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I'm not allowed to give blood


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The UK blood service is by unpaid donation only. I really wanted to start donating again after we moved back to the UK, so tried last week. They took me through an extensive health questionnaire: checking that I hadn't lived in malarial areas, asking about my sexual habits, ensuring that my cholesterol medication was not a problem, asking about all my doctor visits for the last couple of years... But I was disqualified due to my (three times yearly) bouts of supraventricular tachycardia. They say that it's for my own protection, but I really can't see what giving blood has to do with it my condition.... I'm sad I can't help out.

 

Laura

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I can't, either. I used to donate, but because I have to answer 'yes' to "Do you have a blood relative who died of CJD (Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, the human equivilant to Mad Cow Disease)?" they disqualify me, despite the fact that I had the genetic testing done to determine that it was the SPORADIC type, not the GENETIC type. I guess they figure 'better safe than sorry'.

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I don't even know what that is!

 

I can't donate because I lived in Africa all through the 70's and 80's and have had malaria and Hep A. Other than that, I am good! ;)

 

And the funny part is, Dh can no longer donate because they have determined that anyone sleeping with someone who spent almost 2 decades in Africa can't donate either! :lol:

 

Dawn

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I can't, either. I used to donate, but because I have to answer 'yes' to "Do you have a blood relative who died of CJD (Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, the human equivilant to Mad Cow Disease)?" they disqualify me, despite the fact that I had the genetic testing done to determine that it was the SPORADIC type, not the GENETIC type. I guess they figure 'better safe than sorry'.

 

I'm out for the same reason, and apparently so are my kids. No genetic testing for us.

 

However, I agree, it's much better to be safe than sorry on this one.

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I'm out for the same reason, and apparently so are my kids. No genetic testing for us.

 

However, I agree, it's much better to be safe than sorry on this one.

 

:grouphug: Yes, it's a horrific disease. If you are interested in genetic testing it is free and I can PM you the info.....if you are so inclined. (It was taking forever to get my brother's autopsy report back and he left behind a 2 year old son, so we were specifically trying to see if his SON was at risk, so that is why I was tested.) I have no financial stake in this, just thought you may want the info. (You have your blood drawn by YOUR dr and have it sent off to Dr. Gambietti at the National Prion Surveillence Center.)

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Me neither. I lived there for all of the 1980's. Apparently that's the worst time to have lived there if you ever wanted to give blood.

 

I knew there was something about not being able to have been in the UK during the mad cow thing (I was), but what's the deal with Germany in the '80's? (yep, was there too.)

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I don't donate because I've had Lyme Disease. Some places will allow it; others will not. Unfortunately, there's no way to say for certain that one is completely cured.

 

Same here.

 

I would be afraid to donate, because I wouldn't want to take the chance of exposing someone to Lyme. Before I had Lyme, I couldn't donate because I didn't meet the minimum weight requirement.

 

Cat

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I am on a permanent non donor list because I had a platelet disorder for a few months when I was 18. Nevermind that I am now 44 (almost:D) and the issue is long resolved. I have the most rare blood type - AB-. It really bothers me that I cannot donate because I am very willing. In my opinion, some of the regulations are too strict, such as the one which prevents me from donating.

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What's with the weight requirement anyway? I have an aunt who is only 4'10" and weighs 90-something lbs - given her height, that's a healthy weight. Yet they say she still can't - I think they insisted on 110lbs. My mother couldn't donate either - she's 5'2" but she only weighs 97lbs dripping wet. Now SHE could stand to gain some weight, but my aunt?

 

They even went all spy-like on me back when I went a few years ago. I'm 5'8" and at the time I weighed about 115lbs -- the lady didn't believe me and kept looking and commenting on my "skinny little legs". +eyeroll+

Edited by LidiyaDawn
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They call me "underweight" and I'm occasionally anemic. I've never been able to donate. I had surgery in high school that had at least a moderate need for blood transfusions. My parents weren't crazy about the possibility of that and I was even more underweight then and couldn't give the amount of blood I might have needed. It was an odd situation. We even tried for a few weeks to get me to gain weight. I could probably gain it now if I wanted to. ;) LOL

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DH can't donate because he had a false positive on an HIV test once when he donated...it was a total weird fluke--he's about as low risk as he could possibly get for HIV, and he went to his doctor and got another test right away--but now he's on a list and can't ever give blood again.

