donate blood?
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donate blood?

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › donate blood?

  • Post
    • January 23, 2013 at 3:04 pm
    JC
    Participant

    can Stage I people donate blood?

    can Stage I people donate blood?

Viewing 17 reply threads
  • Replies
      • January 23, 2013 at 4:44 pm
      Harry in Fair Oaks
      Participant

      No – because a small number of people diagnosed Stage I have melanoma in their blood.  Why take the chance, however small, of transmitting melanoma?

      Best wishes,

      Harry

      • January 23, 2013 at 4:44 pm
      Harry in Fair Oaks
      Participant

      No – because a small number of people diagnosed Stage I have melanoma in their blood.  Why take the chance, however small, of transmitting melanoma?

      Best wishes,

      Harry

      • January 23, 2013 at 4:44 pm
      Harry in Fair Oaks
      Participant

      No – because a small number of people diagnosed Stage I have melanoma in their blood.  Why take the chance, however small, of transmitting melanoma?

      Best wishes,

      Harry

      • January 23, 2013 at 5:15 pm
      Janner
      Participant

      Officially, after a period of time, it is allowed for most stages to donate blood.  The blood guidelines have changed.  However, I personally agree with Harry, why take any chances?  I am stage I for over 20 years now and my last primary was over 10 years ago.  Technically, I can give blood now.  But I won't.

      • January 23, 2013 at 5:15 pm
      Janner
      Participant

      Officially, after a period of time, it is allowed for most stages to donate blood.  The blood guidelines have changed.  However, I personally agree with Harry, why take any chances?  I am stage I for over 20 years now and my last primary was over 10 years ago.  Technically, I can give blood now.  But I won't.

      • January 23, 2013 at 5:15 pm
      Janner
      Participant

      Officially, after a period of time, it is allowed for most stages to donate blood.  The blood guidelines have changed.  However, I personally agree with Harry, why take any chances?  I am stage I for over 20 years now and my last primary was over 10 years ago.  Technically, I can give blood now.  But I won't.

      • January 23, 2013 at 6:13 pm
      Fen
      Participant

      Absolutely not.  Why risk affecting someone else's health.

      • January 23, 2013 at 6:13 pm
      Fen
      Participant

      Absolutely not.  Why risk affecting someone else's health.

      • January 23, 2013 at 6:13 pm
      Fen
      Participant

      Absolutely not.  Why risk affecting someone else's health.

      • January 23, 2013 at 7:06 pm
      JC
      Participant

      it's an ironic dichotomy; there's enough risk to the health of others to not donate blood…….but yet there isn't enough risk to the person's own health to do any kind of adjuvant therapy for Stage I……. or, is there?

      • January 23, 2013 at 7:06 pm
      JC
      Participant

      it's an ironic dichotomy; there's enough risk to the health of others to not donate blood…….but yet there isn't enough risk to the person's own health to do any kind of adjuvant therapy for Stage I……. or, is there?

        • January 23, 2013 at 7:18 pm
        Janner
        Participant

        The fact that they allow the donation of blood for stage I means that no one in the blood bank world believes there is a risk for blood transfered melanoma for stage I.  I can't remember the waiting period, but it is a couple of years, I believe.  I have actually never read anything that indicated melanoma was transmitted by blood donation to a recipient.  However, there have been a few cases of early stage people who donated organs.  The organ recipients there ended up with melanoma.  Those recipients have to have their immune system suppresed which leave them open to any cells lying around.  I think the opinion around here is safe rather than sorry. 

        As for adjuvant therapy, there isn't effective adjuvant therapy for stage III.  Maybe if there was, it might be used for higher risk individuals.  However, stage I isn't high risk in any sense of the word.  The thing you may be forgetting is that organ and blood donor recipients are (or may be) immune suppressed.  That changes the dynamics some especially when it comes to organ donors.

