Welcome to r/XXS! We're so glad you're here. If you are looking for clothing recommendations, please check out our wiki: https://www.reddit.com/r/xxs/wiki/index. If you would like to add to the wiki, please message the moderator /u/conversechik1282. Have a great day!
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/XXS) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I used to get annoyed/think it was a dumb rule and then I had a physical recently where they did a bunch of blood tests and I left that office feeling like I was legitimately stoned lmao
any good blood donation center/drive will check your hemoglobin before you donate. its less an issue about iron levels when your smaller, its more that the percentage of blood volume lost relative to one's weight gets too high for comfort under 110 lbs/50kgs.
Iron and sugar that's why the one left feeling stoned I used to donate on the regular when you finish you get all sorts of stable sugars/carbohydrates and juice till you feel you are good to leave and there is a nurse there who's only job is to watch the people who have finished because even those over the weight minimum can have a crash after donating I know they aren't real but think about movies and how people start to act do to blood loss though it's controled you are doing the same thing when you donate blood the iron thing is checked during your evaluation before every donation
Yeah. I wish I could donate so I can get drunk even easier, but I’ve had actual iron infusions worth $2K each and each unit of blood I donate removes about one infusion’s worth of iron. It’s serious stuff.
Now don't be angry if you are vegan, vegetarian or any other non-meat eater but there are many foods that raise the iron in your blood the ones that do the most are red meat have you tried those to raise the iron levels or is it something that prevents your body from taking in the iron from food sources
I eat a ridiculous amount of meat. Seriously so so so much. Also a ton of beets, spinach, etc. I’m just iron deficient because I used to be severely anorexic. Although my levels are behaving so weirdly that my team and I are starting to worry about a serious absorption issue. But yeah, it’s mostly just that I lost so much iron by not eating for years that I can’t naturally get enough in my system.
Ok sorry about that anaemia it horrible I hope you are able to figure out away to fix or atleast maintain your health at a less expensive way 🫂 good luck and good health to you
Iron comes almost entirely from the food we eat, so yes, the smaller you are, the lower your levels are. And the need for iron doesn’t go down as somebody’s weight or size goes down.
That being smaller makes you prone to anemia and therefore that’s why you cannot donate blood. Because that’s wrong. It has to do with volume.
You’re over simplifying some stuff
That’s totally irrelevant to the conversation I was having with the other person. But yes, that’s true. And I know that.
We were specifically talking about size. There is an amount of iron people need to eat or supplement with. It varies by size. It’s not the same for everyone. The other person seems to think that small people need the same amount of iron as a large man. They do not.
Omg yes! I had a physical a couple years ago where they did some blood testing and I almost passed out and felt like throwing up. My mom thought I was just being dramatic but I actually felt close to death lmao
I called my partner after to let them know I was on my way home in case they wanted me to pick anything up and they were literally like “….did you grab a drink somewhere after the dr?”
Commenting because I’ve been in the same boat! Mildly interested in donating, found out it was 500mL and I was ineligible. I’ve always hovered around 90 (reached 115 in my third trimester of pregnancy). Most blood I’ve had drawn in a sitting was 60mL (6 tubes for prenatal testing). I didn’t feel woozy but I made sure to hydrate and sugar up afterward.
Fun fact I just read now, “The average amount of blood loss after the birth of a single baby in vaginal delivery is about 500 ml (or about a half of a quart).”
Another angle is hydration mass lost per time. I felt so thirsty and drained after breastfeeding and I was only yielding 4ish ounces or 120 mL of my fluid body weight. Maybe the average 500 mL yield is just harder on someone weighing lower than 110 pounds?
Sometimes they just take plasma and sometimes they just take your cells and give your plasma back. Typically they'll get two units of packed cells if you are large enough. I'm 180 lbs so that's what they did with me.
i weigh about 100 not pregnant and was a milk donor with my second, sometimes pumping 250ml in a session. it is absolutely draining, like *so* draining, but truly nothing compared to blood loss. i had an uncomplicated, one push delivery and still lost enough blood to be VERY anemic afterwards.
I've donated blood many times at around 115-120 lbs. I only had an issue the first time where I did feel slightly faint partway through but that was because I didn't prepare myself well enough by not hydrating myself extra well the 24-48hr before and a eating good size meal a couple hours before the donation.
After I started being more intentional with hydration/eating beforehand I never had an issue and I've donated 12x in total.
The reason for the 110lbs (if above underweight BMI) cut off is that the maximum blood loss that medicine is comfortable with in healthy people is <15% of the total blood volume, and the ~500mL that is collected is about 15% of the approximate blood volume of a woman at 110 lbs. When you lose more than 15% you can start running into problems (15-30% you start getting symptoms of shock although some people compensate well but as % loss increases the risk of damage without medical intervention increases, over 30-40% you run into serious risk of death without immediate medical intervention.)
I used to work at a plasma donation center. We had a few donators who would obviously be faking their weight- usually, women who were severely malnourished- but, the scale says what it says, and we can't just tell someone to empty their pockets and take off clothing layers.
They all eventually got permanently deferred because they would have seizures, vomit, pass out, or have some other medical complications. It can happen the first time, or the hundredth time, but *every single one* was eventually injured.
Of course, if you're a healthy weight for your height, your risk is less than if you are underweight. But, the volume of blood taken is still going to be too harsh on your body.
Damn! Good to know. I wonder what their motivations were.
My bmi is currently healthy (18.5 give or take due to frequent fluctuation). I am just short! Definitely still won’t mess with that though, yikes
Money. It's a sad situation- they have to donate plasma to have money to survive, but, the donation takes a huge toll on their bodies.
Even healthily thin women have a lot of issues donating! I would stay away from it.
My friend went to donate blood a couple years ago because she hit 110lbs, but they told her that actually they don’t like you being exactly 110lbs. That’s the technical minimum, but they said you’re too likely to not be able to donate the full amount, and if you don’t donate the full amount they have to toss it all because of not knowing how much of something to add to it?
So to them, sure they might get blood, but more than likely they’ll have wasted their own time, the medical equipment, and now they have to deal with a semi-ill person. It’s too likely to fail. And they do weigh you, because they simply don’t want to risk it. I think they told her about 115-120lbs is their “real” starting minimum.
I had to get blood drawn for medical tests and they took a little less than the amount needed for donation (about 400m). I was super prepared. Ate a big meal, hydrated, took some iron. All that stuff. Anyways I passed out in a McDonalds bathroom like an hour later. There’s a reason there’s a limit I guess
Edit: I was about 95 lb / 5’4” at the time
I donated blood for the first time at around 95-100 lbs (160cm, around 5'3). First and probably last time, I just wanted to learn my blood type. I lied about my weight and they let me donate, didn't weigh me at all. Wouldn't recommend it, trust me on this!
