Donating Blood
Posted by lisaanddini on May 23, 2007 · Member since May 2007 · 2179 posts
I just donated blood & even though I feel fine now, I am dreading the sluggishness I know I will feel tomorrow. Plus I'm planning on a long group run this Saturday and hope that I feel up to it. Does anyone have any tips for helping my body regenerate my red blood cells a little quicker? I'm having tofu & spinach stuffed manicotti for lunch, I thought the iron & protein would help.
After donating blood, I've been told by the nurse to drink plenty of juices and water within the next 24 hours after you donate to get the blood sugar back up, and to prevent you from passing out. I drink a can or two of apple juice after donating blood and I've always been fine the next day.
mdvegan,
MUST EAT BEET CAKE!
is it this one? http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2006/02/cant-be-beet-chocolate-cake.html
what did you frost yours with?
I'm not feeling the banana/PB icing on the recipe
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Lots of good juices. I always use it as an excuse to buy a quart of fresh squeezed red grapefruit juice and down the lot.But if you can't drink it or don't like it, OJ is good for the blood sugar thing and other juices or water for the hydration. I don't do sports drinks cuz they're usually full of sugar and other junk.
Thanks for reminding me it's time to go to the haemotology unit and leave a pint there.
Give blood--save a life.
I am leary about donating blood because apparently they don't allow gay men to donate. A few years ago on my college campus, there was a guy protesting a blood drive. He stood outside with a sign that said "I can't give blood because I'm gay." (It has something to do with a question about whether you're a man who has had sex with a man, though it doesn't specify what kind of sex, whether protection was used, how long ago it was, whether you've been tested, etc.) I am going to need to ask someone about this because I would like to donate, but not if they are descriminating.
Not sure about that. They ask a lot of questions on the sheet & then a person follows up asking you other questions. Along with the if you are a man, have you ever had sex with another man question is also a question, Have you traveled outside the United States and Canada in the last 3 years? and Do you take any prescription medication? I answer yes to both of these & the lady asked where I traveled & what prescriptions I take. Maybe the man & man sex is just trying to open up the gateway to other questions that may be important.
Thanks everyone for your advice about drinking alot. I think resting has probably helped too. I skipped my AM workout this morning & I feel fine today.
I am leary about donating blood because apparently they don't allow gay men to donate. A few years ago on my college campus, there was a guy protesting a blood drive. He stood outside with a sign that said "I can't give blood because I'm gay." (It has something to do with a question about whether you're a man who has had sex with a man, though it doesn't specify what kind of sex, whether protection was used, how long ago it was, whether you've been tested, etc.) I am going to need to ask someone about this because I would like to donate, but not if they are descriminating.
Funny how this was brought up, because just yesterday I was reading on MSN I think how the FDA's ban against gay men was up for review, and they retained it. So basically, gay men (or men who have had sex with other men after 1977) are not allowed to give blood because of the potential they might have AIDS....like hetero's don't get it.
the link is http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18827137
I've never been denied when donating blood. Now at least I know I needn't disclose my sexual orientation!
Iron rich foods will definately help. I'm not sure about the protein. A healthy person should bounce back fine. Kudos to you and everyone who donates blood.
I hang a lot of lbood as a trauma nurse, and would love to donate, but I'm banned. Don't get me started on that. :)
Just got back from a spin class & I feel great! Thanks again everyone.
Great to know you're feeling good.
I wish I could donate (and I have before they changed their rules a couple of years ago). I can't because I was born in Germany.
I wish I could donate (and I have before they changed their rules a couple of years ago). I can't because I was born in Germany.
Whaaaa--? :o Or, not to put too fine a point on it, but WTF??? Germany's health care system is pretty darn good and has an excellent rep in the rest of Europe--why does being born there disqualify you??
Or are they still ticked off about 1939???
DO enlighten me. The mind bloody well boggles!! :o
Yes, they ask questions and I do believe rightly so. I do not like the gay men quesion but they are trying to be very careful (probably due to law suits in the past). Might seem wrong but I had open heart surgery and would have died without the huge quantities of blood people donated years ago.
They also ask here if we have had unprotected sex, sex in another country and on and on. Probably trying to protect themselves from being sued and to ensure the safety of the recipient.
As well, I think one can not give blood if they have had a tattoo in a certain amount of years.
I am glad they are finally being proactive in screening blood.
The gay person issue bothers me because protected sex is protected sex so it should make no difference.
As well, all blood should be checked before giving it to someone in need.
I still think giving blood is very important because one day, one of us may need it. I would not be typing this right now if not for the wonderful people who thought it was important to donate their blood.
My sister faithfully donates every three months and also does the platelet donation where she sits for a couple of hours. They remove the platelets and then put the blood back in her.
Because of her, a few children with blood disorders are alive as it was made clear to her she was helping children at a hospital for sick children with leukemia, etc.
Giving blood is giving life! Receiving blood can save your life! Although the questions may seem antiquated, they are doing the best they can.
Di
P.S. I have always felt fine after giving blood. Never light headed or impared in any way.
I've never been able to give blood. I've always been either too underweight, on some kind of acne medication, recently pierced or tattooed, etc. I've gotten a tattoo in the last 18 months. Don't know if that's too soon.
