Donating Blood

Has anyone done so after having WLS?  I'm not sure if it's safe to do it or not.  We are having a blood drive at work today and I would like to participate.

I believe I was informed you should wait a year before donating

Absolutely it's safe as long as your blood work is good and your hemoglobin is good. Most surgeons recommend that you wait 6-12 months after any major surgery to resume donating blood. Since we are in usually in a fast weight loss mode the first year, waiting an entire year is probably good advice.

Thanks for being willing to donate. I donated for years and then had cancer and that ended everything. However, I was the happy recipient of generous people like you when I was ill in December.

Ann

Having had surgery within the past year, you are probably disqualified.

Having said that, unless you know ALL of your iron numbers, it's not smart.  Let me give you an example:

My hematacrit (hct) and hemaglobin (hgb) are within normal range.  These are the two numbers that determine anemia status, are what they check to see if you are eligible to donate.  Good, right?

The problem is that these numbers are not the total picture.  They really are only the state of things RIGHT NOW.  If these numbers drop -- say by giving a pint of blood, or having menses -- the body will pull from your iron storage, called ferritin.  In this case, my ferritin is in the craptastic range.  Drawing upon my ferritin voluntarily wouldn't be wise, and that's what would be happening if I were to give a pint of blood.


There is no way they can test ferritin at the blood drive -- it takes too long.  It's something you kinda have to know from your last blood draw.


I am desperately trying to get my ferritin back up -- one reason is to start donating again.  I liked helping my fellow man, especially given that I have a good blood type that they like.  I COULD do it, like I said, but it wouldn't be a smart thing to do.

Andrea

If you have time...can you send me a list of everything you have tested w/your blood work?  Since I go through thehealth unit at work to do my blood work, the further out I am from surgery, I feel  like less and less is being tested...but don't know what is missing.  I know they check the iron levels...but don't know if they check the ferritin...and this last time (in December) I'm not even sure they checked whatever they're looking for re calcium.  I'm in a new place (though I brought my med file) w/new drs here...so if I start off w/them giving them a list that I needed checked...I can make sure they're testing it all the way it should be.

Thanks.

Sure.

I do give blood - they like my blood because I have O- , which they like for cancer patients and preemie babies, among others.  I have not had any problems with it...but bear in mind...in the 3 1/2 years since I gave blood, I did it in Indonesia, where they take half as much as they do in the states.  I don't know what effect taking the entire pint would have on you.

I don't know if it had anything to do w/anything...but one of the times I gave blood...by the time I got home...my sleeve was wet with blood (I was wearing black and didn't realize it until I took my shirt off)...because my arm had started bleeding considerably.  I've given blood pretty regularly since I was 18 (I'm almost 42 now) and that was the first time that has ever happened to me.

Also -Andrea's right...if you've had surgery in the last year, they'll most likely tell you to wait. 

Thanks everyone.   I'll just hold off until later in the year and make sure I get my blood tested before I do it.