Question for blood donors 🩸

[Tommy999]

Background:
I have given blood sporadically over the years and never had an issue with my hemoglobin levels. I never gave blood regularly, though.

For the past few years, I’ve donated every two months because the donation center keeps reminding me when I’m eligible again. My blood is O-negative so I am considered a “universal donor” whose blood can be used by anyone. They tell me it’s in high demand.

The problem is that my hemoglobin level has dropped so low (12.6) that I am fatigued a lot. I was even refused by the donation center the other day from donation until my level is raised to at least 13.0.

I am eating as much iron-rich foods as I can, such as spinach, beans, and broccoli, and even chicken livers (yuck) to try to boost it.

Question: Has anyone else ever had this issue and have any other advice?

I am thinking about taking a hiatus from donating blood for several months to a year until my hemoglobin levels go back to normal levels, although I will have to push back when they call me saying how desperate they are for blood.

Sometimes I feel like they don’t care about my health as a person and just care about my ability to provide them with blood, like a cow producing milk for a dairy.

I realize it helps others to give blood, so I am trying to figure out the best approach moving forward. I think I will contact my doctor, but was just curious if someone has ever been where I am now and overcame it. Thanks.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

Yeah, I have low hemo and stopped donating years ago as a result.

Getting a reminder does not mean you have to donate.

 

[Titivillus]

I am an on-again off-again frequent donor (A+ – getting close to 10 gallons!). I’ve never had hemoglobin problems, but I did donate platelets for a while, until those got too low.

Would taking an iron supplement help?

(I’m looking forward to my next donation, since the local blood bank is starting to do covid antibody tests)

 

[Tommy999]

Yes, I think I will push back harder next time when they call and say I’m eligible. I think the issue is that they pull at my heartstrings with their calls on how desperate they are for blood and I try my best to do the right thing for society.

I think I’ll just need to take an indefinite hiatus and then not donate as often as I have been doing.

 

[Tommy999]

Yes, I was looking forward to the antibody test as an added plus. Glad to hear you’re a frequent donor and have never had low hemoglobin levels from it.

Note: My son is a pharmacist and recommends against me taking an iron supplement and prefers that I eat iron-rich foods.

 

[The_Old_Maid]

There will be spells when your iron and/or energy level fluctuates. Even when you do your best, it happens.

A hiatus of six months to a year is often enough to recharge your bone marrow batteries. [/been there]

However, if you truly feel more fatigue than usual, talk with your doctor. There may be another issue that won’t show up in your iron level, but your body still is detecting a signal on another frequency, so to speak.

As for the telephone, you might want to delete it from the files. Their computer will still mail postcards. Trust me.

(Example: "What the [blessings]?! I just donated last week. All of these dates are for next week.")

I think what really tugs at a donor’s heart is not whether we can donate at the moment, but the legitimate worry that no one else will step up to take our place. The pool really only gets new donors when young adults become legally old enough to donate.

 

[Pattylt]

Thank you for being a donor!

I’m a retired Med Tech and am intimately familiar with blood donations.

What is your age, if I may ask?

Our ability to replace the Red Blood Cells that determine our hemoglobin levels can vary for numerous reasons. Not all are reasons to worry about! However, you are also noting that you are more tired lately. Hemoglobin (Hgb) levels and tiredness are definitely related. While your Hgb is low for donation reasons, it’s not medically very low. Eating iron rich foods will help if it’s due to an iron deficiency but there are other chemicals that carry the iron into cells that also cause levels to lower.

I do recommend going to the doctor and requesting an iron panel. This will rule in/rule out anything serious. Until then, don’t give blood. It may just be your bone marrow needs a rest.

See your doctor and take at least 6months off from donating. When they call, just tell them you aren’t eligible right now and will return when you are…they will totally understand that! Also, by telling them you’ll be back when eligible again, also tell them to contact you in 6 months…so they won’t bug you over and over…at least, I hope that’s what they’ll do.

 

[Pattylt]

PS…anyone want to step up and replace him while he’s resting his bone marrow…please consider it. It’s actually healthy to donate blood…and we have cookies!

 

[Tommy999]

Hi PattyIt. Thanks for your reply. I am 62 and will be 63 in November

 

[Pattylt]

Well, you’re not old but you’re not young, either! :hugs:

As we age, our bone marrow does slow down a bit, just like all our other parts. If you are more sedentary, that has an effect as well. Anyone who suddenly becomes bed ridden, for example, will have a drop in Hgb.

If you have iron studies done and all are within normal limits, you may just need to add some walks to help stimulate your counts.

