Giving Blood In The United States
In the United States, people with IBD may be able to donate blood, but it is highly dependent upon the policies of the blood collection center. For instance, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center allows donation by people with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis as long as there have not been any symptoms of diarrhea for three days before donating. However, donors must also have stopped taking certain medications for several months prior, including injectables and methotrexate.
The American Red Cross doesn’t have any specific information listed about IBD and eligibility but does state that people with a chronic illness may be able to donate provided “you feel well, the condition is under control, and you meet all other eligibility requirements.” There are no specific medication guidelines given in regards to the drugs commonly used for IBD. Whether or not IBD is under control is a subjective judgment, and if you meet other criteria and want to donate, talk to your gastroenterologist if you have more questions.
Policy And Process Information
Blood Donor Eligibility
All blood donors are required to meet FDA eligibility criteria to donate blood, every time. These eligibility criteria apply to all U.S. blood collection organizations. Only an estimated 38 percent of the U.S. population is eligible to donate blood at any given time. However, less than 10 percent of that eligible population actually donates each year. The gender-specific donation criteria and questions on the health history questionnaire are designed to ensure that the blood collection process is as safe as possible for the donors as well as for the recipients of blood. Learn more about blood donation eligibility.
Health History Screening
During the pre-donation health history screening, the Red Cross uses a questionnaire that is developed by the blood industrys professional organization, AABB, and approved by the FDA to assess an individuals health history. Health history questions are based on past and current behavior risks Sexual activity questions are based on specific behaviors, not on sexual orientation. The words, have sexual contact with and sex are used in some of the questions, and apply to any sexual activities , regardless of whether a condom was used during the activity.
Men who have sex with men
Women who have sex with women
There is no deferral for a woman who has had sex with another woman, and the individual may be eligible to donate blood. The Red Cross encourages individuals to learn more about blood donation eligibility.
Back Neck Hip And Spine
Common back problems such as sprains, strains and aches should not interfere with a marrow donation. If you have had a single back surgery more than 5 years ago, and have no ongoing symptoms, you may be able to donate. If you have chronic/ongoing back pain requiring medical treatment , chiropractic treatments, etc.) you will not be able to donate.
The following back-related issues must be carefully evaluated to determine whether or not you may donate:
- Single surgery 2-5 years ago
- Multiple surgeries, no matter how long since procedures
- History of fracture 2-5 years ago from an injury
- History of herniated, bulging or slipped disc in any location of the back
- Mild osteoarthritis involving the spine, neck or hip
- Diagnosis of scoliosis, if no history of surgery or if the rods/pins have been removed and you are fully recovered
- Diagnosis of degenerative disc disease
If you have significant back problems and/or any questions regarding your medical condition, contact your local donor center.
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Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Chronic bronchitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are not an obstacle to donating blood, as long as they are symptom-free. These diseases are progressive by nature, so if therapeutic medication for the lungs are needed, blood donation is no longer possible.
Would you like more information? Please call the free information number for blood donors on +358 800 0 5801 .
Mental Health And Mental Diseases
The majority of patients suffering from mental illnesses or problems can donate blood. However, a prerequisite for donation is that the donor feels well, there has been no need for hospital treatment in the past six months, any possible medication has been in use for at least a month and the donor doesnt have any medication, that could cause adverse effects to the recipient of the blood or the donor himself.
Common antidepressants do not prevent blood donation. Some of them may prevent platelet donation. Sleep medication does not prevent blood donation. Some medication used for the treatment of psychosis and bipolar disorder prevents blood donation.
It is worth checking the effect of medication on blood donation beforehand by calling our free donor helpline on +358 800 0 5801 .
Would you like more information? Please call the free information number for blood donors on +358 800 0 5801 .
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General And Local Anaesthesia
Depending on the scope of the procedure, type of surgery and your recovery speed, procedures performed under general anaesthesia or epidural anaesthesia prevent you from donating blood for one to six months.
Minor procedures performed under local anaesthesia prevent blood donation for one to four weeks.
Would you like more information? Please call the free information number for blood donors on +358 800 0 5801 .
Growth And Development Problems For Children
You can get ulcerative colitis at any age, but its more common among 15- to 30-year-olds. A child with UC may:
- Be underweight
- Red or discolored
Continued
Talk to your doctor right away if youre worried that you might have DVT. Its possible for a deep-vein blood clot to break loose and get stuck in a lung artery. If that happens, its an emergency called a pulmonary embolism . You could have symptoms like shortness of breath, sharp chest pain, and a cough with or without blood. Call 911 if you have these signs.
Doctors can treat DVT and pulmonary embolisms with medications, a filter through a vein that removes the clot, or surgery.