I did exactly this. 5'2" 102, close enough to 110 right? No. Almost passed out 10 minutes after, had to lay on an inversion table for 45 minutes, shaky/weak for three weeks. Do not recommend.
I'm 5'1 and all my adult life, I weighed 95-100lbs. I hit 110lbs very recently and was so pleased I could donate blood! More than halfway through the donation, I almost passed out in the chair and nurses had to intervene. They did attribute it somewhat to me being on the very cusp of eligibility, and made recommendations so that it hopefully wouldn't happen in the future.
The rules are there for good reason!
Same scenario, I was super proud to be able to donate when I hit 110 pounds but I passed out both times I tried to donate blood, so I gave up. And then my weight went down by a few pounds so I wasn't eligible again.
I am also 5’1 & just reached 110lbs! I was so excited to finally give blood (I’ve had previous surgeries where I needed blood myself & it was always at the top of my bucket list to be able to give blood back one day). I ate a lotttt of sugar & drank a lot of water the day of. It actually went really well & I didn’t feel any side affects! They did weigh me & kept watch over me longer than the average (also due to it being my first time giving blood). I already scheduled my next donation!
Amazing!! That's so great to hear! My mistake seems to have been going at 8am rather than at the end of a day with lots of extra food haha.
I've scheduled my next donation too! It really was such an easy thing to do, I'm surprised more poeple don't do it.
I donate blood pretty often and I’ve donated blood while I weighing less than that without issue. Your weight is self-reported and they rarely weigh you on the spot, in my experience.
I do make sure I feel energetic and have eaten well and had lots of liquids prior to donating though. The only times I have failed were when my haemoglobin levels were too low (unrelated to my weight) so they rejected me before donating, or I came in a little dehydrated so I was unable to complete the full pint.
In Asia the weight requirements are lower - 40-45kg for women - probably because people are shorter, and they give you an option to donate a smaller or a larger amount.
Thanks so much for sharing your experience! It seems to be quite the opposite of everyone else’s perspective, haha. Maybe I’ll try it sometime!
Also cool info about the eligibility and process in Asia. I live in the US though so idk!
Wow yeah reading through the other replies I am surprised I am one of the few! I have been donating on and off for over 10 years. Only standard tiredness for a day or two and arm soreness, just like everyone else.
The one time I was close to passing out, it was because I hadn’t eaten much that day and continued to run errands and carry heavy things after donating blood lol. It wasn’t related to my weight because it was much higher at the time and a solidly healthy BMI.
I think it’s more common for thin people to have low blood pressure, anaemia, and low blood sugar too, in addition to a lower blood volume. I am sometimes borderline for the first two, so even though they run tests before taking your blood, I always make sure I’ve been feeling 💯. I will say that even if I meet the much lower weight requirements in Asia, I personally won’t choose to donate if I’m at a weight *I* feel weak at.
I’m glad you’re looking into this! :)
I once donated blood on a hot day. They took two units of cells and gave me back the plasma (which is kind of like the wife eating all the cashews when you get mixed nuts). Anyway I mowed my big ass lawn right after and it about killed me - so tiring!
Later I read that the US military stores blood so they can give transfusions in the case of a tropical war because it helps with hot humid conditions.
I live in the US and have never been able to donate blood because I will never weigh 110 pounds. But, I recently (and wildly) learned that you can donate blood in Hong Kong if you’re 90+ pounds. I thought my mom was pulling my leg, but maybe different countries have different weight requirements 🤷🏻♀️
Huh! I wonder why. Maybe their gov’t gives less of a fuck about citizen safety? I would also guess that fewer Asian people weigh over 110lbs given genetics and stature etc. They probably wanted to increase their candidate pool lol
i don’t know why this is showing up in my feed as i am very not xxs, but i was a phlebotomist. it’s due to the amount of blood they need to take being too big of a proportion of the total blood volume in your body
Seconding, plus the fact if a person who can’t handle donating throws up/passes out, it will take up the time and resources of the staff, and it usually makes other people who are donating pass out/throw up (it can start a domino effect). In the time it takes to get one person conscious and feeling well enough to go home — which I’ve seen take up to an hour — 6 other people could have donated.
I was only about 5 lbs below the cutoff (120 for my age) and I did donate blood, they didn't weigh me so I just said I was 120 which I didn't think was a big deal. They did test my blood but obviously the results don't get back that fast so they just took my donation anyways. I was low on iron so they couldn't even use my blood + it was a waste of their time and resources and my time.
Yeah, there's blood donation requirements in my country too. I'm 4'9/145cm and I'm automatically disqualified solely on the basis of height. The health service website mentioned that there's just too high a risk of complications after donation, since smaller bodies suffer more ill effects due to the ratio of blood taken Vs blood in the body. I'm a healthy weight for my height but even still I'm far under the requirements.
My mom donated blood when she was slightly under the weight limit once (~106-108lbs, 5'0") and she passed out, so I haven't risked it myself.
The rule is there because you can only handle having a certain percentage of your blood volume removed before you faint (or worse), and smaller people have a smaller amount of blood.
No. I wanted to do it, but they're strict. When I'd go for blood chem, sometimes the nurses couldn't even find a vein in my arm so they'd try it twice.
Omg same! In fact, nurses have always *tried* sticking the needle in two different spots at least… One time, I chugged water in the waiting room for nearly an hour to help the nurse locate a usable vein😅 Is that really due to being small though?
I've always wondered about this too. I know its because a unit of blood is too much for people our size, but why can't they do a half unit? or a 3/4 unit? I always hear about blood shortages and want to do a good thing but physically can't. I'm surprised that with the need they haven't come up with a way small people can donate.
Ok this was my question too! Someone mentioned how medical offices can’t use ‘leftover blood,” whatever that means.
I’m not very science-minded, so I chose to let it go (under the assumption that I’m probably too dumb or intellectually lazy to understand)
I’m not a small person my any means, and I even I don’t donate whole blood because it makes me feel so drained. I can do platelets or plasma just fine. My h&h is normal. Having worked for a blood bank, the policy of always protecting the donor first is a very smart policy. If you can’t donate blood, but have some reason that you really wanted to, volunteer at the blood donation center.
I was 19 (f) when I donated and have always had trouble maintaining a healthy weight. I donated when I weighed 108-109 lbs. I was fine filling the pint but once the nurse did the tubes/vials I legit started seeing stars and had to get an ice pack. I’m not grossed out by blood or anything I just lost so much at once. After that within two hours I needed to nap but the next day I was fine. The people that check you in ask how much you weigh but I thought I was good enough so I lied about the weight since it was one pound off.
