Donating blood

vczK2t

MichelleLei1 wrote: »

I'm surprised that they let you donate blood. I thought the Red Cross required females to be at least 5'5'' and weigh at least 150lbs for this very reason. I'm just curious, because I've always though I wasn't eligible to donate blood because of my height/weight/low blood pressure.

Actually, Michelle. it depends on what you are actually having done. donating blood, according to Hoxworth in Cincinnati, oh where i donate blood and plasma regularly, say that for whole blood the weight is more important than height. for plasma AND platelets and such, it is height and weight.

kimny72

MichelleLei1 wrote: »

kimny72 wrote: »

vczK2t wrote: »

NO you haven't reduced your weight. where are you people getting your blood donated??????? on a treadmill??? gimme a break. do your good deed, drink the juice and eat the cookies, and move on. NOT EVERYTHING can count as exercise, even cooking isn't exercise. unless you are a chef moving constantly.

Well to be honest, as a smallish female with low blood pressure, it used to take @ 30 mins when I used to donate whole blood, and I am usually hooked up for @ an hour and a half when I donate platelets. There are several variables that can affect the time frame, and I think you are lucky enough to be on the lower end time-wise.

It's not really about "counting it as exercise". We constantly tell everyone that accuracy and consistency is the key to weight loss, so I think it's good to understand how something you do affects CICO. And the typical way you add to Calories Out on MFP is to log exercise. So if someone is regularly donating blood or blood components, I think it's good for them to ask questions about how it affects their equation. Having said that, I agree no one should be logging 650 cals of exercise for it! Just my 2 cents :drinker:

I'm surprised that they let you donate blood. I thought the Red Cross required females to be at least 5'5'' and weigh at least 150lbs for this very reason. I'm just curious, because I've always though I wasn't eligible to donate blood because of my height/weight/low blood pressure.

On the NY Blood Services questionnaire it only asks if you are over I think 110 lbs for a female. They ask for my height when I see the intake nurse. I'm 5'4" 130. It's been awhile since I donated whole blood (they always need platelets from me) so I don't know if the rules are different here for that.

janejellyroll

MichelleLei1 wrote: »

kimny72 wrote: »

vczK2t wrote: »

NO you haven't reduced your weight. where are you people getting your blood donated??????? on a treadmill??? gimme a break. do your good deed, drink the juice and eat the cookies, and move on. NOT EVERYTHING can count as exercise, even cooking isn't exercise. unless you are a chef moving constantly.

Well to be honest, as a smallish female with low blood pressure, it used to take @ 30 mins when I used to donate whole blood, and I am usually hooked up for @ an hour and a half when I donate platelets. There are several variables that can affect the time frame, and I think you are lucky enough to be on the lower end time-wise.

It's not really about "counting it as exercise". We constantly tell everyone that accuracy and consistency is the key to weight loss, so I think it's good to understand how something you do affects CICO. And the typical way you add to Calories Out on MFP is to log exercise. So if someone is regularly donating blood or blood components, I think it's good for them to ask questions about how it affects their equation. Having said that, I agree no one should be logging 650 cals of exercise for it! Just my 2 cents :drinker:

I'm surprised that they let you donate blood. I thought the Red Cross required females to be at least 5'5'' and weigh at least 150lbs for this very reason. I'm just curious, because I've always though I wasn't eligible to donate blood because of my height/weight/low blood pressure.

The 5'5/150 pound limit is for specialized types of donation, not whole blood. You just have to be 110 pounds with most organizations to donate whole blood (assuming you are over 18 -- or 22, for some organizations).