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Show IfYou Want ToGive Blood BY DR. ISADORE ROSENFELD vel WHYWERE SOME sat 4 © You had herpes sores, but they've cleared up for the last four weeks. © You've had a heart attack or bypass would-be blood ¥J] donors turned awayafter our recent national trag- 7 edy, while others were accepted? Because the blood bank must make sure your blood is safe. That's why you first are asked about 50 questions,Ifyou withhold information or are unaware of certain facts, your blood may be hazardous to others. Fortunately, itis screened, and if found to be contaminated or infected, it is discarded. Here, subject to change, are some commonlyused guidelines for giving blood: You should be between 17 and 76 years of age, in good health,feeling well and weigh at least 110 pounds. Youroral temperature should be no higher than 99.5°F, your pulse between 50 and 100 beats per minute and your blood pressure within 110 to 160/60to 90. Your skin usually will be inspected for multiple needle pricks that suggest money at any time since 1977. © You’ve spent more than 72 consecutive you maybe a narcotics addict. hours in a prison in the past 12 months. © You were bom in any ofseveralAfrican countries, or you lived with or had sex n orderto preventthe spread of Mad |Cow disease, your blood will be re- with anyone whoresided or received blood transfusions there. |jected if you've spent three months or more in Great Britainor six months in © One ormore ofyourbloodrelatives was any European country since 1980. In diagnosed with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. © You have had sex with anyone in the addition... abovelist. Do not donate blood if: © You've ever testedpositiveforAIDS ‘You also will be disqualified from giv(HIV). Your blood will be screened and ing blood if, within the last 12: months: received blood: rejected even ifyou don’t volunteer this © You have © You've had acupuncture. information. ¢ You are a male whohas had sex with © You've received electrolysis another male since 1977. © You got a new tattoo. © You've injected yourself with drugs © You've had any part of)your body pierced in not prescribed by a doctor. © You have a blood-clotting disorder, © You were a rape victim. WHAT WILL DISQUALIFY YOU such as hemophilia, and have been treated with clotting-factor concentrate. Other © You have engaged in sexfor drugs or disease,ulcerative colitis). surgery or angioplasty six or more months ago, you've had no symptoms since then, and you're not on any heart drugs(aspirin is OK). © You've recently had a baby—wait six weeks before donating blood. © You've been vaccinatedrecently. You may have to wait anywhere from two to four weeks before giving blood, depending on the particular vaccine. Smokers anddrinkers are notdisqualified, and women may donate blood duringtheir period. IFYOU'RE ON MEDICATION © A colostomy (an openingin the ab- dominal wall after a portion ofbowel has been removed). Emphysema. © Alzheimer's disease. © Hepatitis or undiagnosedjaundice at any time afterage 11. Ifyou were exposed to hepatitis, you'll have to wait a year. © Malaria during the past three years. © Sickle cell disease. Cee nee eae here’s no problem giving blood if T=‘ve been taking acetaminophen (Tylenol), allergy drugs, birth control pills, diuretics (water pills), female hormones,antidepressants or thyroid hormones. Hold off on aspirin and NSAIDs (ibuprofen, naproxen) for a day or so, because oftheir anti-clotting properties. (The new Cox-2 inhibitors, such as Celebrex and Vioxx, do notaffect blood clotting.) Donating blood is good for the nation—andfor you. Blood donors have fewer heart attacks, because they accumulate less iron, a suspected risk factor. Normally,it takes only a couple of days for your body to replace the fluid you lose with donation. However, it takes several weeks for the red blood cells to be replaced, so you should space blood donationsat least two © You've been treatedfor a malignant cancer and have remained well for five ut you must chemotheriey or other therapy. conditions include: ‘© Onefullyear haspassed since you've @ Inflammatory boweldisease (Crohn's been successfully treatedfor chlamydia, syphilis or gonorrhea. PAGE 14 - OCTOBER 28, 2001 - PARADE MAGAZINE |
