could not donate blood
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.
57 replies
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 )
3% every year sounds high! I used to donate 3-4 times a year but then had kids and always seem to have some cold or flu. I kept getting screened out, and only do it once every few years at the moment when stars align. I hope to get back to donating regularly when I can.
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.
My dude, there's certainly a lot of things other countries can justifiably act all superior about when comparing themselves to the US.
But in this case, if your country isn't letting you donate blood because you're gay, I think it's pretty safe to say that in this case the US is doing something better than your country.
So given that context you look kind of stupid getting on your high horse here.
You wish I was your dude. I’m referring to my time in the USA. Although I no longer live there today.
That's really fucking stupid. Do you think your donated blood only goes to the fascists and bigots?
At this point, I think at this point anyone whose feet are in America is a fascist and a bigot.
And this is just as stupid. Not everyone has the ability to move, and there are many of us who are fighting to try and change things.
Claiming everyone in a county is the same as their government is just waving your stupid flag for everyone to see.
They aren’t the SAME. They just get to suffer for doing nothing. Staples is having a sale on cardboard, you can use it for a picket sign on one side and another that says “homeless anything helps”
Go vote, and complain to the PROBLEM, not me, magat.
Wow, that's pretty fucking ignorant.
You must be in America.
that's harsh...
I'm pretty sure Sweden has no permanent deferral (though extra rules apply as it seems from the health-check questionnaire)
I'm type O- (universal donor) and can't donate because I was treated for meningitis and might be a carrier.
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.
Ah yes, the walk of shame. Done that a few times. Being vegetarian means it's harder to build up iron.
Is iron a vegetable or a fruit?
It’s rain on your wedding day
Isn't it ironic?
Don't ya think?
that's literally how it felt when leaving
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.
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).
Thnx! The recovery goes very well and fast. That's probably why I did not see this coming.
And it's good that you can't donate with low iron. Some people need blood transfusions due to having extremely low iron themselves--sure don't want them getting a unit with low iron!
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.
It's OK. Just have patience, you'll be back in no time.
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!
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.
There is plenty of snacks and drinks to choose from and you can take as much as you want/feel you need
Shoulda had oysters beforehand. That could have pushed you over the line
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
Pairing vitamin c with iron helps with upyake efficiency
I can't donate blood because I'm on lithium. :(
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
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.
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.