Originally Posted by Variant_S
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Originally Posted by blupupher
I used to donate all the time, I know over 5 gallons, but about 10 years ago, I just stopped after having a few bad apheresis donations.
I need to start doing it again.
Can you elaborate a bit on the 'bad' part?
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The last 3 times I got very faint, diaphoretic and felt horrible during the process, twice they had to stop before completely finished, and the final time I was really close to vomiting and felt horrible for 2 days after.
I had been doing it for well over 7 years every 2-4 months with only 1 issue in that time. After 3 times in a row (and the final really bad one), I decided to take a break from it, just have not gotten back into it.
I don't recall if they were all the same donation type (platelet, double platelet, plasma, etc), or different, but I had had enough.
I have donated whole blood once since that time with no issues.
I do need to start again, and my daughter just turned 17, and she says she wants to donate (she used to come with me to the donation center and watch), and can if I go with her, so I may as well (may just do whole blood though).
I am A+, so not a huge demand for my blood type (but still needed, I know).