Blood Donation post-op

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Debbie

Debbie

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 13, 2007
Messages
572
Location
So. California area
Hey Everyone, well I tryed to donate blood today and it did'nt go so well.
Blood bank told me to wait till I was 1 year post -op before I donated, so I was so excited today to get the chance to donate. I guess 10 min. into the donation they said my blood was'nt coming out fast enough so they put more pressure on the cuff but after a few min. my arm was getting purple so they backed off of the pressure and then they could'nt get hardly any blood out of me!! I guess if it all dosen't all come out and on ice in 20 min. they can't use it for donation, but can use it for other stuff they told me. I was so dissapointed because I was really looking forward to give some part of me to someone else that could possibly save their life.:( Did this heart surgery screw up something? Has this happened to anyone else? Is something wrong with my blood? Is it the Dyazide? Let me know Thanks Debbie :)
 
Hi Debbie,

Sorry, I have no answer to your problem but that was nice in you trying to give blood.

Your thread brings reminds me of the last time I gave blood.
I asked the surgeon before AVR if I would need any blood during surgery, he said probably wouldn't but if I was worried about getting AIDS from the blood bank I could bring 4 pints of my own. This was back when AIDS had been found in the blood banks.

I remember while in ICU the first night after AVR checking my signature on the blood to make sure it was mine before they gave it back to me. Only problem, I didn't donate enough... for I needed 21 pints total before it was over.

Also due to the new testing of blood it was found my blood contained Hepatitis B antibodies. Therefore I could never donate blood to anyone else. I had been donated blood several times a year for many years.
 
Not a clue ... I was a dedicated donor for years but now that I'm on AC I'm not a candidate to give blood:( ... I'm glad I gave when I could....

Sidebar: I'm also on the national bone marrow donor list ... does anyone know if you can donate marrow on when on ACT?
 
Hi Debbie,
This is probably not the problem in Southern California, but last week my husband and I both donated, and both had difficulty with the flow. I wondered if it could have been the cold weather, plus the room was very cool? Rick hasn't had any surgery and had no problem last time. Also, did you hydrate well the day before? Better luck next time--for all of us!

Debby (also 1 yr post-op)
 
Cooker said:
Not a clue ... I was a dedicated donor for years but now that I'm on AC I'm not a candidate to give blood:( ... I'm glad I gave when I could....

Sidebar: I'm also on the national bone marrow donor list ... does anyone know if you can donate marrow on when on ACT?
Click to expand...

The Marrow program website at www.marrow.org indicates that after AVR you are no longer eligible for the marrow donor program. Does not make any difference whether you are on an anticoagulant or antiplatelet or not:

Heart Disease
In general, if you have heart disease you cannot become a potential volunteer donor. This includes a past heart attack, any history of angioplasty, bypass surgery, heart valve replacement surgery or pacemakers. However, some heart conditions such as well-controlled irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias), or mitral valve prolapse that does not require medication or restrictions, or successful cardiac ablation will not prevent you from registering to become a donor. Your situation will be evaluated on an individual basis.

If you don't have any of the heart conditions listed above, for medications www.marrow.org indicates:

Medications
Treatment with some medications may affect your suitability to register as a potential volunteer donor. Most often it is not the actual drug itself but the condition requiring the medication that would determine your suitability. If you are currently taking medication(s), you may want to contact your local donor center to discuss the medication(s) and underlying condition.

I would guess that the marrow program is not interested in anyone on either anticoagulant or antiplatelet medications. Blood banks will definitely not take you if you are on anticoagulant. Not sure about antiplatelet, but my guess is that blood banks won't take you if you're on antiplatelet either. So I would guess that the marrow program is at least as stringent, if not more so, than the criteria for blood banks.

Debbie, NICE TRY!! At least you gave it your best shot. Maybe you could try again in a few months and have better results. My guess why you had problems is that they did not get a good vein stick and so the flow was less than it should have been. Also, I'm very right handed and always got a better flow out of my right arm than my left arm (when I used to donate; i.e., before my AVR). My right arm has a bigger vein as it the stronger arm. Hopefully they at least gave you a blood donor T-Shirt or something for your effort.
 
