Donated blood since being banded...Help!

[betrthnever 107]

I use to donate blood all the time until I decided to get banded and now my Dr said that I have to wait until I reach my goal weight before I can donate again. What??!! Has anyone heard of this? Did any of you see a difference (slow down) or any other adverse effects with your weight loss once you donated? I have an appointment to donate tommorrow and now I don't know if I should cancel it. :huh2:

[travelgirl 3]

Ummm... I don't know why, unless your doc doesn't want you to become anemic, but still, if you're healthy, and get in enough Protein and nutrients, I simply cannot imagine why you can't donate blood.

Before you cancel, call your doc and ask for an explanation. And then come back and let us know what their reasoning is.

[Wheetsin 714]

Call your surgeon and ask, s/he is the only one who could tell you their reasoning. I've not heard of it.

[MerryHearted 20]

That doesn't make any sense at all. At goal weight, you'll probably be eating even less than you do now. Just make sure to drink lots of liquid and that your Iron intake is adequate in the days before & after your donation.

I'm scheduled for a donation too, and I'm not at goal. I plan out my eating every day, and for donation day I will plan to eat 1200-1300 calories, which is a little higher than normal. That will allow me to have a cup of juice and some crackers right after donating.

[betrthnever 107]

Seeing that it takes a while to get through to them I'm just going to see what you guys say. My dr sees to be UTLTRA conservative so I think I'm going to go for it anyway. Don't understand why not

[socalgal3 4]

I give blood all the time. The only issue I have had was low Iron, but women often have that, banded or not. I now take a liquid iron supplement. I am at goal, but I gave blood after banding, before reaching goal.

[betrthnever 107]

Thanks, I'm doing it anyway. Use to do it all the time. Haven't heard from anyone whose had any issues at all. I had low Iron issues before so now that I'm not drinking caffine I wonder what my levels will be now. So Saturday at 1:30 here I come!

[Ang1982 4]

Maybe I'm crazy but I thought that you couldn't donate blood within 6 months of having a surgery?

[travelgirl 3]

I've never heard that, either. What's the reasoning?

[Ang1982 4]

Maybe I'm crazy but I thought that you couldn't donate blood within 6 months of having a surgery?

Eh, ignore that- I looked it up, turns out I am crazy haha

[Ang1982 4]

Altho I DO know you cannot donate within a year of having a body piercing or tattoo lol

[travelgirl 3]

Gotcha! I did know that about piercings and tats.

[Twilight 2]

I thought the same thing about surgery, but I guess I just based that on the year after the tat thing. I lumped it all together.

I don't know if you CAN....but I know if my dr. suggested I DIDN'T then I wouldn't. I know it's a great thing to do, but going against medical advice doesn't make much sense. You'ld hate to be the one needing your blood because of it, wouldn't you?

Maybe some people haven't had a problem...but why ask your dr. if you aren't going to follow his advice? Seems like I would take the advice of my dr. over perfect strangers on the internet....who has your better interest at heart?

[betrthnever 107]

Thevoice of reason. I understand where you are coming from Twilight I just don't see any logic behind what the Dr suggests. Suppose everyone's all over the board. My Dr is very conservative. I'm listening to the no exercise (except walking) until the 6th week and then only light stuff and then I can really pick up at the 8th week. I can understand that...but no donating blood when there was never a transfusion or a risk of blood loss?

[travelgirl 3]

I really think it would be in your best interest to at the very least find out WHY you've been told not to donate blood before making the decision to go ahead and do it. Maybe there is some specific reason he/she doesn't want YOU to, and possibly they don't tell everyone that. Knowledge is power.