# Why don't you donate blood? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 12, 2002, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-you-donate-blood/136417 "2002-11-12T11:21:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Flutterby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Flutterby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flutterby)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-you-donate-blood/136417/1 "2002-11-12T11:21:41Z")
I was just reading through the donating blood thread and I was curious. Do any of you here not donate blood? Why not? I’ll start. Personally I would love to donate blood but I cannot for two reasons. One is that I got a tattoo within the past six months and two is because I have a form of hereditary anemia and am not allowed to do so. So even if I hadn’t gotten the tattoo I would still be unable to give blood due to my hemoglobin levels, which are fixed at a low point and cannot be changed or fixed to normal healthy\* levels. [sub]\*Not saying that I am not in wonderful health just that my hemoglobin metabolises faster which is pretty much impossible to fix. If I had a harsher form of what I do have I wouldn’t be typing this now a I would have died years ago.[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-you-donate-blood/136417/2 "2002-11-12T14:30:11Z")
I felt bad after 9/11 that I couldn’t donate. I am under the 110 lb weight limit. It seems they feel I need my blood more than they do. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-you-donate-blood/136417/3 "2002-11-12T14:41:37Z")
I’m on the Red Cross permanently banned list because I used needles without a doctor’s supervision in the 1980’s. (I dabbled with steroids for about 8 weeks in 1988). I’m banned for life. At work, we have blod drives and our director frowns upon those who don’t give blood (yes…my company wants blood). I haven’t figured out how to explain that I can give blood. She thinks I have some non-descript blood disease. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-you-donate-blood/136417/4 "2002-11-12T14:43:15Z")
I haven’t figured out how to explain that I CAN’T give blood. - I should preview - I know. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-you-donate-blood/136417/5 "2002-11-12T14:51:52Z")
I have crappy veins. Having a sample drawn or, perish the thought, having an IV inserted is a challenge for the best of the needle-handlers. And it takes way too long for said crappy veins to yield a tube of blood for whatever tests I require - it’d take hours for me to fill a bag. So I spare everyone the frustration. Stoopid crappy veins. ---
**Author:** ![roadrunner70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19b73/32.png) [@roadrunner70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roadrunner70)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-you-donate-blood/136417/6 "2002-11-12T14:58:11Z")
Heart disease in my family. Like my blood will give somebody arteriosclerosis. ---
**Author:** ![CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crankyasanoldman/32/11670_2.png) [@CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrankyAsAnOldMan)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-you-donate-blood/136417/7 "2002-11-12T14:58:55Z")
I do, but not often enough. I have low blood pressure, so when I give blood it totally wipes me out. The only way to prevent my passing out is for me to start really loading up on fluids and food the day before. Even then, it’s still sort of iffy whether I’ll feel okay afterwards, and for a day or more after I give I find I have trouble climbing steps and lifting things. All in all, it’s not terribly comfortable for me. So while I think it is important, and I do try to donate sometimes, I don’t do it every 8 weeks or however often the truly dedicated folks do it. My husband, who weighs less than me, can give blood, hop off the table, and go on about his day without any effects whatsoever. None. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Mapp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miss_mapp/32/369_2.png) [@Miss\_Mapp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Mapp)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-you-donate-blood/136417/8 "2002-11-12T15:07:45Z")
I haven’t been allowed to donate blood since this [Mad Cow Disease issue](http://www.redcross.org/services/biomed/blood/learn/CJDv.html) came up: I lived in England as a student in the mid-'80’s. As someone who used to donate regularly–I was close to the 10-gallon mark when I had to stop–I’m a bit sad about it. As **Honey** said, I especially felt bad around 9/11. ---
**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 12, 2002, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-you-donate-blood/136417/9 "2002-11-12T15:19:46Z")
I used to, but after a while every time I did, I would get sick the next day for a couple of days. Nobody knows why; weight OK, iron level excellent, always had a good meal first and rested afterwards. After a few years of not donating, Mayor Giuliani suckered me into it again on 9/11. Then I remembered why I hadn’t done it for so long…I spent the next two days sacked out on my couch, getting dizzy almost to the point of blacking out whenever I sat up. ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-you-donate-blood/136417/10 "2002-11-12T15:27:39Z")
