Donating blood

[chrisnsteph1022]

The Red Cross is coming to my workplace for a blood drive in a couple weeks and I'd like to donate. I emailed Red Cross and said I had Crohn's and was on Remicade and Imuran and asked if I could donate. They said I meet eligibility requirements. Is there any other reason I shouldn't donate? I'm newly in remission, so I'm not losing blood there. A month ago, I was very slightly anemic, but I'm betting that has corrected by now.

 

[Susan2]

I used to donate blood, but as soon as I was diagnosed with Crohns, many years ago, they said that I couldn't. Perhaps I should enquire again.

 

[rygon]

I know in UK you cannot give blood if you have crohns.

Anaemic only a month ago? I wouldnt risk it personally. I doubt you would be back to normal after such a short period

 

[lookame]

If I remember right you only just started remicade and your just now not anemic. I would wait a little until you donate. Have you had your 3rd dose of remicade yet? If not you can have a reaction within the first 3 doses. If you do decide to donate be very careful especially since they take your blood rapidly and don;t keep much of an eye on you.

 

[Crohn's 35]

Yep same here we have Red cross blood plasma centres here and no one who has IBD should give blood. Besides we don't get paid for it either. My husband and daughter donate for me

 

[littlemissh]

If you have ever had a blood transfusion you can never give blood again in the uk. I'm very surprised they ok'd you seeing as you only just started feeling better and so recently anaemic.

 

[Rebecca85]

I thought Imuran excluded you from being able to donate, even if Crohn's didn't.

 

[DustyKat]

@Susan2: I posted this a while ago...

This is from the Crohn's and Colitis Association in Australia...

Quote:
Australian Red Cross Blood Service does accept donors with IBD to donate provided they are well and off immunosuppressive medication for a minimum of 4 weeks. The Australian Red Cross Blood service is only able to use the plasma component of the donation for transfusion purposes. Donors presenting to donate are in most circumstances referred to the duty Medical Officer, in order to assess whether they are suitable.

Dusty.

 

[rygon]

I thought Imuran excluded you from being able to donate, even if Crohn's didn't.

I think it all depends on country as well

 

[Susan2]

:thumright:Thanks for that information, Dusty. I had never thought to enquire again after I was off predisolone. I must follow that up asap.:thumright:

 

[Lisa]

Here is info of the US American Red Cross site -

http://www.redcrossblood.org/donating-blood/eligibility-requirements/eligibility-criteria-topic

 

[chrisnsteph1022]

Thanks for the link. Going by the US guidelines, it looks like I'm ok to donate. None of my medications were on the list. I'm not doing it for money-you don't get paid here, either. I just want to help. I have not had my 3rd loading dose yet. The blood drive is on 2/28 and my infusion is 3/2 (3 days later). I haven't donated in several years (due to a waiting period after having melanoma), but they used to check your iron levels with a finger prick before you could donate. As long as that's ok, I'm going to go for it!

It's amazing how each country has different requirements for donated blood. I had no idea. Blood transfusions require a 12-month waiting period here (I've never had one, though).

 

[Kev]

I'd double check about the Imuran/Azathioprine... Considering how careful GI's are when you are on it (I had to have bloodwork done every week while taking it, and I still went toxic on it and wound up in the ER... and may have to deal with long term ramifications from that), I'd be astounded if they'd consider blood or blood products that may contain it.

There is a benefit to the donor IF they are able to donate tho... in that the more often you donate...well, its like exercising a muscle. Your body adjusts to replenish blood more rapidly... which could save your life in the event you lost a significant amount of blood. (Something which people with IBD 'MAY' face at any given time).

Keep us posted. It will be interesting to learn what the 'official' verdict is on Imuran/AZA

 

[chrisnsteph1022]

I will call my GI's office and run it by then, just to be safe. My GI is more lax when it comes to the blood tests. He said once/month for the first 3-4 months, then every 6 months.

 

[Susan2]

We don't get paid in Australia, but neither will it cost me anything and there is always a shortage of blood donors here.

 

[chrisnsteph1022]

Well, today was the blood drive. It didn't go well, but I don't think it had anything to do with my condition. My iron was 13.8, so I'm well into the normal range. They missed the vein with the first stick and had to dig around a bit to find it. Then I almost passed out and had to be laid back. Then the blood just wouldn't flow. They tried pumping up the blood pressure cuff. I kept squeezing the little stress ball. They tried moving the needle around. It just would not come out. So after a bit, they had to call it quits. All that and I didn't get to donate. Not sure I'll ever try again after that.

 

[CLynn]

Kudos for attempting it, though! Many don't even think about it until they need it themselves.

