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Dr. Peter Gott - Blood donation is a life-saving gift

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DEAR DR. GOTT: My 45-year-old daughter donates platelets twice a month. The process, called apheresis, takes about an hour and a half.

I donated blood for some 30 years but must confess to some apprehension about the possible side effects of my daughter's altruism. I look forward to more information about this in your column.

DEAR READER: Apheresis is a process by which a person can donate specific blood components. Depending on the donor's blood type and the needs of an individual or community, a person can donate red cells, white cells, plasma or platelets. This procedure is commonly used to collect plasma and platelets.

A person simply registers with the appropriate facility, gives a health history, undergoes a brief exam, is typed for human leukocyte antigens (HLA) and donates the necessary component. This process allows for as close a match as possible between the donor and recipient. The mental reward can be unique for your daughter, knowing her specific platelets are helping a person in need. Cancer, leukemia and bone marrow transplant patients have compromised immune systems. They stand to benefit greatly from single-donor platelet transfusions.

Similar to the blood you donated for more than 30 years, a donor sits in a comfortable reclining chair while a machine draws blood from an arm through sterile tubing into a cell separator centrifuge. After the platelets are collected from your daughter's blood, the remainder of the blood is returned back to her through the same sterile tubing. The procedure is safe, the instruments are sterile, and people who provide platelets only, as your daughter does, can donate every three days up to a maximum of 24 times a year.

Requirements are similar for apheresis as they are for routine blood donation. A person must be at least 17 years of age, in good health and weigh 110 pounds or more. There are health standards and screening procedures in place. Obviously, your daughter is well enough to qualify.

The last bit of good news I'll provide is that a single apheresis donation of platelets can provide as many platelets as can five whole-blood donations. And a donation of platelets from a single donor vastly reduces the probability of an immune-system reaction to the transfusion.

I appreciate your concern. However, I suggest you sit down at your desk to make a blue ribbon to pin on the shirt of this level-headed gal. Then sit back with a smile on your face. You must have instilled some pretty intense values over the years. Congratulations to you both.

Other readers who might be interested in obtaining more information or donating should telephone 1-800-GIVE LIFE to find the nearest facility. Donations for this procedure are scheduled by appointment only.

DEAR DR. GOTT: I am a 38-year-old woman in good physical shape. I don't take any medications. I have atypical Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) that only bothers me when I stay up late or drink caffeine but is alleviated by going to sleep.

My problem now is that I have started having tingling in my lower extremities. It usually occurs while I am sleeping and wakes me up about 10 times a night. Occasionally, it will occur during the day if I sit in one position for too long or use a stair stepper for more than 15 minutes.

DEAR READER: Your tingling legs could be related to your RLS. You are probably too young to be developing arterial blockages, but your physician should check your circulation just in case.

However, based on your symptoms, I suspect the problem is more likely caused by a pinched nerve in your spine. Your physician can easily check out this possibility by ordering an X-ray or MRI of your spine. This would show whether there was a herniated, bulging or torn disc or any bony abnormalities putting pressure on the spinal cord and causing your symptoms.