Blood donation

[Lordosis]

I donated blood today! First time in a long time. In high school and college I gave regularly. I have almost useless AB positive blood so I did aphoresis for a while.

Med school I continued to give but it was more spotty depending on what rotation I was on. I just gave regularly because the aphoresis was too far away and took too long. Residency was even more spotty and possibly did it once or twice. Over the past several years since being out of residency I've only given a handful of times. I went today and I would like to commit to doing it regularly again. I wish there was an aphoresis location closer than an hour away and I would consider that.

Does anybody else give regularly?

[CordMcNally]

My AB+ brother. You used to get extra money for AB+ for donating plasma back in my plasma donating days.

[VagabondMD]

I try to give blood once or twice per year. I have noticed in the past couple years that giving blood crushes my Peloton outputs for about 6 weeks, and my ego cannot endure this!

[burritos]

Awesome. Keep up the strong work. I give every 8 weeks. Next week will be #127 for me. AB+. 126 times they've asked me to do double plasma and try and guilt me by saying it goes to the NICU. Screw that. Unless clinically indicated, vascular fluids is a one way street for me. But honestly, they could pour it down the drain for all I care, cause I believe it's one of the healthiest things I do, and if anyone pays attention, I do a lot of unconventional health stuff. Blood letting, yeah, I'm that guy.

[Hatton]

I am a hard stick usually.

[artemis]

O+ here, the blood banks love my PRBCs and platelets but hate my plasma. I try to donate 4x per year, but lately it's been a struggle; either my BP is slightly too high, or I have an eczema flare involving my right antecubital fossa, or my hct is too low. It is very frustrating!

Like Lordosis, I was bad about donating during residency and fellowship. I was just too busy to do it.

[uptoolate]

Now and then but it often seemed like I had taken an NSAID or an anti-histamine too recently. Now that I am retired am thinking about doing it more often - don't need to take NSAIDs very often anymore. Potential health benefits would be one consideration in getting bled.

[Tim]

I am a hard stick usually.

I am an organ donor. For some reason, I want to put that one off.
O+, after college I was donating regularly. Blood drives were common at employers and clients. Continued when we had kids due to priorities given to blood donors and families. Not so much since the kids took off to college. Like not once.

Lordosis , how does "I donated blood today! First time in a long time." count as your vote as "All the time"? Narrative does not match the vote. This time must be different.

[FIREshrink]

What are the potential health benefits, do you all have PV?

[Craigslist]

What are the potential health benefits, do you all have PV?

The less blood in your system, the lighter you are.

[Larry Ragman]

I would give whenever the blood drive comes around, but I am caught in a weird time warp. Lived in the UK in the 1980s, so not eligible to give due to possible exposure to Mad Cow. No, not me personally; this is just a Red Cross restriction. Oddly, I’m allowed to be an organ donor. Go figure!

[CordMcNally]

What are the potential health benefits, do you all have PV?

Get drunk quicker is what college me would say.

[VentAlarm]

I gave blood once and almost passed out afterwords, so I don’t give blood anymore.

Interestingly, I just got a call a few weeks ago (and actually answered) from Be The Match. I for matched to donate bone marrow so I’m going to do that in the next couple months.

[pierre]

Used to donate all the time. Then I was diagnosed with stomatocytosis and the local blood bank decided they don’t want my blood. Red Cross will still take it. Not sure if I should tell them. Also not sure if there are any risks to the recipient of my blood.

[burritos]

What are the potential health benefits, do you all have PV?

No scientific research based on this, but I suspect an acute net negative loss of blood(amino acids, fatty acids, fluids, electrolytes, minerals and carb) will induce autophagic flux. Of course they always say eat before and after a donation. I never do. Yeah, I like to put the pedal to the medal when upregulating ULK1-complex:

You know what else upregulates ULK1 complex? Exercise. That's right. Exercising is healthy for you.

Except with exercise autophagic flux targets mitochondria(better known as mitophagy).