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Original poster

To think that more women may be happy to give blood if the NHS treated any resulting anaemia properly?

203 replies

Herriet · 09/06/2025 08:23

I realise this may just be me, and if it is then I am definitely unreasonable!

I gave blood every three months for years and during those years I slowly became more and more anaemic. I was in my twenties, healthy and eating well, and my periods were not heavy.

We know that heavy periods (over 80ml per month) can cause anaemia. This equates to 240ml every three months. But for some reason the NHS doesn't mention that giving away 470ml in a donation might cause anaemia too.

I've since had babies and ended up with an iron infusion. These are expensive. But now I have a lovely iron store, likely to last me years and years. I see the NHS is desperate for donors (link below) - should I restart donating and give it all away again? If I get anaemic again they will say 'take iron pills', but I've tried a variety of these before and they do not agree with me. So I can choose to give blood and eventually need iron pills and be permanently constipated, or I can choose not to, and be happy and healthy. I would donate if they would give me an iron infusion at a reasonable 'ideal' level of ferritin, rather than only doing it once ferritin is 5 or whatever and I can barely function.

I'm O negative. The NHS really really wants my blood, according to the article below. But not enough to offer me another iron infusion in future if I become anaemic again due to donating.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c98p0pj7dypo

A man is pictured seated while donating blood. He is giving the thumbs up.

NHS calls for 200,000 new blood donors as supplies run low

The health service issued an "amber alert" last year and stocks remain low ever since.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c98p0pj7dypo

OP posts:
Original poster
Herriet · 09/06/2025 11:49

DiscoBob · 09/06/2025 11:35

I don't think donation directly causes anaemia. If you had it then they wouldn't accept you as a donor surely? I wish I could donate. It's a brilliant thing to do.

Basically you have haemoglobin in your blood, and then ferritin stores elsewhere in your body (liver and bones etc). When your haemoglobin gets a bit low, your body releases some iron from your ferritin store and haemoglobin stays at a good level. The blood donor centre tests haemoglobin and if it's good you can donate, but they don't test ferritin so they can't see what reserves you have left. Everyone is different, but for me, my body released ferritin very effectively until the store reached rock bottom and only then did my haemoglobin start to decline. So by the time i became mildly anaemic based on haemoglobin tests, I had already depleted my entire iron reserve without knowing. I felt rubbish but so many things can cause that.

It's hidden anaemia, if you like, so they don't know you have it because they don't offer ferritin tests to regular donors.

Hope that helps explain. I appreciate that if you've never had iron trouble that you won't be aware of ferritin etc.

OP posts:
DiscoBob · 09/06/2025 11:48

spoonbillstretford · 09/06/2025 11:38

No, they wouldn't if your haemoglobin level is too low. But it can get lower over time, and it makes sense that too regular donation can be the cause given it takes months for the levels to come back after donating blood.

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Thank you. For me it's probably something to do with haemoglobin...Yeah I don't have enough blood or something weird? Basically my weight is too low. I wish I could donate though. My dad was O- and donated a lot.

SayDoWhatNow · 09/06/2025 11:48

Not unreasonable at all. I donated semi-regularly for a few years in my 20s. I'm o-negative, so it always felt like something really good that I could do.

But tbh it always made me feel really awful for the next few days - light headed, dizzy, breathless after any exertion and totally exhausted.

I eventually decided to stop because it felt like quite a high personal cost. Had some blood loss after a c section when my DS was born and didn't feel nearly so bad!

I might give it another go in a few years and see if it's still the same, because it is a good thing to do, but not right for me currently!

Original poster
Herriet · 09/06/2025 11:39

RareGoalsVerge · 09/06/2025 11:31

I think this is just you. Most women who are healthy and not too skinny can easily give blood regularly without significant effect.

The constipation caused by iron pills is significantly mitigated if you take them with orange juice on an empty stomach at least an hour before breakfast. Also make sure your B12 levels are good so that the iron is absorbed properly (include pistachios in your breakfast)

I was quite prepared for it to be just me, and said so in my OP. But quite a few other posters have also said they believe regular donations have caused their iron store to be depleted too, so unlikely it is just me.

