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Carbon_Rod t1_jdxb01z wrote

I've donated about 10 gallons. Don't know how she was able to do it so consistently, as I keep getting deferred for low iron (ironically from donating so often), and usually women have lower iron levels than men.

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ZenPokerFL t1_jdxj104 wrote

I donate every 8 weeks and my iron levels are usually marginal, around 13.2-13.5 (lowest allowed is 13.0). I’ve started taking a daily iron supplement a few days before my donation date and have a steak for dinner the night before.

Interestingly, when I initially began donating my iron levels were 14+ and have trended down since then. It looks to have stabilized in the low 13s.

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Carbon_Rod t1_jdxk7xh wrote

I donated every 56 days for years, until I was below 120 two donations in a row, and had to go on iron pills to build up my reserves. Iron pills, for me, are very unpleasant. I space out my donations now to every three months, and I still sometimes am below the minimum.

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DumbbellDiva92 t1_jdy4uyw wrote

Yeah I had to cut back to twice a year or so. Also heard in some other countries the time between donations is longer for women.

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vegemitey t1_jdzpu3d wrote

Here in the UK it's 16 weeks between donations for women, and 12 for men.

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dvdmaven t1_jdxij2m wrote

I stopped around three gallons because of low iron. I just have trouble assimilating it.

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SafariNZ t1_jdz3xd1 wrote

I’m about the same amount but had to stop due to my iron being too high.
I did a full blood work up and EVERYTHING was good but other issues have slowed my donating.
I’m aiming for 111 donations.

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DataWeenie t1_je4b7kk wrote

What's ironic is that a treatment for iron being too high is to draw blood!

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numba1dmxfan t1_jdzu2xt wrote

My ma isn’t even 70 and just hit 30 gallons. Doesn’t have blood in her name, though.

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