 

I haven't tried in awhile, but I have terrible white coat hypertension, so the times I have tried I've been turned down because my blood pressure was too high.

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They have a lot of exclusions here. My husband cannot donate because he is from Germany.

 

None of us can donate because we lived in Germany.

 

How about if you lived in Germany before 1965?

 

Another one who can't donate because I was in the UK in the 80's.. (for a whooping total of 6 weeks over two years!)

Does it matter which part of the 80s?

I faint too easily, but hubby has a key chain for the gallons and gallons he has donated over the last 40 years. They call him regularly. O negative, baby!

My grandmother had O negative, and she was called on a lot. I have the opposite type, AB positive (so not as rare as some) but quit giving in my early 20s when I had low iron. I was thinking of giving again once past menopause (when the iron thing won't be a problem) but now I'm wondering if I can even give at all! My parents took me as soon as I was old enough, and it wasn't even an option the first time.

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How about if you lived in Germany before 1965?

 

 

Does it matter which part of the 80s?

From the Red Cross site:

 

In-Depth Discussion of Variant Creutzfeld-Jacob Disease and Blood Donation

In some parts of the world, cattle can get an infectious, fatal brain disease called Mad Cow Disease. In these same locations, humans have started to get a new disease called variant Creutzfeld-Jacob Disease (vCJD) which is also a fatal brain disease. Scientists believe that vCJD is Mad Cow Disease that has somehow transferred to humans, possibly through the food chain.

 

There is now evidence from a small number of case reports involving patients and laboratory animal studies that vCJD can be transmitted through transfusion. There is no test for vCJD in humans that could be used to screen blood donors and to protect the blood supply. This means that blood programs must take special precautions to keep vCJD out of the blood supply by avoiding collections from those who have been where this disease is found.

 

At this time, the American Red Cross donor eligibility rules related to vCJD are as follows:

 

You are not eligible to donate if:

 

From January 1, 1980, through December 31, 1996, you spent (visited or lived) a cumulative time of 3 months or more, in the United Kingdom (UK), or

From January 1, 1980, to present, you had a blood transfusion in any country(ies) in the (UK). The UK includes any of the countries listed below.

 

 

  • Channel Islands

  • England

  • Falkland Islands

  • Gibraltar

  • Isle of Man

  • Northern Ireland

  • Scotland

  • Wales

 

You were a member of the of the U.S. military, a civilian military employee, or a dependent of a member of the U.S. military who spent a total time of 6 months on or associated with a military base in any of the following areas during the specified time frames

 

 

  • From 1980 through 1990 - Belgium, the Netherlands (Holland), or Germany

  • From 1980 through 1996 - Spain, Portugal, Turkey, Italy or Greece.

 

You spent (visited or lived) a cumulative time of 5 years or more from January 1, 1980, to present, in any combination of country(ies) in Europe, including

 

 

  • in the UK from 1980 through 1996 as listed above

  • on or associated with military bases as described above, and

  • in other countries in Europe as listed below:

    • Albania

    • Austria

    • Belgium

    • Bosnia/Herzegovina

    • Bulgaria

    • Croatia

    • Czech Republic

    • Denmark

    • Finland

    • France

    • Germany

    • Greece

    • Hungary

    • Ireland (Republic of)

    • Italy

    • Kosovo (Federal Republic of Yugoslavia)

    • Liechtenstein

    • Luxembourg

    • Macedonia

    • Montenegro (Federal Republic of Yugoslavia)

    • Netherlands (Holland)

    • Norway

    • Poland

    • Portugal

    • Romania

    • Serbia (Federal Republic of Yugoslavia)

    • Slovak Republic (Slovakia)

    • Slovenia

    • Spain

    • Sweden

    • Switzerland

    • Turkey

    • Yugoslavia (Federal Republic includes Kosovo, Montenegro, and Serbia)

     

     

 

 

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I stopped donating blood last time I tried in the UK when I was told they would only be able to use my plasma because I had holidayed in Sri Lanka.

