Times are hard, and I've been considering going to donate plasma again after a very unpleasant couple of previous experiences.

In the last 2 of 3 donations, I noticed that around the 75% mark, I started experiencing really strange symptoms that usually started with sudden nausea and were followed by feeling like I was starting to overheat, and then suddenly shifted over to cold sweating and intense shivering.

Like, I know that the saline can cause the shivering, but I always feel like my shivering is VERY intense post plasma donation - like teeth-chattering cold as if I had just climbed out of an ice bath on a cold day.

This is usually followed by me being bedridden the rest of the day since it feels like a struggle to stay warm and always seeming to develop cold-like symptoms like an excessively and constantly runny nose for the rest of the day, constant sneezing, and finally feeling nauseous and unwell for the rest of that day too.

I've always made a point to make sure I drank lots of water and got a good night of sleep beforehand, and would force myself to drink fluids and eat after the procedure. But, it just feels like a lot in comparison to family and friends whom donate plasma and walk away relatively fine.

Of note, as mentioned beforehand, it was at about the 75% mark that I started feeling weird, and in particular 2 of the last 3 experiences (not the most recent) had me experience this really strange warm/hot sensation that begins right in the center of my chest, and gradually 'spreads out' and washes over my entire body before all those other symptoms really kicked it.

It wasn't a pleasant warmth and one that I have never experienced outside of the plasma center.

I guess the final thing worth mentioning was that the most recent donation ended up having to be stopped midway because I was running into discomfort and pain - they tried to reset the needle without success, so tried to switch to the other arm which was met with immediate discomfort and pain of which I immediately mentioned.

This meant that I was about 50% of the way through, and didn't have my red blood cells returned and oddly enough I didn't experience the shivering, cold-like symptoms, of nausea - just a bit of fatigue, in truth. I literally walked home, made dinner, and felt fine.

So, I would appreciate any input.