Donating Blood - Red Cross

**APIs** · 01-12-2016, 06:08 PM

Just an FYI, but Red Cross now has what they call; Rapid Pass. It's designed to bypass the required questions you have to answer each time you donate blood at one of their drives.

You book your donation date on-line at their .org address and they send you a link to answer their questions on-line the day before your donation. You print-out the Rapid Pass with bar codes, bring ID and they scan the paper which shows you already answered the required donation questions. I did this last week and it saved me at least 15 mins off my visit.

Good stuff...

**Charlie6** · 01-12-2016, 06:34 PM

Just donated this afternoon and wish I would have known this prior

Thanks for the info APIs!

Do you ever do double red, or just whole blood every 56 days? I'm considering doing a double red next time 'around. I just started HRT so I'll have to make donating a constant.

**Bio-Active** · 01-12-2016, 06:35 PM

Originally Posted by Charlie6

Just donated this afternoon and wish I would have known this prior

Thanks for the info APIs! Do you ever do double red, or just whole blood every 56 days? I'm considering doing a double red next time 'around. I just started HRT so I'll have to make donating a constant.

double red are nice cause you don't have to do them as often. They test you to see if you qualify when you get there

**Charlie6** · 01-12-2016, 06:42 PM

Originally Posted by Bio-Active

double red are nice cause you don't have to do them as often. They test you to see if you qualify when you get there

Yeah! I think it's every 116 days, or something to that extent. Lowers crit numbers nicely supposedly. I was chatting with the girl taking my blood today and she said that double red is the only procedure they do where you get back more fluid than they take. She said they take something like 300mL of blood and put back 900-1000mL of fluid (some of it is added saline for hydration). Fun stuff!

**APIs** · 01-13-2016, 11:43 AM

Originally Posted by Charlie6

Just donated this afternoon and wish I would have known this prior

Thanks for the info APIs!

Do you ever do double red, or just whole blood every 56 days? I'm considering doing a double red next time 'around. I just started HRT so I'll have to make donating a constant.

I just do whole blood. I did double once, but it takes too long for me personally. Plus the every 56 day schedule just works for me...

**kelkel** · 01-13-2016, 01:16 PM

I bitch to them whenever I go about those questions and that they should have a much smaller set of questions for frequent flyers. This is a good start at least.

**Machiavelli66** · 01-13-2016, 06:18 PM

Is there any reason why one would want to check the hematocrit BEFORE donating on a 56 day schedule? Learning as I go regarding TRT and had planned on donating every two months.

**kelkel** · 01-13-2016, 10:05 PM

Originally Posted by Machiavelli66

Is there any reason why one would want to check the hematocrit BEFORE donating on a 56 day schedule? Learning as I go regarding TRT and had planned on donating every two months.

Actually yes. Guys can donate to often thinking it's necessary and drive themselves into anemia. It's more common for this to occur to older guys but hell, we're all getting older. Just because we're on TRT does not mean we automatically have to donate systematically. Remember, when they prick your finger and check your hemoglobin level ask them what it is. Times it by 3 for your hematocrit level. Hemo x 3 = Hema level.

Knowing that a whole blood donation can lower your level by about two points (DRBC twice that - obviously) just do the math. No harm in telling them you think your low already and leaving.

**almostgone** · 01-14-2016, 04:27 AM

Just to add to the conversation, the last time I donated, I was told that their new machines for double RBC donations wouldn't accept a hemoglobin value above 18. They tinkered with setting up the machine and was able to get it to accept my hemoglobin value. (I don't know if it is a software issue or not).
I did ask them what happens if your hemoglobin value is above 18 and you couldn't do a double RBC and was told that you could still do a whole blood donation. Anyway, that is one reason they check your hemoglobin value prior to a donation.
However, as Kel stated, primarily they want to make sure you aren't anemic before they accept your donation.

