# 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:** 2
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-refused-my-blood/643992/21 "2012-12-14T15:45:31Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > I am banned from giving blood because I was stationed in Germany in the 80s. I wonder how the Germans do it. You might want to try again. I believe some of those restrictions have been lifted, as long as you didn’t receive blood transfusions or any animal tissues while you were stationed there. ---
**Author:** ![llcoolbj77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/eb9ed0/32.png) [@llcoolbj77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/llcoolbj77)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-refused-my-blood/643992/22 "2012-12-14T16:03:47Z")
> [@a35362](#): > > 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)! This. I give blood regularly because my type is rare. But when I got preggo, I couldn’t give blood. Someone didn’t put that shit in the computer, because they still called me constantly. Then I had a bit of a bout of anemia after. I should call them and set up an appointment. ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-refused-my-blood/643992/23 "2012-12-14T16:13:21Z")
> [@Cinnamon\_Imp](#): > > 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?) I was denied because of low iron, and found out within the year that I had Hodgkins, so I agree. Have it checked out. No more donating for me. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-refused-my-blood/643992/24 "2012-12-14T16:18:31Z")
> [@Taomist](#): > > 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! Public Service Announcement - in many places, you can give blood soon after a piercing now. I got an ear pierced in May and donated in June. In Illinois, and probably other places, if it was a licensed piercing place, you’re good to go. > [@panache45](#): > > This. Even though we’ve been together for 25 years . . . and no anal sex. That sucks. You should go ahead and have anal sex. OK, seriously, that sucks. And it will change, I bet, in the next (5?) years. ---
**Author:** ![Sahirrnee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sahirrnee/32/13937_2.png) [@Sahirrnee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sahirrnee)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-refused-my-blood/643992/25 "2012-12-14T16:25:48Z")
I can’t donate anymore either. I worked at a company that demanded 100% participation in the blood drive, at the time I was sick with a constant sore throat and low grade fever. After being rejected 3 times in a row they told me don’t come back. I finally found a doctor who figured out what was wrong and fixed it. Also I dated a man (20 years ago) who had been an IV drug user years before I ever even met him, but unless the rules have changed I still can’t give blood. I’m AB-, there’s not too many people who can use my blood anyway. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-refused-my-blood/643992/26 "2012-12-14T16:30:57Z")
> [@sahirrnee](#): > > I worked at a company that demanded 100% participation in the blood drive :eek: What the hell company would do that!? There are lots of good reasons to not give, that are nobody’s business! That’s a real invasion of privacy. > [@](#): > > I’m AB-, there’s not too many people who can use my blood anyway. That’s extra sad, because you’re mistaken - a perfect match is much preferable to a ‘match’ that works but isn’t exact (like O- for everybody). ---
**Author:** ![MegaBee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f0a364/32.png) [@MegaBee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MegaBee)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-refused-my-blood/643992/27 "2012-12-14T16:38:18Z")
> [@corkboard](#): > > 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. Same, but for Lyme disease. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-refused-my-blood/643992/28 "2012-12-14T16:39:17Z")
> [@keturah](#): > > 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. ☹ I’m similar. I lived in the UK in '96 for a few months, and in Hungary from 1998-2003, and both of those exclude me because of vCJD (mad cow). (Anybody spending 3 months or more in the UK from 1980-1996 is excluded, and anybody spending a cumulative time of 5 years or more in most European countries from 1980-present is excluded.) ---
**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, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-refused-my-blood/643992/29 "2012-12-14T16:51:58Z")
> [@August\_West](#): > > You might want to try again. I believe some of those restrictions have been lifted, as long as you didn’t receive blood transfusions or any animal tissues while you were stationed there. Nope: From January 1, 1980, through December 31, 1996, you spent (visited or lived) a cumulative time of 3 months or more, in the United Kingdom (UK), or From January 1, 1980, to present, you had a blood transfusion in any country(ies) in the (UK). The UK includes any of the countries listed below. Channel Islands England Falkland Islands Gibraltar Isle of Man Northern Ireland Scotland Wales You were a member of the of the U.S. military, a civilian military employee, or a dependent of a member of the U.S. military who spent a total time of 6 months on or associated with a military base in any of the following areas during the specified time frames From 1980 through 1990 - Belgium, the Netherlands (Holland), or Germany From 1980 through 1996 - Spain, Portugal, Turkey, Italy or Greece. ---
**Author:** ![Sahirrnee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sahirrnee/32/13937_2.png) [@Sahirrnee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sahirrnee)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-refused-my-blood/643992/30 "2012-12-14T17:10:18Z")
> [@bup](#): > > :eek: What the hell company would do that!? There are lots of good reasons to not give, that are nobody’s business! That’s a real invasion of privacy. > That’s extra sad, because you’re mistaken - a perfect match is much preferable to a ‘match’ that works but isn’t exact (like O- for everybody). The people who ran the company were real assholes, have never seen a company like it. If they want my blood I’d give it, I never had a problem donating. I don’t faint or get sick. I once had somebody in the Red Cross tell me they really need my blood because it’s so rare but I thought they said that to everybody. ---
