Been to the blood bank yesterday to donate blood. Quick test showed I could not donate this time. Iron was at 134 but must be 135 or above to donate. It’s probably due to surgery I had last month, and now i’ve been advised to wait 6 months. Somehow It makes me feel a bit sad and guilty.
I’ve been told that I can’t donate for six months after any surgery. I’ve had multiple from a hysterectomy, to a laparoscopic meniscus tear repair. And every time they say “can’t donate blood”.
It sucks, but it’s for your safety and others.
In the US, you are still able to donate plasma so you can keep the iron contained in the red blood cells in your body
could not donate THIS TIME
Don’t feel guilty, you’ve already done more than most people do.
thnx! you made me think, and you are right. I looked it up, only 3% of Sweden’s adult population donates at least once a year. I don’t know any other donors among family and friends and I do talk about it frequently (I’m proud to donate because i’m real scared of needles. My family jokes I can faint on the picture of one. Even my wife thought I would not even make it to the door the first time, and true, I almost fled from that chair )
I can’t give blood because I might have mad cow disease
Prion diseases are unfortunately anything but dull
I can’t give blood because I’m married to the same sex. Too bad for them.
If you’re not aware, the guidelines were actually changed a few years ago in the US
IIRC the rules now are you can donate as long as you haven’t had anal with new or multiple partners in the last 3 months
Which, sure, still excludes some gay men, and it also excludes some straight men and women.
But if you’re monogamous you’re probably ok to donate now unless you went from not having sex to married in the space of the last 3 months, in which case you’d still be good to go in a couple months.
If you’re not in the US, different regulations will of course apply.
People in the USA don’t deserve my blood, so they don’t get it.
that’s harsh…
I’m pretty sure Sweden has no permanent deferral (though extra rules apply as it seems from the health-check questionnaire)
In 2022 they lifted the mad-cow ban in the U.S. I was banned as well because of living in the UK during the time period.
I’m type O- (universal donor) and can’t donate because I was treated for meningitis and might be a carrier.
Ah yes, the walk of shame. Done that a few times. Being vegetarian means it’s harder to build up iron.
Been a vegetarian home cook for 7 years. My and my girlfriend’s iron levels are always solidly good, even when she went to the hospital from burnout related rapid weight loss, all of her vitamin and minerals were solidly in the good range.
The key is beans, lentils, and spinach. Soybeans have over double the iron per weight of beef for example!
I don’t know if mostly cooking in a cast iron pan also has an effect.
Is iron a vegetable or a fruit?
It’s rain on your wedding day
Isn’t it ironic?
Don’t ya think?
the walk of shame
that’s literally how it felt when leaving
I’ve given blood maybe a dozen times, plasma 3 or four. Last time I went to give blood they pricked my finger and I went so pale they wouldn’t go through with it. My diet wasn’t any different that I knew of but I immediately was like well hell… maybe I can’t do this anymore. I’ll try again in the future I’m sure, but I just figured it meant I was getting older.
Don’t feel guilty! They’re just being extra careful because they want you and the people you donate to to be safe. Being unable to donate due to surgery recovery doesn’t surprise me at all - I once got turned away because I hadn’t gotten checked up at the doctor a few weeks after a nasty (but luckily very superficial) scooter accident. I felt fine but they just wanted my body to focus on repairing itself first.
In this case the saying is true: you (quite literally) cannot pour out of an empty cup.
Rest up, head back when you can, and hopefully they give you some snacks!
they want you to be safe
This summer was a good example. It was very hot outside, they refused everyone that not drank at lease one cup of water before donating.
hopefully they give you some snacks!
There is plenty of snacks and drinks to choose from and you can take as much as you want/feel you need
6 months for being off by less than 1% seems harsh. Thanks for being a donor.
probably because i’m always on or slightly above the limit
Don’t be hard on yourself. You have just recovered from surgery (hope you are feeling better now) and you set out to do a good thing. I’ve also been rejected from donating blood because of low iron several times, but luckily iron levels can be improved through diet and supplements (if necessary).
recovered
Thnx! The recovery goes very well and fast. That’s probably why I did not see this coming.
As an American I’m hearing “free blood test” lol
Well … They did take three tubes for the annual check they perform on donors. But blood tests -requested by medics- are already free.
