High iron, but can’t donate blood

ATP · Mar 5, 2022

My iron levels are high, so I went to donate blood. But they said I couldn’t donate because my hemoglobin was >18g/dL. Anyone ride get have this problem? Is there a way to get hemoglobin levels down?

ALPHALIFEFITNESS · Mar 5, 2022

Get a script and donate. But you should not be turned away for hbg levels below 21. 21 and higher is still only a deferral for a day. But eat less grains, she'll fish, red meat and if they use the thumb sensor to test iron level cool your thumb 1st

mike036 · Mar 5, 2022

ATP said:
My iron levels are high, so I went to donate blood. But they said I couldn’t donate because my hemoglobin was >18g/dL. Anyone ride get have this problem? Is there a way to get hemoglobin levels down?

The Red Cross will allow you to donate if hemoglobin is 20 or less. I live in NJ and there was a place I was donating for a couple of years called Central Jersey Blood Center and they had to call a supervisor if hemoglobin was over 18.4

bigsonbitch · Mar 5, 2022

ALPHALIFEFITNESS said:
Get a script and donate. But you should not be turned away for hbg levels below 21. 21 and higher is still only a deferral for a day. But eat less grains, she'll fish, red meat and if they use the thumb sensor to test iron level cool your thumb 1st

This
But I also used to get turned away at levels over 19
So my doc wrote me a script for phlebotomies. I go every 60 days and if it’s normal they send me home for 30 days and I come back - process is repeated until levels go over 50
Best thing you can do

ATP · Mar 6, 2022

bigsonbitch said:
This
But I also used to get turned away at levels over 19
So my doc wrote me a script for phlebotomies. I go every 60 days and if it’s normal they send me home for 30 days and I come back - process is repeated until levels go over 50
Best thing you can do

Did your dog know why your iron levels were high? Mine sent me to a hematologist, who wants to do an MRI… I can’t talk to him about AAS so I’m looking for other solutions.

Also I was turned away and told the threshold is 18 at a hospital blood donation center and the Red Cross. Maybe it varies by state?

Crazy_jay · Mar 6, 2022

ATP said:
Did your dog know why your iron levels were high? Mine sent me to a hematologist, who wants to do an MRI… I can’t talk to him about AAS so I’m looking for other solutions.

Also I was turned away and told the threshold is 18 at a hospital blood donation center and the Red Cross. Maybe it varies by state?

Weird. 18 is not the cut odd for red cross, believe it's 21. I know this from experience. I've been .2 points from being denied but more important issue, how you know you're iron is high? Read around this forum, you'll quickly learn the idea behind needing to donate blood because you use steroids is not true.

bigsonbitch · Mar 7, 2022

ATP said:
Did your dog know why your iron levels were high? Mine sent me to a hematologist, who wants to do an MRI… I can’t talk to him about AAS so I’m looking for other solutions.

Also I was turned away and told the threshold is 18 at a hospital blood donation center and the Red Cross. Maybe it varies by state?

Yea he was prescribing me trt at the time - so he knew exactly why my levels were high so he sent me to a hemotologist
This was almost 10 years ago and I’ve been doing it with the same hemp ever since
It’s great!

bigsonbitch · Mar 7, 2022

Crazy_jay said:
Weird. 18 is not the cut odd for red cross, believe it's 21. I know this from experience. I've been .2 points from being denied but more important issue, how you know you're iron is high? Read around this forum, you'll quickly learn the idea behind needing to donate blood because you use steroids is not true.

Strange. They turned me away at 19 and I have Red Cross donation card
That’s why my doc gave me a phlebotomy referral

thanosnap · Mar 8, 2022

bigsonbitch said:
Strange. They turned me away at 19 and I have Red Cross donation card
That’s why my doc gave me a phlebotomy referral

The website says 20:

Iron and Blood Donation

Your body needs iron to make new blood cells, replacing the ones lost through blood donations. Learn how to improve hemoglobin levels for blood donation.

www.redcrossblood.org

And in all fairness if you're at 20 you probably should be checked out at an emergency room or urgent care. But if it's getting that high check for multivitamin to make sure it doesn't have iron in it, cut out the red meat, and don't take supplements like liv.52 that has iron in it. Diet is such an important component of this.

Pissbrainiac259 · Mar 8, 2022

ATP said:
My iron levels are high, so I went to donate blood. But they said I couldn’t donate because my hemoglobin was >18g/dL. Anyone ride get have this problem? Is there a way to get hemoglobin levels down?

Let's see your Iron studies panel.

Creation · Mar 8, 2022

Doc has to write a RX to the blood donation center

Dr had me going every 4 weeks for a bit

Papa Van Smack · Mar 8, 2022

My primary dr allows me to drain as often as blood work indicates it would be of benefit. I think they just throw it away. Of course I donate when allowed.

Pissbrainiac259 · Mar 10, 2022

Creation said:
Doc has to write a RX to the blood donation center

Dr had me going every 4 weeks for a bit

With the consistent nation-wide shortage of blood products, the fact that some blood donation centers REQUIRE a doc's Rx is absolutely ridiculous.

ATP · Mar 11, 2022

Pissbrain259 said:
With the consistent nation-wide shortage of blood products, the fact that some blood donation centers REQUIRE a doc's Rx is absolutely ridiculous.

I think an Rx is only required for people who are ineligible to donate ( e.g., because the blood of considered contaminated)

Pissbrainiac259 · Mar 15, 2022

ATP said:
I think an Rx is only required for people who are ineligible to donate ( e.g., because the blood of considered contaminated)

Contaminated with very short list of infectious diseases (e.g., HCV, HIV, HBV, etc.).

DOLFAN · Mar 15, 2022

bigsonbitch said:
Strange. They turned me away at 19 and I have Red Cross donation card
That’s why my doc gave me a phlebotomy referral

They should not have turned you away. You just have to be under 20 hemoglobin. At Red Cross I was 20.1 and could not donate. Went back next day and I was 19.5 and was able to donate.

jaxino · Mar 15, 2022

ATP said:
My iron levels are high, so I went to donate blood. But they said I couldn’t donate because my hemoglobin was >18g/dL. Anyone ride get have this problem? Is there a way to get hemoglobin levels down?

I wish my hemoglobin was 18!!
Tbh you don't have to be worried about that.... If hematocrit isn't too high i would stay there.

You can add IP6 and a lot of supplements that chelate iron, yes they work but still 16-18 of hemoglobin i would be worried at all.

Pissbrainiac259 · Mar 16, 2022

jaxino said:
I wish my hemoglobin was 18!!
Tbh you don't have to be worried about that.... If hematocrit isn't too high i would stay there.

You can add IP6 and a lot of supplements that chelate iron, yes they work but still 16-18 of hemoglobin i would be worried at all.

Why not throw in a little deferoxamine just to make sure that iron is extra chelated?