That's frustrating, especially when you've done everything right — got doctor's approval and have your seizures well controlled. Unfortunately, being turned away from plasma donation is a common experience for people with epilepsy, even when seizures are managed.
There are a couple of reasons donation centers may still Show Full Answer
That's frustrating, especially when you've done everything right — got doctor's approval and have your seizures well controlled. Unfortunately, being turned away from plasma donation is a common experience for people with epilepsy, even when seizures are managed.
There are a couple of reasons donation centers may still decline:
- Medications — Many anti-seizure medications can affect plasma composition, and donation centers may have blanket policies around them
- Liability concerns — Some centers worry about the risk of a seizure occurring during or after donation, since the process can sometimes cause lightheadedness or stress on the body
- Individual center policies — Rules can vary widely between organizations, so one center's policy may differ from another's
It's worth noting that even a drop in medication levels — which can happen when giving blood or plasma — could potentially lower your seizure threshold. This is something to keep in mind even if another center does accept you.
A MyEpilepsyTeam member once noted that donation centers may turn people away "not just because of the medication in your blood, but also because those medicine levels drop when you give blood, which itself can result in a seizure."
It may be worth calling ahead to other donation centers to ask about their specific policies before making another trip.
August 21
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