What was supposed to be my first was aborted when the machine failed to collect any, no idea why, though they suspect it was a faulty pack.
Still, I knew some of what to expect..... And I hope I'm not going to put anyone off who might think of donating in this way.
Blood pressure check - 159 over 96 - WHAT! - and that's ok? - they go by 170 over 100 as the limit.
Last time, I was 149 over 105 (FAIL) but dropped to 137 over 93 after relaxing (and I read on the net, 140 over 90 is the upper limit of "prehypertension") - so much for 3 weeks of diet + excersise!
The apheresis machine is quite large, and COVERED in pipes - the pack which is used once and replaced each time. The collection is from one arm (the same one you'd normally donate from), while the return is to a canula (like they'd connect a drip to) in the other arm - and you have reasonable mobility in that arm.
The machine is initially primed with saline, and the very first step of the process is when the machine preapares and checks the valves to start taking.
So it's counting, I've got a quiz sheet that they handed out, but I really can't concentrate, glancing at the feed pressure (if this hits the red, the machine will halt and bleep for attention - squeeze the pad to help with the pressure) and at the collection bag.
10 Minutes, is that a golden tinge in the pipe?
A bit later, and it's definitely in the bag.
30 Minutes, and as I expected, the reaction to the citrate (anticoagulant) is beginning to kick in, though I don't notice it as much as the first time - dry throat, tingling, but not as bad as last time - my numbers are a bit lower than the guy in the next bay, so I guess the machine is calibrated a bit lower - and I also only had one pressure low, when I had a load in the last session.
Watch the telly, read, have a drink - Tea is probably better than orange, as the last thing you need is more citrate that way!
On second thoughts, best to delay that drink - The procedure is 90 minutes, and I don't know if it's another reaction to the citrate, or the machine bulks out what goes back with too much saline, but you don't half need a pee by the end.
The last 30 minutes were increasingly uncomfortable, but if you really can't stand it, they will abort - and use what's collected up to that point, but you can't reconnect as the kit is no longer sterile.
Now at the end, I was extremely uncomfortable, but suffered the extra 5 minutes (Return) - I could have been taken off then, but the loss of about half a normal blood donation in the machine would have meant a 2 month limit before the next donation.
Still, I'm hopeful - despite reading about citrate (ain't the internet wonderful?), it seems my reaction to it the second time is less severe than the first.
Bruises? - absolutely NONE this time - even better than a lot of ordinary donor sessions I've had.
Still, I knew some of what to expect..... And I hope I'm not going to put anyone off who might think of donating in this way.
Blood pressure check - 159 over 96 - WHAT! - and that's ok? - they go by 170 over 100 as the limit.
Last time, I was 149 over 105 (FAIL) but dropped to 137 over 93 after relaxing (and I read on the net, 140 over 90 is the upper limit of "prehypertension") - so much for 3 weeks of diet + excersise!
The apheresis machine is quite large, and COVERED in pipes - the pack which is used once and replaced each time. The collection is from one arm (the same one you'd normally donate from), while the return is to a canula (like they'd connect a drip to) in the other arm - and you have reasonable mobility in that arm.
The machine is initially primed with saline, and the very first step of the process is when the machine preapares and checks the valves to start taking.
So it's counting, I've got a quiz sheet that they handed out, but I really can't concentrate, glancing at the feed pressure (if this hits the red, the machine will halt and bleep for attention - squeeze the pad to help with the pressure) and at the collection bag.
10 Minutes, is that a golden tinge in the pipe?
A bit later, and it's definitely in the bag.
30 Minutes, and as I expected, the reaction to the citrate (anticoagulant) is beginning to kick in, though I don't notice it as much as the first time - dry throat, tingling, but not as bad as last time - my numbers are a bit lower than the guy in the next bay, so I guess the machine is calibrated a bit lower - and I also only had one pressure low, when I had a load in the last session.
Watch the telly, read, have a drink - Tea is probably better than orange, as the last thing you need is more citrate that way!
On second thoughts, best to delay that drink - The procedure is 90 minutes, and I don't know if it's another reaction to the citrate, or the machine bulks out what goes back with too much saline, but you don't half need a pee by the end.
The last 30 minutes were increasingly uncomfortable, but if you really can't stand it, they will abort - and use what's collected up to that point, but you can't reconnect as the kit is no longer sterile.
Now at the end, I was extremely uncomfortable, but suffered the extra 5 minutes (Return) - I could have been taken off then, but the loss of about half a normal blood donation in the machine would have meant a 2 month limit before the next donation.
Still, I'm hopeful - despite reading about citrate (ain't the internet wonderful?), it seems my reaction to it the second time is less severe than the first.
Bruises? - absolutely NONE this time - even better than a lot of ordinary donor sessions I've had.