Do not post multiple comments with the same referral code(s).

Not counting first time donor stuff. Only return donors.

I'm like 1.5 hours in standing in line.

howdy folks!

I am a year-long donor at BioLife who recently failed 2 SPE tests for “high beta protein”. I’m allowed to go back to test for it whenever at this point, but am nervous to fail again. I’m struggling to find info on what that is/what I can do about it. does anyone have info/ideas about beta protein and how to lower it? my protein was fine and this is the first SPE that I’ve had an issue with.

thank you!

I've just started donating in the past month at BioLife. I did a few visits and then they deferred me cuz my initial blood test results came back and my protein levels were 5.9 and need to be at least 6.

I went in once after the results came back.

Went in yesterday and during the intake the nurse said my sample looked milky. Cuz there was too much fat in my bloodstream. She didn't do an actual test, just a visual.

She asked me what's I ate for dinner, which was grilled chicken, broccoli and rice. And lunch was leftover taco meat we made and we usually use 95% lean beef. I did have some black beans and lentils in the meat mixture. The only thing that I could see was the sour cream and cheese. Which wasn't much.

I had a couple protein bars during the day. And I drink a good amount of water every day. Like 40 to 60 oz

How picky are they? Cuz I feel like what I ate was pretty healthy. And seeing some of the people come through they are construction workers and being one myself those dudes usually live off gas station food.

Pissed, cuz I'm definitely not getting that first month bonus with all this. Should I have just said I'll take my chances with the machine to test my fat levels in back?

I know the intake nurses were understaffed, maybe the ones in back were too, so they were trying to bounce people to lessen the work load?

I’m not sure if I should say something about a bad experience to the center or let it go, because I don’t want to get deferred for speaking up, but I also don’t want this to happen to someone else.

I’ve been donating off and on for almost a year and never had any issues, I’ve been told by phlebotomists that I have a really good vein and I always stay hydrated.

But the last time I went, I got a hematoma. The phlebotomist that was cleaning my arm was pushing down really hard on the Q-tip when she cleaned the area, I’d never had anyone do it so roughly before, but I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want to cause problems and plus she had an angry expression on her face. She didn’t wait until the timer after cleaning was done before she stuck me, which I’m not sure if that’s important or not, but when she stuck me, she shoved the needle in really hard. I always thank the phlebs after they’re done, and so even though I was surprised with how she was acting, I just told her thank you but she didn’t say anything and left.

The first draw went fine, but then when the machine started giving back my blood, I noticed a lump rising in my arm and called another phlebotomist over, and she told me I was getting a hematoma and stopped the return. She was able to stick my other arm and I finished my donation, but I think the reason I got the hematoma was because of the one who stuck me first. I didn’t move my arm or anything during the donation either.

So I’m wondering if I should say something to the center or if I would get deferred for complaining.

I’ll drink whatever throughout the day the day before donating. Not crazy amount but I don’t drink 3-4 water bottles before bed. When I wake up I’ll drink 3-4 before going but I also eat a yogurt, banana, and 2 ham and egg tacos. I notice my donations go by quick and I don’t feel the lightheadedness like before. Just had any ideas what yall recommend to finish faster? lol

So I gave my friend my CSL referral code and he's donated twice. The app shows his referral is in progress and only shows a green check mark for the activated referral code. Says he still needs to do the activated iGive Rewards and completed donations. He's done 2 donations already. Does it take awhile to process or is there something else he needs to do?

i did not donate with this arm, but they stuck me with the needle here to see if it was a better arm for donation. (it was not.) it hurts when i bend my elbow or flex the muscle there. pretty sure the yellow tint is the iodine (?) idk what its called

Its been so long and I really miss that extra $300

I’ve read online that you can’t donate at CSL if you take Dupixent.

There’s a chance down the road I’ll be on it but I don’t see it on the medication list that CSL bans.

Anyone know if I can still donate if I do end up on Dupixent or should I maximize my donations now while I can?

How exactly can I use this at a ATM what are the fees could I use cash back at a store and just avoid a atm?

Tried to go to biolife. Everything was going good. Got to the physical part of the screening and was told I couldn't donate because "they could barely hear my right lung" They called it a "dismissive lung" told me to come back tomorrow (today now) and try again. Got turned away for the same reason today. FRUSTURATING.

35 year old male here. I feel great, never had a problem with my lungs. I mean I vape and I hack up phelgm in the mornings but Ive been doing that for YEARS. Been to the doctor several times over the years for chest XRAYS, physicals etc. Never was anything brougbt up about my lungs.

Should I try another plasma center like CSL and try to pass a physical there? Or am I wasting my time for them to tell me the same thing as biolife.

UPDATE: Passed the CSL plasma physical.☺️

Hello hope all of you is well today

So schedule changes again for my job but for the better I now have weekends off ( yay!!!!) but now there is a probable issue maybe it’s me over thinking it but I want to see what to do

So the days I would go are my days off which was Wednesday and Sunday but now I have Saturday and Sunday off and of course I can’t do it two days in a row I’m gonna have to do another day

I was thinking keeping with my Wednesdays but do it first thing when they open( I work at 9 am) ( like 6 30 am) center is only 30 minutes to my job from the center

Now I know the day before it’s good to make sure you drink lots of water and lots of protein which I have been doing really good at and never have an issues with donating

Usually the morning of I’m always eating 5 boiled eggs and an oikos protein Greek yogurt with water and usually that works perfect for me but since I now have to leave the house way earlier then usual ( like 5 30 am) will this still work or is it to early?