 

It doesn't help that I am usually borderline height-weight, take a long time to get a pint of blood out of me and have fainted every single time I've donated.

 

Of course now that you post all those restrictions there is no way I would be able to donate. I lived in Spain from birth to 1988 and then moved to the UK where I lived until 1999.

 

My dh can't donate either because he has had malaria.

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I'm sorry you can't donate, Laura. I help coordinate and work our local blood drives. Most of the volunteers are people who can't donate for one reason or another, but who want to help. Maybe you could inquire as to whether they need volunteers occasionally. Even if you can't donate blood, you could still help the cause overall.

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I have the most rare blood type - AB-. It really bothers me that I cannot donate because I am very willing. In my opinion, some of the regulations are too strict, such as the one which prevents me from donating.

I'm also AB- and would love to donate, but I lived in the UK for 10 years. :(

 

Jackie

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But I was disqualified due to my (three times yearly) bouts of supraventricular tachycardia. They say that it's for my own protection, but I really can't see what giving blood has to do with it my condition.... I'm sad I can't help out.

 

Laura

 

Low blood volume (and also anemia) causes the heart to beat faster.

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I can't either because of the height/weight thing. I guess I understand that a pint of blood from someone who has less blood to start with has more of an impact on the body than a pint from someone who has more blood volume but it is frustrating. I always feel guilty when people are doing blood drives and I have to say no. My DH can't give blood either because he lived in Germany and because he caught some strange tropical disease in Haiti so our whole family looks like losers during the group blood drives. I am signed up as a marrow donor. I checked on the forms that I was at a healthy weight (I think I am for my body) but I wonder if they would disqualify me for that too!

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Low blood volume (and also anemia) causes the heart to beat faster.

 

But I've been assured by my cardiologist that my SVT is a quirk rather than a problem. He's happy to treat it if I find it a nuisance, but doesn't otherwise see a need. Oh well.

 

I did try to donate while we lived abroad - before the SVT was diagnosed - but ran into the same CJD restrictions that others have mentioned. The UK continues to import plasma for use with people born after 1st January 1996, presumably in order to try to foster a 'clean' generation.

 

Laura

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But I've been assured by my cardiologist that my SVT is a quirk rather than a problem.

 

I have SVT as well and there have been two times where it was considered a problem, once when I was pregnant and another time when it converted to atrial fibrillation.

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early '90's when the whole mad cow thing was going on. The US automatically eliminates anyone who was in the UK during this period.

 

Weird, I know. You'd think after this period of time, if I were infected, I'd be forming at the mouth at least.

 

ETA: I see more info was provided by another posted regarding the limits on donations from those who have lived in the UK and Europe.

Edited by Stacy in NJ
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It's the introvert's ideal charitable act (beyond writing a cheque). I go, I donate, I drink tea, I walk away. I only need to engage with others as much as I am interested in doing so. I am prevented from doing it too often, so I don't have to feel guilty about not doing it every week. That's why I'm peeved.

 

Laura

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early '90's when the whole mad cow thing was going on. The US automatically eliminates anyone who was in the UK during this period.

 

Weird, I know. You'd think after this period of time, if I were infected, I'd be forming at the mouth at least.

 

ETA: I see more info was provided by another posted regarding the limits on donations from those who have lived in the UK and Europe.

 

Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (the human version of Mad Cow Disease) usually strikes when the patient is in their 60's or 70's. That was why so many doctors and nurses were shocked when my 47 year old brother was diagnosed/dying. During the incubation period it is completely asymptomatic. He had muscle weakness (but had just had the flu, so thought it was just residual from that) and some mood changes. It went downhill VERY rapidly. Muscle weakness in July, altered gait by August, unable to walk by October, diagnosed in December, dead in January. :001_huh:

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