I bet a lot of people can do it but have conditioned themselves into thinking it’ll be painful, or that it’ll take a lot of time to complete, and so on. When I went yesterday, it stung very briefly, and the whole process was rather quick. So maybe if people got over that psychological hump, more would do it. ---
**Author:** ![EchoKitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@EchoKitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EchoKitty)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-you-donate-blood/136417/11 "2002-11-12T15:29:16Z")
Too thin. I weigh in at 100 lbs. I have trouble coming up with a tube of blood for my doctor. ---
**Author:** ![Amp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Amp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amp)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-you-donate-blood/136417/12 "2002-11-12T15:35:56Z")
I used to do it all the time at my previous place of employment. They would bring out FBS to collect on a regular basis. At my new place they don’t have a regular drive and I don’t actively seek one out. So I guess my excuse is that I’m lazy. ---
**Author:** ![CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crankyasanoldman/32/11670_2.png) [@CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrankyAsAnOldMan)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-you-donate-blood/136417/13 "2002-11-12T15:55:03Z")
Say Eva. maybe we have more than whacked cervixes in common. How’s your blood pressure? I have the nice low kind that gives me high-fives from my doctor, but it’s hell for blood donation. ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-you-donate-blood/136417/14 "2002-11-12T16:01:23Z")
After four months in the UK and six in other European countries, I am apparently at risk of becoming a mad cow. ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-you-donate-blood/136417/15 "2002-11-12T16:02:22Z")
yup. don’t weigh enough either. they’re really strict about that one. pity, i have really good veins, and nice A+ blood. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-you-donate-blood/136417/16 "2002-11-12T16:02:54Z")
I’m a diabetic. My blood can’t even keep _me_ alive without the benefits of recombinant DNA. ---
**Author:** ![In\_Conceivable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/4bbf92/32.png) [@In\_Conceivable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/In_Conceivable)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-you-donate-blood/136417/17 "2002-11-12T16:09:37Z")
Okay. I will go ahead and say it. I don’t donate blood because I am scared and because I think that it is too much time and trouble. And, when I am lucky I don’t weigh enough to donate anyway. My work doesn’t do a blood drive. I am not sure who around here even does. And it isn’t worth the effort to me to find out. I donate personal time to other charities. I donate as much money I can. Donating my own blood just isn’t that high up on my list. That said, if I ever heard that people in my area were dying because of lack of blood donations I would donate in a heart beat. 🙂 In the mean time I just figure I will let the people who like to donate blood donate blood. I like to work concession stands so I do that. Seems fair to me. Don’t feel bad about not donating blood on 911. They threw a lot of it away. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-you-donate-blood/136417/18 "2002-11-12T16:25:12Z")
I haven’t been able to donate since last November due to pregnancy and the recovery period. Also, I run slightly anemic; not enough to need any special treatment for it, but enough that meeting the required hemoglobin threshhold is a bit chancy. In fact, last year, my company had a blood drive. (Since they have their own blood bank, being a hospital, they do this fairly frequently.) I had just found out I was pregnant, but wasn’t showing yet. A nurse passed me in the hall and tried to badger me into donating and looked a little crestfallen when I told her I was pregnant and couldn’t donate. Robin ---
**Author:** ![Xerxes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/d2c977/32.png) [@Xerxes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xerxes)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-you-donate-blood/136417/19 "2002-11-12T16:30:44Z")
I’m abjectly terrified of needles. And I also feel as guilty as all hell that I can’t overcome it. That said, I _did_ give two pints a few years ago. I was so hyped up I expect they got pure adrenalin 😃 [sub] I sure wouldn’t want to be the unconscious surgery patient who got **that** lot.[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Velma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/85e7bf/32.png) [@Velma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velma)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-you-donate-blood/136417/20 "2002-11-12T16:35:09Z")
Twice I was turned away for low iron. I also have low blood pressure and hard to find veins, which led to several bad experiences (missing the vein, exploding it, needle breaking off) giving blood that made me not want to do it any more. I also feel sick for the rest of the day, and for a while after. I feel bad sometimes that I don’t give blood, but I’m really not a good candidate. For a long time I also had a psychological aversion to it that I am slowly starting to get over, thanks to several good blood-drawing experiences. Strangely, it is not the needle itself I am afraid of, regular shots don’t bother me a bit. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-you-donate-blood/136417.md?page=2)