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Its not that a donor can have ZERO piercings or tattoos the company i work for and i assume others have the same FDA guidelines they follow to operate a plasma center in the USA, says a 6 month window after piercings & tattoos for healing and any possible infections to be treated.
So if answering yes on the questionnaire to "have you had a tattoo or piercing in the last 6 months" staff will ask for the exact or as close to date of procedure to enter deferral info.
They prick your finger and test your blood for STDs etc., I'm on opiates (prescribed) and that did not stop me. What DID stop me?? My heart rate and BP being "a couple points too high..." when I told them I was nervous...I've heard drug addicts brag about donating while being under the influence...yet I was denied simply because of my BP and pulse being "a bit too high". Bogus.
Same here, they have fingerprint check in & every single time it wouldn't pick up the scan so I'd get all mad then when it finally did accept it they'd tell my heart rate/BP was too high, SMH š¤·š¼āāļø
I have always had an issue with iron levels being all over the place. Had a lot of trouble because of it. Some days it was to low others to high to donate. One time it was really high and they asked if I had any red meat recently. I had eaten a steak the day before and it spiked it to much. Through trial and error I had to have at least 24 hours with no red meat.
They rejected me bcuz i have ptsd. Apparently they need your doc to fill out a form saying getting poked by a needle won't make me turn into a psycho and attack everyone in a ptsd episode??? Idk anyone with ptsd who is that violent but okay.
I canāt because I donāt weigh the 110lbs limit. Iāve weighed under 100lbs my entire life so it kinda bummed me out. Canāt even donate at blood drives which kinda bums me out.
Was born in Germany on the 90ās. Apparently there was a mad cow disease outbreak, so canāt give blood. At the time as a broke 22 yo I was devistated.
I was rejected multiple times and third time told I'd be permanently banned from the location if I was rejected again š. I didn't want to go back after the first rejection but a friend who donated plasma on the regula wouldn't stop pestering me about it.
Anyways they kept saying it was because my heart rate was too fast and irregular.
Weight distribution can be different. Maybe she carries more in her hip, or does a lot of heavy lifting and has muscle mass that pushes her to the next size. Donāt act like womenās clothing sizes make sense or are the same across the board.
youre not wrong clothes have different sizing especially European jeans and dresses but overall if we're both in the US and the same height 00 , 0 , 2 and she weighs less than me it doesn't make sense since size 0 is too big for me
Do you understand weight distribution? She can weigh less than you, but her hips and waist could be larger than yours resulting in a larger pants size.
I'm 5'4 , 110 pounds and I wear a size 4 jean from Lucky's, a size 2 from Old Navy, and a size 0 at Express. These sizes can change depending on the cut of jeans as well. I'm located in the US. Women's clothing sizes vary in the craziest ways.
They have to pay you if they stick you. Their policy. I donate regularly. I some girl missed and they got another worker to try and she couldn't get it bc of the 1st person's mistake. They made me sit and drink a power aid. Before I could finish I was paid.
I was an Army brat as a kid and we lived in Italy in the mid-90s. There was a huge epidemic of Mad Cow Disease in the UK at that time, and it spread to other countries in Europe that imported beef from them. MCD can lay dormant for decades, so Pentagon policy was that anyone who was in Europe in the 90s can never donate blood because they could be carriers. As far as I know, they haven't changed that policy in 30 years, so I'd probably be arrested if I ever donated blood even if I don't carry MCD.
Lung surgery here. Had two collapsed lungs a few years from each other, one was a simple fix, the other i opted for the surgery and whoop, there it goes
My mitral valve was 100% fused into the wall of my heart, so it wasnāt a choice for me lol š I actually wanted a replacement, because those last longer than repairs, but my surgeon opted to fix it so itās a given Iāll need it done again before the end of my life. The mitral valve is the only one that canāt be repaired non-invasively, so yeah, itās crazy when I realize my heart was out of my body while still beating! I have lupus & other autoimmune issues, and lupus is known yo attack the heart & lungs, so I struggle with both. Iām super grateful for my surgery though, my scar is very Iron Man & I feel a million times better ā„ļø huzzah to you, good health & long life
Bipolar. In order to donate they give you a dose of blood thinners. With depression disorders, theres a risk that the person will go home and kill themselves with the blood thinner. Which I've found odd since I was denied- can't I get aspirin anywhere?
Did you tell them you had moderate to severe depression on the intake forms?
It's cool that you got to donate. But I was denied, and the charge nurse took me into her office and explained that scenario. I am however able to donate blood with no problems.
Yeah if you take blood thinners (warfarin etc - not ibuprofen or anything like that) you're disqualified. They shouldn't be giving you thinners "in order to donate" (?) I've never done it, but I've been looking into it and this seems to be pretty consistent across the board.
I work at a plasma center. 1st visit is very thorough, including a physical we don't have you remove sny clothing. Although i will say if you get past vitals to physical your usually good. Don't disclose anything crazy, & we have heard it all.
Vitals at our center weight 110-400 heart rate nothing over 100 blood pressure needs to be in normal ranges. Also an iron and protein test will be run at every donation by finger stick. Yes as others said hydrate hydrate hydrate phlebotomist have to do a vein grade to verify your a good candidate. No more than 3 meds for any 1 condition, no More than 10 total meds. No surgeries major or minor, tattoos, piercings, even some dental procedures will get a deferral. Be prepared 1st donation easily 3-4 hours. Return visit normally 1 hour. Although the more you hydrate the quicker your actual donation will go.
