Double red cell blood donation?

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I received a note from the Red Cross today thanking me for being a blood donor and asking me to ask if I was eligible for a "double red cell donation" on my next visit (tomorrow).

Is this what it sounds like? It sounds like they'd take twice as much blood.

Is this something new?

I've never had any problems donating blood. No wozzy, fainty tiredness or anything like that but I have to admit that I'm not sure how I'd feel about a double donation on the same day.

Can anybody fill me in?

Thanks!

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Type: Question • Score: 8 • Views: 4,551 • Replies: 34

@boomerang,

They asked me, too. So far, I've managed to resist.

What happens is that the separate the blood into components and reinject everything but the red blood cells. It does take a lot longer, and I won't sit still for it.

So far, I have been a bit more tired after a conventional donation, and have a bigger appetite. I did ask one double donor, and he said he felt a bit weaker, but no real problem. It does double the interval between donations.

1 Reply

@boomerang,

I know people who donate plasma. You can donate plasma every couple of weeks.
You must have a healthy collection of red blood cells. They will screen your blood and collect double the amount of red blood cells than they normally would take and put the excess plasma back.

1 Reply

@roger,

So now I'm guessing that it can't be done at the regular old blood mobile but that one must go to the Red Cross center to do a double donation. Is it doable at the blood mobile?

As I've gotten older I've noticed a "dip" after donating but nothing that has concerned me enough to prevent my regular donation.

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@boomerang,

I don't know - I used to give, at blood bank and almost daily at work, I needed blood for slides.

But, past hysteria, just ask.

1 Reply

@Ceili,

I think this is different from donating plasma.

But I could be wrong.

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@ossobuco,

You would give blood daily?

Maybe I'll ask. I don't want to get pressured into driving way across town to do a donation though so I thought I'd ask here first. The first Tuesday every other month at the church down the street works really really good for me.

1 Reply

@boomerang,

Yes, of course it is. My point was that you can give different types of donations, not just the normal pint of blood.
The fact remains, your blood will be screen and the excess fluid, cells and so on, will be put back into your body. They will take twice the amount of red cells and a smaller amount of plasma.

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@boomerang,

The person who actually knows about this stuff is JPB.

The rest of us are in guessland,

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@boomerang,

Yes, we needed it for our tests. No, not great amounts.

I used to wear long tee shirts when crossing borders.

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http://www.redcrossblood.org/donating-blood/types-donations

Quote:

Double red cell donation is done with the help of an apheresis machine which collects the red cells but returns most of the plasma and platelets to the donor.

Red cells are the most transfused blood component, and certain blood types are often in short supply.

Double red cell donations from Type O donors and donors with Rh-negative blood types play a very important role in maintaining blood supply levels.

Donors need to meet slightly higher hemoglobin and body height/weight requirements in order to be able to give a double red cell donation.

Double red cell donations take approximately 1 hour and 25 minutes, though the actual donation takes about 30-35 minutes, and allow you to give two units of red cells.

Available in most donation centers and some blood drives.
Donors are eligible to give double red cells every 112 days.

http://www.redcrossblood.org/donating-blood/types-donations/double-red-blood-cells-donation

Quote:

Double Red Cell Donation

What Is It?

Double red cell donation is similar to a whole blood donation, except a special machine is used to allow you to safely donate two units of red blood cells during one donation while returning your plasma and platelets to you.

Why Should You Do It?

You may already know about the ongoing need for blood and the importance of your donations through the American Red Cross. Whole blood donations contain red blood cells, platelets, plasma and white blood cells. Red blood cells are the most frequently used blood component and are needed by almost every type of patient requiring transfusion. If you meet certain criteria, double red cell donation allows you to safely donate two units of red cells during one appointment as an automated donation process. It is as safe as whole blood donation.

How Is a Double Red Cell Donation Different?

During your double red cell donation, blood is drawn from one arm and drawn through a sterile, single-use needle set to a machine. The machine separates and collects two units of red cells and then safely returns the remaining blood components, along with some saline, back to you through the same arm.

The Benefits

Save time and make your donation go further: If you are extremely busy, committed to donating blood and an eligible type O, A negative or B negative donor, double red cell donation may be ideal for you. Each procedure lets you give more of the product that is needed most by patients. Double red cell donation takes about 20-30 minutes longer than a whole blood donation and you can donate approximately every four months.
Feel better: With all of your platelets and plasma returned to you along with some saline, you don’t lose the liquid portion of your blood and may feel more hydrated after your donation.
Am I Eligible to Donate?

In addition to meeting other whole blood donor qualifications, you must also meet specific criteria for donating double red cells, especially for hemoglobin, weight and height. The thresholds for each vary by gender as well as by the device used to collect the blood. A representative from the Red Cross in your area can provide you with the requirements for the collection device currently used.

