# 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:** 6
**Author:** ![Hopeful\_Crow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/da6949/32.png) [@Hopeful\_Crow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hopeful_Crow)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2018, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-pints-of-blood-have-you-donated/561269/101 "2018-01-26T23:47:28Z")
I’m another person who’s iron tends to be a tad too low. Didn’t stop me from going back and trying again. Sometimes it would be high enough for me to donate. Such as the time I got to donate and an hour later, I fainted. I donated a couple of times after that but after the time I felt a bit dizzy, I decided it would be best to quit. ---
**Author:** ![ASGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@ASGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2018, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-pints-of-blood-have-you-donated/561269/102 "2018-01-27T03:01:13Z")
I’ll brag a bit as I’m a 46 _gallon_ donor. Donating helps people with serious injuries. I read the last 30 or so responses to this thread. Those of you with deferment illnesses, histories or whatnot should be satisfied that you tried before your condition caused a permanent deferment. There are hundreds in your community that haven’t given donation a thought. For those of you that are straddling the donation fence I encourage an (or another) attempt. My blood bank is ever short of candidates. I sometimes think that should I ever need transfusions I am in a devine state because I’ve donated so often. _Wrong_. I am just one more person in need of someone else’s donations. So give if you can. Your community will benefit. ---
**Author:** ![Civil\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d78d45/32.png) [@Civil\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Civil_Guy)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2018, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-pints-of-blood-have-you-donated/561269/103 "2018-01-27T03:43:46Z")
100 donations/pints by Red Cross records; maybe a few more at a miscellaneous blood donation events that never got into the official records. O+, CMV-, large veins. They like me. Yeah, the idea that I might be saving lives is a good feeling. ---
**Author:** ![CelticKnot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/celticknot/32/3392_2.png) [@CelticKnot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CelticKnot)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2018, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-pints-of-blood-have-you-donated/561269/104 "2018-01-27T04:22:25Z")
> [@villa](#): > > They won’t take mine. Better to bleed out on the operating table than risk a one in a trillion chance of mad cow disease, I guess. > [@Algher](#): > > Me too! > [@Loach](#): > > I think I did it twice before they made me stop because the Mad Cow. > [@Miss\_Mapp](#): > > I used to donate regularly and was getting close to the 10-gallon mark–the Red Cross would give you a pin. Then I was no longer allowed to donate because I lived in the UK during the '80s. That’s my story. Lived in Europe in the early 1980’s. Life was great, but they don’t want my blood now. I gave every chance I could in college and as a young adult. What’s the incubation period for J-K disease? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Nayna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ebca7d/32.png) [@Nayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nayna)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2018, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-pints-of-blood-have-you-donated/561269/105 "2018-01-27T05:03:27Z")
> [@villa](#): > > They won’t take mine. Better to bleed out on the operating table than risk a one in a trillion chance of mad cow disease, I guess. I’m in this boat. Donated every 56 days (or as close to that as I could) for years before the Mad Cow question kicked in. I lived in England for a few years starting in 1980, and evidently I’m still too big a risk to donate. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2018, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-pints-of-blood-have-you-donated/561269/106 "2018-01-27T05:20:26Z")
Every time I see a thread like this I like to post about this guy from Australia, James Harrison, “the man with the golden arm” > **[James Harrison (blood donor)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Harrison_(blood_donor))** > > James Christopher Harrison OAM (born 27 December 1936), also known as the Man with the Golden Arm, is a blood plasma donor from Australia whose was plasma contains antibodies against RhD which are used in making a treatment for Rhesus disease. One of the founding donors of New South Wales's Rh Program he regularly donated until, on 11 May 2018, he made his 1,173rd donation – his last, as Australian policy prohibits blood donations from those past age 81. > James Harrison was born on 27 December... He and I have only one thing in common, we both don’t like needles. ---
**Author:** ![ZurBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/71e660/32.png) [@ZurBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZurBob)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2018, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-pints-of-blood-have-you-donated/561269/107 "2018-01-29T03:18:38Z")
Hemochromatosis patient here, so many of my “donations” have been incinerated. Since diagnosed, I’ve given over 350 units (46 gal.) but it was for mostly self serving reasons (I like to live). Unlike anemia, my iron content is exceptionally high, so my hope is that recipients of my donations will get an exceptional boost from my high hemoglobin iron count. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2018, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-pints-of-blood-have-you-donated/561269/108 "2018-01-29T04:18:28Z")
