# they refused my blood **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 14, 2012, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-refused-my-blood/643992 "2012-12-14T02:59:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![\_Olive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/_/4af34b/32.png) [@\_Olive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/_Olive)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-refused-my-blood/643992/1 "2012-12-14T02:59:31Z")
I went to give blood yesterday and they wouldn’t take it. It just so happened the day before I had three small patches of skin that needed to be scraped and sent for testing. I was given a small injection to numb each area first. The blood bank told me it mattered **not** because my blood might be tainted. But because my red blood cells are working to heal the small wounds. Taking blood from me would put me at risk for infection. I was surprised and really disappointed. They still let me eat a nice lunch though and then the doorman to the hotel gave me a lei. ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-refused-my-blood/643992/2 "2012-12-14T04:01:45Z")
Yeah, I think that’s the same reason you can’t donate within 6 months of having a tattoo or an ear piercing; hope your denial lasts less time than that! ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-refused-my-blood/643992/3 "2012-12-14T04:25:48Z")
I’ve been denied because I tested “inconclusive” for Hepititis C. Further testing showed I had no sign of the virus, but I can’t give blood again. ---
**Author:** ![keturah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e95f7d/32.png) [@keturah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/keturah)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-refused-my-blood/643992/4 "2012-12-14T04:31:09Z")
Despite having a realitively rare blood type and being fully vaccinated against hep b, I cannot give blood because I lived in London in the 90’s. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-refused-my-blood/643992/5 "2012-12-14T04:55:28Z")
I can’t give blood any more because I have a sleep disorder. Even if it’s treated, and I’m fine, they won’t take it. Found this out while doing my last regular blood donation thing. My GF couldn’t give blood last time she tried because her iron levels were too low, even though she eats well. My best friend can’t give blood because of his low weight. My daughter will just have to give loads as soon as she’s old enough, to make up for us. ---
**Author:** ![Cinnamon\_Imp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@Cinnamon\_Imp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cinnamon_Imp)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-refused-my-blood/643992/6 "2012-12-14T08:30:26Z")
> [@SciFiSam](#): > > My GF couldn’t give blood last time she tried because her iron levels were too low, even though she eats well. Umm, not to sound paranoid, but has she been checked out by her doctor? That was the first/only symptom my ex-MIL showed of her Non-Hogkins lymphoma, when she got turned away from giving blood because of low iron. It took a bored persistent GP sending her for all the tests he could think of to find out the reason for the low iron! The only few times I gave blood I was a bit dizzy afterwards, and the final time, I hit the floor about an hour later, so the doctors agreed I should maybe give it a rest. I’m a bit heavier now and probably have more blood to spare, so I might try again as I’ve got B- blood (which I think is only about 3% of the UK population?) ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-refused-my-blood/643992/7 "2012-12-14T08:52:19Z")
I’m not allowed to give blood, ever, because I’ve been in a monogamous sexual relationship with another man. ---
**Author:** ![spanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@spanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spanna)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-refused-my-blood/643992/8 "2012-12-14T09:18:28Z")
I was was turned away because I had two broken fingers strapped up - they said I needed the blood more than they did (in the UK) ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-refused-my-blood/643992/9 "2012-12-14T11:03:14Z")
I was denied because I had had a bleeding ulcer. It was 30 years prior. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-refused-my-blood/643992/10 "2012-12-14T12:17:03Z")
I get tattoos frequently enough that I never meet their criteria. ---
**Author:** ![6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/e19adc/32.png) [@6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-refused-my-blood/643992/11 "2012-12-14T12:24:09Z")
Though my blood’s definitely worth bottling, I can’t donate because I once lived in Mad Cow’s Disease Land. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-refused-my-blood/643992/12 "2012-12-14T14:14:53Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > I get tattoos frequently enough that I never meet their criteria. I travel to India enough that it’s rare that I’ve been away long enough to qualify. ---
**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:** [December 14, 2012, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-refused-my-blood/643992/13 "2012-12-14T14:21:18Z")
I can’t donate any longer because I’ve been in receipt of a blood product - another UK mad cow thing. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-refused-my-blood/643992/14 "2012-12-14T14:24:42Z")
You get lunch for giving blood? I thought you just get a cookie. ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-refused-my-blood/643992/15 "2012-12-14T14:26:24Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > I’ve been denied because I tested “inconclusive” for Hepititis C. Further testing showed I had no sign of the virus, but I can’t give blood again. Same. About 15 years ago I received a false positive for Hep C. Although the subsequent testing showed I was clear and it was in fact false, I’m still banned until further notice. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-refused-my-blood/643992/16 "2012-12-14T14:33:36Z")
I am banned from giving blood because I was stationed in Germany in the 80s. I wonder how the Germans do it. ---
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-refused-my-blood/643992/17 "2012-12-14T14:42:12Z")
I can’t find it on the Red Cross’s website, but one of the last times I gave blood, they had me read something about the astonishingly (to me) low percentage of people who CAN give blood for various reasons, and then of that number the alarmingly low number of people who DO give blood. So your blood donations are really valuable (if you had any doubts)! So does Great Britain have to get all of its blood from elsewhere? You ALL live in Great Britain! **SciFiSam** , does your GF take a multivitamin? I can give blood but my iron levels are usually _just_ over the line for donation. I am careful to take a vitamin every day for about two weeks before my donation date. (I try to take one every day but sometimes I don’t have breakfast or I just forget.) ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-refused-my-blood/643992/18 "2012-12-14T14:45:00Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > You get lunch for giving blood? I thought you just get a cookie. If you sit at the recovery table long enough, you could probably fill up on cookies and juice. > [@Taomist](#): > > Yeah, I think that’s the same reason you can’t donate within 6 months of having a tattoo or an ear piercing; Tattoo and ear-piercing equipment aren’t always sterilized to the standards that we would like; I always assumed that a donation deferral was because they wanted to make sure you didn’t develop an infection from the tatto/piercing. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-refused-my-blood/643992/19 "2012-12-14T14:52:13Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > You get lunch for giving blood? I thought you just get a cookie. In the early 70’s in Australia, they used to give out cigarettes to help you recover. They also had those packets of matches with a cover that had an insignia “For our matchless donors”. And a cup of tea as well. ---
**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:** [December 14, 2012, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-refused-my-blood/643992/20 "2012-12-14T15:11:54Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > I’m not allowed to give blood, ever, because I’ve been in a monogamous sexual relationship with another man. This. Even though we’ve been together for 25 years . . . and no anal sex. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-refused-my-blood/643992.md?page=2)