Posted on 06/01/2012 2:45:46 PM PDT by TurboZamboni
is it any different than donating blood?
what's it pay in your area?
how often can you typically donate per month?
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I donated plasma when my husband was in grad school from ‘77 - ‘79. I donated twice a week and received $8 a pint. It took a little less than 2 hours for the entire process. They took the whole blood, then spun it in a centrifuge and then returned the red blood cells to me. The center where I donated would slap the indentification stickers on the blood and then we would go through the, “are you xxxx?”, “ does this say ... your name....?” with two technicians present, even when I was the only donor in the room.
I had no trouble with the process. That $16 per week was our food money.
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I helped put myself thru college with it.
A minor pain but it helped feed me.
I did apheresis for platelets with the Red Cross for several years. It takes fairly more time to pump out the blood, spin it, and then reintroduce it minus the part they want (in your case, plasma).
It’s a good thing to do. You can get a little cold (the process makes your body temperature heat up the equipment). They usually have simple snacks for eating afterwards.
May it go well for you!
Yep. me too still have the scar tissue on my right elbow joint. I think I made $8 for the first time and if you came back the same week the gave you $10. This was back in 1979-80.
I did notice that I started to get a little run down after a while...and got sick easier...but that might not have been the plasma.
Just don't forget to tell them if you had a tooth pulled. Everytime they ask you a list of questions and one of them is did you have a tooth pulled. Well he did have a wisdom tooth pulled and he was so used to answering no that he answered no. The next week he wanted to be honest and he told them he had forgotten to tell them the week before that he had his wisdom tooth pulled.
They banned him for life for ever giving Plasma again.
I also did apheresis for donating platelets a while back...every other week. No problems...it took a couple of hours each time. I got to lay down in the most comfy leather recliner, with my own personal satellite TV to pass the time. Never had any problems or ill effects.
Just be aware if you are thinking about doing this, after a few months you’re going to look like a pin cushion/junky. That’s why I quit doing it.
I’ve done it. Spouse and I.
Things went fine the first few times. Then, once, illness set upon me quickly right after I donated. I was driving to the laundromat. Leaned over and threw up right in my vehicle. Never donated again.
Spouse still went. Til once, he started bleeding afterward. Quite a lot.
We never went back. Because we didn’t have to I guess.
All I am saying is, be aware.
Typically they will turn away anyone who does not capitalize sentences.
Studies have shown that that such folks are fraught with stupidity and AIDS.
I did it once and got 15 dollars. It really isn’t worth it to donate your precious bodily fluids just so rich people can have better televisions.
I used to donate plasma when I was in college - it was the only way I could afford to eat. I donated twice weekly (you got additional compensation for your second donation). At the time, I believe I earned $30 to $40 total per week. It is a great way to earn a few dollars and help out at the same time. I never experienced any problems and was ususally in and out in 1 to 1.5 hours.
I did for 2 years straight in college, and have the divots in both arms to prove it. haha
Like others have said, it’s different than donating blood because you can go every week. At the place I went (about 20 years ago now), I got paid $15 the first visit, then $15 the next in a week, with a $5 “bonus” for the second time in a week.
Again, as my arms attest, they use a pretty heavy gauge needle (I THINK so the blood cells can be easily returned once separated from the plasma); during the return process, because of the large amount of anti-coagulants used, you tend to feel a bit of a chill in your arm, a metallic taste in your mouth. You get used to it.
Depending on the skill of the phlebotomist, it will either hurt a LOT when they put the needle in, or not at all. Try to remember the “good” ones for your return trips.
Over all, IF I can remember well enough, I think the whole process took about 3 hours (in and out the door), but maybe 4. The better places will give you a bit of juice to drink if you request it afterwards; most will tell you to drink when you get home (which, at the time in college, I took as “medical advice” to drink beer! Which was what the money was for “of course”.........haha ahh, youth......gave a pretty intense buzz though that’s for sure ......)
I’ve done it before, and I’ve been doing it again lately to build up some cash reserves. It’s actually an interesting process- the cash paid is based on your weight- larger people like me can provide more plasma, and thus are paid more. It also takes us longer to donate. New donors usually get paid more for a certain period.
The old two-bag process is long gone- the donor is hooked up to a single machine that handles the entire process. A human being is involved only at the beginning and end- ie, to stick the needle, then remove it. Great care is still taken to keep up with your identity, but there is absolutely no chance of receiving someone else’s blood.
If you are afraid of needles, don’t go- they use a pretty big one, and it is visible the whole time. If you get cold easily, take a blanket or jacket. And I highly recommend taking a book- you will not be able to talk on your cell phone, and the ringer has to be turned off (the techs have to be able to hear noises that the machines make). Oh, and no sleeping- bad idea with a big needle in your arm.
The outfit here locally no longer gives out cash- they issue you a prepaid card, and put your money on it every time.
You can donate twice a week. Here they pay 15 bucks for the first one, and 20 for the second. You get a little more if you donate consistently throughout the month.
The needle used is bigger than the one for donating blood, since the blood is taken out, the plasma seperated, and the rest of the blood components put back in your body.
The whole process takes between 1-2 hours.
It seems like a lot of college students frequent plasma centers.
Oh, if you do decide to do it, be sure to eat a lot of foods high in protein the day or two before you donate, and drink lots and lots of water the day before, and the day you donate. When people get sick during or after donating, 99% of the time it’s because they get overly dehydrated.
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