for cancer that was still sucking on a bottle, the child was probably no more than 3 years old. and of course he had no hair on his head.  One of my former neighbor's cousin used to work at CoH, and children can go through 10 units of platelets a day.  

Quoted: Quoted: ... but then when she noticed I am O negative she said I should probably stick with whole blood, as they can give it to babies and it is always in need. You will be getting phone calls frequently. O neg = "Universal Donor". Your blood can be given to almost anyone. Demand is high and supply is small. If you are willing to donate, congratulations!

Oh yeah. O Neg here, and United Blood Services calls me often. I haven't donated in quite a while though.


One time I was in there the chicky-snack said I was O Negative somethingsomethingsomethingorother, and that it was a very desirable combination for donors.


I know it's vague, but does anyone happen to know what the somethingsomethingsomethingorother is that she was talking about?

Don't wait for them to call you, just schedule regular donations every eight weeks.

*****

I started donating after we invaded Iraq. They did a local news story about blood banks running short. Why? Some liberal fucktards were calling in asking: "Does any of the blood I donate go to the military?". When told "Yes", they cancelled their donation.

I tell you, when I heard this my head literally fucking exploded. Set up an appointment the next day.

Donate every chance I get. Started after my brother died from a long fight with hepatitis given to him from a transfusion.  I figured that I would do something so that another family wouldn't have to suffer such loss.

I don't donate to the Red Cross, I donate to the local blood bank.  I don't care what they charge, if my blood helps someone to live, I've done my job.

Forgot to answer the question: I'm a hard stick, so they are happy that I give whole blood.  The bank isn't sure that they could keep two needles going in me to do the platelet thing.

not a huge fan of the Red Cross but if everyone stopped donating there because they charge the hospital for the blood they get for free, how much blood would the hospitals have when needed?

with that in mind, when i was going strong (with my donations) i made it to 6 gallons.  my dad has me by double that easily if not more (maybe 14 gallons or so)...

O Positive is the universal donor

Persons with O Positive Type Blood can recieve the following types of blood:

   * O Positive
   * O Negative

O Positive Type Blood can be safely given to persons with blood types:

   * O Positive
   * A Positive
   * B Positive
   * AB Positive

david

I don't give to the Red Cross either; there is a local blood bank that distributes it as needed.

What do I care if they make money out of it? After I'm through I get a donut!

i used to donate blood regularly, but the last time i went the staff was extremely rude and unprofessional.  the secretary told me that she was stressed out and she was going to get drunk after her shift, and the guy who took my blood ignored me when i asked him a question.  i haven't given since.  i think i'll find a new center to give at.

Quoted: not a huge fan of the Red Cross but if everyone stopped donating there because they charge the hospital for the blood they get for free, how much blood would the hospitals have when needed?

I'm more than willing to donate blood, just not so someone else can make a profit off of it.

I'd like nothing more than to know my blood helped save someone's life. However, I don't give anything away so someone else can sell it.

If someone can point me to an organization that will give my blood to people who need it at little or no cost, I'll donate as much as possible, as often as possible. Until then, if someone is going to get paid for my blood, it's going to be me.

Quoted: Oh yeah. O Neg here, and United Blood Services calls me often. I haven't donated in quite a while though. One time I was in there the chicky-snack said I was O Negative somethingsomethingsomethingorother, and that it was a very desirable combination for donors. I know it's vague, but does anyone happen to know what the somethingsomethingsomethingorother is that she was talking about?

Other "factors"(antigens) have been discovered that CAN be problematic. Some are naturally occuring, some are aquired. Sometimes they have to "crossmatch" several units before finding one that can be administered to a specific person. That is why I said his blood could be given to "almost anyone". There might be a few people who would have a reaction to one of these other factors. Sounds like your combination will match the majority of the population, at least here in the USA.

Platelets can be done here in Central KY once a week (Central Ky Blood Center), but no more than 24 times a year.

