[jamesinaz]

Originally Posted by KennyFSU

I work at a blood bank and it's true, please donate! Thanks for this post.

We are having a drive here in my retirement community. When I checked the online restrictions it listed having visited an area with malaria as a factor that prevents me donating. I am bummed. Needles don't bother me a bit and I'd like to do something to help.

[M5Rick]

Give blood indeed and have yourselves blood test every year to look after number one, watch out for raised glucose level.

[spazzyfry123]

Originally Posted by jamesinaz

We are having a drive here in my retirement community. When I checked the online restrictions it listed having visited an area with malaria as a factor that prevents me donating. I am bummed. Needles don't bother me a bit and I'd like to do something to help.

The deferral period has changed from 12 months to 3. So if you haven’t visited a country with malaria in 3 months, you’re good to go! FDA made the change.

What’s the best way to find a place to donate? Seems everything has been canceled and I don’t see anywhere I can donate. I’ve got O-, so I’m sure they want it!

[KennyFSU]

Originally Posted by spazzyfry123

The deferral period has changed from 12 months to 3. So if you haven’t visited a country with malaria in 3 months, you’re good to go! FDA made the change.

What’s the best way to find a place to donate? Seems everything has been canceled and I don’t see anywhere I can donate. I’ve got O-, so I’m sure they want it!

I see you're in FL, look for OneBlood donor centers, they're all over. Call first because I believe that they're only taking appointments and not walk-ins right now. Thanks and yes, we need O- at all times.

[spazzyfry123]

Originally Posted by KennyFSU

I see you're in FL, look for OneBlood donor centers, they're all over. Call first because I believe that they're only taking appointments and not walk-ins right now. Thanks and yes, we need O- at all times.

Thanks! I see FSU in your name, so I take it you’re nearby. I’m in Leon county. I’ll give them a call; the online registration says the banks are full and to push out almost two weeks from now which didn’t seem right.

[jamesinaz]

Originally Posted by spazzyfry123

The deferral period has changed from 12 months to 3. So if you haven’t visited a country with malaria in 3 months, you’re good to go! FDA made the change.

What’s the best way to find a place to donate? Seems everything has been canceled and I don’t see anywhere I can donate. I’ve got O-, so I’m sure they want it!

Thanks. I'll call and make sure they agree. Oh shoot. I got back on February 17. Still got 6 weeks to go.

[adc100]

Originally Posted by zx10guy

My situation is I've had cancer...twice. While the guidelines said my cancer types are not exclusionary and I haven't had any recent treatment, I'm still in limbo as to whether I definitely am clear of any recurrence. My scans have been clear, but my tumor markers for the past year has spiked way up. If looking at just the numbers and trends, one would think I do have active cancer. But all the various tests/scans I've had say otherwise. My doc has no idea what is going on with me.

I had my prostate removed 8 years ago. The rule is 5 years for giving bood. You probably know that.

I had a fever for 2 days. I am anxious to see if I have the COVID-19 antibodies. I will immediately go in to give platelets.

[383vett]

I've been donating a few times a year for decades. I walked into my local Red Cross donation center last week and they usually accommodate walk ins. They were too busy at that time and because of the circumstances I can understand that. Went home and made an appointment online. They were booked over 3 weeks out and I scheduled an appointment towards the end of April I guess they must be limiting the number of people at any time inside the donation center.

[adc100]

Originally Posted by 383vett

I've been donating a few times a year for decades. I walked into my local Red Cross donation center last week and they usually accommodate walk ins. They were too busy at that time and because of the circumstances I can understand that. Went home and made an appointment online. They were booked over 3 weeks out and I scheduled an appointment towards the end of April I guess they must be limiting the number of people at any time inside the donation center.

That's good.

[UncleWede]

I've always wanted, but because I'm insulin-dependent, they won't take for fear of me having an issue. I figure IF I planned it right, I could go in with a blood sugar around 300, and then the recipient would get an extra boost!

My oldest, the nurse, gives a lot of Christmas presents from all the movie tix, etc he gets for donating.

[Littlebear]

My time has come. My wife & I go in for the poke today. I've never had to make an appointment to give blood before, but this took two weeks.
Should be fun!

Murf

[Littlebear]

OK, done!
We had to go to Manhattan to give, & went by BMW Express because I'm sort of scared of the subway now. It was morning rush, & I could drive 60mph easy over the Brklyn Bridge & up the FDR Drive. Very few parking rules.
"We have a Double Red here!" They took twice the red cells from me, but gave back my white cells, which I thought was nice. You can watch the red go out the tube, then the white go back in; cool.
It didn't hurt, they hit me first poke, no probs.

Murf

[jamesinaz]

Originally Posted by Littlebear

OK, done!
We had to go to Manhattan to give, & went by BMW Express because I'm sort of scared of the subway now. It was morning rush, & I could drive 60mph easy over the Brklyn Bridge & up the FDR Drive. Very few parking rules.
"We have a Double Red here!" They took twice the red cells from me, but gave back my white cells, which I thought was nice. You can watch the red go out the tube, then the white go back in; cool.
It didn't hurt, they hit me first poke, no probs.

