Went to Donate Blood and they just took Red Blood Cells

[JJamz125]

So I went to donate blood yesterday and when I got there they did there tests and set me up. Then they told me they just needed my red blood cells and used this machine to take out the red blood cells and put everything else back in. Isn't the RBC count what mainly goes up when you use testosterone? I was wondering because they didn't take out a pint of whole blood so I wonder if I did any good by donating at all? When I got my blood work done after my first cycle I believe my RBC count was a little high. I am going to go get the blood work results this week to review them again. My first cycle was just 10 weeks Test C @ 500 mg/week. Thanks for your help!

 

[Austinite]

Just as good as whole blood. Sometimes better.

 

[Clamp]

You're good. Chances are if they only took out your RBC's ten they took more than they normally would've compared to taking all the contents of your blood, which is a good thing considering RBC's are elevated by androgens. When I donate I always pick the 2X RBC blood draw which means they only take out my RBC's but they take twice as many.

 

[JJamz125]

Ok that is great news then! Thanks guys!

 

[Alpin]

How do they do this, do they not take out the 1 pint of plasma?
How do they remove just RBC's?
Is RBC donation going to bring down HCT, and Hemoglobin as well?

 

[DreDay187]

How do they do this, do they not take out the 1 pint of plasma?
How do they remove just RBC's?
Is RBC donation going to bring down HCT, and Hemoglobin as well?

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 30 minutes longer than a whole blood donation and allow you to give two units of red cells.
Available in most donation centers and some blood drives.

1) most of the platelets, plasma, etc is returned to you with some saline solution

2) the apheresis machine can isolate the RBCs from whole blood.

3) HCT is % volume of blood that is RBCs. To lower hematocrit you can either increase the volume of blood while keeping RBCs constant/fixed or you can donate blood which reduces your RBC.

 

[Alpin]

1) most of the platelets, plasma, etc is returned to you with some saline solution

2) the apheresis machine can isolate the RBCs from whole blood.

3) HCT is % volume of blood that is RBCs. To lower hematocrit you can either increase the volume of blood while keeping RBCs constant/fixed or you can donate blood which reduces your RBC.

A diagram/picture of this process is needed for me to understand...

 

[DreDay187]

A diagram/picture of this process is needed for me to understand...

View attachment 553301View attachment 553302View attachment 553304View attachment 553305

 

[Austinite]

lol, Dre. Except pic # 3 is platelet.

 

[Alpin]

seeing all this(and yourself hooked up to this machine) is a good recipe for someone to have syncope....
lol

 

[DreDay187]

lol, Dre. Except pic # 3 is platelet.

Edited. I figured It was enough to help grasp the
Concept. View attachment 553306

 

[JJamz125]

I definitely felt weird towards the end of the procedure. I started to get an upset stomach but it was probably because my last meal was at 11 am and I had it done at 4pm. Normally I eat every 3 hours. But it was a weird feeling when the machine pumped the saline stuff back into my body. Today I feel great though. I have lots of energy...don't know if it is just in my head but I feel better.

 

[Austinite]

I definitely felt weird towards the end of the procedure. I started to get an upset stomach but it was probably because my last meal was at 11 am and I had it done at 4pm. Normally I eat every 3 hours. But it was a weird feeling when the machine pumped the saline stuff back into my body. Today I feel great though. I have lots of energy...don't know if it is just in my head but I feel better.

Lowering hCT will certainly make you feel better. Nothing good comes from thicker blood.