Re: whole blood or plasma?

In article <1123796369.691965.46630@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
<fresh~horses@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
>I'm also concerned about the plasmapheresis process. I know they will
>give me reassurances. But I don't know that I will be reassured.

Well, according to the consent form, there's a minute chance of
disastrous effects. I'm willing to take that chance in order to
contribute to a society in which there will be safe blood and blood
products for everyone who needs them. Besides, it's far more likely
that I'll have disastrous effects from a traffic accident on my way
there, especially since I walk or bicycle in downtown Toronto. It's
safer on the subway, but then I put myself at greater risk of
cardiovascular problems if I don't get the exercise from commuting
under my own power. There are always trade offs.

I don't think there are any personal medical benefits from plasma
donation. When I donate platelets they weigh me and take my pulse and
blood pressure, which is good to monitor for someone our age. They also
test the blood for evidence of certain infectious diseases and various
parameters related to general health and blood quality, so I suppose
you might get early warning of some problems that way, or at least have
a lot of baseline data if you do get sick with something later. But if
you're already donating whole blood every 56 days, you're getting a lot
more monitoring than healthy people need. IIRC, the newest consent
form states that they may give physical exams occasionally to frequent
plasma donors.

You seem to have a number of misgivings about plasma donation. You
don't have to do it -- you're doing more than most people by donating
whole blood. Nobody there will pressure you, nor reassure you more than
mildly: they want you to be entirely a volunteer. So think about it,
but put off your decision until you can feel comfortable about it.

Btw, in something like 40 or 50 platelet donations over 25 years I've
never had any but the mildest side effects, i.e. a little tingling in
the lips from the anticoagulant (citrate, IIRC), getting a bit cold
from having my blood run through a refrigerator for an hour and a half
-- no problem, they'll give you a blanket, and the cold is actually
kind of nice in hot weather, and feeling kind of stiff when I get up
after staying in one position for an hour and a half, easily cured by
a good stretch. AFAIK, plasmapheresis takes less time so you'll have
less of the last two, but you probably won't get to watch a feature
film like platelet donors do in Toronto!
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: whole blood or plasma?
    ... >>give me reassurances. ... > contribute to a society in which there will be safe blood and blood ... > I don't think there are any personal medical benefits from plasma ... > You seem to have a number of misgivings about plasma donation. ...
    (sci.med)
  • Re: whole blood or plasma?
    ... >I'm being approached to donate plasma regularly: ... takes blood, centrifuges out the plasma and returns the red blood cells. ... all blood types are desirable -- the commoner blood types ...
    (sci.med)
  • Re: whole blood or plasma?
    ... >>I'm being approached to donate plasma regularly: ... > takes blood, centrifuges out the plasma and returns the red blood cells. ... all blood types are desirable -- the commoner blood types ...
    (sci.med)
  • Re: whole blood or plasma?
    ... >> It takes your body only a few hours to replace the plasma. ... >> much longer to replace red blood cells. ... > protein content before they allow them to donate again. ... > be malnurished or ill or both, can't always replace plasma proteins as ...
    (sci.med)
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