To stop giving blood?

[MadMAGA]

I've donated 20 times, with breaks for pregnancy, breastfeeding and surgeries. I started donating again a couple of years ago but every time wipes me out. I feel nauseous for the rest of the day, have a day or two when I keep falling asleep no matter what I do, then another few days of feeling rough. I try to plan donations around when I'll have time to rest afterwards but it means writing off weekends and arranging WFH on days I'd normally be in the office. I've had blood tests and there's nothing wrong with me.

OTOH, it seems like a small sacrifice to help people in need of a transfusion. I have a rare blood type that's particularly helpful to people with sickle cell anaemia and I feel awful that I'm considering stopping doing something that could save their lives.

I felt like that a couple of times, then for some reason that passed and I’ve been fine ever since. If you keep feeling rough then it is of course fine to stop. Thank you for your donations. My life was saved by blood donors 23 years ago.

How low is 'a bit'?

Always insist on actual numbers, not just 'fine' or 'normal' because often 'fine' and 'normal' are anything but. For example my GP's 'normal range' for ferritin bottoms out at 15 (I've seen some people say theirs uses 11). But anything below 30 is really 'no meaningful stores', and optimum is at least 70.

Yes, mine was at 30 and told normal and I shouldn’t feel tired - but I did!

I’ve recently stopped donating after 27 donations. I’m O -ve and CMV -ve so they really want me to donate. I stopped as there is a nerve in my arm that got hit by the needle causing pain down my arm that took a few months to completely go. They annoyed me as both time it happened, despite their protocols, they didn’t even bother to call to check up on me. I tried donating unsuccessfully in my other arm. So I decided to stop. I don’t want them hitting the nerve a 3rd time.

I think if you called up and told them your symptoms, they would tell you to stop donating.

If you received blood donation 23 years ago then how is your blood being accepted for donation now or ever since? Usually there is a lifetime ban.

I tried ... but they never wanted mine as I was always anaemic.

NHS “fine” iron levels are so low that in other countries you’d be having blood transfusions but the NHS says oh no they are fine despite the fact you have got down to single figures and should be in 3 figures!

I did 39 donations....stopped after being diagnosed with low ferritin.
I think I've done my bit!

I used to feel like that when DD was very little so I stopped for a bit. When I mentioned to a gp I do it she went on a rant about how I shouldn’t do it if I don’t feel good (went to see her regarding perimenopause)

Stop if it’s leaving you feeling lousy. I stopped whilst I got into my running, it was leaving me struggling up hills and on runs longer for weeks after. I was also struggling with perimenopause and hadn’t got myself on the right with HRT for me at the time.

I’m fairly petite so a pint is a bigger % of my blood volume than for many people. I’d done over 20 donations by then so didn’t feel guilty.

I’ve actually just booked to go again for the first time in a good few years, but have decided I’ll see how this one goes and if I carry on I’ll only donate once a year going forwards.

edit for a typo

You have done plenty. Besides - I'll tag in for you. It was a thread on blood donation on Mumsnet that encouraged me to start donating blood about two years ago. I haven't managed many sessions but I've done a few. I just got the text saying my blood got used this week.

It's a UK ban. In the US they are perfectly happy to accept my blood.

It's completely fine to give it up. You've done lots and you need to think of your own health too.

I gave up simply because it's nearly always the same team with the mobile clinic and they were repeatedly immensely rude about my self harm scarring (mostly because it was over my arm with the easiest veins, though the other arm was still easy and I could do the full needle placement and donation in 15 minutes or less anyway... It really pissed them off for some reason and they were genuinely mean about it! It was genuinely upsetting and not worth being generous). They hassle me a lot and remind them that their team are bloody rude a lot...

I'll restart if I ever move area, as the permanent donor places are far too far away.

My son has had many blood transfusions due to blood cancer 2 years ago and whilst I've seen first hand how life saving blood donations are, I really don't think anyone would expect you to put yourself through that to do it. It sounds like you've donated plenty over the years.

Also, thank you, my son wouldn't be here today without blood donations.

It's great that you do , so thanks from the nation ( or at least me ! ). Perhaps you are not eating enough prior to going ?
If you decide to continue , maybe have a reasonable meal beforehand & ensure you are well hydrated .

I'd take a break. I have my badge for 25 donations over the years but have taken breaks because I was anaemic and for other medical reasons. You're not stopping forever. Just for a bit.

20 donations is to be applauded and sincerely thanked.
if you feel unwell after donating, then it’s wise to stop, because if you felt ill or faint in a dangerous situation (eg while driving) it could have serious consequences.
If you phoned or emailed NHSBT this would be the advice ( I worked as a senior nurse in NHSBT and was a donor myself).

You've donated 20 times more than a lot of other people have OP.

The last time I donated was in 2020 and I have donated about 35 times. I feel a bit guilty for stopping but I did my bit. Plenty of other people out there who can do it who've never done it.

Hello. I say this as someone who needed 20 blood transfusions to save her life and now can no longer donate.

Thank you. Sincerely thank you.

But for your own health, please stop.

Yes I cut down because of running too and only did it once a year. Then twice in 2020 because there were no races or parkruns, and then once parkrun came back I stopped altogether.

They do look after you when it comes to giving blood though. They reduced the threshold for giving blood to fit with EU norms and I assume it's still the same. Once they did that there was the occasional time I wasn't allowed to donate but I'd never had a problem before they reduced the threshold.

I also feel ill (I’ve nearly fainted before and been sick) and really tired after giving blood. I’ve started going for the latest possible appointments (7pm ish) so I can go home and go straight to bed which helps. I’m bog standard blood type but if you’re rare it would be a shame if you had to give up.

Could you donate platelets instead? I believe they basically take the blood out, remove the platelets, then put the blood back in?

I’ve had to stop donating . I’m a bit annoyed with the Blood Service because they allowed me to become severely iron deficient. They don’t check your ferritin so by the time I was refused for anaemia my ferritin was 9! For reference 30 or below is iron deficiency and my doctor says we need to be getting up to at least 70 ferritin for good health.

Ferritin is your body’s iron stores or savings account - haemoglobin is like what’s in your purse. Your body prioritises haemoglobin over all other systems which means that iron deficiency without anaemia (IDWA) is still a serious problem as iron is required in so many processes.

That's what they fo with plasma, but there only 3 plasma donor centres in the UK, I think. Once you start donating plasma, they don't want tyour blood. (I'm now a plasma donor.)

Platelets I think you have to be able to go to a morning session.

But the website is good and will tell you the details.