# How many pints of blood have you donated? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 19, 2010, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-pints-of-blood-have-you-donated/561269 "2010-11-19T21:32:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2010, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-pints-of-blood-have-you-donated/561269/21 "2010-11-20T07:01:26Z")
Just 1. The nurse got impatient about how long it was taking, so she decided to move the needle around in my vein 3 times. Besides it hurting when she did it, I ended up with 1/4th of that arm being sore and black & blue for a week. I haven’t gotten the urge to try again. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2010, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-pints-of-blood-have-you-donated/561269/22 "2010-11-20T07:16:58Z")
17-32. Being O-, they practically drool when I enter the doorway. Wish the ladies would do that. ☹ 😉 ---
**Author:** ![The\_Weird\_One](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@The\_Weird\_One](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Weird_One)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2010, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-pints-of-blood-have-you-donated/561269/23 "2010-11-21T06:19:58Z")
I managed to donate once in high school and never since. My blood iron levels are a little low - not low enough to be considered anemic, but low enough that they won’t take my blood. I keep taking iron supplements and trying again every now and then, but it hasn’t worked out so far. ---
**Author:** ![InterestedObserver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@InterestedObserver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InterestedObserver)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2010, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-pints-of-blood-have-you-donated/561269/24 "2010-11-21T06:27:59Z")
Zero. Not a drop. No real reason other than procrastination. Type O-neg. yet. Yes, I am properly ashamed of myself. :o ETA and I deserve to bleed out for lack of a transfusion. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2010, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-pints-of-blood-have-you-donated/561269/25 "2010-11-21T06:32:34Z")
How much do you donate in a single go? Is that one pint? I’ve donated five or six times, I think. Although I have Type O+, I’ve never been on the Red Cross’ radar, and I don’t think they’ve ever called me to remind me when I can give again, so sometimes it slips my mind for months at a time. I have traveled pretty far out of my way to give, so I like to think I’m pretty good, but the truth is that I have gone for ages without doing it. I’ve been banned since March of last year for travel reasons and won’t be allowed until March of this year to give again. Silly Red Cross. I don’t have malaria! ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2010, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-pints-of-blood-have-you-donated/561269/26 "2010-11-21T08:10:33Z")
They don’t want my blood. ---
**Author:** ![Aestivalis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Aestivalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aestivalis)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2010, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-pints-of-blood-have-you-donated/561269/27 "2010-11-21T08:17:08Z")
I have 31 donations on the board with Lifesource, and I’ve done a couple others for Heartland and other drives. Also, 13 of my donations were double red cell donations using ALYX. ---
**Author:** ![grimpixie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@grimpixie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grimpixie)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2010, 9:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-pints-of-blood-have-you-donated/561269/28 "2010-11-21T09:02:06Z")
I haven’t donated for the last seven/eight years, since I was diagnosed with idopathic thrombocytopaenia pupura and they won’t take my blood anymore, despite me never having had any of the bruising or bleeding symptoms ever!! I think I was in the low 20’s when I stopped. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2010, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-pints-of-blood-have-you-donated/561269/29 "2010-11-21T13:07:39Z")
Well, I might be able to now that most of the drugs are out of my system, but, for a while, I couldn’t, and I haven’t had a chance since. I don’t even know my blood type. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2010, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-pints-of-blood-have-you-donated/561269/30 "2010-11-21T13:30:03Z")
When I was young I donated every chance I could. It was more than 4 gallons. Once I got high BP, I was unable to donate. ---
**Author:** ![SparkleLilly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/67e7ee/32.png) [@SparkleLilly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SparkleLilly)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2010, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-pints-of-blood-have-you-donated/561269/31 "2010-11-21T13:31:53Z")
I’d donate more, but my doc has said not to. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2010, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-pints-of-blood-have-you-donated/561269/32 "2010-11-21T13:36:20Z")
Side note: In the US it’s the FDA’s regulations, not the Red Cross’ choice, to enforce the current donation rules that include “no sex with a man since the '70s if you’re a man.” I too often see the Red Cross get unfairly blamed for this, and IIRC, they really don’t approve of that guideline and would prefer to see it changed. ---
