Who here.....

[gimmethesimplelife]

has donated plasma before? Just curious. Put my name proudly on the list as yes, I've donated and way more than once in my life. Donating plasma is not going to make you rich but it did fill in some gaps when I was much worse off. I found it safe and not especially unpleasant though the office staff did move slower then molasses getting donators back to the machines to donate. It's a great situation in which to make a few extra dollars and catch up on reading, which is how I handled the length of time it took to get in and out. Rob

[Teacher Terry]

Never

[Float On]

Nope. Plus it's 40 minutes away. Not worth it.

[Tybee]

I did not realize they pumped your blood out and separated it and then pumped it back in. I'd be very worried about contamination and something happening after they did that--I tend to be really hyperreactive to things like vaccines, so I try to limit exposure to things my body can react to.

[LDAHL]

Not me. Just whole blood and with my compliments for free.

I hope I never see the day when I need to sell any of my bodily fluids.

[iris lilies]

I Sold it, never donated it. It provided my beer and cigarette money in grad school. Still junkie-like “track” marks on the inside of my elbow. For those who dont know, they can take plasma twice a week where as with blood it is somethingg like once every six week.

edited to add: wait—you “donate” plasma and get paid for it? You call that “donating?” Oooooookay.

maybe they call it that at the plasma center, I cant remember. But honesty would compel me to say “I sell plasma” not “I donate plasma.”

If you want qll the feels of a do gooder why dont you donate blood which is actually a real gift not compensated by money? What is this list you “proudly” brag about being on? Can I get on that list too?

[Alan]

I've donated blood many times but never sold it. There's a difference you know.

[bae]

"Donated". I don't think that word means what you think it means.

[iris lilies]

I've donated blood many times but never sold it. There's a difference you know.
It reminds me of how some people “borrow” a grocery cart from a store.

[Yppej]

No. I could not even donate regular blood. When I was a young adult I did not weigh enough, and now that that problem is gone my blood pressure is too low.

[rosarugosa]

I've never weighed enough to donate blood or plasma.

[Rogar]

I have tried once to give, not sell, blood. They teased about half a pint out before my vien was shutting things down and I got pastey faced. They had to wheel me behind curtains and feed me doughnuts and juice with a cold wash rag on my forehead. I have had more than a few manly persuits with not much trouble, but the sight of my own blood does weird things that are beyond my control.

[Zoe Girl]

I tried to donate, many years ago I didn't weigh enough, the last time I tried I had slightly low iron. I have not tried again, although it would have been nice when I was really broke to have the option to sell blood.

[Lainey]

Same here, Rogar. I have fainted before when techs tried to take my blood for my own medical check-ups, so unfortunately I can't donate blood or give plasma. Kudos to those who do, it's an ongoing need.
I think I have small veins, and it started when an inexperienced phlebotomist had to dig around and still wasn't successful. Next thing I knew it was lights out. But I just saw a new device to make finding veins easy:
https://www.cnet.com/news/near-infrared-makes-veins-easier-to-find/ If that makes it painless then maybe I could donate some day.

[iris lilies]

DH donated blood for years. He is taking a break at the moment that started when he had a cold. He has big fat veins that pour out his blood and is a universal donor, so he is a rock star in the blood donor world.

[sweetana3]

We would give our blood or products but because we spent more than 3 months in England during the Mad Cow Disease Crisis, they refuse. Hubby is even B- and they wont take it. In fact, the requirement used to be 6 months and they have lowered it to 3 months. We checked recently. Cant say I blame them because I dont think there is any test for it.

[Alan]

DH donated blood for years. He is taking a break at the moment that started when he had a cold. He has big fat veins that pour out his blood and is a universal donor, so he is a rock star in the blood donor world.
My wife is a universal donor as well and I have the big fat veins. We donated blood regularly for several years until our local blood center showed just how much they thought of us. It started when I received a form letter telling me that my latest donation tested positive for Hepatitis C and went on to let me know that I was banned from donating blood again due to my risky behavior since the most prevalent means of Hep C exposure was from unprotected sex with sketchy partners or illegal drug use involving shared needles. Needless to say this news caused a look on my wife's face that I had not yet seen in our many years of marriage, nor have I seen since.

