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

[Herriet]

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

I was just looking up if they have updated the site with the next local appointments and am in a queue. Then I went away from the page and had to join the queue again. So clearly there are a lot of people at least wanting to donate blood, or their website is fucked.

I did make the point to them years ago also that there was a big gap in my donations because their appointments were afternoon/evening only and with small kids at school/nursery that didn't work for me. Even starting at 2pm, you'd be waiting so long sometimes that school pick up could be missed. If they did them from 11am say they could get a lot of stay at home parents. I notice there are some sessions that start earlier now.

Also before that I used to go to a session in London near my work where you just turned up and didn't need an appointment, and got done quickly. Then one time I was turned away as you needed an appointment. And when I did get an appointment I waited so long beyond my appointment time that I had to get back to work. So there was a big gap in donations as for ages it was just not convenient. Not for lack of trying on my part.

I’ve been vegetarian for thirty years, menstruating for just as long (in fact for 36 years), and I’ve been a regular blood donor for that period also. Never been anaemic. Never supplemented iron.

Everybody’s body is different in many ways, including the absorption of iron, and many people who eat meat are anaemic.

Do NOT get me started on this! I've had to go part time so I can sleep in the afternoon and tbh noone gives a damn. Saw a GP last week who told me that my ferritin levels (12 and have recently had oral iron tablets increased) were irrelevant and it was all in my head.

Never thought of blood donation though... and I do it every 4 months. Won't be doing that again.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

You're information is incorrect

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?

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

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.

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

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.

What you suggest sounds reasonable to me.

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.

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!

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 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.

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.

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.

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.