Donating Plasma

**timappelgate** · 10-17-2011, 07:53 PM

I am going to call a donation center to set this up. Im a poor college student looking for extra cash, so this makes sense. Any advice from those who have done this before?

**CrossCyed** · 10-17-2011, 07:55 PM

It's money.

**geburgess** · 10-17-2011, 07:55 PM

Paid for my beer throughout college. Sure, it seems a little shady, but I highly recommend doing it.

**timappelgate** · 10-17-2011, 07:57 PM

Nice. Yeah, I just need extra cash for groceries and beer pretty much haha.

**cyclonedave25** · 10-17-2011, 07:57 PM

I used to do this for awhile during college.
When I did it twice a week for about 4-5 months straight, I made a crap load of money. Enough to pay for my spring break vacation + more. However, I got strep throat twice during that time span. Was it from donating plasma? Who knows, but you need to stay very well hydrated and eat well.
Also, make sure you don't get a new phlebotomist, because I had a couple of "trainees" and they could never find my vein. They would poke around in both of my arms trying to get that SOB.

**Al_4_State** · 10-17-2011, 07:58 PM

I did it my last 2 years at ISU and would recommend it. It covered pretty much all of my beer money and I was able to study the whole time.

Just a couple thing to keep track of:
-You won't necessarily be able to tell it, but it does drain your energy for a few hours afterwards. I wouldn't feel any worse, but if I ever tried to work out after donating, I just couldn't make it. Work out before you donate, if you work out.

-If you drink on the same day you donate, be careful. The booze will hit you quicker than normal.

-As others have said, it can drain your immunity. I'd look into a Vitamin C supplement or something like that.

It's a good way to make easy cash. It almost pays as much as a 10hr/week job or something like that and you can get a lot of work done when you're in there. A major win/win.

**SNEDDS3** · 10-17-2011, 08:11 PM

Be prepared for the lovely scars it leaves on your arms. I stuck to one arm to keep the scar to a minimum.

**Storkenheimer** · 10-17-2011, 08:15 PM

Drink plenty of water the day before you go in. It always seemed to go faster when I did that.

Be sure to drink plenty of beer after you're done, so as to get more bang for your buck. Not too much tho.

**cyclonefreak5** · 10-17-2011, 08:19 PM

I assume you are going to biolife. if so, be sure to use this coupon on your first couple visits.

New Donor Bonus Coupon

**wxman1** · 10-17-2011, 08:31 PM

I tried it a few times my first year in college. I got a new girl and nearly passed out because it wasn't in right. I never went back after that mainly because of that situation and I already had a job.

As others have said be ready for the scars. My fiance's dad has done it at least once if not twice a week for 5+ years and he basically has one whole permanently in his arm that they just go in every time.

**GMan** · 10-17-2011, 08:39 PM

Originally Posted by Al_4_State

I did it my last 2 years at ISU and would recommend it. It covered pretty much all of my beer money and I was able to study the whole time.

Just a couple thing to keep track of:
-You won't necessarily be able to tell it, but it does drain your energy for a few hours afterwards. I wouldn't feel any worse, but if I ever tried to work out after donating, I just couldn't make it. Work out before you donate, if you work out.

-If you drink on the same day you donate, be careful. The booze will hit you quicker than normal.

-As others have said, it can drain your immunity. I'd look into a Vitamin C supplement or something like that.

It's a good way to make easy cash. It almost pays as much as a 10hr/week job or something like that and you can get a lot of work done when you're in there. A major win/win.

Not much to say, other than I did it for about a year and echo everything Al_4_State said. Only thing I would add is it didn't seem to effect my immune system, but I almost never get sick anyway. Also, make an effort to drink more water the day of as it will make the donation go faster.

**Balls** · 10-17-2011, 09:14 PM

I did it my last year of high school and the summer before going to college at ISU. I did it int he Waterloo area. Would do it again. Just don't go to the bathroom in between the draw. One of the techs let someone do that when I was donating. They didn't come back for about 30 minutes and no one noticed. They had passed out in the bathroom. Then they couldn't put the blood back in as it got too cold I think. Anyways, it was definitely a funny experience... although if you don't like needles and are are one to worry about stuff... they are not the best trained techs... I thought it was easy money and saw the humor in the situation. Also, if a girls plasma is green, I think that meant they were on birth control. So if a girl is hot, check that out... might provide you some insight into your odds if you decided to ask her out!

**peteypie** · 10-17-2011, 09:16 PM

Originally Posted by GMan

Not much to say, other than I did it for about a year and echo everything Al_4_State said. Only thing I would add is it didn't seem to effect my immune system, but I almost never get sick anyway. Also, make an effort to drink more water the day of as it will make the donation go faster.

Agree with almost everything. Scar isn't to bad. Nothing too noticable on me anyway. Yes, it paid for my beer, plus it took less beer to get drunk afterwards. Win Win.

If they ever mis stick you, or go through the vain, it is kind of freaky when the blood starts going back in, and bulges up your arm, and leaves a nasty bruise after.

I never got sick anymore than ususal when doing this.

**bpmcclain** · 10-17-2011, 09:28 PM

Originally Posted by SNEDDS3

Be prepared for the lovely scars it leaves on your arms. I stuck to one arm to keep the scar to a minimum.

Its been more than 5 years since I've donated and I still have that damn mark on my arm. Makes you look like a heroin addict..

If you do this, be sure to bring a laptop or something like that. I used to watch movies while I did it and it made it go by very fast

**Al_4_State** · 10-17-2011, 09:34 PM

Originally Posted by GMan

Not much to say, other than I did it for about a year and echo everything Al_4_State said. Only thing I would add is it didn't seem to effect my immune system, but I almost never get sick anyway. Also, make an effort to drink more water the day of as it will make the donation go faster.

It didn't have any effect on my immune system for the first 1.5 years, and then I got mono my senior year. I rarely get sick, so I chalked it up to the general abuse I was doing to my immune system at that time, part of which was all the plasma donating (or so I was told by the doctor).