Whole blood is one every 52 days.

Used to do Platelet pheresis there, but I eventually developed an allergic reaction to the anti-coagulant (mild, but it was disturbing) so I no longer do Platelets.  Haven't donated since I started OCS because I am worried about being able to keep up with PT, but I plan on donating after next drill (this is the last hard one before Phase III).

Whole blood.
It can be seperated into it's 3 components.
You can theoretically save 3 live in the process.
I have given 129 pints, and it makes for a damn
good feeling that you are helping others.

Quoted: not a huge fan of the Red Cross but if everyone stopped donating there because they charge the hospital for the blood they get for free, how much blood would the hospitals have when needed? with that in mind, when i was going strong (with my donations) i made it to 6 gallons.  my dad has me by double that easily if not more (maybe 14 gallons or so)... O Positive is the universal donor Persons with O Positive Type Blood can recieve the following types of blood:    * O Positive    * O Negative O Positive Type Blood can be safely given to persons with blood types:    * O Positive    * A Positive    * B Positive    * AB Positive david

wouldn't that make O- and not O+ the universal donor? I'm confused

Quoted: O Positive is the universal donor

you mean o negative.

Is there anywhere you can sell blood?

Hell, if red cross is getting $500 a pint I ought to be able to get at least $50.

Just so all you well meaning guys know, the Red Cross *charges* hospitals $500 per unit (pint) of blood that you donate to them for free. Also they say they'll tell you if they find a problem with your blood during testing, like signs of Diabetes or HIV. They don't. Legal reasons. You might sue them if they tell you, they say. Blood donation isn't a total scam but it's close.

Hey, Astrogoth-- I'd do a bit of research before you open your mouth.

I was a blood bank tech for 10+ years.

That "Free" unit of blood you claim is a scam has a huge amount of cost  just to get it to the hospital.  

You walk in and donate the unit of blood.

The ARC takes the blood and sells it to the hospitals, right?  Makes lots of money, right?

Crap.

You walk in and donate.
You have a Phlebotomist that has to draw the blood.   (labor cost)
Do some basic testing (to make sure you have a good enough Hemoglobin and Hematocrit).  (cost for testing materials).
Draw the blood into a sterile, FDA approved, non-pyrogenic container (more $$).
Store/Transport the blood to the central storage/testing facility ($)
Test the Blood for HIV, Hep B, Hep C, HTLV, etc. etc.   Much of this testing is done by DNA analysis (not cheap testing at all).
Discard the units that are not suitable (more wastage).
Test the blood for ABO and RH.
Separate the Blood into component parts (Plasma, Platelets, Packed Red Cells), each of which is ina  sterile, FDA approved container.
Label the Blood.
Store the blood in a continuously temperature monitored environment.
Ship to the Hospitals.

Every step of the process has large costs.   The hospital then has to add it's own costs...re-testing the ABO/Rh, Crossmatching the blood, etc.  

And, finally, you cannot guarantee that a unit will be used--if it is not (42 day expiration for Red Cells, 1 year for Fresh Frozen Plasma, 5 days for platelets), none of the cost is recovered.

And, ARC and local blood centers HAVE to keep a good stock of blood on hand for emergencies...they may have 500 units of O+ on hand, and only use 100 if there is a slow period...however, if a disaster or heavy useage period occurs, they may use all 500 in a matter of hours (and will contact other regional blood centers to try to get their stock back up).

ARC and most Local blood centers are NON profit corporations.  

And, finally, the reason there is an all Volunteer blood donor system is that people who are paid will frequently lie during the donor screening process to ensure they get their pay for the blood.     Would you want a unit of blood (regardless of how good the testing is) from someone who lied about their IV drug use?

Before someone brings it up.....Donating your own blood involves EVERY one of the steps above, AND additional record keeping, so there is even more cost to the unit.  

