Pretty much the same process, minus a slightly bigger needle. The machine takes your blood, spins the RBCs out of the plasma, and then replaces the RBCs back in to you. I didn't think it could any colder in there, then they ran the 500 ccs of cold saline to fill that volume void of the removed plasma... as soon as that saline hit the veins... I was freezing.
They told me yesterday that my process would take about 2-3 hours being a first time donor due to the physical, the iron and hemo test, drug screen, and a gay 5 minute video of the entire process. I got on the couch thingy, got the needle stuck in me... ended up sitting there 90 minutes with that harpoon in my arm. After about 45min to an hour... it started becoming a bit uncomfortable. All in all my process took from 2pm when I signed in until about 7pm when I was handed my debit card and got to leave. Hopefully the next 4 trips go a lot faster and smoother.
They pay cause it takes so long. Now it can take up to four hours for repeat donors. The company I used to work for has a center up by the airport in Baton Rouge. Miss working there just for the company paid trips to my favorite city.
Thanks for some laughs, guys. I remember the plasma center on Chimes Street when I was in college. I thought I'd have to be broker than broke to go do that. I hate needles. And these are larger than blood donation needles? Those are pretty large. I'll only donate blood if someone I know is in need.
Don't let those assholes fool ya either, I know biomat usa profits about $300-500 per bottle of plasma, depending on blood type, antibodies, and volume collected. Twenty bucks for 3 or four hours isn't worth the time. Plus 17g needles are like pencil lead.
I have type B-, and apparently have become a favorite of theirs due to those specifics, 1000cc's later...
I have donated blood in the past, the plasma needle isn't all that much bigger in all honesty. But the pain imo, comes from the fear of and not liking needles IV. To me IV is painful, but it's not all that bad. I was juiced out of my mind for almost 10 yrs, slamming 21g's in to muscle groups some thought were too small for the needle size... IM is no biggie, but when it comes to IV sticks I can't even watch or i'll pass out.
