The rule is an aggregate of 6 months in the UK.
The Red Cross site [link] says 3 months. It's 6 months for certain European countries.
Fred ,'Just Rewards (2)'
[NAFDA] Spike-centric discussion. Lusty, lewd (only occasionally crude), risqué (and frisqué), bawdy (Oh, lawdy!), flirty ('cuz we're purty), raunchy talk inside. Caveat lector.
The rule is an aggregate of 6 months in the UK.
The Red Cross site [link] says 3 months. It's 6 months for certain European countries.
How do they check on the iron? Or do you have to have lab slips that prove you're eligible? (Mine is always, always low.)
They do a hemoglobin test, don't they? That fingerstick thing where they check to see if a drop of your blood floats or sinks. (Although you can have a normal hemoglobin level and still have low iron.)
When I used to donate, that hemoglobin test would let me know if I needed to make an appointment with my hemotologist.
I just had my physical and while they didn't run the iron test that my hemo would run, all my other blood results came back well within limits, so I'm assuming I'm ok for the moment. My B12 is low so I'm doing weekly shots. Joy. CJ takes a bit too much pleasure sticking me with the needle.
Yeah, they do the fingerstick. The threshold for donating is a couple points above the threshold for anemia, but after several low readings in a row, I figured maybe I should start taking an iron supplement. I don't know if it's made a difference in how I feel day-to-day, but it put me above the donation threshold, so I'm happy.
I betcha anything I wouldn't have been eligible for donating before my hysterectomy.
My mother got really hurt the last time she donated. They went in the artery or something...huge bruise.
I donated at Dragoncon. And almost passed out.
My mother got really hurt the last time she donated
If possible, get a phlebotomist and not a nurse at a blood drive. You want the person who sticks people all day long day after day. Most nurses don't have nearly that much practice.
I first donated blood to meet Robert Heinlein at MidAmericon.
I haven't been able to donate blood for the past few years because I keep getting tattoos, within 12 months of each other. But if I don't get new ink by December, I should go donate.