I have done all the tricks with iron pills, and tried 'softer' iron like floradix and spatone too, but the former causes constipation and the latter do not work for me.

OP posts:
spoonbillstretford · 09/06/2025 11:38

DiscoBob · 09/06/2025 11:35

I don't think donation directly causes anaemia. If you had it then they wouldn't accept you as a donor surely? I wish I could donate. It's a brilliant thing to do.

No, they wouldn't if your haemoglobin level is too low. But it can get lower over time, and it makes sense that too regular donation can be the cause given it takes months for the levels to come back after donating blood.

spoonbillstretford · 09/06/2025 11:36

RareGoalsVerge · 09/06/2025 11:31

I think this is just you. Most women who are healthy and not too skinny can easily give blood regularly without significant effect.

The constipation caused by iron pills is significantly mitigated if you take them with orange juice on an empty stomach at least an hour before breakfast. Also make sure your B12 levels are good so that the iron is absorbed properly (include pistachios in your breakfast)

It clearly isn't, as it's me as well, and DD1 has had anaemia also. It's very common for women to have low iron.

DiscoBob · 09/06/2025 11:35

I don't think donation directly causes anaemia. If you had it then they wouldn't accept you as a donor surely? I wish I could donate. It's a brilliant thing to do.

RareGoalsVerge · 09/06/2025 11:31

I think this is just you. Most women who are healthy and not too skinny can easily give blood regularly without significant effect.

The constipation caused by iron pills is significantly mitigated if you take them with orange juice on an empty stomach at least an hour before breakfast. Also make sure your B12 levels are good so that the iron is absorbed properly (include pistachios in your breakfast)

pencilcaseandcabbage · 09/06/2025 11:27

This is fascinating, and I'm so grateful for this thread. I am ill a lot. I am tired all the time and get lots of headaches. I just checked my last blood test and my Ferratin level is 6. From what you are all saying this probably explains why!

Original poster
Herriet · 09/06/2025 11:26

Deebee90 · 09/06/2025 11:23

Well with mine they checked my ferritin because I have a notebook that says my hemoglobin and also my ferritin levels. Thanks though

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Interesting. I thought ferritin tests normally took a day or two to analyse. Maybe your blood bank is the fanciest in the UK and has special rapid tests. But the rest of us do not get offered instant ferritin tests before donation.

OP posts:
Ottersmith · 09/06/2025 11:25

What you suggest sounds reasonable to me.

Original poster
Herriet · 09/06/2025 11:24

FinancialWhines · 09/06/2025 10:19

I've never had a problem, which is weird as I'm a very low BMI and vegetarian.
Tbh I don't like going as the service has been cut back so much since the Tories were in power. I suck it up and get on with it though. At least they still have stickers.

Do we know the proportion of men / women who give? It seems like a fairly balanced split between the sexes when I'm in there.

This article says that in 2020, only 41% of new donors were men. It also says that men's blood is needed because it has higher iron, ha! And also that it is men's blood that is given to newborns, so extra is needed for specific purposes.

Men need to up their game.

OP posts:
Deebee90 · 09/06/2025 11:23

LineofTedLasso · 09/06/2025 11:16

They do not check your ferritin. They check your haemoglobin which are 2 different things.

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Well with mine they checked my ferritin because I have a notebook that says my hemoglobin and also my ferritin levels. Thanks though

Original poster
Herriet · 09/06/2025 11:21

nomas · 09/06/2025 11:12

Yes, this puts me off giving blood. My iron levels go up to ~190 when I'm taking 210g daily, but drop to ~15 if I stop taking them. I'm worried what blood donation would do.

Where did you get your iron infusion, @Herriet ? Did you have any side effects. staining etc?

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I got it on the NHS, just prior to childbirth. They happily do them then because you are at increased risk of haemorrhage. I had to try iron pills first but couldn't tolerate them. No side effects whatsoever from the infusion.