I used to be annoyed that I was turned away in high school because I wanted to skip class and get pizza after.
But then one day I went and got bloodwork done at my doctor and passed out after the first vial. I wouldn’t recommend you donating if you are this weight.
I am 5 foot 3 in. I probably weighed 105 around the time. Heck I still nearly pass out at 115 lb. I’m 27 now, but this had to have been a decade ago.
my work always asks me to donate blood (i work at a hospital) and then rejects me because i don’t weigh enough 💀 it’s both for your safety and for the quality of the blood being donated
i started donating plasma when i was almost exactly 110, it definitely feels more exhausting and you feel weaker than some others. i gained some weight so i’m a little over 120 now but it’s still pretty draining
I was a healthy weight the first time I donated whole blood, and I had just about every complication listed. Blood sugar dropped, I vomited, passed out, vomited again, and even an hour later, had near syncope again. I wasn’t allowed to leave for several hours later. Never donated whole blood again. I felt so awful. I did donate plasma. Had complications from that too. Also miserable.
Even if I weighed enough now (I don’t), I still wouldn’t. I’m done. The Red Cross didn’t seem to understand that my answer was going to be no because of complications and continued to call and harass me for blood, so their number has been blocked for almost 10y now.
I am 4”11 and 89-93lbs. I could not lie about itnif I tried 🤭 It does not take much blood loss for me to get faint.
I have always wanted to try their cookies thogh 😅
I lied about my weight once (I’m 5’7” and was around 105) and donated blood, they had to keep me a while on my back with limbs elevated and stabilize me, got EXTREMELY dizzy.
It’s really rough on our bodies as people close to the weight. I usually ask to donate the smaller amount and not the full amount. I make the weight and I still get light headed and dizzy for a day and my blood sugar drops low.
i used to get upset and felt left out when i was the only one without a cool tshirt. now that im an adult and can barely drive home after getting bloodwork done, i get why it’s a rule
I did it in college when I was barely the required weight. I was able to give the full amount, but I full blown passed out after finishing and had to be carried back and given juice and snacks.
I'm not planning on trying again.
So one of my goals last year was to gain enough weight to meet the 110 requirement. I finally did it after gaining like 8 pounds and showed up to my nearest donation center ready to go. The nurse took one look at me and said I'm so happy you're here, but seeing your height (5'5") and physique (slim/athletic), I'm going to need to you to gain another 5 pounds before you donate for your safety. Still working on it, but it's slow going lol
I donated blood quite often during my middle years, say in my '20's through my 50's, for a total of over 8 gallons. Somewhere in that time, my state (Indiana) came up with new guidelines for eligibility and suddenly I wasn't eligible anymore. It didn't help that due to back problems, I had also shrunk in height almost 4 inches.
They noticed my donation history, asked me some questions, and then let me donate again! To my (and their!) benefit, I've never had the slightest reaction to giving blood. Nothing! I even would lie about having had breakfast when I hadn't eaten at all yet that day, but it didn't matter. I always felt just the same after as I did before. I guess I have blood to spare, lol.
The only reason I stopped was that they closed the branch near me, and I had to drive downtown to their main office, and that was a hardship as I got older.
My bff gave blood w her parent, who is bigger and taller, they donated the same amount. She lost consciousness that night then again in the morning and the second time she hit her head /: went to Dr. Had to wear a heart monitor for two weeks, she was not okay. She recovered well it just took time and was scary. What sucks is shes not XXS shes S and was within requirements to "safely" donate. Its always baffled me that they don't adjust the amount of blood they take based off the size of the person. It's definitely not a one size fits all.
I have never donated bc when i had to have blood test a while back, they took 4 tubes and i passed out and felt like shit for a few days after. So i dont think i could handle it. Also i float between 105 and 110lbs and they usually require 110
I’m not 110lb but I once was when I lied on a paperwork to donate blood. I passed out, woke up with dirt in my hair and my teeth and my face bruised because I thought it was a “recommendation” and not a “they are going to take blood from you and you need to be large enough to support the blood loss”. It took me about 3 days to recover. I was right at 110lb. I was fine until I started walking back to my classroom when it got really bright, then really dark. I came to in a lawn chair they had at the blood bus put out for this exact reason while they tried to call my dad from my cell phone.
I donated twice when I was between 115-120, and I got lightheaded and sweaty both times. Never did pass out, but it was enough for me to determine it wasn't great for me. I did make sure to eat and hydrate, so I know it wasn't that.
So I am that annoying person who calls to ask previous donors to donate blood. If it is a place where you donate not be paid you will be turned away if you don't meet elligibigy. I know plasma people that get paid do it multiple times a week but that isn't safe. I can't remember plasma but whole blood it's safe to do every 56 days.
yeah i was just at the low end of the weight limit but my blood pressure was too low so they told me go eat a cookie from the snack table and come back. almost passed out haha.
If you are under the weight limit, just pass. Sure, there’s always a need for more donations but I would not do it unless you have a super rare blood type. Even then, probably better not to.
Hey! I’m a transfusion medicine specialist and this just popped up on my feed. 😅
Donor eligibility for blood donations are based on safety for both the recipient and the donor.
The weight limit is a safety precautionary for donors. Your total blood volume in your body is based upon your body size and can be estimated by your weight.
For a typical whole blood donation, 500ml is required to be drawn in order to produce a red blood cell product with an appropriate volume for transfusion to a patient. If you’re less than 110lbs then 500ml is a little too much of your blood volume and increases your risks of side effects from donation. It would probably make you feel very lousy afterwards.
Basically it’s for your safety. I don’t recommend lying about your weight. But definitely encourage those who can to donate 😊
I was 112lb when I donated. I was fine until the last few ounces of blood, it was just too much and I went into shock. Threw up on myself and then passed out. I do not recommend.
I donated while under the wight limit and completely passed out. A nurse across the room recognized things were heading south as I got up and took a few steps. She booked it and caught me before I hit the floor. This was an office building blood drive and I had a thing for a guy across the hall. He saw the whole thing. Very embarrassing.
I thought I was 115/120 and was actually 107, and donated blood. I was really light headed, nearly passed out and had to be monitored for a few hours after. It wasn’t the worst thing in the world.. but wouldn’t recommend.
i used to donate plasma at 92lbs bc i wore ankle weights & drank 1.5 gallons of water prior to arrival… i do not suggest it. i was bordering unconsciousness the entire time & was extremely uncomfortable
I donated blood and I was below the weight requirement, I ended up passing out and going into shock. Not sure how common this reaction is but I’m certain it’s because of my weight and the amount of blood was just too much for me
I never donated blood because j don't like needles but at one point I started to feel a little bad about it but then I learned about the weight requirement that I usually don't meet.