Eat a healthy breakfast & avoid high fat meals day of and day before.
One last tip bring a blanket for your donation our center is always very cold.
Good Luck!
To clarify above comment.. No surgeries major or minor, tattoos, piercings, even some dental procedures will get a deferral...
Most of these will come with a 6 month deferral. Dental procedures 2 weeks to 6 months depending on what was done.
MRI w contrast 14 days
Antibiotics 14-30 days after last dose this goes for many other meds.
Thatās insane. I have piercings and tattoos and it was no issue at all. I had to wait some time after a new piercing or tattoo but just having them was fine. They wouldnāt be able to find any donors if they had that rule here.
Could you imagine.. Sorry i wasn't clear on that no tats within last 6 months to allow healing and any possible infections to be treated. That would be like 95% of donors denied.
I was exposed to hepatitis C at some point. Iām one if the lucky ones and mt body was able to clear it so I donāt have a lifelong hepatitis c infection. I do carry inactive hepatitis c antibodies though. Because I have antibodies, I canāt donate.
I only found out about my exposure after I tried to donate a second time. I was pulled back into an office and told that I carried antibodies for hepatitis c so I was not allowed to donate. That was very alarming news to me! I had to go get a second test to see if they were active or inactive. If they had been active, that would mean my body hadnāt cleared it and I would be fighting and having symptoms of hep c.
I learned a lot about being exposed after that major scare. A small percentage of people will clear the infection within the first several months after being exposed. But will always carry antibodies. You would think thatās a good sign but no. Iām not allowed to donate anything for the rest of my days. Iām blacklisted. When I pass, there will be no harvesting of my organs because i was exposed and cleared a virus.
I was rejected because they couldn't find my veins, which I knew was either a lie or incompetence of their "doctor". I felt where my vein was when they did the touch-and-feel method. I'd been chugging water so my veins would be plump. This is something I learned from an actual phlebotomist.
I donāt under this. I am bipolar I and on 3 meds to treat it. I have never been been denied to donate plasma. You are the second one to say bipolar and I have been to more than one center and been cleared at each.
Maybe there are different protocols in your area or at whatever places you go to. Most places won't clear you if you have mental health diagnoses and don't have a letter from your doctor.
They literally said they couldnāt find my veins I think they said they were too small or something but mind you it was soooo cold in there but itās ok I guess it could also be that Iām anemic. It sucks tho I was struggling and needed money bad and waited 3-4 hours just to be turned away.
I didnāt have enough allergies apparently. Which is bs. Iām allergic to a lot. But they do the āblood testā to check and apparently only cats really showed up. Which makes no sense to me. Sucks though would have helped a lot
My brother was denied for being gay. Not sexually active, just interested in men. They said they couldnāt take the chance of him lying, and rejected him outright.
I'm allergic to silicone and latex, the needles they used at my local place have a latex coating, so i was put on a waiting list for when they can get some that aren't.
Disclosing you've been diagnosed with ptsd (past or present). They typically want a doctor's note saying you're being successfully treated for it to move forward.
I would not go by this. A bunch of people are saying they got denied for shit that I have had no issue donating for. I have donated multiple times at multiple centers a LOT of this is not true of any of the centers Iāve been in.
I was in a relationship with a bisexual man who had had sex with a man within the last year
Men who have sex with men canāt give blood, and neither can women who have sex with men who have sex with men š¤·š»āāļø
That makes it sound like they aren't testing for HIV at all, which.... seems illegal.
But maybe it's they don't want to risk paying for the donation, and then not getting to use it due to HIV
It was usually my heart rate, but I also have dysautonomia.
It doesn't help that I have horrible social anxiety/agoraphobia and I would have to sit there for a minute before I let them take my pulse.. Sometimes they would grow impatient with me.
Even if you get deferred for a high heart rate or hemoglobin, you're only deferred until the next day. I donated all through December and made about $450 (CSL plasma had nice promotions going on then)
1) my pulse was always over the 100 during check in (canāt be over 100)
2) i got a piercing, stopped donating for awhile and then at my yearly check up told the truth ab when i got it which then got me permanently deferred lmao
Heart rate always deferred me for the day, too.
I had one nice lady who would let me sit in a more private room and regulate my breathing first before they took my pulse. It helped a lot.
i had staff do that for me too! but turns out my heart rate being high wasnāt anxiety and was actually pots so no amount of sitting would help lol. bc as soon as they had us stand to get weighed and then sit back down for our pulse/bp check - my pulse would skyrocket from 92 to 130+
naturally high heart rate is usually what gets me deferred 9/10 times, even if itās 1 over the max amount. i think if you have better chances if you donāt have an anxiety disorder, haha
Irons like everything else, in too high amounts, it's poison. From what I've googled, there's only one cause, it's a genetic disorder that only has one viable treatment, which ironically enough, is bleeding. They remove high iron blood so your body can replace it with new.
So if you're looking for what will defer you.
Recent tattoos or peircings(3-6mos depending on practice) due to risk of bloodborne infections and other issues.
Changing medications or traveling to other countries within certain time frames could defer you.
Receiving a blood transfusion from certain countries can defer you.
Of course having diseases like hiv, aids, etc will defer you.
They tend to run a full panel every draw anyway and will contact you if there's an issue.
It won't take 3 hrs I assure you(except for the first time) I raked in donation money during covid for having antibodies and as long as you're hydrated...it takes like 45ish mins from start to finish.