Oh, yeah, did I mention the Federally Required Record Keeping?  Each unit of blood has to be traceable from donor to transfusion...and the records must be accessable for 10+ years.    

AFARR

That was a great post afarr, thanks.

Quoted: Oh, yeah, did I mention the Federally Required Record Keeping?  Each unit of blood has to be traceable from donor to transfusion...and the records must be accessable for 10+ years.     AFARR

Can the public get access to those records?

It would be interesting to see whether or not blood I've donated was used, and who it was pumped into (hopefully hot 20 year old women).

Quoted: Is there anywhere you can sell blood? Hell, if red cross is getting $500 a pint I ought to be able to get at least $50.

Vampires

Quoted: I was a blood bank tech for 10+ years.

I knew it! Every skillset can be found here on ARFCOM!

Could you please answer my question sir:

Would giving platelets interfere with my once-every-eight-weeks whole blood donations?

Quoted: not a huge fan of the Red Cross but if everyone stopped donating there because they charge the hospital for the blood they get for free, how much blood would the hospitals have when needed? with that in mind, when i was going strong (with my donations) i made it to 6 gallons.  my dad has me by double that easily if not more (maybe 14 gallons or so)... O Positive is the universal donor Persons with O Positive Type Blood can recieve the following types of blood:    * O Positive    * O Negative O Positive Type Blood can be safely given to persons with blood types:    * O Positive    * A Positive    * B Positive    * AB Positive david

WTF

O- is the univeral donor.

But as it is there are over 600 antigens that they have to account for.   Many are innocuous and do not pose problems but others do.

Also I have personally used over 70 units of O- on patient that was going to die.  I sucked every unit of O- neg blood for the SE Detroit area for this one patient.  The blood bank girl had couriers in their cars and trucks driving all over the place.  She worked her ass off and and was responsible for saving this womans life as much as I.

So dont post shit you have no idea you are talking about.

ETA Do you know how much it cost to process one unit of blood?  Its cheap for the hospitals.

Quoted: Just so all you well meaning guys know, the Red Cross *charges* hospitals $500 per unit (pint) of blood that you donate to them for free. Also they say they'll tell you if they find a problem with your blood during testing, like signs of Diabetes or HIV. They don't. Legal reasons. You might sue them if they tell you, they say. Blood donation isn't a total scam but it's close.

Dude dont be a fucktard. Post your source because if full of shit as you are.  That its fucking lie and half.

I use blood all the time during surgery.  If they charged $500 a unit the hospitals would never get any.

Total bullshit.

It costs the hospital money but the money is used to process the blood is provided by the government and the Red Cross itself from donation.

The Red Cross is staffed with volunteers and will give any hospital blood.

ass kicking in progress

Quoted: And, finally, you cannot guarantee that a unit will be used--if it is not (42 day expiration for Red Cells, 1 year for Fresh Frozen Plasma, 5 days for platelets), none of the cost is recovered. AFARR

I remember hearing, a few years ago, that new techniques would allow whole blood and RBC's to be stored a lot longer. Know anything about that/what happened?

Are you sure they said platelets and not Plasma. I know there are places around here that will pay you if you donate plasma.

Platelets = liquid gold.  They use to sell it for about $500.00 a pint.  I guess that gives some creadence to it's usefulness.  Hard to believe someone talked you out of it for whole blood.  