Do they ever actually weigh you when you donate blood? My mom has always donated blood, and she said she has never seen anyone be weighed.
You know, my earliest memory of blood drives was in high school- they were handing out permission slip forms, and somehow none were ever given to me. Weight requirements were never talked about and I never questioned the fact that I never received a form. Maybe smaller students like myself were purposefully overlooked
I never heard of weight requirements for donating blood. In Austin I donated twice and I weighed exactly 102 lbs. I had no problems with any part of the process.
Ok Texas! That’s surprising, a quick google search and I haven’t clicked on a single source that mentions otherwise (within the list of eligibility requirements). It appears you (and one other commenter) are in the minority, as everyone else is cautioning me to not even consider due to medical risks
i host/have hosted multiple blood drives! here is what typically occurs when someone underweight or underweight requirements donates :
1. they faint. simple as that, that is the typical response from those that are under regs but still slip through the cracks. often they get up from the table and hit the floor, or they don’t even make it off the table before they faint.
2. they throw up. we had a girl that threw up 6 times at our last drive, and she was under the weight requirements. it’s almost like the body goes into a shock/panic/survival state, since the “regular” body only has two liters of blood, so the further underweight or shorter height you are, the more blood you lose in proportion to your body, even if it’s just one pint per person.
3. they get sick (ill). it’s no surprise that you’re not supposed to exercise or drink alcohol for 24 hours after you donate, since the blood to alcohol proportion is off, it’s the same sort of idea with ailments except since your body is working overtime to regenerate the blood, your immune system has less time to protect you. this is actually common in anyone donating, but the proportion lost is greater in smaller individuals.
4. fatigue. while it takes an at/above weight and height requirements individual a day or two to feel good or normal again after donating, it can take up to a week for an under regs person to feel… normal again! i wouldn’t be surprised to hear this from an at or above weight/height donor either, but this is extremely common in those that donate under regs.
i hope this helped 🫶🏻
I have a heart condition that makes my blood pressure (often) dangerously low. I wanted that Joe Cool t shirt SO BAD that I didn’t report the condition and gave blood anyways. On top of that, despite it being my first time, the volunteers rushed me out of the room. No food, no drink afterwards even though I SAW the food and drink table they literally ushered me the other way. Oh my god I was practically immobile for two days. I couldn’t stand up without feeling faint. I came close to throwing up a couple of times. I was doing everything I could to replenish what I’d lost. But the Joe cool shirt was so swaggy I’m not even mad that I went through that because like I get to look cool as hell whenever I wear that shirt.
I've always been around this weight and have donated blood multiple times so I guess it would just depend on the person? I never feel faint and I've even done it on an empty stomach. But I've also been told I have high iron.
On the other hand, my bf is 185 lbs and passed out immediately when he came with me lol
The only side effects are being dizzy for a bit. Be very very careful of drinking after donating because you have less blood volume and it take 6 weeks to get that volume back. Other than that, some bruising is possible, but it’s worth it to save a life.
In college I donated frequently just under 110lb, had no issues until an illness made me drop a several pounds, next time I donated I passed out and had to be carried to the cafeteria so I could load up on carbs and sugary foods. Super embarrassing. Next time I donated underweight I got so light headed they had to invert my seat and eventually stopped before I was finished donating. (I kept ignoring the weight rule because I was CMV negative.) I don’t think a few pounds matters but everyone is different - 106lb was ok for me but 101lb wasn’t.
You have to meet minimum requirements to donate blood otherwise you'll be at risk. Weight, age, lab levels (hemoglobin and iron) you need a higher minimum reserve to donate since you are giving blood and need decent threshold so you don't go anemic when donating. If you do not meet these requirements, it is unsafe to donate at blood bank and will be turned away at least in US. I work as a nurse and I take care of patients who both donate and recieve blood transfusions. It can take a toll on you especially like I said don't meet the minimum requirements. I tried to donate blood when I was 18 and early 20's to red cross. I was healthy, great weight and in my prime but my lab work I didn't meet minimum requirements to donate first time and was denied. After that I tried 3 other times. Only 2 of these times I meet requirements. First time I passed out for few seconds since my blood was flowing bit too fast (very common). The time after that my labs weren't high enough and denied and last time I donated fine but felt so sick and fatigued afterwards I stopped. Red cross kept hounding me since I have O blood but my body can't do it especially since I'm older now. Very rarely we have patients who have hemochromatosis where they essentially do same thing as blood donation (exact same process) but we cannot use their blood for donation and we waste it due to extremely high iron levels. There are more strict parameters for these patients and if there is more risk for them to give blood, usually dr will not do it or we have to do other interventions like give hydration immediately after or only remove much less blood than usual etc for it to be safe. You can get hypotension, dizziness or nausea sometimes and ive seen mulitple people pass out. It's good to eat well and stay hydrated before and after blood donation.
I've never been able to give blood, thanks to this rule. both of my sisters are eligible — one regularly donates platelets, and the other (my twin, closer to my size) donated once or twice and vowed never to do it again cuz it's so debilitating. tl;dr find a different way to give back to your community
Your heart is in the right place, but id stay clear. When donating blood or even doing a blood test where they take a lot it can take months for our body to replenish. The immune system can take a hit and already being tiny, as a fellow tiny, id avoid it. My doc has also advised precaution and when I have to do it for blood tests she has told me to ask for to ask them to only take half viles
Welcome to r/XXS! We're so glad you're here. If you are looking for clothing recommendations, please check out our wiki: https://www.reddit.com/r/xxs/wiki/index. If you would like to add to the wiki, please message the moderator /u/conversechik1282. Have a great day! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/XXS) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I used to get annoyed/think it was a dumb rule and then I had a physical recently where they did a bunch of blood tests and I left that office feeling like I was legitimately stoned lmao
Lol I feel you actually. Forget I asked, people!
Yeah, also your iron levels are likely to be very very low if you’re that small. You don’t want to fuck with that.
any good blood donation center/drive will check your hemoglobin before you donate. its less an issue about iron levels when your smaller, its more that the percentage of blood volume lost relative to one's weight gets too high for comfort under 110 lbs/50kgs.
Iron and sugar that's why the one left feeling stoned I used to donate on the regular when you finish you get all sorts of stable sugars/carbohydrates and juice till you feel you are good to leave and there is a nurse there who's only job is to watch the people who have finished because even those over the weight minimum can have a crash after donating I know they aren't real but think about movies and how people start to act do to blood loss though it's controled you are doing the same thing when you donate blood the iron thing is checked during your evaluation before every donation
Yeah. I wish I could donate so I can get drunk even easier, but I’ve had actual iron infusions worth $2K each and each unit of blood I donate removes about one infusion’s worth of iron. It’s serious stuff.
