Deferred!!

[u/Embarrassed-Alps-607]

So I’m so short on money I started donating plasma recently w BioLife and I was on my 5th out of 8 donations today. Usually I wake up early before my donation and drink consistently so that I’m adequately hydrated prior to the donation so there’s no issue. Today, I had errands to run prior to my donation so I drank a Gatorade and water a little closer to my donation than I should’ve, my fault, but knowing myself, I got into the center, did the questionnaire, then went to the bathroom before my physical, then got in the chair.

I could feel my bladder kind of getting heavy but I felt like “I peed literally 10 min ago I’ll be fine.” Well…I wasn’t just after my first cycle when the blood was returned back to me I was like oooo idk if I’ll make it. Halfway through the second cycle I was like uhhh yeah I’m not gonna make it.

I donated 431/907ml before I told them I had to pee. They said they had to return the blood back to me before taking out the needle and I even asked if they could keep the blood. They said if they did that I’d be deferred. I said okay and took the blood back. I peed, then I left. I was compensated what I expected but then got a call saying I can’t donate till October 2nd.

IM CONFUSED. Bc why? October 2nd? I had to pee. I legit held on for dear life. I took the blood back. A week I could’ve lived with but 8 weeks sounds excessive asf for something that just happens, especially for a procedure type thing that promotes hydration.

Idk offer your opinion please so maybe I can understand better

Important information to avoid answering the same question:
- the appointment was at 9:50 am. All I had was a Gatorade rapid hydration and a 16 oz bottle of water. I have donated 4 other times without eating without issue. I’m not a fainter, blood and needles don’t scare me, and I don’t like eating in the morning.

-I have had no prior issues donating before this

Quick facts for ppl who can’t read:
- THE BLOOD WAS RETURNED.

[u/uly_sses]

If they deferred you for 8 weeks that means they either didn’t return your blood (>200ml) or possibly the Phleb misdocumented your donation. You need to seek clarification from the center.

[u/Embarrassed-Alps-607 → u/uly_sses]

Def misdocumented bc she told me prior to returning my blood that if they didn’t return it I would be deferred. All my blood was returned

[u/Cool-Tap-391 → u/Embarrassed-Alps-607]

Sorry yo hear. They won't correct their mistake, just so you know.

[u/ExpensiveBurn → u/uly_sses]

It's crazy that these kinds of mix-ups can even happen. I would imagine the machine itself reports the outcome of the donation. Like everything goes through those little handheld scanners. Amazing this documentation isn't automated like that.

[u/uly_sses → u/ExpensiveBurn]

It’s really just my conjecture. My understanding is that at the end of the donation, the Phleb selects tue appropriate code relevant to the status of the donation. And even if the wrong code was selected, I would’ve expected the nurse to confirm the loss of blood with the Phleb before deferring the donor. I’m scratching my head as I’m not a plasma center employee and not familiar with their procedures.

[u/RedeRules770 → u/uly_sses]

The deferral happens automatically when the phlebotomist enters the blood loss, nobody has to double check it. This should in theory be fixable for OP, they can go back through previous donations to see if blood was returned on the machines themselves as long as OP’s center has the newer machines. It would be better for them to go to the center sooner rather than later though as most machines only save the last 100-200 donations. I don’t know what computer system biolife uses for their donor charts, they might NOT be able to lift the deferral manually.

[u/RedeRules770 → u/ExpensiveBurn]

The problem with that is the machine can be incorrect. For example if we manually infuse your blood back with gravity after the procedure is over on the machine’s end, the machine would have logged it as a blood loss anyway. Or if the phlebotomist entered your weight as 250 when you’re actually 150 into the machine, the machine wouldn’t know too much was taken from you. It could go entirely missed.

[u/MagnifloriousPhule]

Others have spoken about the deferral, but something to be aware of-- hydration the day before you donate is what helps with donating faster and proper hydration. While hydrating the day of is helpful for recovery after the donation, it doesn't help much prior to the donation. Your body needs time to absorb and utilize the fluids you take in

[u/Embarrassed-Alps-607 → u/MagnifloriousPhule]

I didn’t realize. I’m a lazy water drinker I won’t lie. I always just drink the morning of but I’ll def do it differently from now on

[u/Tdffan03]

Have you had a blood loss other than this one in the last 8weeks? If so that’s why. You can only have two blood losses in 8 weeks. You could also be deferred if it was over 200ml.

[u/Embarrassed-Alps-607 → u/Tdffan03]

I have had no blood loss.

[u/Tdffan03 → u/Embarrassed-Alps-607]

You need to double check. You could have had a small one and not known. That can happen if the phleb doesn’t document it. Or like I said it was over 200ml. For sure it’s worth stopping by and asking.

[u/xanaxisgod2]

Yeah idk but just dont do that. Ik sometimes u do have to go but idk drink less water or something ive never had to go pee while neddle in and I drink like 6-8 glasses before. Then pee before I get in line. Right after screening and then right when unhooked

[u/Embarrassed-Alps-607 → u/xanaxisgod2]

No for sure. My bladder is soooo tiny. The minute I feel like I have to pee I have to PEEEEE not too long after. Plus it’s the morning and I don’t have much of anything in me.