 

[Mountaingem]

My doctor has said no from the beginning about blood donation. Crohnnies have antibodies that are potentially dangerous to a healthy person.

 

[chrisnsteph1022]

Seriously?? I could hurt whoever gets my blood? I definitely don't want that! I'm glad it didn't work, then. I wonder why they don't have it on the list of restrictions.

 

[CLynn]

That was news to me too. But then, I don't think I have tried since I've had Crohn's, so wouldn't have heard that, I guess.

 

[Mountaingem]

I don't know my bro in law's a Los Angeles fireman and he says restricitons on blood donation/supply vary by state. Apparently for anyone with an automimmune disease, if our blood or organs are introduced into a person with no Crohn's antibodies it can cause severe infection.

My doctor made it sound like, "It's common knowledge, duh" when I discussed it with him as I was interested in being on a donor list for organ transplantation.

On a related note:A family friend received a live tissue transplant for knee replacement. He developed non-Hodgkins lymphoma; apparently his donor had died in a car accident, and even though she didn't have lymphoma, she was months away from it developing. The only any of this came to light is because the family is super rich and had a full investigation for the wrongful death lawsuit they filed after he passed.

Scary! We all definitely need more info on this; great question chrisnsteph-thanks for posting or many of us wouldn't have given it a second thought.:thumright:

 

[ThanksP]

So is the doctor saying Crohn's is transmittable through blood donation (i.e. contagious)???

 

[Mountaingem]

No, it won't give them Crohn's; it causes a massive blood infection because the Crohn's antibodies are introduced into a healthy immune system. This naturally triggers the healthy immune system to launch a massive attack on them, which gives the healthy person sepsis or blood poisoning.

 

[ThanksP]

I don't know my bro in law's a Los Angeles fireman and he says restricitons on blood donation/supply vary by state. Apparently for anyone with an automimmune disease, if our blood or organs are introduced into a person with no Crohn's antibodies it can cause severe infection.

My doctor made it sound like, "It's common knowledge, duh" when I discussed it with him as I was interested in being on a donor list for organ transplantation.

On a related note:A family friend received a live tissue transplant for knee replacement. He developed non-Hodgkins lymphoma; apparently his donor had died in a car accident, and even though she didn't have lymphoma, she was months away from it developing. The only any of this came to light is because the family is super rich and had a full investigation for the wrongful death lawsuit they filed after he passed.

Scary! We all definitely need more info on this; great question chrisnsteph-thanks for posting or many of us wouldn't have given it a second thought.:thumright:

I thought the FDA set the guidelines and standards for blood donation. I've never heard of States setting it. That's scary if it's true. You'd think it would be an across the board type of thing.

The NHL could come from any immune suppression drugs the family member had been on after or before the tissue transplant. I wonder how they would determine the source of the NHL. Interesting.

 

[KWalker]

The Red Cross is coming to my workplace for a blood drive in a couple weeks and I'd like to donate. I emailed Red Cross and said I had Crohn's and was on Remicade and Imuran and asked if I could donate. They said I meet eligibility requirements. Is there any other reason I shouldn't donate? I'm newly in remission, so I'm not losing blood there. A month ago, I was very slightly anemic, but I'm betting that has corrected by now.

Good for you! If you meet the requirements and give blood I give you props! I wish I had the courage to do it, but I'm a big baby with giving blood. I did it once and nearly passed out watching the blood lol. I hope it works out for you!

 

[Susan2]

I enquired of the Australian Red Cross Blood Service and they said that, as long as I was not on any medication that excluded me and had a letter from my doctor to say that it was OK with him, I could donate my blood for plasma (not for whole blood).

I am B blood type and the website says: "...type B plasma donations can make a big difference for trauma victims or people with severe burns or blood diseases." So I am going to talk to my GP about it.

All blood types are needed for platelet and plasma transfusions and apparently Crohn's does not exclude you from that sort of donation (but some medications do).

 

[tobyjug]

For me, this is where my crohns story really began - being turned away from the blood transfusion service (uk) for failing the initial blood test and getting a letter to go and see my GP asap.

Anyway after being diagnosed I was still getting the usual flyers from the blood trandfusion service requesting that I pop in and donate. I went to a local mobile unit, at the pre-questionaire I told them about crohns and they said sorry but no thanks.

A while later I got another letter requesting my attendance. This time I phoned and after a short while, one of the transfusion units own doctors phoned me back. Basically said that as they could not be absolutely certain about what effect crohns has on the blood system they were not prepared to take any risks. I was thanked for my perserverance, but she told me my name would be removed from the register to save any future confusion, or until there was a definitive answer.

toby