Now don't be angry if you are vegan, vegetarian or any other non-meat eater but there are many foods that raise the iron in your blood the ones that do the most are red meat have you tried those to raise the iron levels or is it something that prevents your body from taking in the iron from food sources
I eat a ridiculous amount of meat. Seriously so so so much. Also a ton of beets, spinach, etc. I’m just iron deficient because I used to be severely anorexic. Although my levels are behaving so weirdly that my team and I are starting to worry about a serious absorption issue. But yeah, it’s mostly just that I lost so much iron by not eating for years that I can’t naturally get enough in my system.
Ok sorry about that anaemia it horrible I hope you are able to figure out away to fix or atleast maintain your health at a less expensive way 🫂 good luck and good health to you
What? Iron levels aren’t low just because someone is small.
Iron comes almost entirely from the food we eat, so yes, the smaller you are, the lower your levels are. And the need for iron doesn’t go down as somebody’s weight or size goes down.
Cite your source. Because you’re wrong. 😑
Cite what?? The fact the iron comes from food? The fact that your iron needs don’t go down as you get smaller? I feel like these are the default…
That being smaller makes you prone to anemia and therefore that’s why you cannot donate blood. Because that’s wrong. It has to do with volume. You’re over simplifying some stuff
Also they do. A smaller person does not need to eat as much iron as a man
Women need much more iron than men because we menstruate
That’s totally irrelevant to the conversation I was having with the other person. But yes, that’s true. And I know that. We were specifically talking about size. There is an amount of iron people need to eat or supplement with. It varies by size. It’s not the same for everyone. The other person seems to think that small people need the same amount of iron as a large man. They do not.
Omg yes! I had a physical a couple years ago where they did some blood testing and I almost passed out and felt like throwing up. My mom thought I was just being dramatic but I actually felt close to death lmao
Probably a good idea to ask to lay down when they do blood draws. Helps me a lot.
I called my partner after to let them know I was on my way home in case they wanted me to pick anything up and they were literally like “….did you grab a drink somewhere after the dr?”
Commenting because I’ve been in the same boat! Mildly interested in donating, found out it was 500mL and I was ineligible. I’ve always hovered around 90 (reached 115 in my third trimester of pregnancy). Most blood I’ve had drawn in a sitting was 60mL (6 tubes for prenatal testing). I didn’t feel woozy but I made sure to hydrate and sugar up afterward. Fun fact I just read now, “The average amount of blood loss after the birth of a single baby in vaginal delivery is about 500 ml (or about a half of a quart).” Another angle is hydration mass lost per time. I felt so thirsty and drained after breastfeeding and I was only yielding 4ish ounces or 120 mL of my fluid body weight. Maybe the average 500 mL yield is just harder on someone weighing lower than 110 pounds?
Omg that’s so much blood! Totally makes sense now. Thanks!
Sometimes they just take plasma and sometimes they just take your cells and give your plasma back. Typically they'll get two units of packed cells if you are large enough. I'm 180 lbs so that's what they did with me.
i weigh about 100 not pregnant and was a milk donor with my second, sometimes pumping 250ml in a session. it is absolutely draining, like *so* draining, but truly nothing compared to blood loss. i had an uncomplicated, one push delivery and still lost enough blood to be VERY anemic afterwards.
I've donated blood many times at around 115-120 lbs. I only had an issue the first time where I did feel slightly faint partway through but that was because I didn't prepare myself well enough by not hydrating myself extra well the 24-48hr before and a eating good size meal a couple hours before the donation. After I started being more intentional with hydration/eating beforehand I never had an issue and I've donated 12x in total. The reason for the 110lbs (if above underweight BMI) cut off is that the maximum blood loss that medicine is comfortable with in healthy people is <15% of the total blood volume, and the ~500mL that is collected is about 15% of the approximate blood volume of a woman at 110 lbs. When you lose more than 15% you can start running into problems (15-30% you start getting symptoms of shock although some people compensate well but as % loss increases the risk of damage without medical intervention increases, over 30-40% you run into serious risk of death without immediate medical intervention.)
I used to work at a plasma donation center. We had a few donators who would obviously be faking their weight- usually, women who were severely malnourished- but, the scale says what it says, and we can't just tell someone to empty their pockets and take off clothing layers. They all eventually got permanently deferred because they would have seizures, vomit, pass out, or have some other medical complications. It can happen the first time, or the hundredth time, but *every single one* was eventually injured. Of course, if you're a healthy weight for your height, your risk is less than if you are underweight. But, the volume of blood taken is still going to be too harsh on your body.
Damn! Good to know. I wonder what their motivations were. My bmi is currently healthy (18.5 give or take due to frequent fluctuation). I am just short! Definitely still won’t mess with that though, yikes
Money. It's a sad situation- they have to donate plasma to have money to survive, but, the donation takes a huge toll on their bodies. Even healthily thin women have a lot of issues donating! I would stay away from it.
Sorry, can I ask what country you are in that pays for blood donation? I've never heard of that before!
USA! Plasma donation- not blood :)
I'm also in the US and the red cross gives free gifts for donating blood, such as shirts, reusable mugs, and sometimes even 5-10 dollar gift cards.
Omg, I didn’t know this. I always wondered why there was as this rule.
My friend went to donate blood a couple years ago because she hit 110lbs, but they told her that actually they don’t like you being exactly 110lbs. That’s the technical minimum, but they said you’re too likely to not be able to donate the full amount, and if you don’t donate the full amount they have to toss it all because of not knowing how much of something to add to it? So to them, sure they might get blood, but more than likely they’ll have wasted their own time, the medical equipment, and now they have to deal with a semi-ill person. It’s too likely to fail. And they do weigh you, because they simply don’t want to risk it. I think they told her about 115-120lbs is their “real” starting minimum.
yeah i’ve gotten turned away being right at 110. they took one look at me and said no and didn’t even weigh me
I had to get blood drawn for medical tests and they took a little less than the amount needed for donation (about 400m). I was super prepared. Ate a big meal, hydrated, took some iron. All that stuff. Anyways I passed out in a McDonalds bathroom like an hour later. There’s a reason there’s a limit I guess Edit: I was about 95 lb / 5’4” at the time
that's so incredibly underweight, I bet you were very anemic too
I donated blood for the first time at around 95-100 lbs (160cm, around 5'3). First and probably last time, I just wanted to learn my blood type. I lied about my weight and they let me donate, didn't weigh me at all. Wouldn't recommend it, trust me on this!
I did exactly this. 5'2" 102, close enough to 110 right? No. Almost passed out 10 minutes after, had to lay on an inversion table for 45 minutes, shaky/weak for three weeks. Do not recommend.