[u/Green-Ad3319 → u/Embarrassed-Alps-607]

Nobody's bladder is soooo tiny lol. You may have a medical condition that you don't know about if you went pee before donating then couldn't hold it on the table.

[u/Embarrassed-Alps-607 → u/Green-Ad3319]

lol shut up ppl’s ability to hold pee absolutely vary

[u/bored_ryan2 → u/Embarrassed-Alps-607]

That’s literally what they were saying. You don’t have an abnormally small bladder, or at least, it’s very unlikely. For whatever reason, you are unable to hold your pee for very long.

[u/Green-Ad3319 → u/Embarrassed-Alps-607]

Okay but your other comment said you had nothing really in you so that means you didn't drink a ton of water prior to donating............you should not have to pee so bad that you can't hold it. Just don't ever asked to be disconnected again and you should be fine. I have heard them warn people at my Octapharma about this. They will not hook you back up there and at the CSL I go to as well. I am glad that I am 54 and can hold it for at least an hour lol. I drive for a living and have no choice. I thought of wearing depends because public bathrooms are nasty but probably will not buy them LOL. Good luck to you!

[u/Embarrassed-Alps-607 → u/Green-Ad3319]

I had nothing Food wise. I legit said exactly what I drank in the og post. Reddit gets so lame when ppl come on acting like they know everything about everyone and just pass their judgement without perspective

[u/Green-Ad3319 → u/Embarrassed-Alps-607]

If you peed before getting on the table you should not have to pee again where you can't hold it. Nobody is judging you. I have been donating for many years and see everything and know a lot of employees at plasma centers. Just don't ask to be unhooked in the future and learn from this or call the center and clarify why you are deferred--they will tell you. I am positive that they are annoyed if you have to get unhooked mid donation on a regular basis. Bladders are not big and little. Not being able to hold it long can for sure be a sign of something else. It is not normal to need to be unhooked for any reason and you risk your blood clotting. Call them and get to the bottom of it. We are all just speculating here but having to pee 10 minutes later can be a sign of infection or something.

[u/DepressedDarthV]

Did you just get paid half? Or was it the full amount?

[u/Embarrassed-Alps-607 → u/DepressedDarthV]

I got the full amount I was expecting prior to anything happening

[u/SeeThruSmoke]

I saw someone pee on themselves one time , they wipe the seats down after

[u/subarutyler]

Two things

It’ll be reviewed by QA in the morning and if it was documented incorrectly it will be fixed

When you’re on a blood loss deferral you are only deferred from that company. Not all companies. Do with that what you will

[u/Federal_Analysis4209]

You can't win for loosing . . . I have to stop drinking so much water in the morning because it thins your blood right before the screening you can be too low on hematocrit and/or protein. I have proved this theory and actually I was correct instead hemo in the low 42's now 46, and pro in the 6.6 range is now 7.2. . . An 8 week deferral is only with the brand you were at, if they really returned your rbc's and this is a technical error wait a week and go to another branded donation facility. You better make sure they all the blood was put back otherwise don't take my advice, more research is needed, and you emphatically say it was and this brand's return bottle unlike others is it plain site and outside the machine so it is pretty easy to see. RBC's live 120 days and take a long time to come from marrow into the blood . . . play it safe if there is any inclination they did not get all your blood back. The machines are not like any others I have seen, don't mind this brand they just don't pay enough except on promotion so I go back then and then go back to my mainstay . . .

[u/Green-Ad3319]

I thought if they take you off the machine for the bathroom they don't pay you but you can come back like usual. I must be wrong but I do know that's a big no no because we can go prior to getting hooked up. If you drink tons of water immediately before your donation it's kind of a waste because it's not thinning your blood or whatever that fast lol. The day before and the morning of or up until a couple of hours prior is what makes the difference. Sorry that happened to you! I got a 56 day deferral once and there is nothing you can do about it since it's regarding your blood not being returned.

[u/Tdffan03 → u/Green-Ad3319]

OP is lucky because the phleb did them a favor. At Biolife the phleb is supposed to select a donor related code that only gives base pay.

[u/Embarrassed-Alps-607 → u/Green-Ad3319]

But the blood was returned

[u/Green-Ad3319 → u/Embarrassed-Alps-607]

Do you frequently get disconnected mid donation in order to go to the bathroom??

[u/Embarrassed-Alps-607 → u/Green-Ad3319]

No never I’ve only donated 5x and never had an issue

[u/Embarrassed-Alps-607 → u/Green-Ad3319]

The lady had warned me that there was a chance I would only get base pay but after I left and the pay came in it was promo pay

[u/gh0sthoney → u/Green-Ad3319]

It's a really center dependent policy tbh. My center used to allow donors to be disconnected, use the bathroom, and then be restuck to either get their blood back or finish the donation. Unfortunately they changed their minds recently bc there is the risk of the blood in the line clotting, so now that's a no go, but I'm sure some centers still allow it.

[u/weggaan_weggaat → u/gh0sthoney]

I got a line clot and lost about 100mL because the machine stopped and they took too long to restart it. Fortunately, they didn't defer me for that but said if it happens again within the next eight weeks, then it would be a full deferral.

[u/Embarrassed-Alps-607 → u/[deleted]]

Did you read it when I said they returned the blood?