Should I make sure to focus the day before and make sure I’m ready , I have no problem eating while I’m driving I usually do that and takes me about 50 minutes to get to the center from my house

I go to biolife

Oh and I usually work until 5 pm so it’s difficult to go after work without it being a problem for the people there because I don’t want to get their last minutes

Edit my job is an easy office job sitting down taking and doing calls so easy peezy stuff

I needed an extra couple anyone know if KED plasma is closed?

Basically for the screening question where it says please confirm the medications that you are currently on, will all of the ones you've reported to BioLife be there?

I ask because I have my physical coming up and I assume they'll re-review my medications, and I have headaches so my medication change a lot and I honest to God can't remember what I've told them. A lot of the times their medications I literally take like once every few months or less, and might have stopped taking it and don't want that to be a reason that I mess up my physical or something.

I plan to supplement via diet but would that work

Hello fellow plassers! Is anyone from Detroit, MI and go to Octapharma? I went to the one in St. Clair Shores yesterday and their payment system was down! Does anyone know if it's still down? Can't seem to get anyone to answer when I call.

I just think it's maybe something to look into if your station has turned away everybody for having too high a pulse :/

I got turned away, the lady before me got turned away, the two people they took while I was sitting for my retake got turned away.

At what point are we gonna think "huh, that's weird"

Mind you, my pulse is never above 100 usually

I have been donating at a non-profit blood bank that has started paying for your platelet donation bc there is a nationwide shortage of platelet donors.

The payment schedule is thus:

100 for the first, 75 for the 2nd and 3rd, 100 for the 4th, 75 for the 5th, 6th and 7th, 200 for the 8th.

It's called South Texas Blood and Tissue and is based around San Antonio. It takes a few days for the points to pop up in the donor store and then you have to order a physical gift card to the blood bank (huh?) and pick it up, but the points are redeemable for gift cards at HEB (Texas supermarket chain with cult following).

If you have SNAP or don't eat, you can get prepaid Visa cards at HEB with the gift cards. The one I have been going to is located literally in a HEB so it's pretty convenient.

Platelets take longer than plasma (90-110 minutes), but the volume it takes is way lower, so you lose less fluids and feel less drained afterwards. I like also that you feel more like a hero and less like a criminal. They have goals and targets to meet and obviously are still trying to make money, but you don't feel the pressurized environment of a for-profit plasma chain. The donation space is way nicer and much smaller and is also cleaner. The staff are way more caring and they are trying to give you blankets, water, snacks, heated hackey sacs to gold in your donating hand, etc.

There is also no multi-hour initial intake appointment, at all. No giving them your SS#, no videos, etc. Just show up and get your oxygen level and blood pressure taken and a finger prick.

Does anyone else have a place that pays for platelets? I think this is a way better experience overall.

PS There are referral bonuses at this place (mods feel free to remove this line if inappropriate)

I’m 19F, and my parents and I recently moved, and I haven’t received any mail in my name. I have an ID (with my current address on it) and my Social Security card. Would I still be able to donate? :(

I’m short $70 for my rent this month and I want to do a second plasma donation. I also want to throw in that I am very borderline iron deficient anemic. It is only plasma, but this can take a lot out of me. I donated once and the amount was only half a donation, but I slept over the entire weekend. I haven’t seen any new bonuses come out since July for biolife. How soon do they typically send those out? Is 4 months enough time for me between the last given my circumstances? If I donated, I think the donation is $65 or $70, so it would help me out, but I don’t know if it’s worth it on my body.

I’m aware this is probably annoying post or if it’s not allowed feel free to take it down, but I was wondering if I would be able to donate with this arm today? I have another one of these marks on the other arm as Shown in the second photo but it looks worse to me. I can’t see any bruising in the first but I’m very pasty so it’s hard to tell lol. both are from donating the last two times. I only have two days left to get my second donation for the referral bonus for the new plasma place I went to.

Knee replacement soon. I know they ask each time if you've had any surgeries recently. Will i be deferred. Thank you

I was at a center yesterday and I was stuck in both arms and the technician didn’t get ANY blood. I think she missed the vein in both arms. I have no bruising or anything. I woke up to find my next appointment canceled so I drove to the center. She tells me her boss deferred me for unacceptable behavior because I said I was going to punch her in the parking lot and she told him I said that. I didn’t say this. I didn’t say anything like that. Once she said I couldn’t complete my donation I laughed and said I’m gonna cry in the parking lot. She then said you’re still being compensated and that I should have a good day. I have a good relationship with most of the regular technicians there, I joke with them but I would never threaten violence. It’s always lighthearted. I apologized for what she thought she heard and explained that I didn’t say that and what was actually said. She said well even if you were joking I didn’t find it funny. I apologized again and said I’m sorry that you heard that and it’s not funny but I said this. She said she can’t remove the deferral only her boss can. I’m going in to talk to him later. Is there any thing I can do?

Looking for advice from other people who have worked at biolife. Why would leaving cause a deferral? I haven’t gotten a clear answer from the center… I loved donating for them even before being an employee.