following on from the organ donation thread, does anyone in this parish donate platelets?
I give blood and the nurses are often complimenting me on my enormous throbbing veins and suggesting I donate platelets. There is a donation centre in Gloucester, so it wouldn't be too inconvenient (I'm in Cheltenham).
Anyone got any experiences to share?
Dave
they don't want mine as I was a teenaged intravenous drug user many years ago so they can't risk infection..
I did it for many years at the donor centre in St Georges in Tooting in that there London town.
It takes a bit longer that regular blood donations and depending on hte machine used you may have a needle in each arm. However, the return one goes in on your lower fore arm so you can still move your arm about.
When I went they had TVs on with subtiutles so there was the option of watching those. Though I always took a book to read. I'd get given as much tea/coffee as I'd want and frequently got sandwiches provided too.
I only stopped do to a job change that meant I couldn't easily get to the donor centre. now just do regular blood donations.
I'm going for my first donation session tomorrow. One of my colleagues goes and I understand it's completely painless and harmless, although the donation process can make your lips tingle if they turn the dials up too much.
Last I checked, I wasn't allowed to donate due sleeping with a lady who was, ah, sexually creative.
Assuming they don't discover some deviancy that excludes me, how often do you donate? I normally give blood whenever they send me the invitation letter - every 16 weeks??
what about side effects? I normally don't ride home on the day I've given blood, but normally OK by the next day or the day after. Would platelet donation have less of an effect than that because they don't take the haemoglobin?
Dave
It's a shame there aren't more donation centres around.
Assuming they don't discover some deviancy that excludes me, how often do you donate? I normally give blood whenever they send me the invitation letter
8 - 10 times a year is possible
cheers jon, i was looking at that site but didn't spot that bit 
I do, do it about once a month in Bristol (Southmead Hospital). They've started taking triple doses from me recently so now takes about 1hr 45 mins in total, but you can give single or double doses which take less time.
Has far less effect on you than whole blood donation. I think you lose about 40ml of whole blood. I always ride there and back with no ill effects (other than once having to wait 5 minutes to calm down once as i'd come in with a high pulse rate which would have adversely affected the machines apparently).
Think I'm now up to about 20 donations in the last two years and generally do it once a month although you can do it every two weeks I think.
Have had some nasty bruising on the venipuncture site in the past, but that's because I'm not very good at keeping my arm still for that long... Have also had the lip tingling thing where there's too much anticoagulant in the mix, but it's easily sorted and again not a problem.
Yep, doing for about last 3 years now, gave every 4 weeks, but now the machine software has been improved so you can give every 3 weeks if you desire. Do triples, takes about 1hour 30. Free wifi and tea and biccies on tap during donation, whats not to like!!
Previously I gave blood every 16 weeks, but was asked if interested in platelet donation as I is soo buff. Nurse at last donation was impressed with the volume of platelets they get from my 3 units. Being a keen bikey bloke helps..
only horror stories from me are the tingly lips sensation ( only occassionly), one session where the nurse punctured straight through the vein.. so machine could draw the blood ok, but on return cycle felt like acd was being shoved back in, only lasted for about 2 seconds before the machine detected it and shut down immediately.. Blood staff were really apologetic about it and made sure I was super monitored next time I went in, plus nurse who stuck me is not allowed to do me again..( accidents happen but was well annoyed at the time, not for the pain but a fecked up afternoon) About 3 donations ago, machine had drawn about 1/3 pint of blood and shut down due to an error code.. offered to go on another machine, but they said had lost too much blood to carry on so sent me home..
I too have huge throbbers and the nurses took a platelet sample but alas my count was only "normal". It's the only thing about me that is 
Would if I could.
I still give blood though so I'm still awesome.
My count was too low, still heading for Gold blood donor status though.
I give a double every 6 weeks and am on my 95th donation. It is only one needle these days and the worst part of it is keeping still for 90 minutes. I used to get the tingly lips and have had the occasional bruised arm. I cycle there and back and it has no effect unlike the lethargy I used to feel sometimes when giving blood. Entertainment provided includes subtitled TV, Radio Local, newspapers, current magazines, drinks, biscuits and crisps (Walkers). One of the nurses was on Come Dine With Me and used to bring in sample deserts, but since it was broadcast he has stopped that, and just hides in the background looking remorseful and haunted.
If your count is high enough then it's worth doing.
I only give blood now as something in the anti-coagulant gave me monster headaches that would last for days. Can't donate anything at the moment as I had the 'snip' in July.
They get me to do the test every so often (I have the rare type of platelets, apparently) but unfortunately they'll also fairly rare in me too, as there are never enough to donate.
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