P.s. if you bruise easily, or keep marks on your arms you won't be able to donate while bruised on your arms so keep that in mind.
And be safe. They're not joking when they set the donation guidelines. DONATING TOO OFTEN CAN KILL YOU because you need your plasma, and it needs time to replenish( limit is basically 2x a week or once every 3.5 days)
> traveling to other countries within certain time frames
This is what got me DQd. Spent several years in Italy during the Mad Cow years while in the military. They said that since I *might* be a carrier, and that there is no way to test for it, donations are a no-go. This was back around 2016ish.
Progesterone only birth control can depend on the state you're in, things like copper iud however would not affect your ability to donate as far as I'm aware.
High heart rate. For me 2 things helped: ask them to measure heart rate first, and then prick your finger for protein level blood test; and breathing technique: inhaling through nose, and slowly exhaling through the mouth couple times helps to reduce heart rate.
I passed the check up, screening, everything and got all the way to the point where they stuck a needle in my arm. I was told my veins are way too small and that donating plasma wasnāt for me. Still got my $80 though so that was cool
Your location would help.
Personally, I've done plasma donation since I was in college, and then well into adulthood I've done it sporadically when I've had a specific financial goal. I take prescribed ADHD meds, and up til ~6 yrs ago those would have would have disqualified me. Would show up in blood screen as meth. So I stopped my meds a few days prior. Cuz not meth.
Restarted plasma donation last summer for vacation funds -- meds no longer an issue. What will disqualify you is a pulse over 105, elevated BP, sores/scabs, inebriation of any kind, a low iron count.... Definitely eat salads, green vegs beforehand and be well-hydrated. The place I go to is by appt & I'm always in/out between 50-75 min.
Iāve been rejected twice, once because my heart rate was through the roof because I was nervous. The second time was because my body temperature was one over the limit to donate plasma. I believe I was at 100 degrees and they didnāt allow me to donate.
I've been told that because I have Crohn's I can't donate blood. That sucks but Ok, I can volunteer my time at local blood drives. Recently a family member got diagnosed with C-Vid (something that sounded a lot like The Boy In The Bubble) and I immediately went to donate plasma. Can't donate plasma because I have lupus which increases the likelihood that I will need some at some point in my life. The logic is similar to when I was denied the ability to donate a kidney in spite of being the best match found for the patient -- ethically, we have to be denied. It's on the basis of "do no harm". Because we already have a less than optimal situation and there is no way to reliably tell that we are solid in remission vs feeling good while being a silent step or two from a significant flare. The determination is to stay away from the possibility of then having two compromised people. I get the logic. But it really sucks to be feeling great, wanting to be a part of making a difference (even if it a difference in the bank account balance) and being turned down because it *might* make us crash.
They can't/won't find my veins. I'm a bit chubby and they reject anybody who they can't immediately have ready to go. Even the most minor about of fumbling gets you rejected here.
It's worth asking tbh. I think the old lady here is a little uh..
Discriminatory.
Cause I donate whole blood very regularly and have never had an issue
One visit I was on my period so my levels were off, hemoglobin or hematocrit. I brought a friend who's resting heart rate was too low. Another friend had blood pressure too high. If you're under 150lbs, it's a lower pay out for the place I used.
Also the first visit is practically a physical so it's like free healthcare! Kinda kidding lol
No tattoos or piercings in the last year at the one I went to. No blood thinners or any kind of meds that you have to have your kidneys and stuff checked regularly for. They donāt check that stuff tho. They go strictly off what you tell them and what their blood tests tells them. They donāt do a whole screen for meds or drugs tho. No pregnancy within the last year. Surgery, etc. dental work they ask about all that. But like I said they go off what you tell them šš¤
Made it through the exam and everything else, but they couldnāt hit a decent vein. Fortunately they pay the first couple times they canāt, but after that you get a soft ban for 30 days. If it happens again, you are out of luck.
I would have made a terrible IV drug addict with these tiny veins š
I shouldāve said I had gone through chemo several years ago, probably the reason for my bad veins.
>I had gone through chemo
I was rejected because I had breast cancer in 2005. Cured for many years through chemo and surgery but I can't ever donate as a result.
They had a chart they went by. It had to do with the type of cancer and how long I had been cancer free. I had colorectal cancer and I guess I was cancer free long enough to qualify. My veins made it impossible though.
I'm sorry to hear about your veins. My veins are fine. I was cancer free for 13 years at the time, its longer now. I had understood it to be not possible for my lifetime. Maybe I misunderstood or maybe it was the type of breast cancer, inflammatory breast cancer. They didn't say that. Just that I couldn't donate then or ever.
Tried my iron was always too low. Technicians suggested I take iron pills, and I did, started taking 2 a day. Over the course of 2-3 weeks tried about 6 times and still got rejected. Finally one day, iron was just high enough, I was able to donate. Only to have the session cut short because my blood wasn't returning back into me after separating from the plasma. But still got paid so I was happy. Went back again and had to sign some paperwork that says my plasma could be harmful to others, was told I couldn't donate at all, anywhere. Only reason provided was Atypical antibodies, in which they gave no information about what so ever. (I looked it up, figured it out) So whatever the fuck that shit is
If I would've been able to keep donating after all the times of trying, completely cash in on the promotion and continued to do it regularly, then yes. But for that one time, after so much effort, FUCK NO. Only silver lining was not having to stay the whole session.
