Should I give blood again?

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

Many years ago I gave blood regularly. I am AB negative and there was always a shortage. In 1983 I had cancer. My oncologist told me to stop donating. I never started again. Can I begin donating again? Will they reject me due to the cancer history?

Good question. I don't know the answer.

It would likely depend on the type of cancer and other details. You oncologist may have been concerned about anemia related to the treatment or the underlying disease back then, and now that you are a survivor without treatment, you may be eligible.

If you want, PM me a bit more detail and I'll see what I can find out. Otherwise, call the Red Cross locally to see what their policy is. I think it's awesome that you want to donate.

 

[Billy]

Rich,
I once read that it was a good idea for men to give blood at least once every three years to get rid of excess iron.

Is there any truth to this?

Billy
RetireEarlyLifestyle.com

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

I once read that it was a good idea for men to give blood at least once every three years to get rid of excess iron...Is there any truth to this?

There is a theory that iron can act as an oxidant, and it is also known that excess iron can lead to damage to the liver. pancreas, and other organs ("hemochromatosis"). The former is just an observation and its implications for aging and cancer risk are not really known. The latter is due to inheritied over-absorption of dietary iron intake and requires fancier treatment (including blood letting).

When you donate blood, your body very quickly regenerates it, calling on iron reserves in the bone marrow. Any mild deficit is quickly replaced from dietary sources, so donating blood would have little effect on the overall balance. I am not aware of any demonstrated benefit of blood donation in that context.

One place this hypothesis comes into play for me is that multiple vitamins sometimes contain iron. For women, this is not known to be a problem and, at least in premenopausal women with low iron intake, it's probably appropriate. Men, OTOH, rarely need extra iron other other than in certain illnesses.

So, for men who choose to take a multivitamin (including myself, though evidence is lacking), I recommend that you choose one without iron. These are often marketed in the "For Men" or "Men Over 50" categories.

Sorry for a long-winded answer to a good and simple question!

 

[Billy]

Thanks Rich,

For your indepth answer. It made sense to me. Thanks again

Billy
RetireEarlyLifestyle.com

 

[WM]

I've donated regularly for several years, and the only time I nearly passed out was when I went in on the spur of the moment, not having eaten a lot for breakfast and probably not hydrated enough. The staff told me that drinking plently of water in the 24 hrs ahead of time is the most important thing to do, especially because I am toward the low end of acceptable donors, weight-wise.

I've generally had a good experience with the staff where I went, although some were more expert at getting a good "stick" than others. I think experience has a lot to do with it.

 

[Khan]

I've donated regularly for several years, and the only time I nearly passed out was when I went in on the spur of the moment, not having eaten a lot for breakfast and probably not hydrated enough. The staff told me that drinking plently of water in the 24 hrs ahead of time is the most important thing to do, especially because I am toward the low end of acceptable donors, weight-wise.

I've generally had a good experience with the staff where I went, although some were more expert at getting a good "stick" than others. I think experience has a lot to do with it.

You can request a different or specific 'sticker'. I sometimes request an experienced one I've had before, as my veins 'roll' quite a bit

 

[JohnEyles]

When you donate blood, your body very quickly regenerates it ...

I've always heard that. But I also know you can only give blood every
8 weeks or so, I think it is. These things seem contradictory.

So although you can clearly go back to normal life the next day, I wonder
if you're somehow slightly weaker for those 8 weeks (why else would there
be the waiting period ?) and might need to wait that long before doing
something extremely strenuous, like, say, hiking to the bottom of the
Grand Canyon.

Any thoughts, Rich ?

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

I've always heard that. But I also know you can only give blood every
8 weeks or so, I think it is. These things seem contradictory.

It's a question of an isolated loss of iron which is quickly replaced by pre-existing iron storage (bone marrow mostly, the warehouse). The warehouse quickly restores the blood count, then leisurely replaces its own inventory over weeks depending on iron intake. Cumulatively making withdrawals from the warehouse can, in some cases, lead to iron deficiency and anemia.

The 8 week interval is longer than necessary for healthy males on a balanced diet. Healthy women who are menstruating can get anemic more quickly, as can anyone with chronic illness, or if you need surgery, are in an accident, etc. So they play it safe.

Make sense?

 

[JohnEyles]

It's a question of an isolated loss of iron which is quickly replaced by pre-existing iron storage (bone marrow mostly, the warehouse). The warehouse quickly restores the blood count, then leisurely replaces its own inventory over weeks depending on iron intake. Cumulatively making withdrawals from the warehouse can, in some cases, lead to iron deficiency and anemia.

The 8 week interval is longer than necessary for healthy males on a balanced diet. Healthy women who are menstruating can get anemic more quickly, as can anyone with chronic illness, or if you need surgery, are in an accident, etc. So they play it safe.

Make sense?

Yes, thanks.

So you'd say, for a healthy male with half-decent diet, that full strength for
extremely strenuous exercise would be reached within a week or so ?

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

So you'd say, for a healthy male with half-decent diet, that full strength for
extremely strenuous exercise would be reached within a week or so ?

I can't go there -- too many variables. You know the rest ... check with your own... etc.

 

[SecondCor521]

I feel badly because I've only given blood once, many years ago. I had a horrible experience like Brat's.. the woman kept gouging.. and gouging.. and gouging.. Couldn't fill the bag and I got brusquely ordered to "play some tennis and then come back." I still have a lentil-size scar.

For many years, even THINKing about giving blood gave me a recurrence of that sickening ache deep in my elbow and upper/underarm, and my stomach and throat would tighten up and start to hurt. By the time I'd gotten over this, I heard they weren't taking blood from those who'd spent more than 6 mo. overseas (me) due to mad cow disease, I believe. Not sure if this is still true in the US.

I was really surprised at how I was treated, and you can't really know who you'll be "comfortable" with until after the fact.. but I know I should grit my teeth and try again here in Italy. Errmm .. now my arm is aching..

I see that the law in Italy is that employees have the right to a day off with pay for giving blood. Also, it looks like they give you a series of blood tests first, before enrolling you in a donor program.. it's not exactly a spur-of-the-moment thing.

I've given blood a lot and have had "good sticks" and "bad sticks" -- there is some luck involved but there is also a lot of skill. If they gouged you and then blamed you for poor flow I would bet that they were defending their own ineptitude.

The American Red Cross, at least recently, screened for mad cow. Not sure what the details are, but it's something like if you spent X months in any of these mad cow countries since 19XX, you can't give.

2Cor521

 

[SecondCor521]

Rich,

Many years ago I gave blood regularly. I am AB negative and there was always a shortage. In 1983 I had cancer. My oncologist told me to stop donating. I never started again. Can I begin donating again? Will they reject me due to the cancer history?

Grumpy

The American Red Cross, at least recently, would reject you for any cancer except "skin cancer in situ", I think.

2Cor521

 

[Dreamer]

I could not give blood for many years because I did not weigh enough. I thought that it was pretty neat that I could give blood, when I finally did weigh enough. My blood pressure also runs low. The first time I gave blood, the nurse took one look at me and asked me why I did not say anything. She told me that I looked liked I was going to pass out. I was laying down. The second time, the nurse turned around and told me that I looked green and she stopped it. Both times they told me that they had enough that it could be used, but the second time the nurse told me that I had better think twice about donating again. Those were the only 2 times that I donated blood.

 

[John Tuttle]

Maybe those old barbers were on to something. This article says giving blood may have some healthful affects.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070214/hl_nm/bloodletting_heart_dc