        • January 23, 2013 at 7:18 pm
        Janner
        Participant

        The fact that they allow the donation of blood for stage I means that no one in the blood bank world believes there is a risk for blood transfered melanoma for stage I.  I can't remember the waiting period, but it is a couple of years, I believe.  I have actually never read anything that indicated melanoma was transmitted by blood donation to a recipient.  However, there have been a few cases of early stage people who donated organs.  The organ recipients there ended up with melanoma.  Those recipients have to have their immune system suppresed which leave them open to any cells lying around.  I think the opinion around here is safe rather than sorry. 

        As for adjuvant therapy, there isn't effective adjuvant therapy for stage III.  Maybe if there was, it might be used for higher risk individuals.  However, stage I isn't high risk in any sense of the word.  The thing you may be forgetting is that organ and blood donor recipients are (or may be) immune suppressed.  That changes the dynamics some especially when it comes to organ donors.

        • January 23, 2013 at 7:18 pm
        Janner
        Participant

        The fact that they allow the donation of blood for stage I means that no one in the blood bank world believes there is a risk for blood transfered melanoma for stage I.  I can't remember the waiting period, but it is a couple of years, I believe.  I have actually never read anything that indicated melanoma was transmitted by blood donation to a recipient.  However, there have been a few cases of early stage people who donated organs.  The organ recipients there ended up with melanoma.  Those recipients have to have their immune system suppresed which leave them open to any cells lying around.  I think the opinion around here is safe rather than sorry. 

        As for adjuvant therapy, there isn't effective adjuvant therapy for stage III.  Maybe if there was, it might be used for higher risk individuals.  However, stage I isn't high risk in any sense of the word.  The thing you may be forgetting is that organ and blood donor recipients are (or may be) immune suppressed.  That changes the dynamics some especially when it comes to organ donors.

      • January 23, 2013 at 7:06 pm
      JC
      Participant

      it's an ironic dichotomy; there's enough risk to the health of others to not donate blood…….but yet there isn't enough risk to the person's own health to do any kind of adjuvant therapy for Stage I……. or, is there?

      • January 23, 2013 at 7:31 pm
      JC
      Participant

      so if pre-melanoma diagnosis, i signed my driver's license to be an organ donor. . . then subsequently was diagnosed with Stage I melanoma, how does the state know I shouldn't be an organ donor any longer (should the situation arise)?

      • January 23, 2013 at 7:31 pm
      JC
      Participant

      so if pre-melanoma diagnosis, i signed my driver's license to be an organ donor. . . then subsequently was diagnosed with Stage I melanoma, how does the state know I shouldn't be an organ donor any longer (should the situation arise)?

        • January 23, 2013 at 7:59 pm
        POW
        Participant

        There are a whole host of diseases and conditions that can be unintentionally transmitted by blood transfusions, particularly when the recipient is immunosuppressed (on steroids, for example). There is always a risk when getting a transfusion. If you are concerned about accidentally transmitting melanoma (or anything else for that matter) I'm sure there is a way your state's motor vehicle department can send you a new license with the organ donor label removed.  

        • January 23, 2013 at 7:59 pm
        POW
        Participant

        There are a whole host of diseases and conditions that can be unintentionally transmitted by blood transfusions, particularly when the recipient is immunosuppressed (on steroids, for example). There is always a risk when getting a transfusion. If you are concerned about accidentally transmitting melanoma (or anything else for that matter) I'm sure there is a way your state's motor vehicle department can send you a new license with the organ donor label removed.  

        • January 23, 2013 at 7:59 pm
        POW
        Participant

        There are a whole host of diseases and conditions that can be unintentionally transmitted by blood transfusions, particularly when the recipient is immunosuppressed (on steroids, for example). There is always a risk when getting a transfusion. If you are concerned about accidentally transmitting melanoma (or anything else for that matter) I'm sure there is a way your state's motor vehicle department can send you a new license with the organ donor label removed.  

        • January 23, 2013 at 8:35 pm
        Janner
        Participant

        Even if your license states you are a donor, the family is contacted before anything along those lines happen.  Make sure your family knows.  My drivers license used to say that too and I just attached a sticky note on the back stating "research donation or cornea donation only". 

