Clinically withdrawn from donating blood. Change in testing Hb levels.

[BringBackCatsEyes]

I'm a bit sad. I can no longer donate blood.
I only have one arm with a decent enough vein.
They've changed the way they test for iron if you fail the drop test. They now take a venous sample. If they have to do that you cannot donate from that arm.
My blood often fails the drop test but passes the more accurate one so I've been able to donate (39 so far over 38 years). I am strong and healthy - just don't have oodles of spare iron and I have very small veins.
Now I'm past menopause I was looking forward to my iron levels being more stable. With kids growing up, I am more flexible with my time and could have donated more frequently.

I am not questioning their reasoning, I'm just a bit sad that I can no longer do this. DS2 turns 17 in March so maybe he will 'replace' me.

I took a bag of crisps AND a mince pie to console myself.

My Dad gave 49 units of blood before he had a heart attack and had to stop. He started because my Mum had lost almost her whole blood volume and nearly died giving birth to my brother. He wanted to give something back. I started donating as soon as I was 18 but unfortunately I was anaemic often. I had to permanently stop about 8 yrs ago because I'm now on blood thinners. I'm disappointed I couldn't give more but I did what I could.

I have given since I was 18 in different parts of the uk.

A few years ago here in wales my blood tested positive for something on the rudimentary testing that they do. It had to be sent to a lab for more accurate testing and it was fine. I was allowed to try again and the same happened so they asked me to wait a couple of years while their equipment was updated and try again. The same happened. Each time it costs them to have my blood retested in the lab and my donation isn’t used so they’ve asked me not to go again. Another one who’s perfectly fine and willing to donate but had been banned 🤷🏻‍♀️

I had to stop because I have received previously frozen tissue which is a ‘never again’ red line. I like to tell people I’m banned for life and I’m working on a back story.

My iron was frequently too low so I didn’t manage many donations in my lifetime but I felt a bit sad about it, too.

I just take iron supplements a few days leading up to my appointment. I would always fail otherwise. I drink lots of tea and the tannins are bad for absorption of iron so I have a wee daily orange juice and iron tablet just leading up to
my appointment then stop again afterwards.

I used to fail the drop test , once one of the staff mentioned hand creams / lotions can affect it. I work outdoors and normally give my manky hands a good scrub and moisture before I go, stopped the moisturizer now and have no problem !

What a coincidence this thread has just come up again.
I just called the donor people to ask for an update on my phone query I made last month. I was told someone would contact me.
I still can't get into my account on the donor site - surely they don't just throw you out?
Anyway, I went through the whole issue again as if I hadn't already explained it to his colleague when I called before. He was rather short with me - asking me for all the details and then butting in to say he's not medically qualified. I know that.

My weight is fine. I am very slim, but also tall so I have enough total blood. I have been asked if my weight was too low, but I was sitting down so they didn't see how tall I was. I'd be very underweight to be 7 stone 12 lb at 5'8"

I keep getting emails and text messages to say that they desperately need my blood type - can I please go to x,y,z centre over the next week or so and donate.

Sure! I'm happy to. Turns out I'm locked out of my account due to putting an incorrect password in too many times, at some point. I need to call to unlock the account 🙄 Less than convenient but fine, I'll call... 14th in the queue.
7 minutes pass and I'm still 14th in the queue. Literally no other way for me to sort this than stay on hold for what I can only assume would be 1+ hour. And then give up more of my free time to go donate. Goodbye, no thanks.

(Scottish NBTS, if it makes any difference)

Have a moan on one of their FB posts, you'll get a response there I think.

I took iron multivitamins for years to allow me to give blood , vegetarian diet , never failed me ! And I was always low before I started them

I agree with you about overly restrictive. I am not allowed to give blood/stem cells due to being a recipient of human tissue. The type of tissue I received was placed on the restriction list because 1 (one) person in the world ( ie outside the UK) was found to have CJD in their relevant organ at a post-mortem. The change was brought in very quietly, whereas the easing of restrictions for sexually active gay men to donate was broadcast all over national media.

I give blood in Scotland and they moved away from using the "drop of blood into liquid" test years ago. They now squeeze a wee drop of blood onto a slide, stick it into a digital machine thingy which gives the result in a couple of seconds. I don't know what happens if you fail that as it's never happened to me.

We have no issues getting appointments either. I am away overseas the next time the blood people are in my local church, I have just logged into the website and it recognises when I'm next eligible to donate, I can then search for all sessions on or after that date and have booked a slot no bother. The main donation centres in Glasgow and Edinburgh are open 7 days a week.

(And we often get Tunnock's tea cakes in Scotland after donations, none of your second rate Orange Clubs here!!)

England used to be: drop test and if you failed that then the drop on slide and digital check. This would use the same pinhole used to get the blood for the drop test.

Now they do the drop test and if you fail that it's straight to venous test and then you can't do a full donation from that arm.

Read my post again!

Yes. It's 50kg.
It arrived on the thread because a PP said that's why they can't donate and asked me if that might be my issue as well. It looks like that post has been deleted for breaking guidelines. Maybe a banned poster or something?
My OP and further posts have never mentioned anything about my weight being a concern.

I am well above 50kg!

Donating has been a pain in the arse since they switched to the appointment system years ago. I’m not the only person who stopped donating then.

I’m convinced the blood service exists to make donating as difficult and inconvenient as possible for donors.

FFS…what’s with all the deleted posts!
I feel like a right mug. Can’t trust anyone.

Update:
A clinician finally called me back and will lift my ban!
She acknowledged that I have donated many, many times and that if I take measures to make my veins as donor-friendly as possible I should be OK.
So, I need to focus on the iron (easy) so that I then have two arms to choose from, drink a lot and time with my sport better (also easy), to keep my arms covered even if it's warm and to maybe only donate in the warmer months.

We had a lovely chat.

Plot twist: Since April I have tried to donate FIVE times.
1 - appt time changed - "we hope you can make it". I couldn't, so changed it.
2 - appt running 45 mins late. Only found out when I turned up. I can take a long lunch, but I can't take 2 hours out of my working day.
3 - cancelled as I was getting in the car to go to appt.
4 - cancelled earlier in the day.
5 - cancelled earlier in the day.

They tell me it's unforeseen circumstances. It's a bit like always hearing "we are experiencing unusual high call volume". If that unforeseen or unusual thing happens all the time it is no longer unforeseen or unusual.

They can stop sending me messages about how important it is not donate and how I Must Not Be Late.
I juggle things around to do this and there is a limit. I have a job, a teenager and a home to run, never mind my own interests (donating impacts my running).

I stopped donating after a low iron test about 15 to 20 years ago. This was when it was drop test only to check iron levels. I did try to give blood again, but it was hard to get appointments and they even told me that basically they need less blood than before.

Anyway, recently they got back in touch - an email urging me to give blood. So I booked an appointment and gave blood for the first time in years. I passed the iron test - drop test. Am now post menopause so possibly have more iron for that reason.

Did notice it was more men than women at the donating session.

I wanted to do it as my dad did it loads for decades. He was O neg. Idk which one I am but I couldn't do it as my weight was too low.

People who do are absolute heroes. Someone close to me had 2.5 litres of blood filling up their lung and needed an emergency transfusion in the ambulance. That must have saved their life.

I got an email from the Lead in Donor Feedback.
She gave the reasons for each of the cock ups, thanked me for all my donations so far and hoped I'd try again.
She also said they are trying to improve the service.
I think it worked very well years ago, it's only in recent years it's got worse.
Funding I'm sure.
Anyway, I am pleased they did write to me personally.