# do you lie to donate blood? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 16, 2003, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-lie-to-donate-blood/175744 "2003-05-16T18:52:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2012, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-lie-to-donate-blood/175744/61 "2012-04-02T02:32:07Z")
Gay man here. Tried it once, then never again. Why lie to donate blood? At least I have a good excuse to tell them NO when I get asked. “Oh I’m sorry but my boyfriend and I just committed a delightful act of sodomy last night. That excludes me from being a potential donor, doesn’t it?” ---
**Author:** ![Namkcalb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c89c15/32.png) [@Namkcalb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Namkcalb)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2012, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-lie-to-donate-blood/175744/62 "2012-04-02T07:27:20Z")
She’s probably not here any more but if you want to up your iron; try having an orange with some coconut milk. 400ml of coconut milk contains half the female RDA for iron, and the vitamin C in the orange will help with absorbability ---
**Author:** ![Namkcalb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c89c15/32.png) [@Namkcalb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Namkcalb)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2012, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-lie-to-donate-blood/175744/63 "2012-04-02T07:28:22Z")
I am British, so the Australian Red Cross doesn’t want my blood. Grrrr!!! I’ve never had sex with a cow, mad or otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![diggerwam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/919ad9/32.png) [@diggerwam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diggerwam)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2012, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-lie-to-donate-blood/175744/64 "2012-04-02T10:54:39Z")
Unfortunately they don’t want my blood since I went to the state of Quintana Roo in Mexico last year. Yes I did lie in order to attempt to give blood last time, it had been six months since vacation. It was a moot point because they couldn’t take my blood because they have incompetnts there who can grasp and successfully poke my wiggly veins. It’s happened so often that I think I’ve offcially given up trying. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2012, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-lie-to-donate-blood/175744/65 "2012-04-02T11:17:45Z")
> [@Namkcalb](#): > > I am British, so the Australian Red Cross doesn’t want my blood. Grrrr!!! I’ve never had sex with a cow, mad or otherwise. Which brings up the question: do they ask if you’ve had sex with an animal in the last 10 years? It’s been a couple years since I donated blood, and I honestly can’t recall. ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2012, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-lie-to-donate-blood/175744/66 "2012-04-02T12:36:44Z")
I always have to lie due to the time I spent as an IV drug addict in Haiti, to support my habit I worked as a male prostitute servicing men mostly. Even with working full time I couldn’t afford luxuries like clean syringes. Ok just kidding 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2012, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-lie-to-donate-blood/175744/67 "2012-04-02T12:54:15Z")
I know it’s a serious subject, but I have to admit I get a chuckle out of the wording of the question, “Have you had sex with another man, even once, since 1977?” I just picture the sequence that must have led to including it: “Have you had sex with another man since 1977?” “No.” “Even once?” “Oh! Yeah, OK, sure, once. Didn’t think that counted.” ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2012, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-lie-to-donate-blood/175744/68 "2012-04-02T13:01:20Z")
> [@rachelellogram](#): > > Which brings up the question: do they ask if you’ve had sex with an animal in the last 10 years? It’s been a couple years since I donated blood, and I honestly can’t recall. I think I’d remember it if I had had sex with an animal. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![PaulParkhead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@PaulParkhead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PaulParkhead)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2012, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-lie-to-donate-blood/175744/69 "2012-04-02T13:08:02Z")
> [@rachelellogram](#): > > Which brings up the question: do they ask if you’ve had sex with an animal in the last 10 years? It’s been a couple years since I donated blood, and I honestly can’t recall. Don’t know about the US, but worked for BTS in the UK and no, that is not a question they ask. The chances of getting honest responses would seem to be…slim. ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2012, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-lie-to-donate-blood/175744/70 "2012-04-02T14:41:38Z")
> [@whiterabbit](#): > > Question: “do not use” sticker? What’s the point of going through with getting the blood drawn if you tell them to just toss it out? > > I’m a few pounds too light to donate, and it annoys me, but I’m not about to gain several unnecessary pounds JUST so I can donate. Your loss, my gain! _g_ I have been told that it is because some people feel driven to go through the motions to have their blood collected due to peer pressure. E.g. the “blood van” stops by your church on Sunday and the pastor encourages everyone to “do the right thing” and give. You know that you are not suitable to donate, but the ladies’ choir gives you scornful looks if you don’t go through it. ---
**Author:** ![Skara\_Brae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Skara\_Brae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skara_Brae)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2012, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-lie-to-donate-blood/175744/71 "2012-04-02T16:22:41Z")
For the past 5 years in my area, they don’t even use the stickers anymore. And they don’t you the questions in person, you do it yourself on a computer. In answer to the title thread, I once lied accidently when I gave blood. It was the question about traveling outside the US in the past three years. I said “yes,” then they asked if I have been outside the US in the past year (Why do they even bother asking about three years then?) I said “no,” because I was thinking of my trip to Europe, and forgot I had gone to the Carribean over the summer. Oops. But I have mentioned in for more recent donations, and it never disqualified me, though it’d lead to some interesting conversations (“No, the Turks and Caicos…It’s a group of islands…No, it’s just one country…It’s probably under ‘T’”) ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2012, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-lie-to-donate-blood/175744/72 "2012-04-02T16:35:52Z")