You could be more likely to get DVT or PE if you:
- Have ulcerative colitis that flares often or affects a large amount of your colon.
- Get surgery for severe ulcerative colitis.
Some studies also link certain ulcerative colitis meds, like steroids or tofacitinib, to DVT and PE.
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What Is The Third Vaccine Dose For People With A Weakened Immune System
The Joint Committee on Vaccinations and Immunisation has recommended that people aged 12 years and over who were immunosuppressed at the time of their first and second COVID vaccines should receive a third dose of COVID-19 vaccine. This will be followed by a booster dose from three months after your third dose.
This is because this group of people may not have made a good response to the first two doses of vaccine. If you are in this group, the third dose will increase your chances of making an immune response. This will help protect you from serious COVID-19 infection.
For more information about who is eligible for the third vaccine dose see our news article.
If I Have Ulcerative Colitis Can I Still Donate Blood And Stem Cells
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Conquering Ulcerative Colitis: Athlete Receives Blood Transfusions During Treatment
Ive been involved in sports and fitness my whole life, said Dylan Harris, who earned a degree in Exercise and Movement Science at Missouri State University, became a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and a Crossfit coach, and even participated in competitive bodybuilding.
Despite his passion for health and taking excellent care of himself, Dylan became ill in December 2013, at age 24. His symptoms quickly worsened, and in April 2014 a colonoscopy revealed a severe case of ulcerative colitis.
I was losing blood daily, Dylan said. I was having bowel movements 15 to 20 times a day, and with each one I was losing blood.
Once diagnosed, the goal was to get Dylans illness under control so that he could manage it with medication and diet alone, without surgery. However, his hemoglobin was extremely low, and treatment with several medications had failed to bring him comfort. He was losing blood at an alarming rate and his weight plummeted about 50 lbs. within weeks.
Dylan underwent four surgeries from June to November of 2014. During treatment, he had multiple blood transfusions. I had two while I was in my hospital room to help keep me stable, and another transfusion in the operating room to try to bring me back to life, he said. I believe it was 3 or 4 units. I started to code. It got a little out of control there.
His life now includes what he calls a new normal. Nothing is holding me back. I can do all of the activities I used to do, he said.
Astrazeneca Vaccine In People Under 40
The JCVI has advised that it is preferable for people under 40 to have a vaccine other than AstraZeneca. This is due to a possible, very rare, risk of blood clots The risk of blood clots is extremely rare just over 10 people develop this condition for every million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine given.
If you have concerns or are unsure about whether to have the AstraZeneca vaccine, contact your medical team for advice. When weighing up the risks and benefits, you should also consider that clotting problems are a common complication of COVID-19 infection. Deep vein thrombosis , or clotting in the legs, occurs in 11.2% of people who have COVID-19. Pulmonary embolism, or clotting on the lungs, occurs in 7.8% of people who have COVID-19.
Not everyone with Crohn’s or Colitis is at higher risk of severe illness from coronavirus – check your risk.
Does my Crohn’s or Colitis increase my risk of blood clots?Crohn’s and Colitis are not blood clotting disorders. However, they may slightly increase your risk of blood clots. You’re more at risk during a flare-up or if you’re confined to bed, for example in hospital. You can reduce your risk by not smoking, keeping active, drinking plenty of fluids, and wearing support stockings.
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Bone Marrow Donation Guidelines
These bone marrow donation guidelines provide an overview of many medical conditions. They do not include every medical situation that may prevent you from donating. Its important to note that marrow donation guidelines are not the same as blood donation guidelines.
If you have questions about these guidelines or a medical condition not listed here, please call 1 MARROW-2.
Hypertension Or Low Blood Pressure
Hypertension and medication for it are not obstacles to blood donation if the blood pressure can be managed with the drug therapy. To ensure that the body has become used to the effects of the medication, drug therapy must have been started at least two weeks before donating blood.
Low blood pressure and dizziness
If you have low blood pressure, you may donate blood if you are asymptomatic without medication. If your low blood pressure causes symptoms of illness, you take a medicine that raises blood pressure, or if you have fainted because of your low blood pressure, we do not recommend that you donate blood.
Young people often have lower blood pressure, which, for most people, corrects itself with age.
Would you like more information? Please call the free information number for blood donors on +358 800 0 5801 .
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Reducing Fiber During A Flare
If fiber seems to worsen your symptoms, you may consider switching to a low fiber diet during a flare. Eating less fiber can help reduce the frequency of your bowel movements and the amount of stool you pass, according to the National Health Service.
