Platelet donation is a special way to make an extra big impact, especially for cancer patients. It’s a gift that can help patients have the strength they need to keep fighting.
From start to finish, it takes a couple hours to donate platelets, and experienced donors have come up with ways to make the donation as smooth as possible.
Below are six tips to help your platelet donation:
Eat well leading up to donation: Eat a hearty meal but steer clear of fatty foods before donation (fats can interfere with testing!). Eating salty foods or drinking fluids with electrolytes may improve hydration before and after your donation. You should not be fasting prior to donation.
Your phlebotomist is your advocate: Your phlebotomist wants you to have a great experience, so enjoy their company and listen to their expertise.
Be prepared for your finger stick. Make sure your hands are nice and warm before the finger stick - consider shaking or rubbing them to get fresher blood flow into the fingertips.
Speak up: It’s important to talk to the donation staff if anything feels off (think: feeling weird, nauseous, tingly, hot or cold). Let them know if you are having cramps or if anything is uncomfortable. The staff can help fix a problem (or even scratch your nose), but only if they know about it. Don’t be shy to say something sooner than later to have the best donation experience.
Avoid that awkward moment: Use the restroom right before you get into the donation chair. While it’s important to hydrate before your donation, it’s also important to stop drinking a couple of hours before you give.
Pick your movie the night before: Donating is a great time to watch your favorite movie or series. Look for a two-hour movie or make sure the series auto-loads.
Additionally, there’s another tip that’s valuable for all donors. Applied Muscle Tension (AMT) is an important technique that can help alleviate lightheaded or dizziness symptoms for most donors. Right before the phlebotomist is inserting or removing a needle, just before standing up after your donation or when you feel any lightheadedness, follow these three easy steps:
Cross your legs.
Squeeze your knees (or inner thighs) together, hold for five seconds, relax for five seconds and repeat five times.
Then, cross your legs the other way and do it again.
This works by temporarily increasing your blood pressure to squeeze blood back to your heart and back to your brain.