**almostgone** · 01-14-2016, 04:31 AM

Originally Posted by APIs

Just an FYI, but Red Cross now has what they call; Rapid Pass. It's designed to bypass the required questions you have to answer each time you donate blood at one of their drives.

You book your donation date on-line at their .org address and they send you a link to answer their questions on-line the day before your donation. You print-out the Rapid Pass with bar codes, bring ID and they scan the paper which shows you already answered the required donation questions. I did this last week and it saved me at least 15 mins off my visit.

Good stuff...

I like this. I am going to mention this to the blood bank at the hospital donation center. Thanks for sharing the info, APIs.

**Machiavelli66** · 01-14-2016, 09:27 AM

Thanks Kel,

Actually as I had posted under my first "post TRT" thread, I'm a little wigged out as my total test was almost double what I thought it would be (1988) and my Estrodiol was damn near TRIPLE! (109) so I am attempting a "reversal" of sorts in as calculated a fashion that I can.

I immediately cut my test e in half, started aromasin 25mg and figured the next logical step would be to donate.

As I may have mentioned, my crit was 50 right before I began my TRT so I donated before my first pin. That was on Nov 20. I have to believe with numbers like mine, my hematocrit has elevated as well.

I have no issue with ordering up additional bw, other than the time it takes as I really was worried if I let another week or two go by while waiting for results, I could have just dropped a pint...

An awful lot must be in my head as I've experienced nearly zero sides from being jacked up beyond where I wanted to be. Still doesn't mean it's safe to be sure.

**kewe** · 01-14-2016, 12:59 PM

Thanks. Donated first time this week at work blood drive. I was 18.6 and limit to donate is 19.5 they told me. I am getting a blood draw Saturday morning so I will how it improved.

**NACH3** · 01-14-2016, 01:24 PM

Originally Posted by kewe

Thanks. Donated first time this week at work blood drive. I was 18.6 and limit to donate is 19.5 they told me. I am getting a blood draw Saturday morning so I will how it improved.

AG may know this... But 19.5 I'm assuming is a WRBC donation(they are regulated by the federal government and will also not take your donation unless it's at the AC branch(elbow) I have this problem and resorted to self bleeding as I've been shot down everywhere and having no spleen my monocytes and platelets get highly elevated(my crit stays pretty decent)... Just figured I'd share my experience... As it has cost me several hrs of work missed with zero donations...

**kewe** · 01-14-2016, 02:32 PM

My previous TRT doctor has offered to take at the office if I needed, they did a finger test and I was like 49.5 so I passed at that time but the red cross bus comes every quarter at work so I will make it part of my routine.

**The_Crawfish** · 01-14-2016, 07:17 PM

I just made my double donation today. Total draw time was 22 minutes. Still haven't gotten used to the coolness of the fluid going back in.

**APIs** · 01-15-2016, 10:17 AM

Originally Posted by The_Crawfish

I just made my double donation today. Total draw time was 22 minutes. Still haven't gotten used to the coolness of the fluid going back in.

That's what I hate about the process. Sometimes you have a good crew that get you done quickly. If this were the norm, I'd likely do doubles no problem. I wish Red Cross would better educate their staff into realizing not all donors are retirees and can't afford to be hanging around. Get me in & out!

**The_Crawfish** · 01-18-2016, 03:16 PM

I go to Life Share, but don't know that they're any quicker. I've NEVER had to wait, but I'm there when they open the doors in the morning (on company time). Usually it's 10-15 min for paperwork, h-crit, and questionnaire plus around 25 min for the actual hookup and draw.
I'm going to look into whether or not they offer the online q&a deal, that would be sweet!!

**kewe** · 01-22-2016, 08:43 AM

Originally Posted by kewe

My previous TRT doctor has offered to take at the office if I needed, they did a finger test and I was like 49.5 so I passed at that time but the red cross bus comes every quarter at work so I will make it part of my routine.

I have the results of my blood work and now my Hematocrit is at 45.9 (37.5-51) versus 55.8 a few days before I gave blood.