Failed blood donor - this is getting annoying!

[drspouse]

I tried today to give blood unsuccessfully for the 4th time!
First time they stuck the vein wrong and they aren't allowed to try another one.
Second time, and today, my Hb was just under.
Third time I'd had a virus in the previous week.

How can I get my Hb up? I'm actually trying to lose a bit of weight but making sure I eat lots of protein. I'm post menopausal so I thought it would be easier! I'm going very slowly on the weight loss (I have a couple of stone to lose and I've lost half a stone since before Christmas.)

Didn't they give you an info leaflet with iron-rich foods? They usually do.

Spinach has non-haem iron, though, which is far harder for your body to absorb. Mussels or red meat are the best sources of haem iron.

Fair play, I went through a similar situation in my thirties because of places I had visited and two tattoos! I want to donate as much as possible and it is frustrating when you can't!

Ooh, I love mussels, eat them at least every couple of weeks. I shall eat more!

I used to be a high level blood given. Even got to platelets. Then I stopped to do ivf. I have had quite a lot, spent 10 years doing ivf, or pregnant, or breastfeeding.

Youngest dc is 2, still feeding but sporadically. So time to give blood again. But I cannot. They struggle to get a needle in me. My veins are rubbish. Even when I had recent blood tests, they had to do that butterfly thing on my hand. I don't understand why my veins have changed, or how I can improve them.

I’ve not been able to donate the last 2 times, low Hb first and then stuck the needle in at the wrong angle the second time, I was told they weren’t allowed to retry with the second arm. Hoping it will be 3rd time lucky next month

They are constantly asking me to donate but last time my hb was a bit borderline I think as they did the test twice. I then fainted in a cafe after I had donated so am a bit reluctant to go again ! I have been prescribed some iron tablets.

i had similar and the nurse told me to cut down the amount of caffeine I consume as the caffeine can negatively impact the absorption of iron. It worked for me!

No - people donate in the us just like in the uk

Fortified cereal everyday such as Weetabix and plenty of green veg.

This!

The tannins in tea and coffee impact your body’s ability to absorb iron - particularly iron from plants. So avoid drinking tea or coffee an hour before or after meals.

Cereals and bread are fortified with iron because as a nation we are verging on anaemia, but as most of us drink a caffeinated drink with breakfast, we aren’t absorbing as much iron as we could.

Lastly, the body needs vitamin C to help absorb iron from food. So consider some fruit alongside breakfast cereal and herbal tea in the morning. For evening meals have colourful veg alongside your iron rich protein.

I hope this helps and thank you, and everyone on this thread, for giving blood. My child and I would not be alive today without your generosity. Every time you give blood you are giving someone the gift of life. You are amazing.

cut down on tea
drink orange juice with your food
increase eggs and spinach

Like PP, I take a supermarket multivitamin with iron and my Hb is fine - did my 65th donation this week. I do have to take it with my main meal, otherwise makes me queasy,

e.g. https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/285513527

when i was trying to improve my iron i made sure i didnt drink tea around a meal, left it for a while

I was rejected last time for low hb so I've been taking spatone in orange juice every day in the hope I'll be able to donate in a few weeks time

Oh dear, I'm powered by coffee in the morning!