Oh, I forgot to mention, besides iron rich foods, the B vitamins and folic acid needs to added as well. You can do this either through diet or vitamins…the body really doesn’t care which.

I can trend towards low iron at times and for me, it’s not my iron level itself but my ferritin and transferin levels that drop. These are the chemicals that transport iron into cells. Yes, I need to eat more veggies!

 

[Irishmom2]

Put their number into your phone so you know it’s them calling and just don’t answer.

Or, you can be honest and say that your own health is preventing you from donating blood at this time and would it be possible for them to not call until you let them know when you are available again.

 

[Glennon_P]

Longtime blood donor - started in high school and that was a loooooooooooooooooooooong time ago.

For years, I donated every eight weeks like clockwork with no noticeable effects (except for the cool collection of “I donated four times in (insert year)” t-shirts). Then when I hit 45 years of age, I started feeling sluggish…dead tired all the time. Went to my doctor and he ran a blood panel and it showed I was anemic. Runs in the family so I wasn’t completely surprised. He ordered all sorts of tests and couldn’t p(name removed by moderator)oint the cause.

Finally he asked, “Do you donate blood?”

“Every eight weeks,” I said.

He replied, “Do it every 16 weeks for awhile and see what happens.”

Whaddya know? My anemia went away.

DOH!

A few years later I had a heart attack and had to sit out for a year. During that time, my cardiologist put me on an iron supplement every day. Once I started donating again, I was able to get back to donating every eight weeks with no problem.

Look into a supplement…and if the blood bank calls, tell them you are anemic and can’t donate for awhile. You’re not the first person to have this happen and you won’t be the last. They’re used to dealing with it.

And thank you for donating blood!

 

[Beryllos]

Sometimes I feel like they don’t care about my health as a person and just care about my ability to provide them with blood, like a cow producing milk for a dairy.

Maybe you should gently communicate that to the director of the blood donation center. We hope that they do care about your health. If they are inadvertently suggesting otherwise or making donors feel guilty, I think they would like to know.

 

[Tommy999]

Thanks for the detailed info, Patty. Very helpful. I’ll take your advice under advisement.

Fyi… I take my dogs for a 30 min walk every day, lift weights every other day, swim a few times a week during summer, yard work, etc, but I’m definitely not as active as I was in my 20s and 30s when I played church-league sports, coached my sons’ ball teams, etc, and took occasional long hikes (10-20miles) because I was a US Civil War buff and wanted to feel how it felt to make long marches like they did. Weird, I know, but it was a phase I went through.

 

[Tommy999]

Sounds very similar to my situation, Glennon. Thanks for sharing, although I don’t know if my situation is hereditary or not. My parents passed away and that was a subject that never came up, so I doubt it was an issue or it went undiagnosed if it was.

According to my medical record, my hemoglobin levels ran consistently at about 15-17 before I started donating every two months. I now feel convinced that I should dial back on the frequency for awhile.

Is taking iron supplements dangerous at all? My son advised against it, saying it is toxic to get too much. He recommended that I get it from food, thinking there would be less risk of getting too much that way.

 

[JanR]

Next time they call, explain to them that our blood count is too low and you cannot safely donate. If they care about the health of their donors, they will understand and actually not want you to donate until the hemo is back where it should be. I can’t imagine them persisting once they’ve been told that.

 

[Tommy999]

I may mention that the next time they call, as well as telling them to stop calling for 6 months. Then I’ll reassess what the hemoglobin level is. Thanks for the advice.

 

[Glennon_P]

Is taking iron supplements dangerous at all? My son advised against it, saying it is toxic to get too much. He recommended that I get it from food, thinking there would be less risk of getting too much that way.

I take 65 mg per day. I’m sure you could take too much and get in trouble that way. My cardiologist prescribed the dose for me so I’m assuming it’s OK.

 

[Tommy999]

When it was measured at 12.6 earlier this week, the worker recommended iron supplements and to come back next week. They have strict rules to not accept a male under 13.0 hemoglobin level, so they followed their guidelines, I think.
I’ve decided to wait several weeks, not just until next week, although I Know the need for blood is great right now.

 

[Tommy999]

Right, I wouldn’t argue with a cardiologist, either.

Sounds like it’s worked out well for you, for which I am happy. I appreciate your advice and for sharing your personal experience, which sounds similar to me. I just hope I don’t have a heart attack like you did, although it sounds like you are doing well now.

If I may ask, did your cardiologist indicate your heart attack was in any way related to your low hemoglobin?