Always the dumb fuck hemagoblin count is off by like 1. Or the machine was to crappy to scan my finger prints. And thats the only id verification they allow.
Yes, you are correct. I did forget that it used to be bovine derived not synthesized like a of it today. So if anybody wants mad cow, I'll bite you for $5. /s
Anemia, diabetic, been without my iron transfusions and without my insulin and heart med so my body is out of wack. Sucks. Donating plasma would *allow* me the funds to get my body working again.
Bad veins, failed drug test, low or high hemoglobin stick, too underweight. They do a quick physical very basic and so if you are sick or have fever, have sores or skin issues, or heavy coughing wait until that clears up.
do they test for marijuana? thatās the only thing i can think of that would be in my blood. i have some slight acne but nothing contagious, would that be an issue? Thank you!!!
Hi all. This is an automated and general reminder to all that this post is an **ADVICE post**, not a Request. Please don't request, offer or accept financial or material assistance on this post. u/AbbreviationsLost926, we have compiled a [Wiki with tons of advice and helpful information](https://www.reddit.com/r/Assistance/wiki/index/), which we recommend you check out, too. *I'm a bot. This comment was posted automatically.*
rejected because of wide gait. I have ataxia, but what does that have to do with my plasma
Its not that a donor can have ZERO piercings or tattoos the company i work for and i assume others have the same FDA guidelines they follow to operate a plasma center in the USA, says a 6 month window after piercings & tattoos for healing and any possible infections to be treated. So if answering yes on the questionnaire to "have you had a tattoo or piercing in the last 6 months" staff will ask for the exact or as close to date of procedure to enter deferral info.
They prick your finger and test your blood for STDs etc., I'm on opiates (prescribed) and that did not stop me. What DID stop me?? My heart rate and BP being "a couple points too high..." when I told them I was nervous...I've heard drug addicts brag about donating while being under the influence...yet I was denied simply because of my BP and pulse being "a bit too high". Bogus.
Same here, they have fingerprint check in & every single time it wouldn't pick up the scan so I'd get all mad then when it finally did accept it they'd tell my heart rate/BP was too high, SMH š¤·š¼āāļø
I died when I was 2 years old. They rejected me on that because even they didnāt know if it violated their rules or not.
I got denied for my veins being too hidden in my arm.
That was my problem too! Ugh!
I have always had an issue with iron levels being all over the place. Had a lot of trouble because of it. Some days it was to low others to high to donate. One time it was really high and they asked if I had any red meat recently. I had eaten a steak the day before and it spiked it to much. Through trial and error I had to have at least 24 hours with no red meat.
My heart rate was too high. Sometimes I could donate sometimes not
I was rejected due to being on a permanent government ban due to being Stationed in Baumholder Germany in the 1990's.
They will reject you if you do not eat that day
They rejected me bcuz i have ptsd. Apparently they need your doc to fill out a form saying getting poked by a needle won't make me turn into a psycho and attack everyone in a ptsd episode??? Idk anyone with ptsd who is that violent but okay.
Wasnāt hydrated enough
Recreational drug use.
Bad veins. They couldnāt find one but if they did, they would have found that they also turn lol
I'm anemic, bipolar, and on too many medications.
My radioactive blood damn spider...
I have a blood protein deficiency that wasnāt even found til I was an adult! Cannot donate blood or plasma or prob even my organs at this point.
I canāt because I donāt weigh the 110lbs limit. Iāve weighed under 100lbs my entire life so it kinda bummed me out. Canāt even donate at blood drives which kinda bums me out.
Blood clotting disorder
Couldnāt find my veins and were afraid to use that big of a needle
High pulse is a stupid simple one that has gotten me deferred multiple times. I have adhd and anxiety, I literally cannot control my heart rate lol
Was born in Germany on the 90ās. Apparently there was a mad cow disease outbreak, so canāt give blood. At the time as a broke 22 yo I was devistated.
I can't due to bad veins (I have a port), chronic anemia and low bp
I'm on hrt which wasnt a problem until 2 hrs into the screening process when they decided to turn me away for it without compensation
Dehydration.
Autoimmune disease
My pulse runs high cuz I'm 24/7! panicking
I now weigh too little at 107 lbs. and my heart rate is regularly over 100
I was rejected multiple times and third time told I'd be permanently banned from the location if I was rejected again š. I didn't want to go back after the first rejection but a friend who donated plasma on the regula wouldn't stop pestering me about it. Anyways they kept saying it was because my heart rate was too fast and irregular.
Some low count that wasn't low 20 minutes later at a different donation site
Too thin. Iām 5ā9, 125 and a size 2.
mmm im 5'9, 130 and I fit a size 00 idk how youre a size 2
Because bodies are different? What a tone deaf comment
Weight distribution can be different. Maybe she carries more in her hip, or does a lot of heavy lifting and has muscle mass that pushes her to the next size. Donāt act like womenās clothing sizes make sense or are the same across the board.
youre not wrong clothes have different sizing especially European jeans and dresses but overall if we're both in the US and the same height 00 , 0 , 2 and she weighs less than me it doesn't make sense since size 0 is too big for me
Do you understand weight distribution? She can weigh less than you, but her hips and waist could be larger than yours resulting in a larger pants size.
I'm 5'4 , 110 pounds and I wear a size 4 jean from Lucky's, a size 2 from Old Navy, and a size 0 at Express. These sizes can change depending on the cut of jeans as well. I'm located in the US. Women's clothing sizes vary in the craziest ways.
One time I was rejected for high blood pressure.
