• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Can you still donate blood?

This depends per country and sometimes state.

Usually, diabetics who control diabetes with oral meds and diet can donate blood. Insulin dependent diabetics may be refused on the grounds that the blood loss can affect your insulin needs and put you in dangerous situations if you don't account for this, which becomes a legal liability for the blood donation centers. This also differs per country though, I know in the US people can donate blood when on insulin provided they have good control, but in the Netherlands insulin dependent diabetics are refused by default.

(That said, lots of diabetics on insulin have no issues with donating blood as far as their management goes, it's really just a broad precaution.)
 
I am type2 and used to donate blood but can,t now.
This is not due to diabetes but because of other meds that I take
 
DaftThoughts said:
This depends per country and sometimes state.

Usually, diabetics who control diabetes with oral meds and diet can donate blood. Insulin dependent diabetics may be refused on the grounds that the blood loss can affect your insulin needs and put you in dangerous situations if you don't account for this, which becomes a legal liability for the blood donation centers. This also differs per country though, I know in the US people can donate blood when on insulin provided they have good control, but in the Netherlands insulin dependent diabetics are refused by default.

(That said, lots of diabetics on insulin have no issues with donating blood as far as their management goes, it's really just a broad precaution.)
Click to expand...
Thanks for the info.
 
I used to donate regularly as I am type O negative, I had to stop when I stared taking heart medication. I think one of my COPD inhalers is another problem to donating.

The blood transfusion service phoned up a week or so back, and asked me to call in and donate as they were short of the good stuff. :(

Edit: Extra info's.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
In the UK it's fine provided you don't take insulin
 
Back
Top