Has anyone donated Platelets?

[Youngatheart00]

I’ve recently found out I am blood type A Neg, which means my platelets are universal.

I have been meaning to donate blood for a while, but would it be more valuable to donate platelets (you can’t do both?)

And is the process worse / more painful / intrusive? Anyone done it and can share experience?

If you make an appointment to donate blood, they can check you for suitability and talk you through the process. I asked about it but was told I would be unsuitable to donate platelets, they didn't say why though.

I'd suggest you donate blood first and see how you get on with it.

The process is pretty much the same, except people of low body weight can't donate platelets because of low blood volume.

I had to give up giving blood as I got so dizzy each time, despite definitely not being low body weight - so swapping to platelets would not have been a solution.

If you haven't given either, go and give some blood, see how you feel and then ask.

That’s very helpful advice, thank you. I have gone from a complete needle phobia to getting used to blood tests and needles from a few rounds of IVF over the past few years.

Low body weight won’t be an issue for me! I’m at the upper end of a healthy BMI.

I have no doubt I will find the first time hard but hoping the fear is worse than the experience itself.

I would check your body mass, I am overweight but my body mass is too low to donate - I am very short and so 3-4stone too light to donate

I though o neg is the universal donor.

I used to do it, I used to give a unit and a half because I could donate to neonates as I’d never had a particular common virus.

It takes longer than blood donation because they take the blood out, spin off the platelets & give you the rest back. It feels a bit cold sometimes. I used to take a book.

Blood and platelets are different 🤷🏽‍♀️

Dont they just take your blood then remove the platelets. You cant do both at the same time as the remaining blood wouldnt have any platelets in it.

I donate blood and am often in the same room as platelet donors. It takes much longer, up to an hour and a half I think. If you go to a blood donor centre (rather than a travelling centre) you will see it happening.
I asked about this last time I was in because a young cancer patient I know had had lots of platelet donations but was told my blood is more useful than my platelets. Male platelets can go to men and women but women's platelets can not be given to men. The same is not true for blood. So in my area they are only currently taking male donors. I am not a scientist btw so I don't know any more than this. My blood type is universal and can go to anyone but my platelets can't so they would rather I donate blood.
Make an appointment to donate blood and the staff there will be able to answer all your questions.

Do you meet the criteria for platelets? E.g. here, (Ireland) if you have ever been pregnant, you can't donate platelets. Check out the criteria for both.

At least they give you the blood back and Aneg is the universal platelet donor type.

Huh, just looked at criteria here, pregnancy not mentioned, but group A is mentioned as preferred.
As well as increased time - up to 90 minutes per donation, also increased frequency - every 4-6 weeks, so it is quite a commitment.

I donated blood last week, I was talking to the nurse and she advised they are well stocked up for platelets so they where stopping donations for them and using those chairs for blood donations instead, means they can get more donars into the centre since they've had to stop their mobile blood unit and can only take donations in the centre appointment only due to social distancing.

This is only for my area, best to ring up and check with yours.

A lot of the reasons people need platelets - i.e. chemotherapy don't exist at the moment as they are cancelled due to COVID. So pretty logical that they have enough stocks - they likely have some regular high value donors and stick with them.

But please do give blood - as I can't give I tried to interest DH, and now he can't as he's had corneal grafts. My DF was very proud of his long service blood donor pin badge.

Our donation centre ha cancelled blood donations 🤷🏽‍♀️ presumably they will be in touch once they have set up running again as per the letter.

When I lived somewhere close to a platelet centre I donated regularly. It was a chance to lie down, get fed chocolate, sandwiches and drinks and watch telly - and I got time off work to go so it was a total win!. As I'm tall I could do 2 units per donation.

As many have suggested I’ll register to donate blood first, and see how I go from there!

I'm A- and a long term blood donor. I kept getting leaflets for donating platelets. However when i went to my last session the sister checked my arms and didn't think i'd be suitable. Apparently big veins are needed.

I'm due to donate blood again at the end of the month and they texted to make sure i was still ok to do so. I'm assuming the session will still be on.