        • January 23, 2013 at 8:35 pm
        Janner
        Participant

        Even if your license states you are a donor, the family is contacted before anything along those lines happen.  Make sure your family knows.  My drivers license used to say that too and I just attached a sticky note on the back stating "research donation or cornea donation only". 

        • January 24, 2013 at 12:15 am
        lou2
        Participant

        I had my state remove my donation status from my drivers license, for another reason, and they did it.  So, just call them and find out how.

        • January 24, 2013 at 12:15 am
        lou2
        Participant

        I had my state remove my donation status from my drivers license, for another reason, and they did it.  So, just call them and find out how.

        • January 24, 2013 at 12:15 am
        lou2
        Participant

        I had my state remove my donation status from my drivers license, for another reason, and they did it.  So, just call them and find out how.

        • January 23, 2013 at 8:35 pm
        Janner
        Participant

        Even if your license states you are a donor, the family is contacted before anything along those lines happen.  Make sure your family knows.  My drivers license used to say that too and I just attached a sticky note on the back stating "research donation or cornea donation only". 

      • January 23, 2013 at 7:31 pm
      JC
      Participant

      so if pre-melanoma diagnosis, i signed my driver's license to be an organ donor. . . then subsequently was diagnosed with Stage I melanoma, how does the state know I shouldn't be an organ donor any longer (should the situation arise)?

      • January 30, 2013 at 3:16 pm
      JC
      Participant

      LifeSource says:

      You may be temporarily ineligible to donate if you …

      • Have the flu, a sore throat or fever.

      • Are taking antibiotics for an infection..

      • Have had heart problems.

      • Received a blood transfusion in the past 12 months.

      • Have been recently vaccinated (time of deferral varies). Flu shots do not disqualify you from donating.

      • Have had a history of cancer (other than skin cancer).

      • January 30, 2013 at 3:16 pm
      JC
      Participant

      LifeSource says:

      You may be temporarily ineligible to donate if you …

      • Have the flu, a sore throat or fever.

      • Are taking antibiotics for an infection..

      • Have had heart problems.

      • Received a blood transfusion in the past 12 months.

      • Have been recently vaccinated (time of deferral varies). Flu shots do not disqualify you from donating.

      • Have had a history of cancer (other than skin cancer).

        • January 30, 2013 at 4:29 pm
        POW
        Participant

        This is confusing. LifeSource says you may be "temporarily ineligible" if you have a history of cancer (except skin caner).

        Does that mean that if you have skin cancer you can go ahead and donate (i.e., the "temporarily ineligible" does not apply to you)? Or does it mean that if you have skin cancer you are not temporarily ineligible but PERMANENTLY ineligible? Piss-poor writing, if you ask me. 

        • January 30, 2013 at 4:29 pm
        POW
        Participant

        This is confusing. LifeSource says you may be "temporarily ineligible" if you have a history of cancer (except skin caner).

        Does that mean that if you have skin cancer you can go ahead and donate (i.e., the "temporarily ineligible" does not apply to you)? Or does it mean that if you have skin cancer you are not temporarily ineligible but PERMANENTLY ineligible? Piss-poor writing, if you ask me. 

        • January 30, 2013 at 4:29 pm
        POW
        Participant

        This is confusing. LifeSource says you may be "temporarily ineligible" if you have a history of cancer (except skin caner).

        Does that mean that if you have skin cancer you can go ahead and donate (i.e., the "temporarily ineligible" does not apply to you)? Or does it mean that if you have skin cancer you are not temporarily ineligible but PERMANENTLY ineligible? Piss-poor writing, if you ask me. 

      • January 30, 2013 at 3:16 pm
      JC
      Participant

      LifeSource says:

      You may be temporarily ineligible to donate if you …

      • Have the flu, a sore throat or fever.

      • Are taking antibiotics for an infection..

      • Have had heart problems.

      • Received a blood transfusion in the past 12 months.

      • Have been recently vaccinated (time of deferral varies). Flu shots do not disqualify you from donating.

      • Have had a history of cancer (other than skin cancer).

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