I was on the marrow donor list before AVR, having lost both a boss and my sister to AML. I had to resign (and from blood donor list) when I found out I was having OHS. 2 ways to donate marrow or marrow stem cells: by drilling into the hip and by apherisis over a period of a week. Because of the bleeding associated with anticoagulants, and of course the risk if you went off to donate marrow or stem cells, we can't do either.

I don't know why they don't want the goodies from people with pig or cow valves, or repairs or other conditions, though. The poor recipients are so immunocompromised after the chemo and radiation, it may have to do with that.
 
Yes, warfarin (Coumadin) is a no-no for most blood uses, so I was told they don't want donors who are on ACT.

If you're not on ACT (Coumadin), and do not have any other health issue (or prescription) that prevents it, the Red Cross absolutely DOES accept post-AVR blood donations. They do want you to wait at least a year after any major surgery.

I have donated several times since my surgery. I investigated it thoroughly with the Red Cross, my cardiologist, and my surgeon before I even went there the first time. I was extremely careful to specify my AVR history when I gave each time, and asked them to reaffirm that I qualified and that my blood was fully usable. Their consensus has been unanimous that it is.

Best wishes,
 
Hello, I recently tried to organise a blood donor session at our local primary school. On speaking to one of the advisors I was informed that because I have had cardiac surgery they would not accept me as a blood donor ? This is in the UK, and only a few weeks ago. I was really disappointed because I would really like to give blood due to being rhesus negative . They seem to have a fairly strict criteria here because they also like you to wiegh over 8 stone, which means that is me refused for two reasons !! Real shame, it is such a great thing to do !
 
bit of a chicken said:
Hello, I recently tried to organise a blood donor session at our local primary school. On speaking to one of the advisors I was informed that because I have had cardiac surgery they would not accept me as a blood donor ? This is in the UK, and only a few weeks ago. I was really disappointed because I would really like to give blood due to being rhesus negative . They seem to have a fairly strict criteria here because they also like you to wiegh over 8 stone, which means that is me refused for two reasons !! Real shame, it is such a great thing to do !
Click to expand...

I know in the US you have to wait for 1 year to donate if you get blood, BUt in the UK anyone that has gotten blood since 80 can never give (as of now) that seems like it would be alot harder to find donors
 
Bit of a Chicken and Lynlw, you each make valid points.

BoaC - The laws in the rest of the world don't revolve around the US, so I beg forgiveness for having been baldly ethnocentric in my post. You might well not qualify elsewhere. In the US, we need donors greatly, because so many here seem to be a Lot of a Chicken when it comes to needles.

Lyn - There might be an issue even in the US if you received blood products during the surgery. In the US, most people do not require blood during AVR, MVR, PVR or TVR, so most tissue valve recipients would still be valid donors. If you did receive blood products, I don't know if you are banned in the US, or if there is simply a waiting period.

Best wishes,
 
tobagotwo said:
Bit of a Chicken and Lynlw, you each make valid points.

BoaC - The laws in the rest of the world don't revolve around the US, so I beg forgiveness for having been baldly ethnocentric in my post. You might well not qualify elsewhere. In the US, we need donors greatly, because so many here seem to be a Lot of a Chicken when it comes to needles.

Lyn - There might be an issue even in the US if you received blood products during the surgery. In the US, most people do not require blood during AVR, MVR, PVR or TVR, so most tissue valve recipients would still be valid donors. If you did receive blood products, I don't know if you are banned in the US, or if there is simply a waiting period.

Best wishes,
Click to expand...


In the US it is just a 1 year waiting period IF you got blood, but it might be a year post op for any heart surgery, anyway,then after that as long as you don't have any restrictions or meds on the list you can give. I can't remember off the top of my head I BELIEVE the life long ban in the UK if you got blood since 80 has to do with Mad cow, But I could be wrong. BUt I BELIEVE in the US IF you got blood in the UK since 80 we won't take you either, at least that is how it was a couple years ago.
 
TOBAGOTWO, hey, I'm a chicken, but even I could handle the needle to give blood !! Just....
Lynlw, I do seem to have a recollection of the advisor also mentioning the mad cow side of things, but i do not recall the exact detail... pity !
 
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