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donating blood?

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 12/8/2007 4:24 AM (GMT 0)
I'm on sulfasalzine 500 mg (3 pills a day)
and folic acid 1mg (1 a day)

wondering if I'm not in a flare, is it safe to donate? and would those drugs that i'm on, disqualify me?
Posted 12/8/2007 4:31 AM (GMT 0)
It seems to depend on the blood bank. Some allow UCers to donate while in remission and some don't. The Crohn's forum discussed this recently:
https://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=17&m=982948

This Web site may be of interest, too:
http://www.cbbsweb.org/enf/2002/donor_immunedis.html
Posted 12/8/2007 12:50 PM (GMT 0)
I think calling your local Red Cross (or other donation center) would be your best bet. I think it is great you want to donate!
Posted 12/8/2007 1:48 PM (GMT 0)

I think it's great that you want to donate too!  The Red Cross is always in need of blood.  Here is their website that tells you can donate or not:

http://www.redcross.org/services/biomed/0,1082,0_557_,00.html

I personally have been told that I can't donate only because I have a rare blood type.  One time they said that if they are in a shortage of my blood type that if I was to donate, I would have to stay with them for several hours until my blood recoups itself.  Because if I was to get into an accident on the way home that I would need all my own blood as it is.  I'm AB-RH-.  But for the most part, yes that some of meds we take are ok enough to donate blood. 

Posted 12/8/2007 2:13 PM (GMT 0)
My blood bank turned me down because of the immunosuppressant drugs.
Posted 12/8/2007 2:24 PM (GMT 0)
Mine turned me down because I have an autoimmune disease. :-(
Posted 12/8/2007 3:57 PM (GMT 0)
That reminds me that I'm probably no longer eligible to donate bone marrow. I'll have to call the registry and have them take me off the list. Hopefully the bone marrow I donated to my brother 15 years doesn't result in him getting UC.
Posted 12/8/2007 4:46 PM (GMT 0)
I think it is very nice of you to want to donate blood.  However, I wouldn't do it even if I was feeling great. You never know when you are going to need it and you need to keep your strength up.  I don't know whether or not they would accept it since you have an autoimmune disease.  It is really kind of you to want to help but I think you shouldn't do it because your health comes first.  I hope you don't mind my response.  It's just my opinion...

Posted 12/10/2007 3:31 PM (GMT 0)
I used to give blood and was surprised to see it stated on the information I had through a few years later that UC as a condition along with Chron's and some others disqualified me (that is in the UK)...so I haven't questioned it since...
Posted 12/10/2007 3:48 PM (GMT 0)
It's my understanding that UCers are not supposed to donate due to our antibody profile. / Old Hat (nearly 30 yrs with left-sided UC ... [etc.])
Posted 12/10/2007 6:06 PM (GMT 0)
I had donated twice in high school (mainly as a reason to get out of class, haha)... But I was denied every time after that for either being too anemic or too thin. I had never been told I couldn't donate due to my UC though. I haven't tried to donate in about 5 years though, so I don't know if the standards have changed.
Posted 12/10/2007 6:13 PM (GMT 0)
I actually received a letter from the blood bank after donating blood saying they had found an autoimmune problem with my blood (before I was dx'd with UC) and they had recorded my name on file, and I could not give blood anymore or I would be committing a violation of the law. I even went to my general practioner who tested my blood again, and said there was no problem. Interesting huh? about a year later I was dx'd with UC.

Posted 12/10/2007 7:42 PM (GMT 0)
Because of the potential for UC to be a possible communicable disease I wouldn't chance donating blood..
Posted 12/11/2007 5:48 AM (GMT 0)
That is really interesting Loneylane...
Posted 12/11/2007 3:04 PM (GMT 0)

Red_34 said...

I think it's great that you want to donate too!  The Red Cross is always in need of blood.  Here is their website that tells you can donate or not:

http://www.redcross.org/services/biomed/0,1082,0_557_,00.html

I personally have been told that I can't donate only because I have a rare blood type.  One time they said that if they are in a shortage of my blood type that if I was to donate, I would have to stay with them for several hours until my blood recoups itself.  Because if I was to get into an accident on the way home that I would need all my own blood as it is.  I'm AB-RH-.  But for the most part, yes that some of meds we take are ok enough to donate blood. 

That's interesting. I have a rare blood type, too, although it's not as rare as yours, which I believe is most rare. I have B- and they were always begging me to donate. I did donate several times, but it was almost always a struggle for me because my weight was right at the cut-off and I ate such an unhealthy diet prior to being diagnosed with UC. It wasn't uncommon for me to pass out after giving, sometimes repeatedly. Since my UC diagnosis, I assumed they wouldn't want my blood and our health in remission is such a precarious balance, I haven't wanted to donate.
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