I don't donate blood because of my migraines.

I was a proud to donate my blood on a regular basis for many years. I stopped this practice when my migraines began.

I would really like to continue, as I feel it is one of the greatest gifts a person could give. I don't donate because I don't know the cause of my migraines and therefore cannot be sure I am not giving someone else my problem.

What about the rest of you?

No - I'm not worried about giving a recipient migraines or something from my blood. I don't think that's possible. And most people needing transfusions have bigger worries.

And my blood is pretty clean these days - very few drugs in it. A lot better than most.

I think I was up to several gallons when I quit donating blood. I kept getting migraines every time I donated. Also, my blood type is not very useful as it's a fairly uncommon blood type. Blood like mine is mostly factored into blood products.

Heart problems, medication, and syncope are deal killers for me....strict orders not to donate. It's ugly when I go for large volume blood-work.

I'd like to but no go.

I'm not sure if it is the same where you live, but I know here in southern california they are required by law to do a quick blood test before they accept a blood donor for the first time. They can't trust anybody's word that their blood is acceptable/safe these days.

But I agree with you completely, it's always needed and helps to give everything we can. I'm on the organ donor list too, so even if these migraines do kill me one day, at least the rest of me will keep someone else going! I wouldn't mind being on a list for a head transplant though.

I can`t donate because I don`t weigh enough. I was told that you have to be at least 110 lbs to donate.

I keep getting rejected because I'm too anemic. I try but they always tell me my iron is too low.

I'm in your shoes.
I've been rejected because my ferritine levels are often too low (so I risk anemy) and because according to our laws you can donate only if your blood has been clean from any medicine for at least two weeks. I NEVER spend two entire weeks without anti-inflammatories/ergots for my migraine

One more sad sides of migraine....

I'm not allowed to donate because I'm underweight. I wish I could donate though.

I don't get why you have to be a certain weight... Does anyone know?

I am like Kate and Witsend -- do not weight enough so I have never been able to donate. I am an organ and marrow donor though.

I used to give all the time. Then I couldn't during the "mad cow" panic because I had lived in the UK.

After that I was always on so many med's I figured who ever got my blood would be walking around loopy.

donated twice, second time, it was also that time of the month and ended up with a really really bad migraine that just didnt go away for weeks, so have made a decision never to donate again, unless my child's life depended on it, my blood group is pretty common so i dont feel too bad about it, although in UK they are always looking for donars.

Wit's End- the weight requirement is so they don't have people passing out. How much blood you have in you is partly determined by your size, although everyone needs so much just to survive. A 100 pound person giving a pint of blood is giving much more of a total percentage of their blood volume than a 250 pound person, so the larger person won't have as many blood loss issues. HTH

Thanks Sara. I suppose it was kind of obvious really

I have never actually been able to donate blood. Went to do it when I was 19 but because I'd had glandular fever they wouldn't let me and told me to give it 3 years, then by that time the migraines were bad enought to be on preventatives and so I couldn't do it due to the meds. It's been the same ever since. Not on any meds now, but pregnant so can't donate.

I am hoping to donate breast milk in the future though. It gets used on preemie babies in hospital. You freeze a stash and they collect it.

When I've had lots of blood samples taken I do often get a bad migraine, but not every time so may just be coincidence.

Amy

Amy, wow, what a great thing - donating breast milk. I've never heard of that. That's fabulous.