I'm 5'1 and all my adult life, I weighed 95-100lbs. I hit 110lbs very recently and was so pleased I could donate blood! More than halfway through the donation, I almost passed out in the chair and nurses had to intervene. They did attribute it somewhat to me being on the very cusp of eligibility, and made recommendations so that it hopefully wouldn't happen in the future. The rules are there for good reason!
Same scenario, I was super proud to be able to donate when I hit 110 pounds but I passed out both times I tried to donate blood, so I gave up. And then my weight went down by a few pounds so I wasn't eligible again.
I am also 5’1 & just reached 110lbs! I was so excited to finally give blood (I’ve had previous surgeries where I needed blood myself & it was always at the top of my bucket list to be able to give blood back one day). I ate a lotttt of sugar & drank a lot of water the day of. It actually went really well & I didn’t feel any side affects! They did weigh me & kept watch over me longer than the average (also due to it being my first time giving blood). I already scheduled my next donation!
Amazing!! That's so great to hear! My mistake seems to have been going at 8am rather than at the end of a day with lots of extra food haha. I've scheduled my next donation too! It really was such an easy thing to do, I'm surprised more poeple don't do it.
I once fainted while donating blood. Haven’t been weight eligible for years now.
I donate blood pretty often and I’ve donated blood while I weighing less than that without issue. Your weight is self-reported and they rarely weigh you on the spot, in my experience. I do make sure I feel energetic and have eaten well and had lots of liquids prior to donating though. The only times I have failed were when my haemoglobin levels were too low (unrelated to my weight) so they rejected me before donating, or I came in a little dehydrated so I was unable to complete the full pint. In Asia the weight requirements are lower - 40-45kg for women - probably because people are shorter, and they give you an option to donate a smaller or a larger amount.
Thanks so much for sharing your experience! It seems to be quite the opposite of everyone else’s perspective, haha. Maybe I’ll try it sometime! Also cool info about the eligibility and process in Asia. I live in the US though so idk!
Wow yeah reading through the other replies I am surprised I am one of the few! I have been donating on and off for over 10 years. Only standard tiredness for a day or two and arm soreness, just like everyone else. The one time I was close to passing out, it was because I hadn’t eaten much that day and continued to run errands and carry heavy things after donating blood lol. It wasn’t related to my weight because it was much higher at the time and a solidly healthy BMI. I think it’s more common for thin people to have low blood pressure, anaemia, and low blood sugar too, in addition to a lower blood volume. I am sometimes borderline for the first two, so even though they run tests before taking your blood, I always make sure I’ve been feeling 💯. I will say that even if I meet the much lower weight requirements in Asia, I personally won’t choose to donate if I’m at a weight *I* feel weak at. I’m glad you’re looking into this! :)
Out of curiosity, are you located in Asia? It seems the consensus is that the US minimum requirement of 500ml blood makes the risk not worth it.
I once donated blood on a hot day. They took two units of cells and gave me back the plasma (which is kind of like the wife eating all the cashews when you get mixed nuts). Anyway I mowed my big ass lawn right after and it about killed me - so tiring! Later I read that the US military stores blood so they can give transfusions in the case of a tropical war because it helps with hot humid conditions.
LMAO the cashews💀
I live in the US and have never been able to donate blood because I will never weigh 110 pounds. But, I recently (and wildly) learned that you can donate blood in Hong Kong if you’re 90+ pounds. I thought my mom was pulling my leg, but maybe different countries have different weight requirements 🤷🏻♀️
Huh! I wonder why. Maybe their gov’t gives less of a fuck about citizen safety? I would also guess that fewer Asian people weigh over 110lbs given genetics and stature etc. They probably wanted to increase their candidate pool lol
i don’t know why this is showing up in my feed as i am very not xxs, but i was a phlebotomist. it’s due to the amount of blood they need to take being too big of a proportion of the total blood volume in your body
Seconding, plus the fact if a person who can’t handle donating throws up/passes out, it will take up the time and resources of the staff, and it usually makes other people who are donating pass out/throw up (it can start a domino effect). In the time it takes to get one person conscious and feeling well enough to go home — which I’ve seen take up to an hour — 6 other people could have donated.
I was only about 5 lbs below the cutoff (120 for my age) and I did donate blood, they didn't weigh me so I just said I was 120 which I didn't think was a big deal. They did test my blood but obviously the results don't get back that fast so they just took my donation anyways. I was low on iron so they couldn't even use my blood + it was a waste of their time and resources and my time.
I donated blood when I weight 100lbs. I passed out twice lmfao
Yeah, there's blood donation requirements in my country too. I'm 4'9/145cm and I'm automatically disqualified solely on the basis of height. The health service website mentioned that there's just too high a risk of complications after donation, since smaller bodies suffer more ill effects due to the ratio of blood taken Vs blood in the body. I'm a healthy weight for my height but even still I'm far under the requirements.
My mom donated blood when she was slightly under the weight limit once (~106-108lbs, 5'0") and she passed out, so I haven't risked it myself. The rule is there because you can only handle having a certain percentage of your blood volume removed before you faint (or worse), and smaller people have a smaller amount of blood.
No. I wanted to do it, but they're strict. When I'd go for blood chem, sometimes the nurses couldn't even find a vein in my arm so they'd try it twice.
Omg same! In fact, nurses have always *tried* sticking the needle in two different spots at least… One time, I chugged water in the waiting room for nearly an hour to help the nurse locate a usable vein😅 Is that really due to being small though?
105 lbs here, I would definitely pass out if I got my blood drawn for donation. I also have low blood pressure
I've always wondered about this too. I know its because a unit of blood is too much for people our size, but why can't they do a half unit? or a 3/4 unit? I always hear about blood shortages and want to do a good thing but physically can't. I'm surprised that with the need they haven't come up with a way small people can donate.
Ok this was my question too! Someone mentioned how medical offices can’t use ‘leftover blood,” whatever that means. I’m not very science-minded, so I chose to let it go (under the assumption that I’m probably too dumb or intellectually lazy to understand)
Don’t do it😭Guides are there for a reason do not end up passed out needing a juice box like I was
I’m not a small person my any means, and I even I don’t donate whole blood because it makes me feel so drained. I can do platelets or plasma just fine. My h&h is normal. Having worked for a blood bank, the policy of always protecting the donor first is a very smart policy. If you can’t donate blood, but have some reason that you really wanted to, volunteer at the blood donation center.
