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What Causes Sudden Seizures Post Plasma Donation?
Question: hi my name is XXXXXXX and i believed i had 2 seizures today...i donated plasma this morning and i felt normal. i was hydrated before i went in and hydrated after. i even went and got food after i was finish. when i got on the bus i fell asleep for what felt like hours but i was woken up by the people on the bus and they all said i was having a seizure. how can this happen ive never had seizures before and when they woke me up all i felt fine and responsive then it happened again and that i felt a huge headache
Brief Answer:
Possible electrolyte alteration.
Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXX!
I read your question carefully and I am sorry about what happened to you.
Plasma donation usually is not accompanied by side effects, however in some rare cases problems may arise. That can be on the one side due to loss of proteins and other minor components, as well as due to substances used during the procedure. Now my hypothesis regarding what happened is that it was as a consequence of hypocalcemia (low blood calcium).
During plasma donation procedure to prevent the blood from clotting, a substance is inserted called sodium citrate which is returned back in your body. This citrate has the feature to bind the calcium in your body. As a result in can lead to temporary low blood calcium (and to a minor scale magnesium as well). Usually it is mild, with symptoms like transitory tingling, but in some rare cases may be as severe as to cause muscle contractions, heart arrhythmias, seizures. That is what I believe happened. It should be transitory, doesn't mean you suffer from epilepsy. It might be safe to present at the ER have some routine blood tests and receive calcium containing solutions.
I remain at your disposal for other questions.
Possible electrolyte alteration.
Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXX!
I read your question carefully and I am sorry about what happened to you.
Plasma donation usually is not accompanied by side effects, however in some rare cases problems may arise. That can be on the one side due to loss of proteins and other minor components, as well as due to substances used during the procedure. Now my hypothesis regarding what happened is that it was as a consequence of hypocalcemia (low blood calcium).
During plasma donation procedure to prevent the blood from clotting, a substance is inserted called sodium citrate which is returned back in your body. This citrate has the feature to bind the calcium in your body. As a result in can lead to temporary low blood calcium (and to a minor scale magnesium as well). Usually it is mild, with symptoms like transitory tingling, but in some rare cases may be as severe as to cause muscle contractions, heart arrhythmias, seizures. That is what I believe happened. It should be transitory, doesn't mean you suffer from epilepsy. It might be safe to present at the ER have some routine blood tests and receive calcium containing solutions.
I remain at your disposal for other questions.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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