Donation #3 today, my blood was incredibly slow to come out during the haemoglobin test (required multiple pricks), and during every draw, the machine vibrated once, sometimes twice per cycle, (~8 cycles) telling me to squeeze my hand harder to boost my blood flow. I assumed these to both be because my flow rate just happened to be lower today so I didn’t raise the question during the session.

Imagine my surprise when the nurse told me at the post-donation that the machine doesn’t vibrate! She thinks a valve was likely hit which caused the vibration in my arm, correlating with the low flow rate and encouragement to squeeze.

I haven’t seen much info on regarding this issue that wasn’t caught and corrected straight away, especially of this length and with this many incidents of the vibration occurring. Am I more likely to be sore and see bruising? Should I take more than the usual 24 hours off from heavy lifting? Am I already dead?

Thanks!