OP posts:
LineofTedLasso · 09/06/2025 11:16

Deebee90 · 09/06/2025 10:33

I’m o neg and can’t donate now due to having numerous blood transfusions but when I did donate they always checked how I was feeling and checked my ferritin. You can recognise the symptoms of anemia straight away normally to stop.

They do not check your ferritin. They check your haemoglobin which are 2 different things.

nomas · 09/06/2025 11:12

Herriet · 09/06/2025 08:44

Oh no! I did not want to put anyone off 😔 I thought hard about posting this for this very reason.
But equally I think something needs changed about blood donations for women. Either effective and timely treatment for sub-optimal ferritin, or as a pp suggested, targeting the campaigns at men more heavily.

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Yes, this puts me off giving blood. My iron levels go up to ~190 when I'm taking 210g daily, but drop to ~15 if I stop taking them. I'm worried what blood donation would do.

Where did you get your iron infusion, @Herriet ? Did you have any side effects. staining etc?

Gustavo77 · 09/06/2025 11:04

You're information is incorrect

spoonbillstretford · 09/06/2025 11:01

Yes, they should encourage more men to donate. They usually have a ton of iron to spare and are on average bigger anyway and don't have periods.

Praying4Peace · 09/06/2025 10:57

Herriet · 09/06/2025 08:29

Yes they do, and they stop you donating once it gets too low. But by then your ferritin is depleted and you have no way to build it back up again (except getting constipated with iron pills). It's too late by then effectively.

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Disagree. Iron level will replenish itself.
I've been a blood donor but wasn't allowed to be after diagnosis of Ida.
NHS are hypervigilant re screening to ensure neither donor / recipient aren't at risk

JasmineAllen · 09/06/2025 10:51

Thank you OP. I'm giving blood this week and you've just reminded me to get my iron tablets at the ready. I always do 4 weeks worth after I donate.

HappyNewTaxYear · 09/06/2025 10:37

Dreamerinme · 09/06/2025 08:34

I donate Plasma instead of blood now so perhaps consider that instead, but of course need to live near one of only 3 donation centres in England.

Details about plasma donation are on the same website site.

I did that (as I wanted to donate, but had exactly the same experience on the ferritin) and they still failed me on the haemoglobin test after two plasma donations. I know the plasma donation is different, but as a pp says, they need more men to donate.

frogspawn15 · 09/06/2025 10:34

Definitely agree OP. I’ve got about 20 donations under my belt as I started donating at 18. Spent many years around age 30 trying to conceive while also feeling like I was on deaths door. Turned out my ferritin was at 11 but I wasn’t even prescribed iron tablets. Asked my GP if I should take them and was told “if you think it will help”; took liquid iron until I got it up to 30 and then was able to conceive. Stopped donating blood around this time. Have had two kids and the last time it was tested it was about 40 and I’m aware it’s not optimum but feel better than I have in years.

Deebee90 · 09/06/2025 10:33

I’m o neg and can’t donate now due to having numerous blood transfusions but when I did donate they always checked how I was feeling and checked my ferritin. You can recognise the symptoms of anemia straight away normally to stop.

spoonbillstretford · 09/06/2025 10:33

I've booked an appointment for October. Fingers crossed.

ThomasShelbysfagend · 09/06/2025 10:28

KeepTalkingBeth · 09/06/2025 10:16

You're missing the point of the thread and being very unfair to the OP who has given blood and wants to keep on doing so.

Once again this is a feminist issue:

The "safe" amount of blood to give is safe for men

Iron deficiency is the most common nutrient deficiency worldwide. A third of women of childbearing age are iron deficient - with symptoms as bad as those of full blown anemia. That's MILLIONS of women in the UK.

The NHS doesn't value women's health -both hemoglobin and ferritin lower limits are set low and even those are regularly ignored by GPs. Where run of the mill iron pills don't work or are poorly tolerated GPs aren't interested. The result is millions of us living half lives - we could be much more active, happier and productive with optimal iron levels.

This makes me angry

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Absolutely and 100% agree either way this.
It makes me angry too.