I called the blood center and asked them to test again as I believed they had a false positive. They refused and politely reminded me that I should not return, when I mentioned my wife they suggested she not return either due to her daily contact with me. I immediately made an appointment with our primary care physician to arrange further testing and soon convinced my wife that her look was unwarranted although the blood center wasn't interested in subsequent test results.

We haven't been back since.

[iris lilies]

My wife is a universal donor as well and I have the big fat veins. We donated blood regularly for several years until our local blood center showed just how much they thought of us. It started when I received a form letter telling me that my latest donation tested positive for Hepatitis C and went on to let me know that I was banned from donating blood again due to my risky behavior since the most prevalent means of Hep C exposure was from unprotected sex with sketchy partners or illegal drug use involving shared needles. Needless to say this news caused a look on my wife's face that I had not yet seen in our many years of marriage, nor have I seen since.

I called the blood center and asked them to test again as I believed they had a false positive. They refused and politely reminded me that I should not return, when I mentioned my wife they suggested she not return either due to her daily contact with me. I immediately made an appointment with our primary care physician to arrange further testing and soon convinced my wife that her look was unwarranted although the blood center wasn't interested in subsequent test results.

We haven't been back since.

woah, interesting story! Well, keeping the nation’s blood supply safe means bureaucratic approach one rule fits all no exceptions you are out! Might as well be run by the government.

[nswef]

Wow Alan, What a nasty thing to happen! We used to donate regularly as it was easy to do on the way home from work. Since we retired I've donated a few times. They seem to be much less organized that before or maybe I just have no patience. I haven't donated for several years, now, as the last time was so unpleasant.

[ApatheticNoMore]

I've donated a few times but always felt faint though cookies, juice and lying down after helped. Well some of the time I was under the weight limit and lied and said I wasn't (because what's a few pounds anyway and they don't actually weigh you).

[Alan]

woah, interesting story! Well, keeping the nation’s blood supply safe means bureaucratic approach one rule fits all no exceptions you are out! Might as well be run by the government.
Yes, I don't necessarily disagree with a hard line approach, I just wish they'd considered the potential consequences of their form letter.

[Teacher Terry]

That’s terrible Alan.

[LDAHL]

I knew a guy in the Air Force who scalded his tongue on a slice of pizza. The base clinic wanted to treat it as a venereal disease. You can imagine the kind of sympathy he got from his peers.

I know it’s cruel, but all these years later I still crack up when I recall him try to say “I don’t have syphilis” with cotton wrapped around his tongue.

[jp1]

Are the rules different for plasma than they are for whole blood? Gay men have to have been abstinant for a year before they can give blood. Or they have to give blood outside the US, since most other developed countries have more relaxed rules on this issue.

[gimmethesimplelife]

Are the rules different for plasma than they are for whole blood? Gay men have to have been abstinant for a year before they can give blood. Or they have to give blood outside the US, since most other developed countries have more relaxed rules on this issue.No, as I understand they are the same. Right now I could not donate plasma - and for what it's worth, in reply to another poster who will remain unnamed, the plasma center calls your plasma a "donation" - this is where I took this word from - anyway, right now I could not donate plasma without lying. I'm not going to lie to donate plasma, not going to happen. I rebuke any efforts whatsoever at shaming me for who I am. Rob

[iris lilies]

No, as I understand they are the same. Right now I could not donate plasma - and for what it's worth, in reply to another poster who will remain unnamed, the plasma center calls your plasma a "donation" - this is where I took this word from - anyway, right now I could not donate plasma without lying. I'm not going to lie to donate plasma, not going to happen. I rebuke any efforts whatsoever at shaming me for who I am. Rob
I am curious to know why you brought up this topic. It is a fine topic, but why now?

[jp1]

Sorry if I came across as shaming. That wasn't my intent. I just wanted to make sure you had looked into the rules and wouldn't be put in an awkward situation at the donation center. I myself only became aware of the rule a few years ago when SO had undiagnosed leukemia for 2 1/2 years and during that time they were treating his main symptom, loss of red blood cells, with transfusions of one unit of blood per week on average. I wanted to donate blood and was surprised to learn that I couldn't for the same reason.

