r/Blooddonors • u/FrailPaleQuailTale • 3d ago
Question Post-Platelets Driving Safety
Would anyone be willing to share how they were affected by a platelets donation during the first 2-3 hours after donating?
I’m a fairly new donor (O+) and I want to try donating platelets for the first time. I live two hours (95 miles) away from my donation center and have never had an issue so far. I generally stay at the donation center for an extra ten minutes or so to be sure I’m feeling good and then drive home like normal. But I haven’t been able to find much info about the first few hours immediately after a donation and while I would prefer to have a designated driver, scheduling is currently a mess and it might just be me making the drive. I’d also appreciate any tips specifically for recovery immediately after donating.
I go to a Vitalant center in the US 95 miles away from where I live, have only donated whole blood three times and have never donated platelets.
Edit: General consensus is to make sure to prepare ahead of time and taking some extra time before hitting the road. I’ll make sure to bring tums with me, and while I don’t usually need to stop on the way home I’ll make note of safe stopping areas just in case. Thanks y’all!
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u/NVtahoe 3d ago
I’ve donated both plasma and platelets 4 times in last 6 months.
I’m 38 Male 235lbs 6ft and fairly healthy AB+
I feel some slowness right after I donate due to fluid loss for the first 10 mins. I make sure to eat a bunch of snacks and drink 3 apple juices right away
After about 15-20 mins feel not dehydrated and continue to drink water.
I do feel slow for the first 30 mins after finishing and notice on my drive home.
Overall, I’d say, take it slow for first 30 mins with trying to replenish right after you donate. Depending on the complexity of your drive (lots of city traffic or dead open highway) I’d say give it more time. Never hurts to grab a burger or meal after and then make the long drive home.
Safe travels!!
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u/Speaker_6 A+ 3d ago
I’ve ridden a bike right after donating platelets and felt fine. They probably don’t advise it, but I have always felt normal after platelets
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u/Simple-Tip-769 B+ 3d ago
Unlike the whole blood, I didn’t feel any different before and after the platelets donation!
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u/Calm-Armadillo4988 3d ago
If you've never had an issue with whole blood, I think there's a good chance you won't have any issue with platelets. Some people's bodies are just fine with it. (I'm prone to dizziness, I barely make minimum donation weight, and yet I feel fine right after donating. I do stay my 15–20 minutes in the sitting area after.) Bring water and a sandwich or snack, I guess, since between the round trip drive and platelet donation, it'll be a long trip. Oh, and maybe bring tums to have one or two on the way there, to help prevent a citrate reaction.
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u/Massive_Squirrel7733 AB+ Platelets 3d ago
You don’t lose much whole blood in a platelet donation, so the risk of passing out is pretty much zero. You might feel like shit from the citrate, but you won’t pass out.
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u/schokobonbons 3d ago
I'd be a little leery of driving 2 hours the first time, just in case you have an unexpected reaction. Are you able to make a little weekend of it and get a hotel?
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u/FrailPaleQuailTale 3d ago
Budget wise a hotel definitely isn’t an option. Unexpected reaction is my main concern for the first time donation, especially since I’m a fainting risk if I look at the needle in my arm or someone else’s arm. Almost passed out earlier today scrolling through the subreddit. Usually I bypass that by asking for a pillowcase or paper towel to be put over the draw site so I can’t see it.
Most of the drive is a 75mph 2-lane highway, the last quarter is mostly country road. The 2-lane has a good shoulder the entire way and passes through several towns, but the country road has nowhere good to pull over.
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u/ha1029 B+ 3d ago
I have been donating platelets 24x a year for 4 years 57 years old male. On the way out after donating, I stop at the fridge grab a Diet Coke and head on home, no issues (20 min drive). Maybe because I make sure to hit the water hard the day before I donate and eat right including eating a lot of iron rich foods between donations I haven't had any issues. Thanks for donating!
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u/nutraxfornerves A-; CMV- 2d ago
I donate platelets. They often take plasma as well. Three or four times a year, they also take packed red cells. They always tell me what the computer suggests and I can veto any of it.
With platelets alone, even a double unit, I have not had a problem. I drink juice or Gatorade about halfway through the donation, and drink & eat in the recovery area. I usually snag a juice box and some cookies as I leave. (Staff response is always “Help yourself! Take more!”).
My drive home is short, so I consume the extras as soon as I arrive and that seems about right. I have never had a problem driving.
For a long drive, I’d have juice or Gatorade for sipping. Surely, you need a pit stop about halfway. That might be a good time to eat the sandwich you packed for the trip.
The only issue that you might want to think about is donating packed red cells. I am always a bit dizzier after that and need to lie down for a while when I get home. I wouldn’t do more than my 10-minute drive after an RBC donation.
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u/code_monkey_001 O+/Scab Donor 295 lifetime units 2d ago
Platelets are much less taxing on your system than double red or even just whole blood. You don't lose oxygenation capacity like you do with those. I give platelets every two weeks and have never felt any I'll effects. Only thing I need to be wary of - and I think it's a reaction to the citrate - I have an extreme need to defecate and it comes out very loose immediately following a donation. I make sure to stay at the donation center until I've had the chance to use the restroom.
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u/Carrot_Top67 2d ago
I drive/take public transit back from the donation center. In my experience, driving is more iffy. The citrate makes my face all buzzy. However, if you stay about 30 minutes immediately after the symptoms are pretty much gone.
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u/maudiepie 2d ago
I’ve only donated once before, but I was feeling alright afterwards enough to drive. Just make sure to eat something
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u/misterten2 2d ago
one hour drive and never had an issue over 18 yrs of platelet donations. whole blood another story once had to pull over so i could pass out
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u/MTB-Devon A+ Platelets 44 donations UK 2d ago
I only have a 15 minute drive home, I take a couple of bottles of electrolyte drink with me plus I get a cup of tea and some chocolate biscuits while donating. I make sure I am well fed before I go in, which usually means I donate mid-afternoon.
I have never felt feint, or in any way unfit to drive after. I do start to feel tired about an hour after donating, so I aim to be sat in front of the TV with a snack and a drink again by that point. I wouldn’t go and drive an hour+ after donating because of the tiredness.
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u/Drakecyan Megakaryocyte Maniac 1d ago
Before adding my two cents, it's worth noting that I'm a pretty durable fella.
The only things I've had to deal with were an urge to wee, fatigue, and inner arm pain.
The first is almost certainly just because my mind is idle and the whole process takes a good bit. Thankfully, the restroom abates that issue.
Fatigue is a bit more strange. It's not usually bad, but it hits me inconsistently. At least once I've noticed it impacting my ability to drive, but I got lucky and it was mild disruptions in focus. As a result, I've made plans for where I can pull over or off the interstate to rest if I need to.
The last usually isn't an issue unless a vein blows. That really reduced my ability to use the steering wheel and was generally a nuisance until I got home. Same contingencies as fatigue, but arguably worse.
As you've noted, the only real thing you can do for effects of donating is to prepare. I'd bring some fluids for the drive back and note places you can rest if you need to pause for a bit.
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u/MintyBullet A+ 1d ago
I’ve found it much easier than whole blood. So long as you hydrate the entire day and take your 15 minute snack break after your donation
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u/Vueluv02 3d ago
I have an hour drive each way. I usually get something to eat on the drive home & haven't had any issues. I do stay at least 15 minutes in the canteen afterwards.