**Author:** ![Woeg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/df705f/32.png) [@Woeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Woeg)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-refused-my-blood/643992/31 "2012-12-14T17:21:03Z")
I’ve only given blood twice, and both times had the same extreme reaction, so I was asked in a very kind way to not donate blood again. I’m not sure exactly what was going on, but apparently both times my blood pressure skyrocketed (I filled the bag in almost half the time everyone else took) and then, even with a good half hour recovery period, as soon as I stood up, my blood pressure flatlined (thats what I was told anyway), I feinted, and went into massive convulsions, bruising the hell out of myself and the poor attendant who was trying to hold me down. I then had continuous feinting spells for the rest of the day, with my blood pressure going from spiking highs to extreme lows both times. So why’d I try again after the first time? I thought it might be a fluke. Apparently not. Still not sure why I react that way. ---
**Author:** ![Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/bc8723/32.png) [@Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unauthorized_Cinnamon)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-refused-my-blood/643992/32 "2012-12-14T17:25:01Z")
I can’t top the dumbth of the gay prohibition by a long shot, but they don’t want my semi-precious O+ because my liver swelled up when I had mono in 1994. Now I can never give blood, despite the fact that it was clearly, definitively not Hep A, B, or C. I understand and appreciate them being careful, but it seems silly. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-refused-my-blood/643992/33 "2012-12-14T18:13:41Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > I’m not allowed to give blood, ever, because I’ve been in a monogamous sexual relationship with another man. It’s true. And I don’t mean to make light of what may be a sensitive point, but I find that question oddly humorous: “Have you had sex with another man, even once, since 1977?” The humor for me is in the insertion of “even once,” as though that would change the prospective answers. “Have you had sex with another man since 1977?” “No.” “Even once?” “Oh… yeah, OK, once. Didn’t know you meant even once.” ---
**Author:** ![raventhief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raventhief/32/4_2.png) [@raventhief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raventhief)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-refused-my-blood/643992/34 "2012-12-14T19:12:28Z")
I tried to give blood a a couple of week ago and they turned me away becasue my blood pressure was too high. So now i am trying to be really good about taking the bp medicine and will try again next time the school has a blood drive. ---
**Author:** ![SandyHook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dec6dc/32.png) [@SandyHook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SandyHook)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-refused-my-blood/643992/35 "2012-12-14T21:43:38Z")
I give blood when I can but the past two years, almost, have been a no-go as I’ve been in China, Vietnam, and Cambodia. But next April I’ll drop by and drop off a pint. Ms Hook can’t give because she had hepititis when she was young. The last time I was there one of the questions was something along the lines of, “Has your mother been out of the country in the last six months?” I’m 65, mom is 88. She may not have been out of her room in the last six months. ---
**Author:** ![\_Olive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/_/4af34b/32.png) [@\_Olive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/_Olive)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-refused-my-blood/643992/36 "2012-12-14T22:32:31Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > You get lunch for giving blood? I thought you just get a cookie. Yes, a really nice lunch put on by the Hyatt. Sandwiches, fruit, lots of desserts, chips and salsa. Coffee and OJ. The blood bank travels to the islands and they get hosted by different places through the year. The Hyatt hosts several times a year and always puts on a good spread. I enjoyed the lunch very much. The tables had handmade cards from children thanking the donors. It was nice. ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-refused-my-blood/643992/37 "2012-12-14T23:07:56Z")
I got deferred for several years (five, maybe?) because I had answered “yes” to the question “Have you ever had a problem with your heart or lungs?” since I had had sarcoidosis. Now, I just answer that question “no.” It’s been 20 years and the sarcoidosis resolved on its own with no sequelae. I give platelets now. I think you can do platelets every three weeks, but it’s a big time commitment. The closest apheresis center is almost an hour away, and it takes me a solid two hours from intake to finish. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-refused-my-blood/643992/38 "2012-12-14T23:49:42Z")
> [@\_Olive](#): > > II 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. Oh, well… At least you got leid. I can’t give any more due to being on blood thinners. The thing that ticks me off is that I was one week away from giving my 120th pint (15 gallons) when I got my blood clot. They gave me the 15 gallon pin anyway, but I have always felt that I didn’t earn it. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2012, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-refused-my-blood/643992/39 "2012-12-15T00:33:34Z")
Some of the rules do seem silly, but are they short on blood? If not, then they can be better safe than sorry. To use a horrible analogy, if I’m getting laid by supermodels all over the world, I can be choosy about imperfections that others might find absurd…(well, you DO have that mole under your left breast). If I’m desperate, then my standards become…less stringent… ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2012, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-refused-my-blood/643992/40 "2012-12-15T00:38:57Z")
> [@BrotherCadfael](#): > > Oh, well… At least you got leid. > > I can’t give any more due to being on blood thinners. The thing that ticks me off is that I was one week away from giving my 120th pint (15 gallons) when I got my blood clot. They gave me the 15 gallon pin anyway, but I have always felt that I didn’t earn it. Did you ever donate at any other facility? If so, there’s your missing pint, so you DID earn it. 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-refused-my-blood/643992.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-refused-my-blood/643992.md?page=3)