What can people here tell me about a power red donation?

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Power Red Donation

I've already made an appointment for three weeks from now for a normal blood donation. That's the only kind I've ever done. It's possible to make a power red donation instead.

What can anyone tell me about that?

I get all my medical advice from DU.

Thanks.

[AleksS]

1. When I volunteered with Red Cross

I had to explain it a bunch. Basically, they have a process that lets you donate twice as many red blood cells by concentrating your donation and giving you back your plasma and platelets.

So you give the same volume of liquid, but it has twice as many red blood cells as a not-power-red donation.

[rurallib]

2. according to that site, it looks like you can only give half as often

which means in total you end up about the same?

[rurallib]

3. Been giving for 50+ years and never heard of such a thing

But a couple of years ago they cut the time between platelet donation from 28 days to 14. For the year these donations are capped at 24 per year. That seemed a bit much.

Like I said in another post here, looks like the power red can only be done 3X per year - so the total comes out the same.

[Kali]

4. I donate power red because I am O-

basically the same, but takes a little longer. the needle is a larger gauge. they take a pint out and a centrifuge separates the red cells out and then the machine sends the rest back to you. there is a slight risk of problems you can read about on the red cross site. it does the process two times and if you aren't ready (ate something, hydrated etc) you can get a little tingly and light headed, also cold. but in my experience (4 or 5 times now) it only happened the first time on an empty stomach.

the worst part for me is laying back at an uncomfortable angle on their portable beds for 20+ minutes. I would rather lie all the way down or up right. the approximately 45 degree angle KILLS my back!

gimme some cheezits and apple juice now!

[Harker]

5. You get all your medical advice here?

I should think you'd be flipping like a flag on a pole.