Quoted: Just so all you well meaning guys know, the Red Cross *charges* hospitals $500 per unit (pint) of blood that you donate to them for free. Also they say they'll tell you if they find a problem with your blood during testing, like signs of Diabetes or HIV. They don't. Legal reasons. You might sue them if they tell you, they say. Blood donation isn't a total scam but it's close. Hey, Astrogoth-- I'd do a bit of research before you open your mouth. I was a blood bank tech for 10+ years. That "Free" unit of blood you claim is a scam has a huge amount of cost  just to get it to the hospital.   You walk in and donate the unit of blood. The ARC takes the blood and sells it to the hospitals, right?  Makes lots of money, right? Crap. You walk in and donate. You have a Phlebotomist that has to draw the blood.   (labor cost) Do some basic testing (to make sure you have a good enough Hemoglobin and Hematocrit).  (cost for testing materials). Draw the blood into a sterile, FDA approved, non-pyrogenic container (more $$). Store/Transport the blood to the central storage/testing facility ($) Test the Blood for HIV, Hep B, Hep C, HTLV, etc. etc.   Much of this testing is done by DNA analysis (not cheap testing at all). Discard the units that are not suitable (more wastage). Test the blood for ABO and RH. Separate the Blood into component parts (Plasma, Platelets, Packed Red Cells), each of which is ina  sterile, FDA approved container. Label the Blood. Store the blood in a continuously temperature monitored environment. Ship to the Hospitals. Every step of the process has large costs.   The hospital then has to add it's own costs...re-testing the ABO/Rh, Crossmatching the blood, etc.   And, finally, you cannot guarantee that a unit will be used--if it is not (42 day expiration for Red Cells, 1 year for Fresh Frozen Plasma, 5 days for platelets), none of the cost is recovered. And, ARC and local blood centers HAVE to keep a good stock of blood on hand for emergencies...they may have 500 units of O+ on hand, and only use 100 if there is a slow period...however, if a disaster or heavy useage period occurs, they may use all 500 in a matter of hours (and will contact other regional blood centers to try to get their stock back up). ARC and most Local blood centers are NON profit corporations.   And, finally, the reason there is an all Volunteer blood donor system is that people who are paid will frequently lie during the donor screening process to ensure they get their pay for the blood.     Would you want a unit of blood (regardless of how good the testing is) from someone who lied about their IV drug use? Before someone brings it up.....Donating your own blood involves EVERY one of the steps above, AND additional record keeping, so there is even more cost to the unit.   Oh, yeah, did I mention the Federally Required Record Keeping?  Each unit of blood has to be traceable from donor to transfusion...and the records must be accessable for 10+ years.     AFARR

+1
Most people don't understand the costs involved in this and scream murder at what they charge the hospitals.  Good to know that here there are enough peops to recognize the bullshit when it is heaved.  

Rincon (One time ARC employee)

AFARR, I personally used over 70 units of whole blood.  I used the all of the A+ in the hospital.  Then the girls made some calls and got some more from surrounding hospitals.  We used O neg until they could get some of the A+.  But I had blood literally swirling around my ankles.  We had over 8 garbage bags of blood soaks sponges after the case.

She had blown out half her uterus having a baby and we had to save her with emergency surgery.  We started 2 huge IVs and we still couldnt get enough volume into her.

She coded on the table due to the lack of blood.  We got her back and I literally sliced her open clamped everything I could see and cut out the uterus.

That stabilized her but then she went into DIC. So we were pumping cryo and ffp into her with the whole blood as fast as we could.  

I had to pack her and send her to the ICU still seeping blood.

Thank God she was young because the bleeding stopped and she lived.

I felt like someone took rubber hoses and beat the living tar out of me after that case.  

It will be 2 years this month.  But I still remember everything.

So I became a semi-expert of blood and components.

I actually called the blood bank girl and thanked her for all her hard work, I never had to wait for blood.  She had several guys out retrieving blood from the surrounding hospitals.  She would get it thaw it and have it ready for me.  She stayed for 2 and half shifts to do this.  She said no one ever called before to thank her.

Total was over 150 units of whole blood and other blood components.  If there was more then one case like her at the same time.  They would have bled out and died.

Quoted: Are you sure they said platelets and not Plasma. I know there are places around here that will pay you if you donate plasma.

No, I'm sure they said platelets. they took extra blood for a test for this.

The facility (Sacramento Blood Source) is divided into two sections, seperated in the building. I got the distinct feeling that the "platelet" people were a seperate autonomous unit from the whole blood people, as in "I'm not sure we want to loose you to THEM".

