Donating Blood

Does anyone know if you can donate blood after having gastric bypass?

Thanks,

-Kim T

most of the time the surgeon says no.... never.... but generally this is because it's so very hard for us to keep/regain our iron levels in the normal range.....

So long story short.... ask your doc.... take your latest lab results as a tool to argue/debate the pros and cons with him.....

 My surgeon tells us NEVER to donate blood....but as Karen said....they all are different.   I would ask my surgeon if you want to donate blood and do as he tells you.


Hugs and blessings ~~~  Vivian

I've had zero problems donating. Maybe I'm the exception, but I've never been anemic post-op either.

I've given blood maybe 4 times in the last 3 years and i'm 3-plus years out.


Rachel

I would call your surgeon AND the blood center to ask about donating blood. I am unable to donate due to my severe, chronic anemia along with having a tatoo in the past year.....

Kim, have you never read ANY of my posts? LOL

Girl, maybe it works for some, maybe for others.

Pre-op, I've donated 4 gallons of blood. I loved to donate any time I was able...never was anemic.

I gave 6 months postop, my labs were great, my iron was good...and that sent me on my downhill spiral. It too****il 13 months postop, with the help of 5 wks of iron infusions (after 4 months of iron pills) to get my iron back up again.

So it's really up to you... I'm sure everyone reacts differently. I would look into platelets though... They are taking your platelets and filtering your blood back through...so I'm thinking it would not do too much harm to your iron stores.

But I will warn you... Do not ask our wonderful gastroenterologist Dr. Conner his opinion of giving blood/platelets... Let's just say I've loved everything about him until he made remarks about this. LOL

Good luck!

I asked this at my surgeon's support group meeting once and the answer I got was that as long as labs are up-to-date and levels were all ok, it was alright.  Now, of course that is MY doc's response and as you can tell, everyone's doc has their own opinion so definitely ask your own doc. 

I'm too much of a chicken with needles and am a horrible "stick" (they never find the vein easily) so it's an easy decision for me....yikes!!!

It is a little different for me because I had mine reversed.  I guess that I will ask Dr Provost when I go for my next follow-up.  I also need to have my labs done first as some of you have suggested.  I did have a problem pre reversal w/anemia.  Thanks for all the input.

-Kim T