HRT and blood plasma donation

[Missadventure]

There's a place where I live where you get paid $55/week for donating blood plasma. I've been taking advantage of that since it gives me a nice chunk of change to plunk down on things like clothing, makeup, shoes, etc, without dipping into my "cost of living" budget. But, I'll be starting HRT in two weeks, and it just dawned on me that I don't actually know what carries hormones in the body. If they're carried by red blood cells I can continue donating plasma and be fine because the red blood cells are returned. But, if hormones are carried by plasma... well. I don't want to donate precious E! (call me selfish  )

Does anyone else have experience donating blood plasma while being on HRT?

I do know should I wind up taking finasteride that I'm effectively no longer allowed to donate plasma because should the plasma I donate be administered to a pregnant woman it can cause fetal deformities. So, that leads me to think I should stop donating anyway even if I don't wind up using finasteride...

But, if there are folks out there who've done it and can tell me I'm not essentially just throwing away my hormones... well. The money is real good considering all it takes is two hours a week of my time.

[Ms. OBrien CVT]

As far as I know, with the current FDA rules we can not give plasma.  It is mostly because we take HRT.  But check with your local Plasma Center.

[Missadventure]

As far as I know, with the current FDA rules we can not give plasma.  It is mostly because we take HRT.  But check with your local Plasma Center.

I asked them first. That's how I found out that I can't donate if taking finasteride. They didn't say anything about anything else, and when I asked if donating would remove the hormones I'm putting in my body I received a blank expression for a moment before being told to ask my doctor. Which I plan to. But, that's two weeks away, so I was hoping someone on here would know.

If worst comes to worst I can give up donating. HRT is more important to me than the $55/wk. But, I would love to have my cake and eat it too if possible.

[LordKAT]

Hormones are not carried by red blood cells.

http://www.prospecbio.com/Hormones/


Hormones also regulate the function of their target cells whicht express a receptor for the hormone. The action of hormones is determined by numerous factors such as its pattern of secretion and the response of the receiving tissue (signal transduction response).
Though few hormones circulate dissolved in the blood-stream, most are carried in the blood, bound to plasma proteins. For example, steroid hormones which are highly hydrophobic, are transported bound to plasma proteins.

[Cindy]

Women on hormone replacement therapy for menopausal symptoms and prevention of osteoporosis are eligible to donate.

The rules are here:
http://www.redcrossblood.org/donating-blood/eligibility-requirements/eligibility-criteria-alphabetical-listing

[LordKAT]

Cool, I figured it should be OK since hormones are there anyway.

[Missadventure]

bound to plasma proteins. For example, steroid hormones which are highly hydrophobic, are transported bound to plasma proteins.

This is the important info I needed to know... So by donating my plasma I'm donating the hormones along with it...

Don't want to do that. Especially since I'm paying out of pocket for those hormones.

[Thylacin]

This is the important info I needed to know... So by donating my plasma I'm donating the hormones along with it...

Don't want to do that. Especially since I'm paying out of pocket for those hormones.

You should ask your doctor if you'll be losing a significant amount of hormones in doing this though. I would guess it wouldn't be very much.

[Sandy]

I was a 5 gallon donor of plasma through apheresis and was donating 2-3 times a month.  When I disclosed I was starting HRT for purposes of gender change, I was immediately banned for life.

My LIFESTYLE(!) was considered high risk for HIV/AIDS though I had never had sex with a man.

Do not disclose you are in transition or in any way associated with the LGBT community if you wish to donate.

-Sandy

[Missadventure]

I was a 5 gallon donor of plasma through apheresis and was donating 2-3 times a month.  When I disclosed I was starting HRT for purposes of gender change, I was immediately banned for life.

My LIFESTYLE(!) was considered high risk for HIV/AIDS though I had never had sex with a man.

Do not disclose you are in transition or in any way associated with the LGBT community if you wish to donate.

-Sandy

I'm sorry to hear that happened to you. Thankfully this place seems more "enlightened", tho I suspect location has something to do with it. This is a huge college town, and I'd say 90% of their donors are college kids, so I'm sure that factors into them being more "liberal". I casually disclosed my intent to transition and all I was told was that I can't donate for one month after taking a dose of finasteride. (which, should it be decided that I need to take finasteride as part of HRT, it'll be an ongoing thing, so essentially a lifetime ban).

However, places are funny. My roommate had a false positive for Hep A during their inhouse test of his plasma. When they sent the sample out for external verification he was cleared, and when he was independently tested by his doctor he was also cleared. Yet, because of that false positive he's banned for life.