Murf

Good for you. They are having a drive in my area soon but they do not want my blood. Was it the 19 units of blood I received Christmas day 2016? Shouldn't be. Is it because I was in Thailand, a point for malaria, in February? Probably. I'll try again in a few months. Maybe it's the Thailand trip and 3 or more months clears the barrier.

[Littlebear]

Originally Posted by jamesinaz

Good for you. They are having a drive in my area soon but they do not want my blood. Was it the 19 units of blood I received Christmas day 2016? Shouldn't be. Is it because I was in Thailand, a point for malaria, in February? Probably. I'll try again in a few months. Maybe it's the Thailand trip and 3 or more months clears the barrier.

But you tried....

Murf

[Alpine300zhp]

Originally Posted by cmyx6go

I can't figure it out. Sometimes when I donate I'm fine and other times it wipes me out. :

You likely have deficiencies, my friend. Most likely they are mineral related and/or vitamin related. Reality is that the vast majority of Americans over age 40 are deficient in minerals and/or vitamins. I'm not a doctor, but based on my own experience and that of my trusted doc, mineral deficiencies cause exactly what you are describing. PM me if you want me to elaborate.

[Alpine300zhp]

FWIW, I donate regularly as a matter of course and will continue to do so and help my fellow Americans however I can.

[Littlebear]

Originally Posted by Alpine300zhp

You likely have deficiencies, my friend. Most likely they are mineral related and/or vitamin related. Reality is that the vast majority of Americans over age 40 are deficient in minerals and/or vitamins. I'm not a doctor, but based on my own experience and that of my trusted doc, mineral deficiencies cause exactly what you are describing. PM me if you want me to elaborate.

I was surprise they liked my blood so much. Because I have hi iron they said it would be used within hours. My cast iron fry pans did it?

Murf

[Alpine300zhp]

Originally Posted by Littlebear

I was surprise they liked my blood so much. Because I have hi iron they said it would be used within hours. My cast iron fry pans did it?

Murf

Lol. No, it's not your cast iron pans. It's your diet. You likely eat foods that are high in iron such as beef. I personally refrain from red meat most of the time so I have to take iron supplements for about 3 weeks after each blood donation to keep my iron levels where they should be. When I ate steak and burgers regularly, I didn't need the supplemental iron as I got all I needed from the food. After I entered my 40's, I started cutting back red meat and now only eat it a few times per year for heart health reasons.

[Littlebear]

Originally Posted by Alpine300zhp

Lol. No, it's not your cast iron pans. It's your diet. You likely eat foods that are high in iron such as beef....

Thanks for the input Alpine, but are you sure?

https://goaskalice.columbia.edu/answ...-iron-our-food

https://whatscookingamerica.net/Info...onCastIron.htm

Murf

[Alpine300zhp]

Originally Posted by Littlebear

Thanks for the input Alpine, but are you sure?

https://goaskalice.columbia.edu/answ...-iron-our-food

https://whatscookingamerica.net/Info...onCastIron.htm

Murf

Hmm. I may be wrong. I was told that cast iron pans do not provide a significant iron increase to foods, but your cite seems to indicate otherwise. Of course, just because I was told this does not mean it is correct. As an aside, when I posed this question to my doc, his response was that cooking in cast iron pans would not lead to significant iron intake versus taking iron supplements. Reading between the lines, I wonder if he was really saying that cooking in cast iron pans would take too long to replenish depleted iron whereas supplements would do it fairly quickly. I never asked that distinguishing question so it's fair to assume he meant that the pans would take longer to accomplish the same objective.

[Littlebear]

Originally Posted by Alpine300zhp

Hmm. I may be wrong. I was told that cast iron pans do not provide a significant iron increase to foods, but your cite seems to indicate otherwise. Of course, just because I was told this does not mean it is correct. As an aside, when I posed this question to my doc, his response was that cooking in cast iron pans would not lead to significant iron intake versus taking iron supplements. Reading between the lines, I wonder if he was really saying that cooking in cast iron pans would take too long to replenish depleted iron whereas supplements would do it fairly quickly. I never asked that distinguishing question so it's fair to assume he meant that the pans would take longer to accomplish the same objective.

We all have different needs. For some reason I need occasional calcium pills to prevent leg cramps, even though I live on ice cream & drink some milk.
You should probably listen to your doctor (but feel free to discuss with him)!

Murf

[UncleWede]

Originally Posted by Littlebear

We all have different needs. For some reason I need occasional calcium pills to prevent leg cramps, even though I live on ice cream & drink some milk.
You should probably listen to your doctor (but feel free to discuss with him)!

Murf

Switch up the Calcium for Magnesium!

Mom used to wish for a cow in the backyard, and to this day just I and son drink (milk), but I walk to the corner store about every 36 hours for another gallon. Once I found Mag, no more cramps!!!!

YMMV