1 Reply

@boomerang,

It's a pheresis process using both arms. The whole blood is collected from one arm into a bowl inside a centrifuge where the red cells are spun out and the plasma/platelet are returned to you in the other arm. It's the inverse of a platelet or plasma pheresis.

There are special height and weight requirements. For a female you must be at least 5' 5" and weigh at least 150 lbs. A male must be at least 5' 1" and weigh 130 lbs. The inter-donation interval doubles to 112 days between donations.

I highly doubt that they offer it at your mobile unit collection drives, but there are mobile pheresis operations in some places.

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@JPB,

Yes, I was going to do this once for a friend who asked me. She has MS and it's a treatment for that condition. Just as I was going to do it, I found out I was finally pregnant. So my sweet husband did it instead. I sat beside him for the entire time and encouraged him on. It takes a fair amount of time.

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@JPB,

Around here, United Blood Service does do it at a mobile unit. Not me! Their couches in that bus are high enough you could get hurt if you fell on the way out.

1 Reply

@boomerang,

Boomerang,

This may be late info for you, but I opt in to the double red cell donation.
I actually have fewer side effects from this than from the standard.
This also mandates me to wait about twice as long between donations, or lets me wait, depending on perspective.

As others have mentioned, what is primarily taken is blood cells. Much of the fluid volume is separated and returned into you. There would also be some additional saline IV fluid given. This makes your fluid blood volume equal to what it was prior to the donation.
Much of the lightheadedness, nausea, etc. from blood donation, is due to loss of fluid volume, not red blood cell loss.

I don't know if the Red Cross makes any claims about fewer symptoms (They don't want to get sued), but from my personal experiences they are much fewer. It makes physiological sense that there would be fewer symptoms as well.

To qualify you must be a certain weight and have a high enough hematacrit (sort of a measure of red blood cell concentration).

As with any blood donation, BE HYDRATED before you go. Very Happy

Eat well afterward. Fruits and vegetables (vitamin C).
Get some iron.
I am prejudiced against meat, as a vegan. Obviously there is high iron content in most red meats.
Here are some high concentration vegan sources as well (sorry have to vegangelize just a bit) ;D
Spirulina (1 tsp): 5 mg
Cooked soybeans (1/2 cup): 4.4 mg
Pumpkin seeds (1 ounce): 4.2 mg
Quinoa (4 ounces): 4 mg
Blackstrap molasses (1 tbsp): 4 mg
Tomato paste (4 ounces): 3.9 mg
White beans (1/2 cup) 3.9 mg
Cooked spinach (1/2 cup): 3.2 mg
Dried peaches (6 halves): 3.1 mg
Prune juice (8 ounces): 3 mg
Lentils (4 ounces): 3 mg
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/12-top-vegan-iron-sources.html

---Matt RN (ICU,ED, and Peds)
[this isn't medical advice.... yada yada yada....]

1 Reply

@boomerang,

Did you ask them about this?

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Wow! Solid information. Thank you Butrfly, JPB, and Matt!

My appointment is this afternoon. I'll ask about it. It sounds like it would be a pretty easy thing to do.

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@MattDavis,

Good. How much longer do you have to sit around with a needle in your arm? I'm easily bored.

1 Reply

@roger,

Thanks Roger,
Yes. The double RBC donation will take longer. There are many variables (the most important being hydration level). I don't have any hard and fast data on the difference. My estimation is about 50% longer in time duration.

For all blood donation (double RBC or standard)
If you want to decrease time of donation, the most important factor is BE HYDRATED. Very Happy

Also, relax as much as you can (easier said than done, I know).
Stress is a little contagious, so even if you aren't at ease... fake it.
You might even fool yourself Wink

. You will surely help allow the nurse/phlebotomist focus on the physical task of placing the needle if (he/she) is not also worried about your emotional health.
Not all phlebotomists in the Red Cross are nurses, they are not all trained in holistic health. They are however all professionals, and from a technical aspect they are more qualified than I, due to the number of procedures which they perform.

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I asked while I was there today and they said it's really just a way to make it more convenient for people to donate regularly. Regular donation is easy for me since they come to the church just down the street from my house on the second Tuesday of every other month. I think I'll just stick with that.

One interesting thing today -- they pointed out that there is now information about an iron rich diet and the recommendation to take a multivitamin to ensure you're getting enough iron.

He told me that was a real switch for the Red Cross because they have never promoted using vitamins. It seems that they're having to turn more people away for anemia than ever before.

I did notice that for the first time in 30 years of donating that they told me my hemoglobin level along with the usual blood pressure and temperature info.

2 Replies

Double red cell blood donation?

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