# Plasma donor question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 18, 2019, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plasma-donor-question/840449 "2019-09-18T18:50:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Furmomma10](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c89c15/32.png) [@Furmomma10](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Furmomma10)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2019, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plasma-donor-question/840449/1 "2019-09-18T18:50:03Z")
I have been donating plasma regularly for a couple months now and the last two times I’ve had a difficult time with the donation. What I mean is that my veins seemed to have a harder time pushing blood through. And the machine would prompt me to pump harder. Normally, I breeze through the donation quickly and effortlessly. Do you think it could be that my veins need a rest or is it something as simple as needing to hydrate more? ---
**Author:** ![puddleglum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puddleglum/32/137_2.png) [@puddleglum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puddleglum)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2019, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plasma-donor-question/840449/2 "2019-09-19T17:01:24Z")
The most common explanations are dehydration, cold, needle size, different vein being poked. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2019, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plasma-donor-question/840449/3 "2019-09-20T15:10:00Z")
I donated plasma for years for pot money. Then I moved to an area where there’s no plasma donation center nearby, so I stopped. Then I came down with hemolytic anemia, which has required multiple blood draws for testing this & that, as well as a transfusion. The phlebotomists have all remarked at how tough and covered in scar tissue my veins are. ---
**Author:** ![Furmomma10](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c89c15/32.png) [@Furmomma10](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Furmomma10)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2019, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plasma-donor-question/840449/4 "2019-09-20T18:39:45Z")
Wow. I started donating because I was told it was easier than donating whole blood, we have a new facility that opened up so they have a ton of promos. I’m thinking I’m going to give it a rest for a bit though. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2019, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plasma-donor-question/840449/5 "2019-09-23T17:43:50Z")
To be clear, I’m not saying the years of plasma caused me to come down with anemia. Just that the anemia was what brought about the observation that my veins were scarred. Should have been more clear. ---
**Author:** ![RememberMe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5fc32e/32.png) [@RememberMe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RememberMe)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2019, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plasma-donor-question/840449/6 "2019-09-24T17:55:06Z")
I have been donating (selling) for a couple of years now, and the only scar tissue I have is a small spot on each arm. The same location is used over and over. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2019, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plasma-donor-question/840449/7 "2019-09-25T00:55:52Z")
I’ve donated a lot (my company had the Red Cross come to our corporate HQ quarterly) for just regular whole blood donations. The only time I had a problem was when the needle had not been inserted properly – apparently it was lodged against the side of the vein so it was crooked? It was ages ago, so I don’t exactly remember the details – but it was taking _forever_, and another nurse checked, adjusted the needle, and I was done in no time, per usual. I did a lot apheresis donations at the Red Cross and never had any issues there.