I’m at about 175. 149 at my current place, so that’s easy to count, and for the 20 years before that it’s about 25 pints. So, about 175. I did it at my first duty station at age 19 (Camp Pendleton CA), and have just kept doing it when the opportunity presented itself. At my current blood bank I’ve been able to set up a more or less regular schedule. I have many t-shirts from the blood center. They also give you points for each donation that you can spend on items, so they’ve given me some pretty cool items over the years like Maglite D-cell flashlights, insulated lunch bags, movie passes, hats, nice polo shirts, and a commemorative t-shirt with my 100th donation. A great event is the annual breakfast for 100+ donors where we hear about the research being performed and stories from people or parents who’ve benefited from our donations — very moving and it’s a great reminder for us to keep donating our time and blood products. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2018, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-pints-of-blood-have-you-donated/561269/109 "2018-01-29T04:46:38Z")
1. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2018, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-pints-of-blood-have-you-donated/561269/110 "2018-01-29T05:22:32Z")
4.5 pints. I have donated five times, but on one occasion I bled so slowly that the phlebotomist said it wouldn’t do any good for donation, but that they could still use the half-filled blood bag for research purposes. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2018, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-pints-of-blood-have-you-donated/561269/111 "2018-01-29T05:24:13Z")
Needle-phobia is such a tragedy, because I think society would really donate 10x as much blood as currently if there were just a way to somehow do so that didn’t involve jabbing a big needle into one’s body. That needle-fear indirectly costs people’s lives. ---
**Author:** ![Silvorange](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Silvorange](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silvorange)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2018, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-pints-of-blood-have-you-donated/561269/112 "2018-01-29T07:31:57Z")
I’ve hardly donated since I left my job at the Red Cross last year. I get deferred a lot for low hemoglobin and low platelets so I’m not likely to make a special trip. I think I passed once out of the last three tries. The website has me at 138 donations since I do whole blood and platelets. I have also donated a kidney. I’d do more of those if I could. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2018, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-pints-of-blood-have-you-donated/561269/113 "2018-01-29T13:34:36Z")
Two. I am scared of needles. I have therefore resolved to donate blood every time the bloodmobile comes around the office from now on. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2018, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-pints-of-blood-have-you-donated/561269/114 "2018-01-29T17:26:04Z")
I donate and have even been an apheresis donor but I find as I’ve gotten older I’ve fallen off a bit. Partly because I’ve sometimes had health issues of my own but mostly because I just never liked needles - they scare the crap out of me. In past years I basically forced myself because my fear shouldn’t stop me from doing something good for everyone. At 60 that just doesn’t cut it like it did. ---
**Author:** ![Cardigan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardigan/32/187_2.png) [@Cardigan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardigan)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2018, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-pints-of-blood-have-you-donated/561269/115 "2018-01-29T18:25:40Z")
Over the past 30ish years I’ve probably donated about 6-8 times. I remember in the military guys used to donate a pint and hit the bar immediately afterwards. Cheap & quick buzz. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2018, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-pints-of-blood-have-you-donated/561269/116 "2018-01-29T20:44:19Z")
I honestly have no idea. I have donated many times and to several donation agencies, so there is no central record of my giving. I would guess it’s in the 20+ range, but it’s just that - a guess. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2018, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-pints-of-blood-have-you-donated/561269/117 "2018-01-29T22:34:46Z")
OK, I will check my record… 86 donations, 10 gallons. I’ve been failing iron lately but am taking pills so hopefully another pint will leave the building this week. ---
**Author:** ![Saltire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saltire/32/553_2.png) [@Saltire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saltire)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2018, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-pints-of-blood-have-you-donated/561269/118 "2018-01-29T23:32:24Z")
I just passed 19 gallons, by the way Bloodworks Northwest counts it. But it isn’t really that amount of blood. I donate platelets quite often, and they count each of those donations as a pint, even though the real volume of the donation is probably less than a quarter-pint. But each donation takes 2 hours to do as opposed to half an hour for whole blood, so I figure it’s fair. ---
**Author:** ![Saltire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saltire/32/553_2.png) [@Saltire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saltire)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2018, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-pints-of-blood-have-you-donated/561269/119 "2018-01-29T23:34:37Z")
I always say that I donate so much because it’s easy for me, and I have good veins for it. I should be the one to do it, rather than someone who will find it difficult. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2018, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-pints-of-blood-have-you-donated/561269/120 "2018-01-29T23:53:13Z")
> [@](#): > > Quoth **gogogophers** : > > Hemochromatosis patient here, so many of my “donations” have been incinerated. I have hemochromatosis, too, but so far as I know none of mine have been incinerated or otherwise thrown away. If you’re otherwise eligible to donate (HIV negative, not a man who’s had sex with other men, never done intravenous drugs, never been or had sex with a prostitute, etc.), then all of your phlebotomies should be valid, usable donations, and if you’re not eligible, then none of them would be. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-pints-of-blood-have-you-donated/561269.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-pints-of-blood-have-you-donated/561269.md?page=7)