Any vegetarian/vegan out there ever donated blood?!
Answers: Just wondering. I became a vegetarian (again) November of '07 and I recently gave blood and had a horrible experience with it. Afterwards, I thought it might be because I have low iron or something. Who knows. Anybody have a similar experience?
Yes- I donate regularly and I'm a "gallon donor" a few times over. :-)
Sorry to hear that your experience was horrible. What happened? Did you feel bad?
I actually have low iron (issue that plagued me long before becoming vegan) and I always have to have my blood sample spun in the little machine. During the days leading up to the donation, just make sure you eat some additional iron. Raisins, almonds, spinach, etc. You also want to rest after you donate. I carve out time for a nice long nap in the late morning/early afternoon after I donate.
Did you drink plenty of water before hand? You should probably drink about 16 oz worth.
Also, it's not a good idea to donate immediately before of after your period. That might have complicated some things...
Sounds like everything else is in place.
I wish you luck next time!
Yep, I'm up to 52 donations now
I also donated bone marrow in late 2007
no problems what so ever
If your Iron was low, they would not have taken the blood.
If you want to increase your iron levels you have to do it consistantly, eating high iron foods for 3 weeks before it starts to have an effect.
Perhaps you can read through this page on iron :
http://www.vegsoc.org/info/iron.html
It will tell you why we need iron, how much, and where you get it from on a veggie diet.
Iron deficiency is the most prevalent health problem in the western diet - whether you are veggie or not - read the above link for the full details.
If you felt a bit sickly or when cold/clammy it might just be sugar levels, tiredness, hunger. These swing about when you give blood and its best to take it easy for an hour afterwards. Make sure you have lots to eat beforehand.
don't let the one bad donation put you off, you'll have to tell them next time and they will keep an eye of you ( make sure they give you extra biscuits ;-)
They check your iron before you donate with the finger prick. So, I doubt you have low iron (anemia) or they wouldn't have let you donate. I am not a veggie, but I do donate a lot and I have had some difficult times. I really think it depends upon the technician. I would try again the next time they ask and see if it is better the next time. If it was then it is probably due to the tech you had.
Good luck!
edit- Make sure you eat a snack afterwards, if the cookies they giver you doesn't fit into your diet, then bring along your own. Also, drink the juice it really help to perk you back up.
edit2- Come to think of it the last time I gave blood (~about six weeks ago, I am due to give again) I thought I would die before it was over and I know it was the nurse.
Don't give up giving blood is one of the best things a person can give, you are doing a wonderful service.
Maggie that is absolutely nuts about the laws.
They test your blood before they draw it in the USA, so it will show you whether you're anemic or not.
I've never had a problem giving blood.
I gave blood regularly until some a year and a half ago, wherein they changed the rules for donating blood in the USA so that people born in Eastern Europe between 1977 and 1992 can't give blood (or something along those years). There was no good reason given for the change, which I find puzzling and nonsensical. The nurse that was there at the time was Ukranian (I'm Polish) and she said she was super disappointed too. Since I refuse to lie on the health screener's survey, I just stopped donating, but I remain an organ donor and I donated cord blood when I gave birth.
I never had a problem with anemia as a vegan.
Sometimes just losing a few pints of blood will make you feel dizzy and sick - and even if you're not anemic before giving blood, sometimes having so much blood taken out can cause a short-lived anemic state.
Edit:
Actually I re-examined the rules and apparently anyone who spent a total of 5 years in Europe from 1980 to 1996 cannot donate blood. Because of Mad Cow Disease. *rolls eyes angrily* And it doesn't even matter that I don't eat beef and don't frolic in meadows with crazy cows all day.
http://www.organicconsumers.org/madcow/f...
NO in fact I usually have a good time of it. A couple of things that can really help: Make sure you are really hydrated!! Your veins are bigger, blood flows eaiser. Also being warm helps if you have to wait in a overly air conditioned room, pop on a jacket or sweater.
They would not have let you donate IF you had been low in IRON. That is one of the Pre-test they do. The drop of blood the put in the little vial in from front of you..they watch how the blood reacts . That test shows your Iron levels.
Blood centers test your iron levels before you are allowed to donate. I've been vegan for over 15 years, and I give blood every six weeks or so. Never had a problem, except once with a trainee phlebotomist. Ouch!
If you're still concerned about your iron, eat more dried beans, peas and lentils, and more leafy greens.
And Michael H. Congrats on the bone marrow donation! How's it feel to be a superhero?
I'm vegan and I donate blood twice a year. I feel pretty awful for the remainder of the day, and I can't exercise for the next 2 days.
It's not unusual to feel kinda cr*ppy for a day or so after you've given blood. And yes, that has to do with having low hemoglobin... because you've just "lost" about 10% of it through your donation.
I don't know what the guidelines are in the US and elsewhere, but in Canada, Canadian Blood Services screens all potential donors - those suspected to be anemic are not permitted to donate.
Best of luck!
I give blood regularly- before I became vegi 4 years ago and since. Last time my iron was too low so I couldn't give but I'd been ill so prob why. Anyway, I've never really felt any difference in how I feel- I had awful dizzy spells and fainting on occasion while I ate meat and great experiences now (also vice-versa) So I'd say as long as your iron level was high enough to take it shouldn't be the cause. I've found things as basic as the outside temp when you donate can affect how u feel, also if your already tired or stressed.
I'd not worry and hope you donate again :)
You ate more than you were eating regularly and everything in you went above normal.
Yeah, I donate a lot. I don't think it was because of low iron. They usually do a fingerstick before a donation and for females, want your hematocrit to be above 37. They will not let you donate if it's below that. And for women, it's still within a normal range to be a little below 37.
EDIT:
Mike H. I just wanted to tell you that you rock. My dad died of leukemia so it means a lot to me to see people willing to donate bone marrow.
THANKS!!!!
I donate blood on a fairly regular basis and have been vegetarian since shortly after I started donating. They should be testing your iron levels before each donation and should not be allowing you to donate if your levels are too low. So, that *shouldn't* have been your problem. But without you describing what you experienced, nobody can really say. Lots of things, especially not being properly hydrated or not having eaten enough, can make the experience unpleasant (they should also be asking you what you've eaten that day and offering food first if you haven't "prenourished.").