Quoted: Quoted: I was a blood bank tech for 10+ years. I knew it! Every skillset can be found here on ARFCOM! Could you please answer my question sir: Would giving platelets interfere with my once-every-eight-weeks whole blood donations?

Finally got the gist of your question. Seems you are already aware how desirable/valuable your blood is and donate accordingly. Sorry about the hijack.

Can't answer your question, but will offer an opinion. You are already doing more than the vast majority. Your intention is commendable, but you do have to take care of yourself too. I'm pretty sure I would not do both, at least not as frequently as your question suggests.  

Quoted: Quoted: I was a blood bank tech for 10+ years. I knew it! Every skillset can be found here on ARFCOM! Could you please answer my question sir: Would giving platelets interfere with my once-every-eight-weeks whole blood donations?

I donate platelets are the City of Hope, Durate CA about 15 miles east of Los Angeles, and I know for sure that donating platelets doesn't interfere with donating whole blood.  I've seen many people at CoH do this, though I personally don't.

Quoted: Platelets = liquid gold.  They use to sell it for about $500.00 a pint.  I guess that gives some creadence to it's usefulness.  Hard to believe someone talked you out of it for whole blood.

When I donate platelets, I am reasonably sure that if the patient has insurance CoH would charge the insurance company $500 per unit of plateletes.  When I donate 2 units of platelets, it is like me donating $1,000 to the hospital, when I only actually only donated 2.5 hours of my time.  It is not cheap to do platelet donation, the use-once rubber hoses setup costs $125 and this does not include the tech/nurses tiime.

Quoted: Quoted: Platelets = liquid gold.  They use to sell it for about $500.00 a pint.  I guess that gives some creadence to it's usefulness.  Hard to believe someone talked you out of it for whole blood.   When I donate platelets, I am reasonably sure that if the patient has insurance CoH would charge the insurance company $500 per unit of plateletes.  When I donate 2 units of platelets, it is like me donating $1,000 to the hospital, when I only actually only donated 2.5 hours of my time.  It is not cheap to do platelet donation, the use-once rubber hoses setup costs $125 and this does not include the tech/nurses tiime.

Read my follow-up post.  I know the costs and I thank you for your contribution.  It costs money to isolate those sneaky little bastards.  I use to do it at least once a month and I still would but can't, I don't currently have the resources.  Keep it up bro, a lot of folks depend on it.  

Quoted: You can donate platelets after 3 days, whereas for whole blood it is after 3 months per FDA rules.

Be aware that they are looking into changes to the rules to protect platelet donors.  The proposed changes are pretty worrying to the  blood banks;  they estimate that the new rules will cut platelet donations by two-thirds.

Disclaimer:  it's been about three weeks since I read about it;  things may have changed again.

Edit:  Yep, they changed it.  The FDA's panel voted against the proposal.
news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060311/ap_on_he_me/donating_platelets&printer=1

Panel Nixes Platelet Donation Proposal Fri Mar 10, 7:36 PM ET A federal proposal to limit personal donations of platelets - the substance that makes blood clot - is headed back to the drawing board after government advisers said the new curb would drastically cut the nation's supply. Platelets are chronically scarce, because they last just five days after they're donated. Regular transfusions are crucial for patients who can't make platelets on their own, such as those undergoing chemotherapy for cancer. As part of an overhaul of donation guidelines, the Food and Drug Administration had proposed limiting how many platelets someone could donate each year to about 24 pints. Currently, the limit is on how often donors can give - 24 times a year. That could equal 72 pints a year since donors can give up to three pints at a time. The FDA's proposal caused an uproar among donation centers, who said the donations don't harm healthy donors - their bodies quickly make more platelets - so there's no reason to change. Late Thursday, the FDA's scientific advisers agreed, rejecting the proposed limit. However, the panel did recommend that if people donate two or three pints in a single sitting, they can't donate again for a week. Most platelet donation is done through a process called apheresis, which involves drawing whole blood from a donor's arm and running it through a centrifuge to separate out the platelets. The rest of the blood is returned into the other arm. The FDA is not bound by its advisers' recommendations, but usually follows them.