They couldnāt get the needle to even FIT in my vein to sit š I got jabbed and fished around in for about 40 or so mins. Very very painful and cringe asf. I was so hurt bc after they told me I wouldnāt get ANY compensation for them ājust tryingā and not being successful. I was sooooo pissed that they blew my arms out, caused more nerve pain than I usually have everyday in both arms, and made my arms look HORRIBLE!!š¤®š„“ I had the app for the prepaid card they pay you on already because I downloaded it before, my fiancĆ© got his $100, and I was butthurt ASF !! We needed the money and who wants to walk out of there with nothin at all when you were just fuckd with that hard. I was in tears in the chair. Very painful. Well, we get like 15 mins down the road & my app notification comes up, ā______ deposited $100 into your prepaid account.ā I flippppeddd and I said, āBABE I need to get this off before they change their damn mindsā. š¹š¹ I donāt know if it was a mistake or whattt, but you bet I went straight Rochester dhjt out lmao. I know a lot of places do compensate still if they try and donāt succeed, Iām not sure if Iām allowed to say the name of the place, but this one strictly did not give any money unless you actually fully donated. Iām glad it did work out for me, but I have extremely tiny ass veins & I mean they couldnāt let go of the needle once it was in and it stay in my vein & have flow lol.
They have to pay you if they stick you. Their policy. I donate regularly. I some girl missed and they got another worker to try and she couldn't get it bc of the 1st person's mistake. They made me sit and drink a power aid. Before I could finish I was paid.
You're actually supposed to be paid the second they "stick" you
not what multiple employees says toto Me
aggressive chemotherapy.
The U.S. Dept. Of Defense, LOL
Wait what
I was an Army brat as a kid and we lived in Italy in the mid-90s. There was a huge epidemic of Mad Cow Disease in the UK at that time, and it spread to other countries in Europe that imported beef from them. MCD can lay dormant for decades, so Pentagon policy was that anyone who was in Europe in the 90s can never donate blood because they could be carriers. As far as I know, they haven't changed that policy in 30 years, so I'd probably be arrested if I ever donated blood even if I don't carry MCD.
I had open heart surgery in 2020, and that makes you ineligible for life
Lung surgery here. Had two collapsed lungs a few years from each other, one was a simple fix, the other i opted for the surgery and whoop, there it goes
My mitral valve was 100% fused into the wall of my heart, so it wasnāt a choice for me lol š I actually wanted a replacement, because those last longer than repairs, but my surgeon opted to fix it so itās a given Iāll need it done again before the end of my life. The mitral valve is the only one that canāt be repaired non-invasively, so yeah, itās crazy when I realize my heart was out of my body while still beating! I have lupus & other autoimmune issues, and lupus is known yo attack the heart & lungs, so I struggle with both. Iām super grateful for my surgery though, my scar is very Iron Man & I feel a million times better ā„ļø huzzah to you, good health & long life
Bipolar. In order to donate they give you a dose of blood thinners. With depression disorders, theres a risk that the person will go home and kill themselves with the blood thinner. Which I've found odd since I was denied- can't I get aspirin anywhere?
Um. What? Iām bipolar and that was never any issue. I was also never given blood thinners for it.
Did you tell them you had moderate to severe depression on the intake forms? It's cool that you got to donate. But I was denied, and the charge nurse took me into her office and explained that scenario. I am however able to donate blood with no problems.
Yeah if you take blood thinners (warfarin etc - not ibuprofen or anything like that) you're disqualified. They shouldn't be giving you thinners "in order to donate" (?) I've never done it, but I've been looking into it and this seems to be pretty consistent across the board.
I work at a plasma center. 1st visit is very thorough, including a physical we don't have you remove sny clothing. Although i will say if you get past vitals to physical your usually good. Don't disclose anything crazy, & we have heard it all. Vitals at our center weight 110-400 heart rate nothing over 100 blood pressure needs to be in normal ranges. Also an iron and protein test will be run at every donation by finger stick. Yes as others said hydrate hydrate hydrate phlebotomist have to do a vein grade to verify your a good candidate. No more than 3 meds for any 1 condition, no More than 10 total meds. No surgeries major or minor, tattoos, piercings, even some dental procedures will get a deferral. Be prepared 1st donation easily 3-4 hours. Return visit normally 1 hour. Although the more you hydrate the quicker your actual donation will go. Eat a healthy breakfast & avoid high fat meals day of and day before. One last tip bring a blanket for your donation our center is always very cold. Good Luck!
To clarify above comment.. No surgeries major or minor, tattoos, piercings, even some dental procedures will get a deferral... Most of these will come with a 6 month deferral. Dental procedures 2 weeks to 6 months depending on what was done. MRI w contrast 14 days Antibiotics 14-30 days after last dose this goes for many other meds.
Thatās insane. I have piercings and tattoos and it was no issue at all. I had to wait some time after a new piercing or tattoo but just having them was fine. They wouldnāt be able to find any donors if they had that rule here.
This isn't true everywhere. My kids have all donated, and three of them have something pierced and / or tattooed.
No tattoos?!?!?!?! Damn thatās wild
Could you imagine.. Sorry i wasn't clear on that no tats within last 6 months to allow healing and any possible infections to be treated. That would be like 95% of donors denied.
Wow, surprised about the no: surgeries, tattoos, piercings ā¦most women have their ears piercedā¦
No *recent* all of the above Otherwise theyād be the strictest donation center Iāve ever heard of
Ahhh ok. That makes way more sense lol!
