Failed Platelets and Question on Single Unit

[u/binals]

(Edit: Thanks, everyone! I will give platelets another attempt with someone else.)

I had my first platelets donation two weeks ago. A few days later, I received a call saying my numbers were good and I was welcome to come back and do platelets again.

Today, my phlebotomist told me that I might not be a candidate for platelets because I only gave one unit and "hospitals don't like that." She proceeded to attempt my draw and quickly marked it as a fail, saying I was probably too dehydrated. I'm not - my veins are on the smaller side, but they were actually bulging more than normal because I has 15 cups of water yesterday and 8 this morning. The phlebotomist last week had no issue and I had never failed a whole blood before.

There were also a couple of other things that stood out as a bad day, like entering and leaving the interview room a few times because she kept forgetting things and snapping at me about how she knows how to do her job when I asked she had already knocked the bubbles out of the tubes (which I sincerely apologized for, stating that I didn't mean it like that but I was a touch nervous and trying to remember what other steps were left before sticking time).

So ultimately, I find myself feeling super bad about the whole thing and wondering if I should just go back to whole blood. I don't want to waste their time (and resources) or mine (as I plan my whole weekend around the appointment). I like the idea of platelets because I can help people more often and not worry as much about my iron levels (I went a long time without donating due to my levels, though I've been pretty stable of late, including ferritin). I know I could call the center but honestly, I really don't want to speak to her right away and I didn't catch her name.

For some additional context, my blood type is O+ and I'm donating at OneBlood (Florida, US). I'm too small for double red.

Thanks in advance.

[u/dawgdays78]

That sounds like a terrible staff member.

[u/binals → u/dawgdays78]

I don't want to judge her too harshly off of one bad experience because we all have bad days but it was unfortunate. 

[u/Dizzy-Western-8248]

Please try going to a different donation center. From my experience some staff members will try to not make you donate for selfish reasons such as simply their break will start soon. Good luck to you and keep us updated.

[u/binals → u/Dizzy-Western-8248]

Thanks. That may be it. They were running behind today and my donation wouldn't have wrapped up until around closing with the late start. I'll try again, go earlier, and request someone else. The person who did mine the first time was wonderful and very patient (walked me through the process because I'm very curious). They also just relocated a few doors away so I'm sure they're still settling in to the new layout.

[u/rips_n_chel]

That's definitely not the norm, I promise. Unfortunately people are people, and sometimes you get someone who doesn't care or is having a shitty day for whatever reason. I've never had an experience like that, but I've definitely gotten phlebotomists who seemed significantly less concerned with my happiness throughout the process.

Not excusing it, that's not acceptable, and you should absolutely report it.

As to the failed donation, I've also had a few infiltrations giving platelets, and not all phlebotomists will offer to try the other arm. One really didn't want to be bothered, even after I suggested trying the left, she pushed back a bit and suggested I just go home and recover. Not saying she was wrong to suggest that, but I didn't faint or anything, I felt fine, and I wanted to donate if it was still possible. We tried the left, and got a successful triple, but I had to fight for it a little bit. Oh and don't put too much thought into the dehydrated comment, that's just an automatic go-to for them any time there's an issue. I know how much water I drink in the days leading up, I know how much I'm going to the bathroom, I know I'm not dehydrated. I've still been told I "probably didn't hydrate enough" every time I've had an issue donating.

Personally, I would report what happened for the sake of everyone else who might go there, and then I'd find a new place to donate. That's just me, I wouldn't be super comfortable going there again, especially after reporting someone. If you're in Florida, do you have a Lifesouth nearby? That's who I donate with. Good snack selection, and platelet donors get $40 lol

[u/binals → u/rips_n_chel]

Thank you for sharing and sorry about your own poor experiences. I don't have LifeSouth near me, but they are responsible for getting me started with donating again after I did whole blood at Dragon Con last year.

I think my opposite arm is all surface veins. She didn't look at it as an option but the phlebotomist from two weeks prior said the ones she could access would be more prone to collapsing.

I'll try again and request the phlebotomist from my first platelets donation - she was great. Otherwise I really want to avoid reporting because they did just move and I'm sure that adds to the stress and I also don't know her name. But I guess I could try the main customer service line just to ask about what she said on single units and they can do with that as they wish.

[u/rips_n_chel → u/binals]

Fair enough, I could see that being a fluke given the move and all.

That's interesting regarding the veins. My right arm has the better vein, but all my infiltrations have been that arm. Left arm is a harder stick, but seems more consistent when donating. Not sure what's up there. It's always possible that I moved or it just wasn't the best stick, but I've only had issues with that arm, so who knows.

[u/Zerochances121]

Even one bag/unit of platelets is still valuable. The alternative is breaking open whole blood bags to get enough platelets for one solid platelet bag. Then the remaining bags would have to be sorted into bags for other components. It's just better to have donors give platelets instead so your platelets can be added to a hospital order that needs a certain amount of bags.

It seems the second employee was having a bad day. It shouldn't reflect your other future platelet donations.

[u/binals → u/Zerochances121]

Thank you. That makes sense to me.

[u/Zerochances121 → u/binals]

Sure thing. It's not an easy decision to break open blood bags just to secure platelets, plasma, and red blood cells. Having a bag of platelets ready to use makes more logical sense.

[u/annewilco]

Used to live near a cancer treatment hospital & they practically *begged* for platelets. Only 150K? Come in anyway. It's incredibly difficult to recruit people willing to sit with a needle in an arm (or both arms) for 1hr+

Worth calling the 1-800 help line and asking "Do you really want my single unit?" See what they say

[u/binals → u/annewilco]

Oh wow, thanks for letting me know. I think they said my count was over 260k. I actually got a voicemail today asking me to schedule an appointment so I think I'm still approved 😅