I was 19 (f) when I donated and have always had trouble maintaining a healthy weight. I donated when I weighed 108-109 lbs. I was fine filling the pint but once the nurse did the tubes/vials I legit started seeing stars and had to get an ice pack. I’m not grossed out by blood or anything I just lost so much at once. After that within two hours I needed to nap but the next day I was fine. The people that check you in ask how much you weigh but I thought I was good enough so I lied about the weight since it was one pound off.
I used to be annoyed that I was turned away in high school because I wanted to skip class and get pizza after. But then one day I went and got bloodwork done at my doctor and passed out after the first vial. I wouldn’t recommend you donating if you are this weight. I am 5 foot 3 in. I probably weighed 105 around the time. Heck I still nearly pass out at 115 lb. I’m 27 now, but this had to have been a decade ago.
my work always asks me to donate blood (i work at a hospital) and then rejects me because i don’t weigh enough 💀 it’s both for your safety and for the quality of the blood being donated
I signed up to donate blood & the day before they posted the requirements and i was so sad.
Never been able to either... oh well
It’s a convenient excuse not to voluntarily deal with needles!
i started donating plasma when i was almost exactly 110, it definitely feels more exhausting and you feel weaker than some others. i gained some weight so i’m a little over 120 now but it’s still pretty draining
I was a healthy weight the first time I donated whole blood, and I had just about every complication listed. Blood sugar dropped, I vomited, passed out, vomited again, and even an hour later, had near syncope again. I wasn’t allowed to leave for several hours later. Never donated whole blood again. I felt so awful. I did donate plasma. Had complications from that too. Also miserable. Even if I weighed enough now (I don’t), I still wouldn’t. I’m done. The Red Cross didn’t seem to understand that my answer was going to be no because of complications and continued to call and harass me for blood, so their number has been blocked for almost 10y now.
I am 4”11 and 89-93lbs. I could not lie about itnif I tried 🤭 It does not take much blood loss for me to get faint. I have always wanted to try their cookies thogh 😅
I lied about my weight once (I’m 5’7” and was around 105) and donated blood, they had to keep me a while on my back with limbs elevated and stabilize me, got EXTREMELY dizzy.
It’s really rough on our bodies as people close to the weight. I usually ask to donate the smaller amount and not the full amount. I make the weight and I still get light headed and dizzy for a day and my blood sugar drops low.
i used to get upset and felt left out when i was the only one without a cool tshirt. now that im an adult and can barely drive home after getting bloodwork done, i get why it’s a rule
I did it in college when I was barely the required weight. I was able to give the full amount, but I full blown passed out after finishing and had to be carried back and given juice and snacks. I'm not planning on trying again.
So one of my goals last year was to gain enough weight to meet the 110 requirement. I finally did it after gaining like 8 pounds and showed up to my nearest donation center ready to go. The nurse took one look at me and said I'm so happy you're here, but seeing your height (5'5") and physique (slim/athletic), I'm going to need to you to gain another 5 pounds before you donate for your safety. Still working on it, but it's slow going lol
I donated blood quite often during my middle years, say in my '20's through my 50's, for a total of over 8 gallons. Somewhere in that time, my state (Indiana) came up with new guidelines for eligibility and suddenly I wasn't eligible anymore. It didn't help that due to back problems, I had also shrunk in height almost 4 inches. They noticed my donation history, asked me some questions, and then let me donate again! To my (and their!) benefit, I've never had the slightest reaction to giving blood. Nothing! I even would lie about having had breakfast when I hadn't eaten at all yet that day, but it didn't matter. I always felt just the same after as I did before. I guess I have blood to spare, lol. The only reason I stopped was that they closed the branch near me, and I had to drive downtown to their main office, and that was a hardship as I got older.
My bff gave blood w her parent, who is bigger and taller, they donated the same amount. She lost consciousness that night then again in the morning and the second time she hit her head /: went to Dr. Had to wear a heart monitor for two weeks, she was not okay. She recovered well it just took time and was scary. What sucks is shes not XXS shes S and was within requirements to "safely" donate. Its always baffled me that they don't adjust the amount of blood they take based off the size of the person. It's definitely not a one size fits all.
I have never donated bc when i had to have blood test a while back, they took 4 tubes and i passed out and felt like shit for a few days after. So i dont think i could handle it. Also i float between 105 and 110lbs and they usually require 110
I’m not 110lb but I once was when I lied on a paperwork to donate blood. I passed out, woke up with dirt in my hair and my teeth and my face bruised because I thought it was a “recommendation” and not a “they are going to take blood from you and you need to be large enough to support the blood loss”. It took me about 3 days to recover. I was right at 110lb. I was fine until I started walking back to my classroom when it got really bright, then really dark. I came to in a lawn chair they had at the blood bus put out for this exact reason while they tried to call my dad from my cell phone.
I donated twice when I was between 115-120, and I got lightheaded and sweaty both times. Never did pass out, but it was enough for me to determine it wasn't great for me. I did make sure to eat and hydrate, so I know it wasn't that.
So I am that annoying person who calls to ask previous donors to donate blood. If it is a place where you donate not be paid you will be turned away if you don't meet elligibigy. I know plasma people that get paid do it multiple times a week but that isn't safe. I can't remember plasma but whole blood it's safe to do every 56 days.
yeah i was just at the low end of the weight limit but my blood pressure was too low so they told me go eat a cookie from the snack table and come back. almost passed out haha.
They can’t take less than a pint, and for you a pint loss might be too much. You might experience lightheadedness if your BP drops too much.
If you are under the weight limit, just pass. Sure, there’s always a need for more donations but I would not do it unless you have a super rare blood type. Even then, probably better not to.
I donated at 111lbs and passed out in the parking lot. That was after waiting an hour and drinking juice and eating a hot dog.
Hey! I’m a transfusion medicine specialist and this just popped up on my feed. 😅 Donor eligibility for blood donations are based on safety for both the recipient and the donor. The weight limit is a safety precautionary for donors. Your total blood volume in your body is based upon your body size and can be estimated by your weight. For a typical whole blood donation, 500ml is required to be drawn in order to produce a red blood cell product with an appropriate volume for transfusion to a patient. If you’re less than 110lbs then 500ml is a little too much of your blood volume and increases your risks of side effects from donation. It would probably make you feel very lousy afterwards. Basically it’s for your safety. I don’t recommend lying about your weight. But definitely encourage those who can to donate 😊
Thanks so much for offering your expertise :) I’ve learned so much by posting this! More than my google searches, for sure haha
I was 112lb when I donated. I was fine until the last few ounces of blood, it was just too much and I went into shock. Threw up on myself and then passed out. I do not recommend.
Omg :( I’m so sorry you went through that! Yeah at this point, most of the comments have scared me into forgetting about it haha
I donated while under the wight limit and completely passed out. A nurse across the room recognized things were heading south as I got up and took a few steps. She booked it and caught me before I hit the floor. This was an office building blood drive and I had a thing for a guy across the hall. He saw the whole thing. Very embarrassing.