I always felt discriminated against because of the piercing thing. Body piercing, at least at a place licensed by the APP, is much more sterile and hospital-grade than ear percing with a contaminated gun in some cheap mall store! Body piercing uses fresh disposable needles, and the piercers put all their re-useable instruments (like the forceps), as well as all jewelry, through an autoclave. Because most ear-percing guns are made from some amount of plastic, they actually CAN'T be steilized this way, due to the high temperature in the autoclave. Grrr, that really grinds my gears!
About the tattoo thing:
You CAN donate blood after getting a tattoo/piercing if:
-you got done by a professional/licensed artist
-you got it done in a certain state. (for some reason state's have different strictness on licensing/regulation. So the Red Cross only accepts some states. Ohio is one of them)
Wow, ummm I wasn't expecting this to be a controversial topic....So I just looked at my donator card & I realized It wasn't the Red Cross, it was the Community Blood Council of New Jersey. Not really sure about all of their polices. I really think that a lot of the questions they ask you are just to open a dialog to make sure you are in good health. When I give blood I do not usually think about the company taking my blood, but the person who may end up with it in the end. I really like to think I am helping someone in need.
AshleyKimball--
I know that SHOULD be the case with the Red Cross and donors with body piercings. However, it has been my experience that they turn me away, usually rudely, as soon as they see my (pierced) face. When I try to explain about the reality that is professional body piercing, they've already gone on to the next person.. It really sucks, because I love giving blood at the dr.'s office (i'm a weirdo I guess, I just like how it feels), and I would like to help peopole in this very simple yet necessary way. :(
Oh, I just read the thing about states. Hmmm, this happened in Louisiana. I live in New York now.
My advice for post-donation:
Oreos (or your favorite equivalent)
B12 supplementation
The Oreos are: (1) delicious (2) iron-containing and (3) more delicious than other iron-rich foods ::)
B12 supplementation because: B12 is a necessary component of making new red blood cells. Apparently this is actually why a lot of people are anemic! But we all think it has to do with iron, and so the anemia goes on...
And of course, you should probably eat some source of vitamin C.
As for the rules about donation,
Regardless of the Red Cross' own rules, you still wouldn't be able to donate with them, since the FDA rules go for every organization. I don't donate with the Red Cross (a diff. org. comes to my school), but even so, I'd give them blood, because I suppose though they vivisect I'm not financially helping them out, but I would be helping out someone in need (well, provided they store the blood properly unlike post-911 stuff ??? ).
I think some of the other rules include no donating if you've been out of the country in the past 3 years, been to GB (or maybe any European country too) for a sum of more than 6 months (?), male and had sex with another male EVER, and female and had sex with a male who has had sex with a male in the past year (or six months?).
Notably, it doesn't discriminate between gay sex with protection or not, and, you even can't donate if you're a woman who's had sex with a bi man, but only within a certain time frame (?). Supposedly the justification for barring gay/bi men from donating is that "their" kind of sex has a higher risk for transmission, this the lining of the rectum/anus is more likely to tear (and bleed) during intercourse. However, who says straight people don't have anal sex too? If this is really why, shouldn't the rule be something like "if you've had anal sex in the past year", regardless of genders? Hm...
Additionally, some argue that gay men have a higher incidence of HIV infection, but this isn't true. In fact, they have one of the lowest incidences (presumably because you'd be aware of the high risk, and then take more precaution), and barring high-incidence populations would lead to unacceptable forms of discrimination (sexual, racial).
Aaaand, they test your blood each time you donate. The problem with that is it can apparently take a full year from infection for it to actually show up on a test, hence all these weird rules. However, I think I recall from my last questionnaire that the gay sex question is ever, not just in the past year (I might be wrong). That, to me, seems like we're trying to keep the blood supply clear of "gay" blood, for fear that those craaazy gay hormones might turn unsuspecting patients GAY! (pardon sarcasm). Yet we're not worried about a man getting a woman's girly blood...
On that note, I've often heard from curious peers, "That must suck to be a lesbian since you can't have sex..." or some variation. Uhhh? These people are obviously not very imaginative, and they must be devoid of all "foreplay". ;)
On that note, I've often heard from curious peers, "That must suck to be a lesbian since you can't have sex..." or some variation. Uhhh? These people are obviously not very imaginative, and they must be devoid of all "foreplay". ;)
I remember shocking the life out of our vicar's wife in a discussion about things our husbands do that make us crazy, by remarking, "Well, there's this much to be said for homosexuality--you know what you're getting." It took her about 15 minutes to breathe in and close her mouth! ;) ;D (no wonder she never liked me much...that's ok, they're not in our church anymore...which is good).
some argue that gay men have a higher incidence of HIV infection, but this isn't true. In fact, they have one of the lowest incidences (presumably because you'd be aware of the high risk, and then take more precaution),
where did you get his information? i find it very hard to swallow.
i can't donate because i have psoriasis. people get so up in arms about this gay discrimination. as one poster put it, she would never do business with any company that discriminated on the grounds of sexual orientation. why is sexual orientation-based discrimination any worse than any other kind? i am discriminated against because i have a disease. it isn't HIV, it isn't something i chose to do like a tattoo or a piercing or traveling out of the country, but it is something i was born with and it will never go away. if they want to be extra careful and possibly step on some toes, i don't have a problem with it. the more you can do to make the donated blood supply cleaner, the safer it will be when the time comes that i might need it. i understand that, so it doesn't hurt my feelings.
fiona
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