Disqualified

[65 Gallon]

I'm new to this group, so forgive me if this isn't the right place, but I have a question.

After donating platlets every 2 weeks for years, I was disqualified from donating because of a warm autoantibody.

The blood bank wants me to wait 6 months and be retested. What are my options?

Edited May 3, 2009 by 65 Gallon

[L106]

65 Gallons:

Are you on any medications? If so, what? Did the donor center give you any indications of what they thought was causing your warm autoantibody? (Did they ask you about medications?)

[65 Gallon]

65 Gallons:

Are you on any medications? If so, what? Did the donor center give you any indications of what they thought was causing your warm autoantibody? (Did they ask you about medications?)

The blood bank did inquire about any recent change in medications, but I am not taking anything.

[Cliff]

Welcome to BBT 65 Gallon.

Being deferred as a donor is a very personal issue, and I understand how it can make you feel.

First off, thank you for your generous donations over the years.

Clearly you are a committed individual with concern for the people you donate for. If the blood center recommended you not donate, from the information you gave, it sounds like they are protecting the welfare of the potential recipient.

I propose you also follow this up with your personal physician. Autoantibodies are very common, and usually benign, but can be a signal for a more serious condition.

[65 Gallon]

Clif,

Thank you for your info and understanding.

You are right. Obviously, the primary goal of all of us is the safety of the recipient. I understand that, but don't want to quit donating if it is possble to safely continue.

The blood bank informed me that I also had a positive DAT or Coombs test, which frequently occurs with the warm autoantibody. They tell me that the presence of this extra protein makes crossmatching difficult or impossible.

Is it possible that the positive test resulted from a temporory condition? I was recovering from cold, which I should have revealed to the screener prior to donating, but didn't. Also, do false positive test results occur?

I emailed my doctor about the warm autoantibody, and have an appointment to see him. I will walk in the door with the blood bank letter in hand.

One more question, What do all the letters after your signature represent? Just curious.

Thanks again.

Welcome to BBT 65 Gallon.

Being deferred as a donor is a very personal issue, and I understand how it can make you feel.

First off, thank you for your generous donations over the years.

Clearly you are a committed individual with concern for the people you donate for. If the blood center recommended you not donate, from the information you gave, it sounds like they are protecting the welfare of the potential recipient.

I propose you also follow this up with your personal physician. Autoantibodies are very common, and usually benign, but can be a signal for a more serious condition.

[Eagle Eye]

Hey cliff that is a good question...Can I answer it for you?....

MT is a certification from American Society of Pathologist for Medical Technologist, SBB means you are Specialist in Blood Bank and CQA means (I will try) He is quality guru.

[Cliff]

Hey cliff that is a good question...Can I answer it for you?....

MT is a certification from American Society of Pathologist for Medicla Technologist, SBB means you are Specialist in Blood Bank and CQA means (I will try) He is quality guru.

Guru, wow, I owe you dinner.

Medical Technologist(American Society of Clinical Pathologists) Specialist in Blood Banking , Certified Quality Auditor (American Society of Quality)

[65 Gallon]

Guru, wow, I owe you dinner.

Medial Technologist(American Society of Clinical Pathologists) Specialist in Blood Banking , Certified Quality Auditor (American Society of Quality)

I guess Clif and I have something in common. I, too, have been called a metal technologist, or metallurgist. Oh, wait, medal is not the same as metal. My mistake.

I did spend most of my career in Quality Control.

Edited May 4, 2009 by 65 Gallon

[Cliff]

Cliff,

Is it possible that the positive test resulted from a temporory condition? I was recovering from cold, which I should have revealed to the screener prior to donating, but didn't. Also, do false positive test results occur?

Thanks again.

Yes, it is very possible that i could be a temporary condition, and I strongly urge you to let the center know you were recovering from a cold at the time of your donation. That would be for the welfare of the recipient. I'm glad you now understand you should not have donated at that time.