ARDoc,

Yeah, you would definitely know about Lewis, Rh (D, Cc, Ee), Kell, Kidd, MNS, etc. antigens in your field....

70 units is a bit.....I was lead tech on the night shift for years, and worked nights part time while I was back in school.  My record is a  Liver Transplant that used 120+ Units PRBcs by myself.   On the Night Shift back at MCV (with several others) we had a vascular surgeon who did liver transplants--240 units PRBCs, Plasma, Platelets, Cryo, etc.  

To the Others...

Platelets circulate in your system for 5 to 7 days, and are replaced constantly.   "Platelet" donation is usually what is called "Apheresis"--basically they hook you up to a machine (like a dialysis machine), take some blood out, spin out the platelets, and puts the rest of the blood back in.   Takes several hours.   This can be done fairly frequently.

Red Cells are 3 to 4 months...hence the 62 day donation window.    Simple draw of 400cc's blood into a bag (fairly quickly).

You could probably donate platelets a couple of times in between red cells, but the person to ask is the blood bank donor director or medical director (MD in charge).


Records are PRIVATE--sorry, no 'look back' to see who got your blood, while you donated the units, the recipients deserve some privacy.

Disease testing is available to some extent to donors...if you are "Temporarily Deferred" or "Permanantly Deferred" from donating, you can request to find out why in writing, and the blood center will usually send the reasons.   If you donate a unit of blood and the unit is fine, then normally there is no notification.  It would be too much extra cost to send the disease testing results to the donors (and, there is the possibility of False Negatives).  Donor centers don't want people lying on the Screening Form just to get their blood tested.

There are reasons for deferral other than disease problems...low hemoglobin, increased liver enzymes, etc.  These usually lead to a temporary deferral.  A positive disease marker DOESN'T always mean you have Hep, HIV, etc. etc.  There are False Positives...and it is better to discard the blood, just to be safe.  

AFARR

And as ARDoc pointed out...a "unit" of blood  actually costs the hospital about $100...that is for red cells (some are less, some are more, depending on if the unit is CMV tested, Antigen Tested, etc. etc.).   Platelets are a bit less for random donors, almost $500 for Pheresis platelets (the collection is a good bit more expensive for the Pheresis platelets).    The hospital does testing, crossmatching, etc.   The final cost to the patient is close to $500 per unit of blood (However, the insurance companies almost never pay anywhere close to that).    

Forgot to add a bit...

As 71 Hour pointed out, the FDA is ALWAYS screwing around with rules...they change weekly/daily/hourly.    

Platelet storage time is generally 5 days from collection...1 of those days is usually eaten up in testing (if not more).   That means there is a VERY limited shelf life for platelets.  

Red Cells are 28 days for Whole Blood (nobody uses it much, they use Red Cells and Plasma Separately).  35 days for CPDA (Citrate/Phosphate/Dextrose/Adenine preserved) Red Cells, and 42 Days for Adsol (CPDA with an additional preservative of Adsol added).  

Plasma when frozen is good for 1 year, but when thawed, must be used in 24 hours.  


The Military is BIG in blood research....be very nice for them to be able to keep blood much longer.  They are also big in Blood Substitute research...something that is stable and with a long shelf life would be ideal for them.

There is NO substitute for Human Blood Components at this time.    Nothing else has the requisite Oxygen Carrying Capacity (Red Cells), Clotting Factors (Plasma, Platelets), etc.    They have tried Microencapsulated Hemoglobin, PolyFlourinated Hydrocarbons, etc. etc.   Nothing works and is non-toxic enough to substitute.   There are some plasma volume expanders....Hespan (HetaStarch) is pretty common, but they just are colloids that expand the overall volume, and have almost no biological function.   Imagine a gallon of Koolaid (red, preferably).    If you drain 1/2 of it out and want to refill it--you need more Koolaid to get the flavor and color right.   If you put a substitute in (say, water), what you have is thin Koolaid, not back to the normal flavor and color.