**Author:** ![Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce7236/32.png) [@Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mona_Lisa_Simpson)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2010, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-pints-of-blood-have-you-donated/561269/33 "2010-11-21T14:27:01Z")
I’m a plasma donor. You can donate weekly, but I don’t quite do that often. Plasma Apheriesis is where they take your blood, spin it in a centrifuge type thing, and return your red cells back to you in a closed system machine. The result is a clear fluid between the colour of apple juice and beer, although it varies depending on medications, how hydrated you are, and a few other factors. Its about a 20 to 30 minute process. Depending on your health history your plasma, antibody status, may be transfused into people, or used to manufacture different blood products, clotting factors and so forth. I know that some places pay for plasma, Canadian Blood Services does not. Part of their mandate is to have purely voluntary donors, to keep the blood supply safe, but it is Health Canada that enforces the regulations, so like Ferret Herder said, it isn’t the collection agency but the regulatory agencies who mandate this. There are plasma donors I know who have made over 500 donations, at 500 mls each time is 250 litres of liquid gold. Im hoping to get my next big milestone pin by spring. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2010, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-pints-of-blood-have-you-donated/561269/34 "2010-11-21T14:55:32Z")
I’ve stopped per the advice of the Red Cross. No, not due to any contamination issues! I pass out 100% of the time. ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2010, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-pints-of-blood-have-you-donated/561269/35 "2010-11-21T15:35:05Z")
I donated a few times until I realized that every time I donated, I would come down with severe dizziness for a few days afterward. (My blood pressure and iron levels are fine.) So I gave up, but made a brief reversal on 9/11. And then I remembered why I had given up, because I spent the next couple of days feeling like I was going to black out everytime I sat up. Shortly thereafter, I was diagnosed with cervical cancer, which is a 5-year deferral according to some sources and a permanent deferral according to others (it was just becoming invasive when it was diagnosed). So yeah, blood donation doesn’t agree with me. ---
**Author:** ![QuarkChild](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/c5a1d2/32.png) [@QuarkChild](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuarkChild)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2010, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-pints-of-blood-have-you-donated/561269/36 "2010-11-21T16:49:32Z")
> [@The\_Weird\_One](#): > > I managed to donate once in high school and never since. My blood iron levels are a little low - not low enough to be considered anemic, but low enough that they won’t take my blood. I keep taking iron supplements and trying again every now and then, but it hasn’t worked out so far. Same here–I’ve successfully donated twice, but usually I get turned away for low iron levels. It’s frustrating because I’m A-negative, which is a good donor type. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Geoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f1d935/32.png) [@The\_Geoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Geoff)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2010, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-pints-of-blood-have-you-donated/561269/37 "2010-11-21T16:58:02Z")
> [@Kyla](#): > > I’ve been banned since March of last year for travel reasons and won’t be allowed until March of this year to give again. Silly Red Cross. I don’t have malaria! Lucky you 😉 I gave one pint as soon as I was allowed to, and two months later went off to Nepal for three months. Managed to pick malaria up there, so now giving blood is a complete no-no. And no, malaria isn’t much fun since you ask. :dubious::rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/838e76/32.png) [@One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/One_And_Only_Wanderers)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2010, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-pints-of-blood-have-you-donated/561269/38 "2010-11-21T17:02:19Z")
32 for me ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2010, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-pints-of-blood-have-you-donated/561269/39 "2010-11-21T17:12:49Z")
20 for me, but I’ve not been able to donate for nearly a decade. The UK blood service doesn’t allow donors who have been on the receiving end of their products. ---
**Author:** ![Peeta\_Mellark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bc8723/32.png) [@Peeta\_Mellark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peeta_Mellark)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2010, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-pints-of-blood-have-you-donated/561269/40 "2010-11-21T17:47:26Z")
Zero. I’m quite healthy, but I’m a man who’s gotten nekkid with other men. My blood is forbidden! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-pints-of-blood-have-you-donated/561269.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-pints-of-blood-have-you-donated/561269.md?page=3)