Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Blood donor

Sally,

I was just thinking of a way you can help the blood donor clinics without donating your blood. They always need people to work at the clinics which usually just requires signing the donors in. Or in Canada we also have phone lists to phone and remind previous donors when a clinic is coming to town. I used to volunteer at the clinics and do both of those jobs. They are non-physical and do not require your blood. Just a suggestion.

Deborah

I donated blood for the first time about 5 years ago. I was on some meds (don't remember what) and they didn't mind that. I don't remember being asked what illnesses I had.
At any rate, they were very impressed at how quickly I gave blood and I felt fine afterwards. I was thinking this wasn't so bad. I'll be able to do it every month.

About 10 days later I got a letter in the mail stating that they had "unreliable verification results" of my blood and I would not be allowed to donate ever again. I had been "black listed" and this would go into a a nation wide data base, as soon as they punched in my name or social security number (U.S.A.) it would tell them not to accept my blood.

I was in a panic! I went to my regular doctor. He ran HIV/AIDs tests and all. Everything was fine. He did end up telling me it was most likely due to the auto-immune diseases I have.

They said even if a family member desperately needed blood they would not accept mine.

CJ

Into every life, a little rain must fall.

Hi!
Thanks for replying. I made a call to red cross and a nurse got back to me a little while ago. It seems that they are refusing my donating blood but at the moment it is because I am recieving medical treatment. They said they would not refuse my donation where I not recieving treatment but because I am obviously needing medication they would not take it. I asked them would they refuse it if even though I have AS but wasn't needing medication they said it would be fine. It seems that the Salazapyrin may be OK but they would have to do more investigation with their peers to be able to determine if it was alright.
So it may seem my debt of repayment may take a little more time to work out. Although I did volunteer work for ST John Ambulance for many years I feel I may be on equal par. I may not be able to give blood but I sure know how to stop it for others.

Thanks
Sal

Hi Deborah!

Yes it seems I am unable to donate blood after making a few phone calls. Although I did ask if there was any thing I could do to help them out. We have door knocks asking for donations but it seems it is a little difficult for me to help out this way at the moment, so they suggested I try and talk some friends and family into donating their blood.

Therefore I'm going to take it up as a personal challenge to talk my extremely needle phobic husband into donating his blood. He passes out at the sight of a needle but would quite happily saw off his own arm to avoid one. Hey if I can talk him into donating just once to help others then I feel my work here will be done!

Does anyone have a pair of handcuffs and a cattle prodder I may be able to borrow?

Sally

Oh! I just had an after thought, does this mean I may not be able to be an organ donor in the event of my death!!!

Not giving blood is one thing but being unable to donate organs is a little different!

Any thoughts!!

Sally

Here is a link to the Red Cross website page concerning donation eligibility if anyone is interested.

http://www.redcross.org/services/biomed/blood/learn/eligibl.html

Bob

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder...Behold the beauty of Orca Art

That is a good question Sally. I do not no the answer to it but am interested to hear if this is correct.

Deborah

Hi Sally, I was told years ago that if you are on any NSAIDs you could not be a blood donor. One reason for this is that all NSAIDs thin your blood and this could be bad for someone that is real sick also some people are allergic to NSAIDs.
Adriaan

Sally i posted on this almost a year ago now - i'm in Perth, W.A.
They said no to anyone with an auto-immune disease which includes such bedfellows as KJD/BSE so you can see why.
I then said what about me storing my own blood just in case i need some in an operation and they said "we'd want to give you better blood than your own".
I had just had a few units after an accident and an operation. I was totally surprised at how much Potassium and Magnesium they had to give me in ICU. Made me realize a few things about our condition and about supplementation...
Meanwhile the "organ donor" statement on my licence is worth less than it suggests.

Ted
"No illness that can be treated by diet should be treated by any other means."
Maimonides 12th Century

Hey Kat.

Actually, my previously donated blood (I donated routinely) was retroactively deferred as well. Maybe it's not common practice, but it was done in my case. *sigh* Made me feel like a criminal for trying to do the right thing (although I understand their need to be stringent).

J

Kindness in words creates confidence
Kindness in thinking creates profoundness
Kindness in giving creates love
~ Tao Te Ching