Blood banks need more blood donated and you are wanting to do so from the goodness of your heart.
However, before you make that appointment or show up to the blood bank, you may be surprised and saddened by the fact that you cannot donate blood. Let’s look at 14 reasons why you cannot donate blood.
#14 – You Are Taking Certain Medications
Most of the time the medications that you are taking will not have an impact on whether you donate blood or not. However, if you are taking aspirin or medication that contains it, then you must wait for two days after taking it to donate blood. If you are on antibiotics, you must wait until the infection clears out and that you are finished with the course.
#13 – You Just Received A Vaccination
Unless you have had the flu or HPV vaccine, you must wait from 14 days to 8 weeks to donate blood if you have received other types of vaccinations. Some vaccinations contain agents that are live which means your blood could contain the agent that the vaccination is meant to fight off. You need to talk to your doctor about how long to wait to donate blood if you have received a vaccination recently.
#12 – You Received Tattoo From A Parlor That Is Not Regulated
If you received a tattoo from a shop that is not regulated, then you don’t know what type of pathogens have been transferred to you from needles that may have not been sterilized. You need to wait 3 months to donate blood after getting the tattoo.
#11 – You Have HIV Or Hepatitis
It has been a known fact for a long time that patients that are HIV positive cannot donate blood as that blood is contaminated with the virus that will be passed onto recipients. The same goes for most types of hepatitis. Recipients could end up with liver failure or cancer if they receive blood that is contaminated with hepatitis.
#10 – You’ve Just Travelled Outside Of The USA Or Canada
If you have traveled outside of North America, you could have contracted a blood-borne infection. Depending on the country where you had traveled to depends on how long you should wait to donate blood. If you have traveled to any of the African countries, you may not be able to donate blood for months as many blood-borne illnesses can easily be picked up.
#9 – You Are Underweight
If your BMI is <18, then you cannot donate blood as those who are underweight have low blood volume. Therefore, the blood removal cannot happen as it could be fatal to the donor.
#8 – You Have Been Sick
If you have a cold or a fever, don’t donate blood until you are 48 hours past of being healed. However, allergies will not stop you from donating blood. If you are not sure whether you have a cold or allergies, then it is best to wait for a day or so until you know which you are dealing with. You don’t heal that quickly from a cold but allergies do come and go.
#7 – Your Iron Levels Are Not Optimal
If your iron levels are too low, <13 g/dL, or if they are too high, >18 g/dL, then you cannot donate blood. Low iron levels mean that the recipient would be anemic, and high iron levels can be indicative of heart disease. Talk to your doctor if your iron levels are too high or too low.
#5 – You Have Cancer
Getting cancer through blood donation is highly unlikely. However, a donor would not be able to give blood while going on treatments or has cancer spreading throughout the body, is out of remission, or has cancer of the blood.
#4 – Pregnancy
Pregnant women need extra blood pumping through their bodies to support their growing fetuses. They cannot be in any condition to donate blood as pregnancy is a risk for low iron counts as it is.
#3 – You Received Electrolysis or Piercings
If you have received piercings or electrolysis through an instrument that is reusable, then you need to wait 3 months to donate blood. It is no different from getting a tattoo as you don’t know what type of pathogens have been transferred.
#2 – You’ve Been Diagnosed With Syphilis
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease that can easily be spread throughout the body. This means if you want to donate blood, you need to wait a year after being treated for it. And even then you must be examined to get the green light. Syphilis can cause many permanent health issues.
#1 – You Lived In The UK In The Last Part Of The 20th Century
If you lived in the UK from 1980 to 1996, then you may have contracted mad cow disease which causes neurodegenerative diseases in cows. However, it can trigger the human form of the condition called Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. This can cause early dementia, seizures, muscles stiffness, and personality changes. You cannot give blood if you have visited or lived in the UK within 3 months to January 1, 1980, to December 31, 1996.
If you want to give blood but you can check off at least one reason on this list as to why you cannot, then just take comfort in knowing that many other people are good to go as far as donating blood.