Some parts of the Carribean aren’t outside the US though - I never had to declare my trip to Puerto Rico. Ever since my doctor put me on daily aspirin, it’s led to the same conversation at the Red Cross every eight weeks. I fill out the online questionnaire, which includes the question “In the last 24 hours have you taken anything with aspirin in it?” and I answer Yes. Then the volunteer comes in and looks at my answers. “Have you taken anything in the last 24 hours with aspirin in it?” “Yes.” “What was it?” “… Aspirin.” I’m not sure why they ask that question, becuase I take straight aspirin every day and it’s never stopped me from donating. In fact it makes it a lot easier to donate, since my bood is thinner. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2012, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-lie-to-donate-blood/175744/73 "2012-04-02T16:42:43Z")
> [@robert\_columbia](#): > > I have been told that it is because some people feel driven to go through the motions to have their blood collected due to peer pressure. E.g. the “blood van” stops by your church on Sunday and the pastor encourages everyone to “do the right thing” and give. You know that you are not suitable to donate, but the ladies’ choir gives you scornful looks if you don’t go through it. But there are at least a dozen perfectly innocuous reasons to not donate (or be deferred) that would pass even the strongest choir ladies inspection - on antibiotics, BP too high, iron too low. You can go be honest with the nurse, not donate, and just tell the busybodies some reason other than the one you’re hiding. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2012, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-lie-to-donate-blood/175744/74 "2012-04-02T18:18:34Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > Some parts of the Carribean aren’t outside the US though - I never had to declare my trip to Puerto Rico. > > Ever since my doctor put me on daily aspirin, it’s led to the same conversation at the Red Cross every eight weeks. I fill out the online questionnaire, which includes the question “In the last 24 hours have you taken anything with aspirin in it?” and I answer Yes. > > Then the volunteer comes in and looks at my answers. “Have you taken anything in the last 24 hours with aspirin in it?” > “Yes.” > “What was it?” > “… Aspirin.” > I’m not sure why they ask that question, becuase I take straight aspirin every day and it’s never stopped me from donating. In fact it makes it a lot easier to donate, since my bood is thinner. Probably they may mark the blood so as to not use the platelet components. I know that as a platelet donor, they specifically mention to me I cannot take anything with aspirin x days before donating. The x is because I forget, since I very seldom take any kind of NSAIDs anyways. ---
**Author:** ![psychobunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/54ee81/32.png) [@psychobunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychobunny)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2012, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-lie-to-donate-blood/175744/75 "2012-04-02T20:54:30Z")
Just to fight a little ignorance-when blood is rejected because the red blood cell count is too low it does not necessarily mean your iron is too low. There are many different causes for anemia, including: low iron low B12 low folic acid thalassemia low thyroid low cortosol low testosterone kidney disease autoimmune disease and many others The blood banks simply screen to make sure that your hemoglobin level will still fall within normal limits after you donate but does not screen for why it is low. While low iron is one of the most common causes of anemia it is by no means the only cause. If your blood count does not improve with iron supplementation then you really should have a doctor evaluate you. I can’t tell you how many people I’ve met who have been on iron supplements for 10 or 20 years when their real problem is thalassemia and their iron levels are sky high simply because nobody actually ever checked to see why they were anemic. ---
**Author:** ![maggenpye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecc23a/32.png) [@maggenpye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maggenpye)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2012, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-lie-to-donate-blood/175744/76 "2012-04-02T21:16:28Z")
Since we have experts here, may I please add a question? I was not allowed to donate blood for six months after tearing my Achilles tendon. There was no surgery involved and, after the first day, no pain killers or any other medication. Why a six month ban? ---
**Author:** ![Skara\_Brae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Skara\_Brae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skara_Brae)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2012, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-lie-to-donate-blood/175744/77 "2012-04-02T21:20:44Z")
> [@maggenpye](#): > > Since we have experts here, may I please add a question? > > I was not allowed to donate blood for six months after tearing my Achilles tendon. There was no surgery involved and, after the first day, no pain killers or any other medication. Why a six month ban? That’s very strange. What question did they ask you that resulted in the deferral? They usually ask about surgery, tattoos or accidently needle sticks. Was it the RC that told you this, or your doctor? ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2012, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-lie-to-donate-blood/175744/78 "2012-04-02T21:47:54Z")
> [@Johnny\_Bravo](#): > > There are other reasons to donate. > > Lifesouth, for example, has several programs to encourage donations. If you need blood during the 12 months following your donatio, they’ll pay all non-insured charges in the U.S. > > If you donate two times within a twelve-month period, your family (tax dependants) is covered under the same plan. > > If you donate three times, you can gift that donation to anyone you know, and they receive the benefits described above. > > And if 50% of any group, like a business or church or school, donate within a 12-month period, the entire organization is covered for a year. > > Of course, I think it would be pretty unethical to donate ‘bad’ blood just to get these discounts. > > Also, some people might enjoy being stabbed. Israel has a program like this for organ donors. People who are already donors get some preferential placement on organ transfer lists. It’s been largely successful at reaching free-riders who would accept a donation but aren’t currently donors. > [@muldoonthief](#): > > But there are at least a dozen perfectly innocuous reasons to not donate (or be deferred) that would pass even the strongest choir ladies inspection - on antibiotics, BP too high, iron too low. You can go be honest with the nurse, not donate, and just tell the busybodies some reason other than the one you’re hiding. Tell the old ladies you’re anemic. With any luck, they’ll start cooking you dinner. Win-win! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-lie-to-donate-blood/175744.md?page=3)