AFARR

Quoted: Quoted: You can donate platelets after 3 days, whereas for whole blood it is after 3 months per FDA rules. Be aware that they are looking into changes to the rules to protect platelet donors.  The proposed changes are pretty worrying to the  blood banks;  they estimate that the new rules will cut platelet donations by two-thirds. Disclaimer:  it's been about three weeks since I read about it;  things may have changed again.

Really? I didn't know that, I just do the donation part, and it has zero effect on me physically except for it makes a bit tired for an hour or two after the platelet donation.  Can you please elaborate more?

BTW: I want to make a correction in the time interval for whole blood donation is down to 60 days, I believe.  I personally don't donate whole very often, but I will if the CoH(City of Hope) needs it.

Quoted: AFARR, I personally used over 70 units of whole blood.  I used the all of the A+ in the hospital.  Then the girls made some calls and got some more from surrounding hospitals.  We used O neg until they could get some of the A+.  But I had blood literally swirling around my ankles.  We had over 8 garbage bags of blood soaks sponges after the case. She had blown out half her uterus having a baby and we had to save her with emergency surgery.  We started 2 huge IVs and we still couldnt get enough volume into her. She coded on the table due to the lack of blood.  We got her back and I literally sliced her open clamped everything I could see and cut out the uterus. That stabilized her but then she went into DIC. So we were pumping cryo and ffp into her with the whole blood as fast as we could.   I had to pack her and send her to the ICU still seeping blood. Thank God she was young because the bleeding stopped and she lived. I felt like someone took rubber hoses and beat the living tar out of me after that case.   It will be 2 years this month.  But I still remember everything. So I became a semi-expert of blood and components. I actually called the blood bank girl and thanked her for all her hard work, I never had to wait for blood.  She had several guys out retrieving blood from the surrounding hospitals.  She would get it thaw it and have it ready for me.  She stayed for 2 and half shifts to do this.  She said no one ever called before to thank her. Total was over 150 units of whole blood and other blood components.  If there was more then one case like her at the same time.  They would have bled out and died.

Yes, but that's what seperates you from the pill pushers. Your work has my respect.

What type of set-up is used for "Apheresis"?

Are the needles bigger? Are there two inserted (in/out)?

When did you work for the ARC?  I wish I had my messanger up but I still waiting for my account to be re-activated.  You don't have to answer if you don't want to put it on the board.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: You can donate platelets after 3 days, whereas for whole blood it is after 3 months per FDA rules. Be aware that they are looking into changes to the rules to protect platelet donors.  The proposed changes are pretty worrying to the  blood banks;  they estimate that the new rules will cut platelet donations by two-thirds. Disclaimer:  it's been about three weeks since I read about it;  things may have changed again. Really? I didn't know that, I just do the donation part, and it has zero effect on me physically except for it makes a bit tired for an hour or two after the platelet donation.  Can you please elaborate more? BTW: I want to make a correction in the time interval for whole blood donation is down to 60 days, I believe.  I personally don't donate whole very often, but I will if the CoH(City of Hope) needs it.

"Nevermind".  See edited post above.  They just decided against the proposed changes yesterday.

As the article notes, it still might happen, but probably won't.

ETA: copied the relevant text below.

As part of an overhaul of donation guidelines, the Food and Drug Administration had proposed limiting how many platelets someone could donate each year to about 24 pints. Currently, the limit is on how often donors can give - 24 times a year. That could equal 72 pints a year since donors can give up to three pints at a time. The FDA's proposal caused an uproar among donation centers, who said the donations don't harm healthy donors - their bodies quickly make more platelets - so there's no reason to change. Late Thursday, the FDA's scientific advisers agreed, rejecting the proposed limit. However, the panel did recommend that if people donate two or three pints in a single sitting, they can't donate again for a week.

