giving blood

[Indiana J]

Quick question. I remember a thread by bass awhile ago about problems w giving blood. I donate regularly , just gave today. One of the questions is "used a needle to administer steroids w/o a doctors prescription." I've read that test will increase blood thickness, do you guys give regularly?

[bass]

i give every two months as my blood thickens quickly. the ones that rejected me used a test strip which measured hemoglobin in numbers, and anything above 17.3 or 18.3 i don't remember, they reject it. but finally found a blood drive that uses a liquid to measure, basically they drop one blood drop in the liquid and if it sinks quickly then you're good to go.

[sirupate]

I give regularly as my hemoglobin counts get a bit high on TRT. No problems so far with the Red Cross. I don't think the Red Cross question directly asks about steroids per se...but about injecting anything not under a doctors supervision...ie., intravenous drugs, needle sharing...things like that.

[steroid.com 1]

I always loved the way Dr. John states it:

EVERY MAN who can should donate blood every
two months. Doing so dumps extra oxidizing iron from the system, and
dramatically lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease. For TRT users, it also
greatly lessens the chance I will have to stop your TRT because of polycythemia
(“thick blood”). And by the way, it is also a wonderful thing to do for the rest of
society.

[bigboy67]

my HCT got pretty high, so I too am giving blood every 56 days as allowed by the Red Cross

[Indiana J]

Thanks for the info. Glad I can continue giving.

[sirupate]

Based on this thread, I made an appointment with the Red Cross for Sunday to donate double-reds. I am about 4 weeks overdue and you helped remind me...thanks.

[kelkel]

I donated double reds today myself. Speaking to the staff there they all say it is the way to go for people in "our" shoes. If you happen to believe a complete stranger sticking a needle in your arm. Much better than whole blood and will really help dump the iron. Your only allowed to do it every 108 days I believe, so I can't go until March.....

[bass]

I donated double reds today myself. Speaking to the staff there they all say it is the way to go for people in "our" shoes. If you happen to believe a complete stranger sticking a needle in your arm. Much better than whole blood and will really help dump the iron. Your only allowed to do it every 108 days I believe, so I can't go until March.....

are you saying giving double reds will thin your blood more than whole blood, including hemoglobin level?

[sirupate]

are you saying giving double reds will thin your blood more than whole blood, including hemoglobin level?

Yes, it should. They take twice as much of the red cell stuff and put back some of the plasma so you don't feel as dehydrated as you would if you had given 2 pints. But...16 weeks before the next allowable donation. I think double reds takes 10 or 15 minutes longer than does just giving a pint of whole blood, but still only one needle stick.

[flatscat]

That is what I did last time - I think my level was up to 58 - it took about 30-40 min's.

[NOSUPERMODEL]

I have never donated blood since starting TRT. I will check with my doctor the next time I go see him.

[zaggahamma]

fyi

i felt better after giving whole blood than double reds and takes less time

[bass]

fyi

i felt better after giving whole blood than double reds and takes less time

makes sense! whole blood means everything else goes out of your body and gets replaced with new!

[bigboy67]

Hey! I thought we were going to get a video on how you do self draining? Never, saw that come to fruition, still gonna happen?

[bass]

Hey! I thought we were going to get a video on how you do self draining? Never, saw that come to fruition, still gonna happen?

i haven't forgotten, after this blood work if my hemoglobin is high i will do it and post the video in a new thread!

[bigboy67]

i haven't forgotten, after this blood work if my hemoglobin is high i will do it and post the video in a new thread!

nice!

[kelkel]

Lovely. It will go viral.....

[biggymrat]

I was reading this thread and thinking to myself that I really need to donate because I haven't since I've been on TRT, then I received an announ***ent from work that we are having a blood drive today... It's great how that all worked out. Already donated!

[zaggahamma]

I was reading this thread and thinking to myself that I really need to donate because I haven't since I've been on TRT, then I received an announ***ent from work that we are having a blood drive today... It's great how that all worked out. Already donated!

Feel better?

[bass]

Feel better?

i bet he did! i immediately feel a great relief after i donate.

[biggymrat]

I feel just fine! I can't say that I really felt bad before, but for what it's worth I think I'm more at ease mentally because I have been meaning to donate for a while now.

[Sicko]

I havn't donated for years but I don't ever remember them asking whether or not I wanted to give whole blood or double reds. Do you guys tell them what you want to donate? If so what do you say? "Hi, I want to donate double reds?" Is that the actual terminology used or just a slang?

[bass]

I havn't donated for years but I don't ever remember them asking whether or not I wanted to give whole blood or double reds. Do you guys tell them what you want to donate? If so what do you say? "Hi, I want to donate double reds?" Is that the actual terminology used or just a slang?

yup! but you need to make sure they are setup for that especially if you go to a mobile location. whats nice about it is they use a smaller gauge needle instead of that fvking harpoon 16 g.!

[Sicko]

yup! but you need to make sure they are setup for that especially if you go to a mobile location. whats nice about it is they use a smaller gauge needle instead of that fvking harpoon 16 g.!

Right on... but you personally feel better after giving whole blood?
I still feel sluggish even with hrt, maybe I need to leak some old blood out. Guess I will have to make an appointment.

[kelkel]

I definitly felt better after donating DRBC. When they pricked my finger the nurse said I was a little high and pointed me over to the DRBC area without even asking me what I wanted. Maybe they will take the drbc even if you test out high, as opposed to whole blood. Anyone know for sure?

[flatscat]

It has always been my choice kel - but one time i was high and the dbl machine they had available would not work with the high levels - the one that would was being used - I know that when you are high the dbl is the best choice to reduce the numbers.

[kelkel]

^thanks Flats!