Could this be a "false positive"? If you mean in the sense did "the lab make a mistake", then no, that's unlikely. Unlike what American television depicts, medical technologists are highly trained, and skilled professional. It's unlikely a mistake. Could it be a transient positive result that won't be able to be repeated? That happens a lot, especially if the original test was weakly positive.

Regardless, it is good that you have made an appointment with your physician.

Cliff,

One more question, What do all the letters after your signature represent? Just curious.

Thanks again.

See above

[Eagle Eye]

Sorry for spelling mistake. Cliff I forgot...please help....How can I edit my post???

[Cliff]

Sorry for spelling mistake. Cliff I forgot...please help....How can I edit my post???

I think there is a time limit for how long you can edit them.

Was it the word Medical? I edited it for you.

Thanks

[Eagle Eye]

Thank you Cliff.....I think the site is becoming more interesting day by day. You know Cliff..I check the website almost everyday.

[Cliff]

Thank you Cliff.....I think the site is becoming more interesting day by day. You know Cliff..I check the website almost everyday.

Thank you

[65 Gallon]

Cliff,

When I used the term "false positive", I wasn't suggesting that the lab made a mistake. I was thinking more along the lines of the latter explanation.

I was informed by the blood bank that my physician may wish to repeat the Coombs test. However, they are saying that a negitive rest result won't let me off the hook, until they repeat the test. Apparently the blood bank test is more sensitive.

[Cliff]

Cliff,

When I used the term "false positive", I wasn't suggesting that the lab made a mistake. I was thinking more along the lines of the latter explanation.

I was informed by the blood bank that my physician may wish to repeat the Coombs test. However, they are saying that a negitive rest result won't let me off the hook, until they repeat the test. Apparently the blood bank test is more sensitive.

I hope I didn't offend you.

As for the test the blood bank does, it's the same one that your physician will do.

Blood banks will always want to repeat the work prior to re-entering a donor. The public (and the FDA) expect a high degree of safety when it comes to the blood supply.

[65 Gallon]

I'm new to this group, so forgive me if this isn't the right place, but I have a question.

After donating platlets every 2 weeks for years, I was disqualified from donating because of a warm autoantibody.

The blood bank wants me to wait 6 months and be retested. What are my options?

Well, I have now served my six month sentence, been retested, and reinstated, so I am donating again. Its great to be back. I was suffering withdrawal.

However, I now have a new problem; my platlet count has dropped to the point that I am only able to donate a single unit of platlets, while I had always been able to donate a double previously.

Any thoughts on why it dropped, and what I can do to get it back up? Does diet affect platlet count?

[65 Gallon]

I tried this once, and I must have screwed up, because it didn't work. The last time all of the old posts on the topic showed up, but my recent one didn't. So, I'll try again.

Last spring I was disqualified from donating for six months because of a warm autoantibody in my blood. I reluctantly served my six-month sentence, got satisfactorily retested, and am donating again.

However, I now have a different problem. My platelet count has nose-dived to under 200. Consequently, I can only donate a single unit of platelets. I donated doubles for years.

Two questions:

What would cause my platelet count to drop in the six months I was unable to donate?

Is there anything I can do, diet-wise to build platelets?

[Cliff]

Are you able to keep your count above 200 after you donate?

Unless there is a pathological reason for your low platelet count, they do fluctuate. When I was donating my counts would be in the 300's, then drop to the 200's, then go back to the 300's.

Do a search for increasing your platelet count. Exercise and healthful eating seem to play a role.

[65 Gallon]

Are you able to keep your count above 200 after you donate?

Unless there is a pathological reason for your low platelet count, they do fluctuate. When I was donating my counts would be in the 300's, then drop to the 200's, then go back to the 300's.

Do a search for increasing your platelet count. Exercise and healthful eating seem to play a role.

Clif,

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you., I had to do some research to answer your question.

My most recent platlet counts have been, respectively: 207, 197, 187, 193, and 211.

So, I guess the answer is, "No, I am not able to keep my count above 200, at least, not by much." While talking to blood bank personel, I discovered that, prior to my 6-month haitus, by platlet count was in the 280 to 300+ range.

Thanks for yout input.

Bob