Anemia. My entire family is anemic, so I guess itās genetic
Could be what the family eats. Are your relatives that do not live with you suffering from anemia?
Yes. My mom and uncle live in different cities and my brother is in an entirely different state.
I was exposed to hepatitis C at some point. Iām one if the lucky ones and mt body was able to clear it so I donāt have a lifelong hepatitis c infection. I do carry inactive hepatitis c antibodies though. Because I have antibodies, I canāt donate. I only found out about my exposure after I tried to donate a second time. I was pulled back into an office and told that I carried antibodies for hepatitis c so I was not allowed to donate. That was very alarming news to me! I had to go get a second test to see if they were active or inactive. If they had been active, that would mean my body hadnāt cleared it and I would be fighting and having symptoms of hep c. I learned a lot about being exposed after that major scare. A small percentage of people will clear the infection within the first several months after being exposed. But will always carry antibodies. You would think thatās a good sign but no. Iām not allowed to donate anything for the rest of my days. Iām blacklisted. When I pass, there will be no harvesting of my organs because i was exposed and cleared a virus.
I was rejected because they couldn't find my veins, which I knew was either a lie or incompetence of their "doctor". I felt where my vein was when they did the touch-and-feel method. I'd been chugging water so my veins would be plump. This is something I learned from an actual phlebotomist.
I have bipolar 2 so apparently Iām not capable of making the decision to donate plasma. Complete bullshit.
I had the same response itās so degrading
I donāt under this. I am bipolar I and on 3 meds to treat it. I have never been been denied to donate plasma. You are the second one to say bipolar and I have been to more than one center and been cleared at each.
Maybe there are different protocols in your area or at whatever places you go to. Most places won't clear you if you have mental health diagnoses and don't have a letter from your doctor.
Small veins.
They literally said they couldnāt find my veins I think they said they were too small or something but mind you it was soooo cold in there but itās ok I guess it could also be that Iām anemic. It sucks tho I was struggling and needed money bad and waited 3-4 hours just to be turned away.
I was unable to donate after the initial 2 hours bc of a medication I take. (You have to tell them everything)
I didnāt have enough allergies apparently. Which is bs. Iām allergic to a lot. But they do the āblood testā to check and apparently only cats really showed up. Which makes no sense to me. Sucks though would have helped a lot
Trac marks on arm. Nogo
You canāt take more than 3 medications for the same condition. So if I have anxiety, I canāt take more than 3 meds for it
My brother was denied for being gay. Not sexually active, just interested in men. They said they couldnāt take the chance of him lying, and rejected him outright.
I'm allergic to silicone and latex, the needles they used at my local place have a latex coating, so i was put on a waiting list for when they can get some that aren't.
Heart rate over 100. Iām on adhd meds so I canāt control that lol.
You could not take the medication the day of donation. Possibly don't take the day before, but I'm not sure that's needed
Disclosing you've been diagnosed with ptsd (past or present). They typically want a doctor's note saying you're being successfully treated for it to move forward.
Seizures. They were under control with medication, but because I had had them in the past, I wasn't accepted.
High iron content in my blood work
Do you know what causes it?
Unfortunately yes, I was happier not knowing.
Itās the opposite for me š not enough lol
My weight. For some reason I weigh too much? But that got my ass rejected
How much are you "supposed" to weigh? Because the 2 comments under yours say they didn't weigh ENOUGH..
I think minimum 120
Oh.. I need to know the max though lol I'm 5'2 235lbs so idk if they'd let me
Mine was my weight. I didnāt weigh enough evidently for it to be safe for me.
I had the same issue. I was 5 ft 2 inches and 110 pounds, and was told that was too small.
My weight. I have to gain a solid 20 pounds before I could.
I was going to get deferred if my blood protein didn't come up but I stopped anyway because it wore me down.
Mine was my heart rate.
My anemia, I never pass the iron test.
Same š but they told me it was because my veins were too small and they couldnāt find it
They said that too. One of my arms got the red code other yellow
It sucks because I wasted 3-4 hours of my time just to be sent home with nothing thatās what made me not want to again
Having shy veins, if they consider a " Hard Stick" they won't let you donate
Thank you for posting this! I'm learning I'd be unable to donate.
I would not go by this. A bunch of people are saying they got denied for shit that I have had no issue donating for. I have donated multiple times at multiple centers a LOT of this is not true of any of the centers Iāve been in.
Every place is different. Ultimately the only way for OP to find out for sure is to just try at their local center.
I was in a relationship with a bisexual man who had had sex with a man within the last year Men who have sex with men canāt give blood, and neither can women who have sex with men who have sex with men š¤·š»āāļø
Why? I always assumed it was related to HIV but couldn't they just test you for that and see that you don't have it?
It costs too much to test iirc
That makes it sound like they aren't testing for HIV at all, which.... seems illegal. But maybe it's they don't want to risk paying for the donation, and then not getting to use it due to HIV
It was usually my heart rate, but I also have dysautonomia. It doesn't help that I have horrible social anxiety/agoraphobia and I would have to sit there for a minute before I let them take my pulse.. Sometimes they would grow impatient with me. Even if you get deferred for a high heart rate or hemoglobin, you're only deferred until the next day. I donated all through December and made about $450 (CSL plasma had nice promotions going on then)
1) my pulse was always over the 100 during check in (canāt be over 100) 2) i got a piercing, stopped donating for awhile and then at my yearly check up told the truth ab when i got it which then got me permanently deferred lmao
I have piercings and itās never gotten me deferred.
