posted
I gave blood before I knew I had Lyme. I'm way too sick now though.
If I were well enough, I would only give blood if there were a serious shortage and people would die without the blood. I just don't want to pass this stuff on.
Posts: 748 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2015
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Bartenderbonnie
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 49177
posted
I would NOT donate blood ever, or my organs for that matter.
Posts: 2977 | From Florida | Registered: Nov 2016
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ukcarry
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 18147
posted
No, it's a real no-no to me. I had a blood transfusion after giving birth and I think that that has contributed to the state I am in now.
Some people with Lyme may do so (give blood) because they are not too badly affected by Lyme, but they can never tell how the same pathogens may take off in a different person's body.
Also very troubling is the fact that many people have spirochetes/borrelia in their systems with their immune systems handling it, so may give blood without realising that the spirochetes are there. What happens when those spirochetes find themselves in the body of someone who is under stress already?.......
Posts: 1647 | From UK | Registered: Nov 2008
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posted
I have been well for 8 years now, so I don't think the Lyme would be an issue in donating blood for me. I don't do or take anything to stay well from Lyme. For a person sick with Lyme, no, I don't think anyone who is sick should donate blood.
I can't donate blood because babesia is on the list of diseases that if you have ever had it, you can't donate.
-------------------- sixgoofykids.blogspot.com Posts: 13449 | From Ohio | Registered: Feb 2007
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posted
I have hemochromatosis, HH, (iron levels get too high) so I need medical phlebotomies.
I was initially under the care of NIH (in study and got free phlebs). Once I knew I had lyme I went in there and told them they couldn't give my blood to the NIH hospital patients (I feel so guilty for those who got it when I didnt know I had lyme).
The director of the study talked to one of the NIH lyme brains and I ended up in an 30 minute argument with her over the issue.
Anyway I then I had to find somewhere else to give. Lucky me my county has a blood donor center that accepts blood from HH patients. Because of this new directive, they were not allowed to throw my blood out. So then I told them I had babesia because that was on the list of things you couldn't have. That opened up a whole other can of worms so much so I tried to undo my checklist.
Finally I had to have my lyme doctor talk to my oncologist who then had to tell blood center not to use my blood. Amazing all that happened.
Posts: 832 | From Somewhere | Registered: Nov 2010
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posted
People who are sick with anything including Lyme shouldn't donate blood. It's irresponsible and there are more than enough well people to do so.
Posts: 173 | From USA | Registered: Aug 2015
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posted
A top LLMD said recently that the Lyme bacteria doesn't survive well in the blood bank supply, but babesia does.
Posts: 13116 | From San Francisco | Registered: May 2006
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posted
Absolute BS from this top LLMD. Do NOT give blood if you have Lyme and any co-infections. I know many people who have contracted problems like LD from blood transfusions.
Posts: 532 | From Texas | Registered: Oct 2004
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posted
A blood transfusion is the conclusion my LLMD and I came up with on how I got Lyme's disease. It was life or death for me so I couldn't refuse the transfusion, but my husband donates and we recently found out he has been exposed to lyme's disease and didn't know it (he has no symptoms). Everyone I talk to now has it. I feel as if it is just something most people have now and it seems inevitable.
Posts: 74 | From over here | Registered: Mar 2017
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