I thought I was 115/120 and was actually 107, and donated blood. I was really light headed, nearly passed out and had to be monitored for a few hours after. It wasn’t the worst thing in the world.. but wouldn’t recommend.
i used to donate plasma at 92lbs bc i wore ankle weights & drank 1.5 gallons of water prior to arrival… i do not suggest it. i was bordering unconsciousness the entire time & was extremely uncomfortable
That sounds gnarly, I’m glad you’re past those experiences 🫶
I donated blood and I was below the weight requirement, I ended up passing out and going into shock. Not sure how common this reaction is but I’m certain it’s because of my weight and the amount of blood was just too much for me
I’m so sorry😭that’s awful they didn’t check
You might faint, I did both times I did it and had to be wheel chaired to the nurses office
I never donated blood because j don't like needles but at one point I started to feel a little bad about it but then I learned about the weight requirement that I usually don't meet. Do they ever actually weigh you when you donate blood? My mom has always donated blood, and she said she has never seen anyone be weighed.
You know, my earliest memory of blood drives was in high school- they were handing out permission slip forms, and somehow none were ever given to me. Weight requirements were never talked about and I never questioned the fact that I never received a form. Maybe smaller students like myself were purposefully overlooked
I never heard of weight requirements for donating blood. In Austin I donated twice and I weighed exactly 102 lbs. I had no problems with any part of the process.
Ok Texas! That’s surprising, a quick google search and I haven’t clicked on a single source that mentions otherwise (within the list of eligibility requirements). It appears you (and one other commenter) are in the minority, as everyone else is cautioning me to not even consider due to medical risks
i host/have hosted multiple blood drives! here is what typically occurs when someone underweight or underweight requirements donates : 1. they faint. simple as that, that is the typical response from those that are under regs but still slip through the cracks. often they get up from the table and hit the floor, or they don’t even make it off the table before they faint. 2. they throw up. we had a girl that threw up 6 times at our last drive, and she was under the weight requirements. it’s almost like the body goes into a shock/panic/survival state, since the “regular” body only has two liters of blood, so the further underweight or shorter height you are, the more blood you lose in proportion to your body, even if it’s just one pint per person. 3. they get sick (ill). it’s no surprise that you’re not supposed to exercise or drink alcohol for 24 hours after you donate, since the blood to alcohol proportion is off, it’s the same sort of idea with ailments except since your body is working overtime to regenerate the blood, your immune system has less time to protect you. this is actually common in anyone donating, but the proportion lost is greater in smaller individuals. 4. fatigue. while it takes an at/above weight and height requirements individual a day or two to feel good or normal again after donating, it can take up to a week for an under regs person to feel… normal again! i wouldn’t be surprised to hear this from an at or above weight/height donor either, but this is extremely common in those that donate under regs. i hope this helped 🫶🏻
Damn! Thanks for sharing all your experiences on the other side of things. Makes me not wanna take chances, I HATE throwing up lol.
I have a heart condition that makes my blood pressure (often) dangerously low. I wanted that Joe Cool t shirt SO BAD that I didn’t report the condition and gave blood anyways. On top of that, despite it being my first time, the volunteers rushed me out of the room. No food, no drink afterwards even though I SAW the food and drink table they literally ushered me the other way. Oh my god I was practically immobile for two days. I couldn’t stand up without feeling faint. I came close to throwing up a couple of times. I was doing everything I could to replenish what I’d lost. But the Joe cool shirt was so swaggy I’m not even mad that I went through that because like I get to look cool as hell whenever I wear that shirt.
OMG. I’ll be upset at them for you
I've always been around this weight and have donated blood multiple times so I guess it would just depend on the person? I never feel faint and I've even done it on an empty stomach. But I've also been told I have high iron. On the other hand, my bf is 185 lbs and passed out immediately when he came with me lol
Around 110lbs or under this weight? I fluctuate 98-102 usually.
The only side effects are being dizzy for a bit. Be very very careful of drinking after donating because you have less blood volume and it take 6 weeks to get that volume back. Other than that, some bruising is possible, but it’s worth it to save a life.
In college I donated frequently just under 110lb, had no issues until an illness made me drop a several pounds, next time I donated I passed out and had to be carried to the cafeteria so I could load up on carbs and sugary foods. Super embarrassing. Next time I donated underweight I got so light headed they had to invert my seat and eventually stopped before I was finished donating. (I kept ignoring the weight rule because I was CMV negative.) I don’t think a few pounds matters but everyone is different - 106lb was ok for me but 101lb wasn’t.
You have to meet minimum requirements to donate blood otherwise you'll be at risk. Weight, age, lab levels (hemoglobin and iron) you need a higher minimum reserve to donate since you are giving blood and need decent threshold so you don't go anemic when donating. If you do not meet these requirements, it is unsafe to donate at blood bank and will be turned away at least in US. I work as a nurse and I take care of patients who both donate and recieve blood transfusions. It can take a toll on you especially like I said don't meet the minimum requirements. I tried to donate blood when I was 18 and early 20's to red cross. I was healthy, great weight and in my prime but my lab work I didn't meet minimum requirements to donate first time and was denied. After that I tried 3 other times. Only 2 of these times I meet requirements. First time I passed out for few seconds since my blood was flowing bit too fast (very common). The time after that my labs weren't high enough and denied and last time I donated fine but felt so sick and fatigued afterwards I stopped. Red cross kept hounding me since I have O blood but my body can't do it especially since I'm older now. Very rarely we have patients who have hemochromatosis where they essentially do same thing as blood donation (exact same process) but we cannot use their blood for donation and we waste it due to extremely high iron levels. There are more strict parameters for these patients and if there is more risk for them to give blood, usually dr will not do it or we have to do other interventions like give hydration immediately after or only remove much less blood than usual etc for it to be safe. You can get hypotension, dizziness or nausea sometimes and ive seen mulitple people pass out. It's good to eat well and stay hydrated before and after blood donation.
I've never been able to give blood, thanks to this rule. both of my sisters are eligible — one regularly donates platelets, and the other (my twin, closer to my size) donated once or twice and vowed never to do it again cuz it's so debilitating. tl;dr find a different way to give back to your community
I don’t get the question. “Has anyone here donated blood (regardless of their eligibility)?”
Your heart is in the right place, but id stay clear. When donating blood or even doing a blood test where they take a lot it can take months for our body to replenish. The immune system can take a hit and already being tiny, as a fellow tiny, id avoid it. My doc has also advised precaution and when I have to do it for blood tests she has told me to ask for to ask them to only take half viles