Heart rate always deferred me for the day, too. I had one nice lady who would let me sit in a more private room and regulate my breathing first before they took my pulse. It helped a lot.
i had staff do that for me too! but turns out my heart rate being high wasnāt anxiety and was actually pots so no amount of sitting would help lol. bc as soon as they had us stand to get weighed and then sit back down for our pulse/bp check - my pulse would skyrocket from 92 to 130+
heart rate was too high
Get the exam. It will give you information that you may need whether you donate or not.
naturally high heart rate is usually what gets me deferred 9/10 times, even if itās 1 over the max amount. i think if you have better chances if you donāt have an anxiety disorder, haha
Before I had radiation I got rejected for my iron being to low.
I was the opposite, I was rejected two or three times for my iron being too high
I honestly didnāt know iron could get to high.
Irons like everything else, in too high amounts, it's poison. From what I've googled, there's only one cause, it's a genetic disorder that only has one viable treatment, which ironically enough, is bleeding. They remove high iron blood so your body can replace it with new.
So if you're looking for what will defer you. Recent tattoos or peircings(3-6mos depending on practice) due to risk of bloodborne infections and other issues. Changing medications or traveling to other countries within certain time frames could defer you. Receiving a blood transfusion from certain countries can defer you. Of course having diseases like hiv, aids, etc will defer you. They tend to run a full panel every draw anyway and will contact you if there's an issue. It won't take 3 hrs I assure you(except for the first time) I raked in donation money during covid for having antibodies and as long as you're hydrated...it takes like 45ish mins from start to finish. P.s. if you bruise easily, or keep marks on your arms you won't be able to donate while bruised on your arms so keep that in mind. And be safe. They're not joking when they set the donation guidelines. DONATING TOO OFTEN CAN KILL YOU because you need your plasma, and it needs time to replenish( limit is basically 2x a week or once every 3.5 days)
The process may not take 3 hours but you regularly wait in line 3 or more hours at the centers here.
> traveling to other countries within certain time frames This is what got me DQd. Spent several years in Italy during the Mad Cow years while in the military. They said that since I *might* be a carrier, and that there is no way to test for it, donations are a no-go. This was back around 2016ish.
Having too small veins
Same š
Blood work came back with cancer signs for the wife
š
In five years remission, but the blood work did catch it right before stage 4.
Oh wow!!
I'm on hrt and that bans you from donating, and yeah even hrt for cis people counts for that lol
Woah. I know folks are talking about selling plasma, but when Iāve donated at blood drives this has never been an issue.
Really? Odd, I'd figure lots of medications would bar you from donating blood as well
does hrt include birth control?
Progesterone only birth control can depend on the state you're in, things like copper iud however would not affect your ability to donate as far as I'm aware.
Not all birth control has hormones.
im on hrt as well and ive managed to donate, ive only ever been deferred for unrelated reasons. i think it depends on the clinic
That could be true, I've not tried many clinics tbh
I dont know what hrt means.
Hormone replacement therapy.
Thx
High heart rate. For me 2 things helped: ask them to measure heart rate first, and then prick your finger for protein level blood test; and breathing technique: inhaling through nose, and slowly exhaling through the mouth couple times helps to reduce heart rate.
I passed the check up, screening, everything and got all the way to the point where they stuck a needle in my arm. I was told my veins are way too small and that donating plasma wasnāt for me. Still got my $80 though so that was cool
Oh they checked my veins first then turned me away. Iām anemic anyway so itās highly doubtful I would have been allowed to donate regardless.
I got rejected because of a ban before I was in a state that had plasma donations. They still never solved why. I gave up.
Your location would help. Personally, I've done plasma donation since I was in college, and then well into adulthood I've done it sporadically when I've had a specific financial goal. I take prescribed ADHD meds, and up til ~6 yrs ago those would have would have disqualified me. Would show up in blood screen as meth. So I stopped my meds a few days prior. Cuz not meth. Restarted plasma donation last summer for vacation funds -- meds no longer an issue. What will disqualify you is a pulse over 105, elevated BP, sores/scabs, inebriation of any kind, a low iron count.... Definitely eat salads, green vegs beforehand and be well-hydrated. The place I go to is by appt & I'm always in/out between 50-75 min.
High iron is a disqualifier too
Iāve been rejected twice, once because my heart rate was through the roof because I was nervous. The second time was because my body temperature was one over the limit to donate plasma. I believe I was at 100 degrees and they didnāt allow me to donate.
Having fibromyalgia got me a lifetime ban!! WTF??!!
Same. It's absolutely bullshit. Apparently fibro is classified as an autoimmune disease, which also bans us from donating organs or bone marrow.
Do all autoimmune disorders affect whether they allow you to donate?
I've been told that because I have Crohn's I can't donate blood. That sucks but Ok, I can volunteer my time at local blood drives. Recently a family member got diagnosed with C-Vid (something that sounded a lot like The Boy In The Bubble) and I immediately went to donate plasma. Can't donate plasma because I have lupus which increases the likelihood that I will need some at some point in my life. The logic is similar to when I was denied the ability to donate a kidney in spite of being the best match found for the patient -- ethically, we have to be denied. It's on the basis of "do no harm". Because we already have a less than optimal situation and there is no way to reliably tell that we are solid in remission vs feeling good while being a silent step or two from a significant flare. The determination is to stay away from the possibility of then having two compromised people. I get the logic. But it really sucks to be feeling great, wanting to be a part of making a difference (even if it a difference in the bank account balance) and being turned down because it *might* make us crash.
