I gave blood!

doc henderson · August 22, 2023, 05:34:24 PM

it takes a while to gain or lose iron. It is generally recycled in the body. a rbc last 120 days. there are lots of tests to do for anemia that includes iron, iron binding and saturation. how many new cells are there (reticulocyte). low iron can mean you are bleeding somewhere. that can include giving blood, or GI losses. If you are anemic, you should get checked out by a doc. If it is from donating blood, you can get on iron. the level they check has to be fast and require little blood. I think they are actually checking your Hemoglobin level. If too high, it can be therapeutic to give blood. If you keep getting passed up on, I would also see your doc for a further workup. If you give frequently, it may be good to get on iron supplements.

doc henderson · August 22, 2023, 05:35:33 PM

a good steak has lots of iron. It is in the hemoglobin and the myoglobin.

52 Foods High In Iron ? Cleveland Clinic

Jim_Rogers · August 23, 2023, 10:35:11 AM

Yes, Doc you of course were right they were checking my Hemoglobin level and today it was over 13 so I was able to donate.
Once they got a good flow in my second arm, left didn't work out, I filled the bag in fairly short order.

Jim Rogers

red · September 13, 2023, 09:03:15 AM

The American Red Cross has declared a national blood shortage due to climate disasters , low donor turnout

The National Blood supply has fallen nearly 25% since early August

LeeB · September 13, 2023, 11:00:15 AM

My next appointment is Oct. 18th.

Ljohnsaw · September 13, 2023, 11:18:50 AM

Quote from: red on September 13, 2023, 09:03:15 AM
The American Red Cross has declared a national blood shortage due to climate disasters , low donor turnout

The National Blood supply has fallen nearly 25% since early August

That's why I'm in the "frequent plasma donor" program. It allows me to donate platelets and plasma every two weeks. The FDA or whoever changed the rules and I think I could donate weekly now but then cumulative blood loss would probably cause me to be deferred in six months.

Jim_Rogers · September 13, 2023, 12:43:13 PM

My next appointment is Oct. 24th.

doctorb · September 13, 2023, 10:14:21 PM

We used to give iron supplements to patients whose blood counts fell after surgery. Was a routine postop order. Not much different than donating blood. Studies found that, for the vast majority, the iron pills had little effect on the rate of gradual return of normal blood counts (6+ weeks). If you don't have specific medical reasons for requiring an increase of iron in your diet, then the excess iron won't do much for you, except maybe constipate you. So a minor portion of the population is afflicted with diseases that make it difficult to absorb or metabolize iron, and those patients do require work up and supplements. Most diets have more than enough iron to replenish our RBC's, and you can't speed up the process by taking a trunk full of pills.

Ed_K · September 24, 2023, 11:08:54 AM

Rita's been telling me that I may have to start chewing on some rusty nails

:D.

doc henderson · September 24, 2023, 11:41:35 AM

a 3-ounce steak for breakfast ever morning. digin_2

Texas Ranger · September 24, 2023, 09:00:53 PM

Hey, the doctor order it!

LeeB · October 19, 2023, 08:19:27 AM

I went to give blood yesterday but it didn't turn out too well. After about 1/3 of a bag the flow stopped. The tech dug around a little but was never able to keep it going. When she unhooked everything and went to clear the tube she told me she could see that it was clotting up in the bag. I guess my platelets were working overtime although I would have thought the bag would have heparin in it.

doc henderson · October 19, 2023, 10:25:55 AM

may have had more to do with flow or clotted in the tube. It has an agent in the bag, but I think it is different than heparin. drink lots of fluids in preparation. was your Hg high?

LeeB · October 19, 2023, 02:23:46 PM

Hg was 17.5. About what it always is. I drank a quart of milk and 56 oz of water the morning before I went in. Was peeing like a fire hose. May have been to much too late. I usually try to start heavy hydrating the day before. It may not have been a good stick. For me, if they don't get it right on the money the first stab at it all the digging around ususally is just needless pain. No matter. I'll schedule again as soon as I'm allowed.

doc henderson · October 19, 2023, 04:27:10 PM

I agree, prob. luck of the draw. We appreciate it!

gspren · October 19, 2023, 08:44:14 PM

I forgot to post that I donated last Wednesday, 10/11/23. I didn't make an appointment because I wasn't sure if I'd be back from my Navy reunion but I was, so I went, and glad I did, since they had an exceptionally low turnout due to an Amish Holiday.

Jim_Rogers · October 25, 2023, 10:01:24 AM

I gave blood yesterday. I had a very young tech, and a somewhat unpleasant time. She didn't look for a spot on my left arm and just stuck me. Got what she called a "flash". So, we had to do the other arm. This time she had another help her find the right spot. I was on the bed over an hour.

But they got a donation anyway.

Jim Rogers

doc henderson · October 25, 2023, 07:53:54 PM

Well then I will term it, "thank you for your sacrifice!.!"

Ljohnsaw · October 25, 2023, 09:18:30 PM

Went to donate platelets on 10/9 but they needed to recertify or something on the Source Plasma stuff. That's were they use plasma for some sort of pharmaceuticals. Anyhow, did that. Then they informed me that Frequent Plasma is going away January 1st.

Apparently, the old company was about the only one on the county that had this program. When they got bought up along with most other blood banks across the US a few years ago, the new owners decided that a ready supply of plasma is not needed? The staff can't say anything but the look they give says they are not happy.

Anyhow, what this means to me is that I will get bumped more often trying to donate platelets every 2 weeks due to plasma and red cell "losses" above the limits. The Frequent program had higher limits as well as taking a mandatory unit of plasma on each visit. I typically gave 2 or 3 units of platelets and 1 of plasma on each visit.

I gave my usual this past Monday.

tree-farmer · November 01, 2023, 06:45:00 PM

Just gave today, closing in on my 6 gallon mark. Easy to do, may help someone in dire straits .

doc henderson · November 02, 2023, 12:34:57 AM

Thanks. yes, we only give blood in dire straits. trauma and cancer are the big ones. let's all give!

Jim_Rogers · November 02, 2023, 02:38:11 PM

I'm already re-scheduled for December.

Jim Rogers

gspren · December 06, 2023, 08:58:17 PM

I gave again today, had a very nice and skilled tech that got the needle in quick and flowing good. A bonus was that a local Amish hardware store gave $10. gift certificates to all that donated 8).

LeeB · December 06, 2023, 10:13:48 PM

My next visit is on the 20th.

Jim_Rogers · December 21, 2023, 04:47:09 PM

Quote from: Jim_Rogers on November 02, 2023, 02:38:11 PM
I'm already re-scheduled for December.

Jim Rogers

So, today was my donation day.

I had a good check in with all the requirements fulfilled.

They had a time finding the spot in my left arm but got a flow going, for a while.

For a while means, I clotted up the line. And my donation was not enough to meet the minimum amount to be considered a "good donation".

Now, I have two wait another 8 weeks before I can try again.

Jim Rogers