Quoted: What type of set-up is used for "Apheresis"? Are the needles bigger? Are there two inserted (in/out)?

I'm not an expert at this stuff, and just a donor; but from what I understnd the needles are a larger gauge, ie little bit bigger in diamter so that they can get the higher flow rate.  They use 2 needles for in and out, whole blood is taken out of one arm and goes into a machine that seperates out the platelets, which then goes into a little plastic bag, and the blood is then pumped back into the donor through another needle in the other arm as per US FDA rules.

I get slightly chilled in the process because my blood is cooled a bit in the process because the blood flows thru some plastic tubing from your arm to the machine and back. This is the "use once" plastic tubing that costs $125 per setup.  The hospital does have nice warm blankets.

The whole process takes me about 2.5 hours.  I've seen other people get out as soon as 2 hours. But hey, as the old saying goes, "the rules are never fair and the playing field is never level."

And for my troubles and 2.5 hours of my time on Saturday, the "thank you" from the hospital consists of all the juices(apple, cranberry, tomatoe, & grape), and all cookies(I usually snag an extra pack of Oreo cookies for my children when they were little) I can drink and eat, and a t-shirt that says, "City of Hope, Durate Calif.", all free of charge.

I'm very greatful and fortunate that my family is healthy, and I don't HAVE to be there, and that I'm there by choice and not by need.

So therefore I highly encourage everyone and anyone to donate platelets to help out your fellow human beings.  Blood platelets only last a few days, but it is vital.  Remember the little bitty about "do it for the children," well this is it.  The City of Hope has a small flower garden where patients and their family can visit, and one day I took a peak into it, and I saw a family with a child who had no hair that was about 10 years old or so.

The "Apheresis" process stings a bit at the beginning and could get a little uncomfortable in the middle, but it is of little consequence when compared to how patients feel when have to have chemo or go through a bone morrow transplant process.

Matching platelets from donor and recepient does not need to be as exact as whole blood, so that many more people can donate platelets, but many people rarely do.

BTW: 2 things -
(1) Over the years, I've seen many people in the donor center waiting rooom where I donate, and they have really worried looks on their faces because they probably have a relative that is really sick and they are donating to help.

Quite typically I see zero Asians at the donor center to donate because they are normally don't do it for this for the community.  I see a few latin people, and a few blacks, but I would say 99% of the donors are White, Anglo, Saxon. And of course me, the sole asian.

(2)  I would also highly encouage people to get themselves into the bone morrow donor registery to help someone live.  In some cancers, the treatment involves killing the recepient's morrow with chemicals or radiation and replacing morrow with some from a donor's bone morrow.  Since platelets are made in the bone morrow, and the morrow needs time to grow back, the recepient needs platelets as a clotting factor to prevent bleeding to death.

I'm not an expert' at this and I don't get paid for my troubles outside of the free juice, cookies, and t-shirt. I do it because I want to help someone.

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Sorry to take so long for the reply, but words just doesn't flow out of my finger tips like for some people.

Thanks for the info, warlord. I shall ask the center about their platelet needs.

Oh, and I snag an extra Oreo packet too...but it's all for ME! ha ha ha!

Quoted: Oh, and I snag an extra Oreo packet too...but it's all for ME! ha ha ha!

I was told at the CoH, that if there is no match on the platelets at their facility, they will find another recepient at another facility.  The platelets is so valuable that they will go through this extra trouble, remember the hospital has already commited $125+labor and they are not about let this stuff go to waste.  If I remember correctly, platelets are being charged out at like $600/unit.

BTW-CoH of policy is that they will test the blood, and they find any abnormality, they will advise you with a post card, because you will never know if you picked up a bug somewhere.