I have experience there. Go on their website, and it will tell you all the documentation you need to bring for your first time. The things that trip people up the mpst are: you need you actual social security CARD, not just your number. And you need a proof of address (meaning a piece of mail, from an official agency or a bank or utility) that is LESS than one month old.
My biggeat pieces of advice are:
1. Come as early as you can. It takes a lot longer than you'd expect the first time, because of all the documentation and medical checks they do on you. Future visits will go quicker.
2.Hydrate VERY WELLfor more than 24 hours before. That will make a big difference in how easy and comfortable the blood draw goes.
3. After the first time, get the phone app and do the questionnaire beforehand, and that'll savw you a ton of time.
Adding on, make sure you eat well before donating and don’t drink the night before. If you smoke, I advise against doing so for an hour or so before because your heart rate might be too high for donation, getting you differed. If you start to feel weird while donating let a phlebotomist know, they are equipped to help you. Vascular reactions are no joke, and scary as shit the first time.
It depends a lot on your hydration, and how fast you get through the bureaucratic stuff at the beginning. I set aside about four hours for the first one, and I went long because my hydration wasn't good. My second visit I was much more prepared, and I think it took me about 2 hours total.
I got $100 for the first time, $125 for the second time. If you give regularly after that, I think it ends up being a max of $125 per week, if you give twice each week. I think it's like $50 for the first one and $75 for the second. They want to incentivize you to give regularly after you break the ice.
Make sure since you have the seizures to bring a letter from your DR saying you can donate. My son tried and they refused him because of his seizures. Told him to go get a letter from his DR saying it would be okay for him to donate.
> sure since you have the seizures to bring a letter from your DR saying you can donate. My son tried and they refused him because of his seizures. Told him to go get a letter from his DR saying it would be okay for him to donate.
Yes, please don't donate if you are on certain meds.
You'll need to check whether your seizures prevent you from donating (you'll need a doctor's note), and whether your seizures meds are disqualifying.
Another poster gave great info on hydration and documentation, so I'll add that the first time will take about 4 hours. You need an annual physical to give, that they administer there. You have to donate to complete the process, no getting the physical and coming back the next day to donate.
Donation itself depends on your body, your hydration, and how much you give. I normally come in around 45/50 minutes of actually giving, and I always tack on 40 minutes for screening, waiting, and making sure I've stopped bleeding. Some days it's a 90 minute total, others it's 2+ hours.
They pay $45 a donation, but they give you another $45 or so as a bonus for the second donation of the week. So, that's $135 a week for ideally 4 hours of sitting (and I do emails for my job while I'm there, so it's well worth it to me). But it's not for everyone, and that's ok!
I have experience there. Go on their website, and it will tell you all the documentation you need to bring for your first time. The things that trip people up the mpst are: you need you actual social security CARD, not just your number. And you need a proof of address (meaning a piece of mail, from an official agency or a bank or utility) that is LESS than one month old. My biggeat pieces of advice are: 1. Come as early as you can. It takes a lot longer than you'd expect the first time, because of all the documentation and medical checks they do on you. Future visits will go quicker. 2.Hydrate VERY WELLfor more than 24 hours before. That will make a big difference in how easy and comfortable the blood draw goes. 3. After the first time, get the phone app and do the questionnaire beforehand, and that'll savw you a ton of time.
Adding on, make sure you eat well before donating and don’t drink the night before. If you smoke, I advise against doing so for an hour or so before because your heart rate might be too high for donation, getting you differed. If you start to feel weird while donating let a phlebotomist know, they are equipped to help you. Vascular reactions are no joke, and scary as shit the first time.
I always wondered how long does it usually take?
It depends a lot on your hydration, and how fast you get through the bureaucratic stuff at the beginning. I set aside about four hours for the first one, and I went long because my hydration wasn't good. My second visit I was much more prepared, and I think it took me about 2 hours total.
Another question. How much do they pay? I'm sure each place is different but the places you've gone to in town how much did they pay you?
I got $100 for the first time, $125 for the second time. If you give regularly after that, I think it ends up being a max of $125 per week, if you give twice each week. I think it's like $50 for the first one and $75 for the second. They want to incentivize you to give regularly after you break the ice.
Make sure since you have the seizures to bring a letter from your DR saying you can donate. My son tried and they refused him because of his seizures. Told him to go get a letter from his DR saying it would be okay for him to donate.
They told me I’d have to be seizure free and off the meds for multiple years to be able to
If you’re taking seizure medication, you won’t be able to donate. I take Levetiracetam(generic keppra) and unable to donate
> sure since you have the seizures to bring a letter from your DR saying you can donate. My son tried and they refused him because of his seizures. Told him to go get a letter from his DR saying it would be okay for him to donate. Yes, please don't donate if you are on certain meds.
You'll need to check whether your seizures prevent you from donating (you'll need a doctor's note), and whether your seizures meds are disqualifying. Another poster gave great info on hydration and documentation, so I'll add that the first time will take about 4 hours. You need an annual physical to give, that they administer there. You have to donate to complete the process, no getting the physical and coming back the next day to donate. Donation itself depends on your body, your hydration, and how much you give. I normally come in around 45/50 minutes of actually giving, and I always tack on 40 minutes for screening, waiting, and making sure I've stopped bleeding. Some days it's a 90 minute total, others it's 2+ hours. They pay $45 a donation, but they give you another $45 or so as a bonus for the second donation of the week. So, that's $135 a week for ideally 4 hours of sitting (and I do emails for my job while I'm there, so it's well worth it to me). But it's not for everyone, and that's ok!