Do you donate blood?

Nina J wrote: Just curious

I went yesterday. I love knowing I'm helping other people...and I don't mind the free chocolate milk and snacks they give you

ZandersMama replied: I want to but there are weight requirements here for it. I've been trying to gain weight just for that purpose. I am grateful to everyone that does though, my baby is alive because people took the time to donate blood.

mom21kid2dogs replied: Yes, I've donated blood at every available time I was eligible since I was 17 years old and the had a bloodrive at our school. Last year I recieved my 10 gallon pin.
. . . .and I so wish I had to worry about the weight requirements

msoulz replied: I was finally able to this past spring - not a weight issue, but iron was too low. So I tried to eat lots of iron-laden stuff before and it worked! I need to keep doing it as there is no reason why I should not IMHO.

cameragirl21 replied: I have low blood sugar so I really can't but I would like to. I am disinclined to do it at those blood drive buses I see right outside the grocery store, though, I'd prefer a hospital or doc's office so I can be sure they're using sterile equipment, etc.
I've also always wanted to be a bone marrow donor.

My2Beauties replied: I can't, don't weigh enough and I have very low iron. I am thankful to the people who do though, DH donates all the time.

coasterqueen replied: I do not. What is the weight limit, since several of you don't qualify because of it.

boyohboyohboy replied: oh how someday I hope to say I dont weigh enough to give blood!

I cant because I had a blood transfusion and they wont let me.

moped replied:
Yeah, I didn't know about the weight limit - pretty sure I could give blood.....I haven't only because I was once a hepatitis carrier.

Oddly enough we are having a blood donor drive at work today

A&A'smommy replied: I haven't because blood and needles make me pass out.. I have been trying to work up the courage too. Jeremiah does it every time he can though

My2Beauties replied:


110 lbs

At one time I qualified (weight wise) after having Aubrey for about 6 months but I still couldn't because I have low iron. Then the rest of that baby weight came off.

moped replied:
I think i weighed that when I was 10!

coasterqueen replied:
Yeah, ahhhhhhh brings back memories. High school for me. I don't think my body will ever get down to that again.

My2Beauties replied: I've actually tried to gain weight before because I feel like what I weigh isn't enough but my metabolism is just crazy fast. Like I said after Aubrey I weighed close to 120 for a while and I loved my weight, thought I looked good with a little bit of weight on me but slowly after she was about 6 mos old...within the course of 6 more months I went back down to my pre-preggo weight. I think I'm just destined to be skinny minny my whole life. So I got one good year of having a little extra weight on me. The funny thing is probably 10 pounds of my weight is in my butt LMBO

mom21kid2dogs replied: After donating for 30+ years one very nice Red Cross nurse finally told me why I have been deferred several times for low iron~I drink ALOT of ice tea (2-3 glasses a day). Apparently there is a compound in it (tinactin or something like that) that depletes iron. She said I tipped her off to it because I told her my blood almost never sinks (in the blue solution) but most times I pass after they spin it. I cut myself down to a cup a day a week before donating and I'm good. I also added a high quality multivitamin to my daily routine.

ZandersMama replied:
Its 110 here too. I only weigh that much when i am pregnant. I hate it, i hate the way i look.

My2Beauties replied:
Really? I drink a large cup of sweet tea from McD's (32 oz I believe) literally every day....bet that's my problem I'm tired all the time and I have very low iron, I am a tea addict.

bluebear replied: Wow, didn't think there was a weight requirement. the only requirement at my high school was 16 years old.
I will donate eventually, I couldn't bring myself to do it in the cafeteria at my school. too weird

My2Beauties replied:
I think you look fine girl!

ZandersMama replied:
thank you Zander wont snuggle with me anymore he says my bones hurt him.

A&A'smommy replied:
awwww I agree I think you look good, your weight suits you and I promise I wont hate you for it

I would LOVE to get back down to 120lbs but I think I would look sick.. apparently I did when I actually weighed that

mckayleesmom replied: I donated once when I was about 20 and I got really sick later...Scared me pretty bad. I felt really weak and lightheaded for days and actually passed out about an hour after donating.....I drank the stupid juice and ate the cookies too...

msoulz replied:
DH used to donate all of the time until he came down with Hep A and now he says he can't any more. I wonder if he may be wrong?

coasterqueen replied:
You know what when I got down to 126 my husband said I looked sickly, too. I'm not sure why. I thought I looked a lot better.

Zandersmama - I think your weight fits your frame. You look great.

My2Beauties replied: I think it just depends on the person's frame, I've known people who have lost large amounts of weight and they look sickly and they still weighed a little bit more than me, only because they had the frame for a thicker build than me. I have a very small frame, teeny everything. My fingers are even skinny LOL My wrists are way smaller than Desiree's already, she already outweighs me and she's 13, my wrists aren't much bigger than Hanna's and she's 5, just got a real small frame.

Cece00 replied: Yes, I do donate blood. I have O+ blood so they call to "remind" me to donate a lot. I dislike needles but I am glad I can help people by donating.

Mommy2BAK replied: After all the blood transfusions the twins had to recieve I am so very thankful for those that donate blood. As soon as I am no longer pregnant I am determined to give blood every opportunity I get, what a kind thing to do. I understand that some are unable and that is completely understandable. I saw first hand with our girls how someones donation actually saved a life, well 2 lives. Anyway I guess what I'm getting at is that I have pure admiration for those who give, I have always been too scared due to my fear of needles.... but whats one sacrifice when you know you could be saving a life.

mom21kid2dogs replied: I'm happy/proud to have a designation on my card that my blood can be used for pediatric donations. I'd give anyway but it's cool to know it can benefit a child.

redchief replied: I do. My boys do too. We get calls from the Red Cross weekly for one or more of us that the blood mobile is in this or that town and when can you come in. Currently I can't donate again until October, but as soon as the date is up the Red Cross will be chasing me again. We're all type O-neg.

Has anyone done an apheresis donation? I donated once that way, but they don't usually take only platelets in O-neg donors because it can be used universally as whole blood.

My2Beauties replied:
We have the same blood type, so does my DH, he has O+ as well.

CantWait replied: I've donated blood since aboout 5 years ago, unfortunetly I've only got to donate about 5 times. It'll be another couple years still before I can donate again, and maybe even longer than that depending on which countries we visit in the meantime.

mom21kid2dogs replied:
The price we pay for an exciting life! I always say my life should be as exciting as the bloodmobile *thinks* it is!!!

luvbug00 replied: nope. i'm way to scared of needles, mya is too young.

Crystalina replied: I used to but Im NOT ALLOWED to anymore. Something about the years I lived in Germany and meat there at the time.

Cece00 replied: Crystal,

If you've lived in Germany from like 1980-late 90's, you cant donate bc you may have been exposed to variant Creutzfeld-Jacob Disease aka "Mad Cow Disease" due to some tainted meat.

Apparently they used to use practices in many areas over there where they fed the cows to each other, and long story short, some cows ended up getting BSE and it can somehow transmit to people when they eat the meat, giving them CJD.

If you had a 1st degree relative with CJD, you also can not donate.

mommyof4 replied: I am 105 lbs and donate only because my blood is rh - so its rare and they allow me being it a rare type .

Crystalina replied:
Yep! That's what it was. And those are the years I lived there.