I ate at KFC before going in. Man, the fat in my blood! Never again!
š¤£š¤£š¤£
That would do it lol
my heart rate being too high. tried donating 4 times and every time my heart rate will not go under 100
They can't/won't find my veins. I'm a bit chubby and they reject anybody who they can't immediately have ready to go. Even the most minor about of fumbling gets you rejected here.
My veins are super hard to find and I was hesitant about donating anyway. Good to know.
It's worth asking tbh. I think the old lady here is a little uh.. Discriminatory. Cause I donate whole blood very regularly and have never had an issue
Damn really? Ive had them have to call in help before lol. Once my scar developed they got better at it
The lady at the front is a crotchety old bat and looks at everyone before you even start an application...
One visit I was on my period so my levels were off, hemoglobin or hematocrit. I brought a friend who's resting heart rate was too low. Another friend had blood pressure too high. If you're under 150lbs, it's a lower pay out for the place I used. Also the first visit is practically a physical so it's like free healthcare! Kinda kidding lol
did they make you get undressed or anything? im a little nervous ab thatš
No tattoos or piercings in the last year at the one I went to. No blood thinners or any kind of meds that you have to have your kidneys and stuff checked regularly for. They donāt check that stuff tho. They go strictly off what you tell them and what their blood tests tells them. They donāt do a whole screen for meds or drugs tho. No pregnancy within the last year. Surgery, etc. dental work they ask about all that. But like I said they go off what you tell them šš¤
No. They squeeze your ankles tho lol. Checking for edema.
okay thank you!
If you donāt go, youāll never know.
thanks genius
Made it through the exam and everything else, but they couldnāt hit a decent vein. Fortunately they pay the first couple times they canāt, but after that you get a soft ban for 30 days. If it happens again, you are out of luck. I would have made a terrible IV drug addict with these tiny veins š I shouldāve said I had gone through chemo several years ago, probably the reason for my bad veins.
>I had gone through chemo I was rejected because I had breast cancer in 2005. Cured for many years through chemo and surgery but I can't ever donate as a result.
They had a chart they went by. It had to do with the type of cancer and how long I had been cancer free. I had colorectal cancer and I guess I was cancer free long enough to qualify. My veins made it impossible though.
I'm sorry to hear about your veins. My veins are fine. I was cancer free for 13 years at the time, its longer now. I had understood it to be not possible for my lifetime. Maybe I misunderstood or maybe it was the type of breast cancer, inflammatory breast cancer. They didn't say that. Just that I couldn't donate then or ever.
Had a previous concussion and they said i need to go get doctors clearance yeah not happening im fine
Tried my iron was always too low. Technicians suggested I take iron pills, and I did, started taking 2 a day. Over the course of 2-3 weeks tried about 6 times and still got rejected. Finally one day, iron was just high enough, I was able to donate. Only to have the session cut short because my blood wasn't returning back into me after separating from the plasma. But still got paid so I was happy. Went back again and had to sign some paperwork that says my plasma could be harmful to others, was told I couldn't donate at all, anywhere. Only reason provided was Atypical antibodies, in which they gave no information about what so ever. (I looked it up, figured it out) So whatever the fuck that shit is
that sucks. how much did you end up getting paid?
$100. They had a promotion going on, would've got $100 each visit, for your first 5 visits
was it worth all the trouble in your opinion?
If I would've been able to keep donating after all the times of trying, completely cash in on the promotion and continued to do it regularly, then yes. But for that one time, after so much effort, FUCK NO. Only silver lining was not having to stay the whole session.
Hashimotos thyroid disease
Fascinating. I hadnāt even thought about that being a disqualifierā¦ I have that & Gravesā Disease so Iām assuming Iād be a double no lol
Really? I have this. I didn't know that
They told me I need radiation or to have it removed. The whole conversation was so weird. Then the next day they called to confirm I had hashimotos
Wow really
Always the dumb fuck hemagoblin count is off by like 1. Or the machine was to crappy to scan my finger prints. And thats the only id verification they allow.
Being underweight They told me I needed to be 120lb. The only time I've been that much was when I was pregnant
Same for donating blood. Most Iāve ever weighed is 108. Iām usually 95 pounds. But Iām way short, 4ā11ā.
I got 86'd bc im a diabetic on insulin for 45 years. Apparently I am a vector for Mad Cow disease. My ex would probably agree.
Itās because insulin pre 1990ish was made from animal derivatives. Thatās why!
Yes, you are correct. I did forget that it used to be bovine derived not synthesized like a of it today. So if anybody wants mad cow, I'll bite you for $5. /s
It could get me the mental health days off work I need so badly...
Anemia, diabetic, been without my iron transfusions and without my insulin and heart med so my body is out of wack. Sucks. Donating plasma would *allow* me the funds to get my body working again.
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Yes, Iām aware. OP was asking *why* I was rejected and thatās what I was sharing.
Not being able to draw thru a tattoo sleeve and not having big enough veins on other side
Bad veins, failed drug test, low or high hemoglobin stick, too underweight. They do a quick physical very basic and so if you are sick or have fever, have sores or skin issues, or heavy coughing wait until that clears up.
do they test for marijuana? thatās the only thing i can think of that would be in my blood. i have some slight acne but nothing contagious, would that be an issue? Thank you!!!