so why can't I give blood as a T1?

Not sure why just know we can't, we can be a organ donor.

It's because of the insulin, I believe. Take a look here:

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/can-people-with-diabetes-give-blood.html

I have been prone to hypos for decades (reactive hypoglycaemia), and always resisted family and peer pressure to give blood.

I am too concerned it would trigger a hypo.

Of course I will never know if my concern is justified, but i'm never going to test the theory.
No idea if there could be similar issues for T1s, or not.

Edited to add: mind you, stuck up a mountain, after a plain crash, with someone bleeding out in front of my eyes, i would change my mind in a second.

azure said:

It's because of the insulin, I believe. Take a look here:

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/can-people-with-diabetes-give-blood.html

Click to expand...

Interesting. The main cause seems to be the donor's safety. In Germany it is more the safety of the recipient.

Diabetes und Blutspende | Diabetes-Index.de
http://diabetes-index.de/allgemein/rechtliches/diabetes-und-blutspende

oh interesting... must apply to me as well as I'm insulin dependant. I don't think I could give blood anyhow as I have a few health conditions and one of them is iron malabsorption which means if I give blood then I don't replace the iron I just lost. I would love to be giving blood to be honest if I could. I'm A- which is one of the rarer blood types.

Tarabas said:

Interesting. The main cause seems to be the donor's safety. In Germany it is more the safety of the recipient.

Diabetes und Blutspende | Diabetes-Index.de
http://diabetes-index.de/allgemein/rechtliches/diabetes-und-blutspende

Click to expand...

Yes, it does seem that way. When I was recently diagnosed, I saw a stall recruiting blood donors in my local town and I asked the lady there why I wouldn't be able to give blood. She mentioned the insulin but also said that because no-one was quite sure what caused Type 1, people weren't happy about using blood from people with diabetes. I remember being quite upset about that as it made me feel 'tainted' somehow, but now I'm older I can see it's probably a sensible precaution.