To start off with I have heard a lot of complaints about Biolife from friends and customers. I work in a company pharmacy about a block down the road and whenever asked about it I would tell customers that the service seems to vary from person to person. Now today I can add my experience to the negative ones. When I first scheduled my appointment I called to ask if I was even able to donate because I take Keppra to prevent seizures, which I have been seizure free in over 8 years. I was told, no this shouldn't be a problem, which I figured would be the case since I am able to donate regular blood. When I arrived today all the help talked among themselves and only spoke to the "customers" when asking a question. At several points I considered leaving because it seemed to be a waste of my time when the staff themselves weren't even focused. They also had several machine malfunctions that I could not even begin to believe. I had to touch my finger to the sensor at least four or five times each time and had to have my picture taken three times for it to register. Thirty minutes later I finally was taken into a room with a nurse to review my questions I took on the computer, which again I will add three of the six computers were actually working. The first question was do I take any medication? Again I said exactly the same thing I did when I called, yes I take Keppra to prevent seizures, but I've been seizure free for over 8 years. At that point I was told I could not donate. When asked why the best answer I got was Keppra binds to the plasma. When I asked even if this was true why it would matter, she had no answer for me. Well I'm disappointed to tell you but your nurse does not even have the correct information, to start with plasma is not influenced by Keppra. Several studies have been done and no determination has been made on the effect plasma donation has on seizures. As a matter of fact, several of our customers who have had seizures donate plasma twice a week like a “normal person” could. Also as stated on your website, being able to donate is determined by severity and type of my seizures, neither that I was asked about. I find it rather interesting that someone could take any number of illegal drug and go in to donate plasma while lying on this test and get away with it but yet someone who has had an actually condition in the past that's truthful may not donate. Neither I nor any other member of staff that I work with will be recommending this facility or business starting today, which unfortunately will be a large number of people due to the company size. My intention of donating was to help people that truely needed it, not to give a job to someone who's too lazy or rude to get any other job. I apologize to the people who true do need these types of studies done but it looks like I will be going back to the Blood Center of Iowa where they have no problems with this medication I am on and actually are pleasant to their staff.

I went to donate my plasma and the finger poke and everything went fine. When I went back to donate it took them at least 15 minutes to even get to me when it was not busy. When someone finally came the girl who poked my vein with the needle missed the vein twice. She then got someone else and the didnt poke the vein right either. Then a third person finally got it and told them to watch my red blood cell return. While one lady watched, the blood went under my skin and it started swelling up whereas its supposed to go into the vein. They told me that it was my fault and I didnt even do anything wrong. I had donated with that arm 3 times before with absolutly no problems. They forced me to get poked in the other arm for the red blood cell return and when I proceeded to tell them I did not want to donate they continuously pushed me to do it. They finally let me leave after 5 minutes of asking me to donate and me repeatedly telling them no. My arm has a huge bruise that is getting progressively worse. I dont believe people should be pushed to donate when they said no more than once and then they say it was my fault. I will not return due to this incidence.