[iris lilies]

Sorry if I came across as shaming. That wasn't my intent. I just wanted to make sure you had looked into the rules and wouldn't be put in an awkward situation at the donation center. I myself only became aware of the rule a few years ago when SO had undiagnosed leukemia for 2 1/2 years and during that time they were treating his main symptom, loss of red blood cells, with transfusions of one unit of blood per week on average. I wanted to donate blood and was surprised to learn that I couldn't for the same reason.

I remember about 10-12 years ago one of my close friends mentioned he was killing time in a place that happened to have a blood center and he went in thinking he could donate blood. He is a gay man so he could not donate and he was pretty surprised and hurt by that.


I think, without looking it up for sure, there has been a relaxation of rules of the gay thing and it is as you say now —if a gay man has been abstaining for a year They CAN give blood. I’m pretty sure it used to be that if you ever had one gay encounter you could not give blood ever. At any time. Never. Ever.

[SteveinMN]

I think, without looking it up for sure, there has been a relaxation of rules of the gay thing and it is as you say now —if a gay man has been abstaining for a year They CAN give blood. I’m pretty sure it used to be that if you ever had one gay encounter you could not give blood ever. At any time. Never. Ever.
When I go to donate at either of the two blood banks in town, one of the questions centers on gay encounters and uses "ever; forever ever" terms rather than asking if it's been at least one year since the last encounter. Maybe blood banks are different, but that question has remained the same in my questionnaires for years.

[gimmethesimplelife]

I am curious to know why you brought up this topic. It is a fine topic, but why now?No agenda, IL, it just popped into my head is all. Rob

[gimmethesimplelife]

Sorry if I came across as shaming. That wasn't my intent. I just wanted to make sure you had looked into the rules and wouldn't be put in an awkward situation at the donation center. I myself only became aware of the rule a few years ago when SO had undiagnosed leukemia for 2 1/2 years and during that time they were treating his main symptom, loss of red blood cells, with transfusions of one unit of blood per week on average. I wanted to donate blood and was surprised to learn that I couldn't for the same reason.Sorry, jp1....I didn't take your post as shaming in the slightest. My post was meant to address IL's comment re considering giving plasma a "donation". The last time I gave, which was in 2009, the plasma center did of course pop the gay sex question but it was contained to a two year period. Not to be too personal but at that time I could "donate" without lying. Rob

[beckyliz]

I did about a dozen years ago. Sometimes it would work and sometimes it didn't. I'd have problems with the "plasma-less" blood going back into the vein. I haven't donated blood for a long time. I'm going to Mexico in March, so if I'm going to do it, I should get on it.

[SiouzQ.]

I used to sell my plasma back in Michigan during my Wholefoods years. I used the extra cash to finance my jewelry supplies. It worked well for about 2 years and then my iron levels got too low and it was a bit iffy after that. Too many times driving all the way to the next town over only to be turned away.

I still have a scar on the inside of my left elbow from it.

[danna]

I am not sure if we could ever sell blood in Canada, but you can't now.

I know that back in 1956 my mother needed many, many pints of blood,
like thirty some, when my youngest sister was born. Lots of problems.

The deal back then was that you paid for each pint (don't remember how much but,
it would have been a large amount on what my father was making as a prison gurard)

or friends and family made donations of 2 for 1.
Thank goodness for my fathers coworkers (we had no family in the area),
100 pints were donated.
My father gave every six weeks and promoted it to everyone all his life.
The need is always there.

[bae]

The last time I gave, which was in 2009, the plasma center did of course pop the gay sex question but it was contained to a two year period.

Wow - fascinating:

https://www.redcrossblood.org/donate-blood/how-to-donate/eligibility-requirements/lgbtq-donors.html

[lmerullo]

Bae, that is fascinating to say the least!

To the OP, seems the new deferral period was reduced to 12 months.

The allowances for trans persons doesn't make sense to me. And, please, I am not being insensitive. I just don't understand the medical / scientific reasons.