You may want to steer clear of the following fiber-rich potential trigger foods during a flare:
- fruits with skin and seeds
- raw green vegetables
- cruciferous vegetables
- whole nuts
- whole grains
You can also try different techniques to make fiber easier to digest or reduce the amount of fiber in a food. The Crohns and Colitis Foundation recommends cooking veggies until theyre tender, peeling fruits and veggies, and discarding seeds to help cut back on insoluble fibers.
Eliminating nutrients from your diet can have a negative impact on your health. Consider working with a doctor or dietitian to make sure a low-fiber diet is safe for you.
Ulcerative Colitis Vs Crohns Disease Vs Irritable Bowel
Other gut diseases can have some of the same symptoms.
- Ulcerative colitis affects only your large intestine and its lining.
- Crohns disease causes inflammation, but it affects other places in your digestive tract.
- Irritable bowel syndrome has some of the same symptoms as UC, but it doesnt cause inflammation or ulcers. Instead, its a problem with the muscles in your intestines.
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Things No One Tells You About Life With Ulcerative Colitis
People who have never experienced ulcerative colitis may think it means getting the occasional bad stomachache or having a fussy gastrointestinal system. But as anyone with ulcerative colitis knows, the effects of this inflammatory bowel diseasein which sections of the large intestine develop inflammation and ulcerscan be severe and disrupt many aspects of your life. After a diagnosis of ulcerative colitis, it can be incredibly hard to navigate the reality of your new normal. Knowing the following seven facts about life with ulcerative colitis might help make the whole experience a little bit easier.
Symptoms Of Ulcerative Colitis Flares
Ulcerative colitis happens when irritation and open sores appear in the large intestine. Its a kind of inflammatory bowel disease and can cause extremely uncomfortable ulcerative colitis flares.
An ulcerative colitis flare is when your disease symptoms reappear after a period of time without symptoms. Depending on where the inflammatory bowel disease is located in your gastrointestinal tract, youll have unique symptoms. Common symptoms of ulcerative colitis flares include:
- Frequent and urgent bowel movements
- Eye pain, redness, or difficulty seeing
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Fatigue From Ulcerative Colitis Can Be Brutal
Exhaustion from ulcerative colitis can be so severe its hard to get through day-to-day life. For Sam, fatigue was one of the first signs that something was wrong. I’m usually a pretty energetic person, she says. I like running every day, things like that. And I just couldn’t do it anymore.
After developing ulcerative colitis, you might have to be more careful than youre used to about how you use your energy. Some days I’m just hit with a truck of fatigue, Skomski says. So I always give myself an out. If I have plans with friends or we’re going out of town, Ill tell the other people, I might not feel good and we might have to reschedule.
Sam has had to have similarly frank conversations about the fact that her energy can take a major dip sometimes. I’ve had to teach everyone around me that it doesn’t mean I’m mad at them, it doesn’t mean I’m not happy, she says. It’s just that I have a very concrete amount of energy that day.
Types Of Ulcerative Colitis
The type of ulcerative colitis you have depends on where it is in your body:
- Ulcerative proctitis is usually the mildest form. Its only in the rectum, the part of your colon closest to your anus. Rectal bleeding may be the only sign of the disease.
- Proctosigmoiditis happens in your rectum and the lower end of your colon . Youll have bloody diarrhea, belly cramps, and pain. Youll have the urge to poop, but you wont be able to.
- Left-sided colitis causes cramps on that side of your belly. Youll also have bloody diarrhea, and you might lose weight without trying. Youll have inflammation from your rectum up through the left side of your colon.
- Pancolitis often affects your entire colon. It can cause severe bouts of bloody diarrhea, belly cramps, pain, fatigue, and major weight loss.
- Acute severe ulcerative colitis is rare. It affects your entire colon and causes severe pain, heavy diarrhea, bleeding, and fever.
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What Makes A Good Blood Donor
In order to donate blood, a person usually must be in good general health, be at least 16 years old , and weigh at least 110 pounds . This is not because of any concerns about the blood but more out of concern for the donor.
A person who is not well might be further compromised by giving blood. When people with chronic illnesses such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are experiencing symptoms, losing blood is not desirable and may even make things worse. People with IBD may also be anemic, and anemia is one of the conditions that will make a potential donor ineligible.
In some cases, potential donors are ineligible based upon the medications they are receiving. Blood donation centers may give specific or general examples of the medications that make a person ineligible to be a donor. In most cases, it’s the current use of the medication that is the problem, and a person could become eligible again several months after stopping the drug.
There are several other guidelines that vary from country to country and from donation center to donation center. Travel to certain countries may disallow a person from becoming a donor. Having a fever or infection or an active contagious disease such as tuberculosis or certain sexually transmitted diseases will also mean a person isn’t eligible to donate.