Can I Donate If?

The following article covers EVERYTHING concerning if it is ok to donate to your vamp. This is from the Red Cross so it is on the restrictive side. It is up to the donor/vamp pair to use it as a guide.

I'm taking several different medications. Do you have a list of Generic Medications I can look at to see if I'm eligible to donate?
Accutane Cannot donate or must wait one month from last dose
Allergy medication You can donate
Anxiety medication You can donate
Antibiotics You can donate two days after your last dose
Antibiotics for acne or preventative for urinary track infection/gum disease You can donate
Anticonvulsant (no seizures for 1 year) You can donate
Antidepressants You can donate
Arthrotec You must wait one month after last dose.
Analgesics - Aspirin, Pain Relievers You can donate
Antacids - (i.e. Tums, Prilosec) You can donate
Aspirin You can donate
Asthma medication (no attack requiring ER visit in past 30 days) You can donate
Anti-Fungal for localized skin/nails/vagina You can donate
Anti-Histamine (no or mild symptoms) You can donate
Avodart Cannot donate or must wait six months from last dose
Birth control pills You can donate
Blood thinners (Coumadin) You cannot donate if taken on a regular basis
Cholesterol medication You can donate
Coumadin Cannot donate or must wait one month from last dose
Decongestant (no symptoms) You can donate
Diet pill You can donate
Diuretic You can donate unless taking it for Congestive Heart Failure, then Indefinite Deferral
Female hormones You can donate
Growth hormones before 1985 You cannot donate
Guardasil (Human Papilloma Virus)

You can donate
Female hormones You can donate
Insulin (U.S. licensed) You can donate
Insulin (beef/bovine obtained outside of the U.S.) Cannot donate at any time
Isoretinoin (Accutane, Amnesteem, Claravis or Sotret) Cannot donate or must wait one month from last dose
Plavix Can donate whole blood or plasma; wait five days after last dose to donate platelets
Propecia Cannot donate or must wait one month from last dose
Proscar Cannot donate or must wait one month from last dose
Remicade Cannot donate or must wait one month from last dose
Sleeping pill You can donate
Soriatane (acitretin) Cannot donate or must wait three years from last dose
Steroids (oral) You can donate
Steroids (topical) You can donate
Tegison (etretinate) Cannot donate at any time
Tranquilizers You can donate
Thyroid medication You can donate
Unlicensed drug (research study) You must wait 30 days from your last dose before you can donate.
Vitamins/ Herbal Supplements You can donate

Do you have a list of common ailments and illnesses?
Diabetes - feeling well regardless of
sugar level You can donate
Diabetes - symptomatic You must wait 30 days after symptoms disappear before you can donate
Diarrhea You must wait two days after symptoms disappear before you can donate.
Eczema - no infected lesions You can donate
Headache - Severe Migraine You can donate one day after your headache disappears
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (having abdominal discomfort) You must wait two days to donate after symptoms disappear
Mononucleosis You must wait six weeks after symptoms disappear before you can donate
Psoriasis You can donate
Psoriasis - taking Acitretin, Soritane or Tegison You cannot donate
Pneumonia You must wait 30 days after you get well before you can donate
Poison Ivy (no lesions in venipuncture area) You can donate
Ringworm (not in venipuncture area) You can donate
Stroke related to heart or embolism You can donate if it is more than one year since the stroke and your condition is stable.
Stroke related to head injury You can donate if it is more than one year since the stroke and your condition is stable.
Thyroid - Hypo/Hyper - controlled with medication You can donate
Ulcerative Colitis - no medication taken You can donate
Ulcerative Colitis - taking Asacol You can donate
UTI (Urinary Tract Infection) You must wait two days after treatment is finished to donate

What if I've got a tattoo or body piercing?
Ear Piercing- Sterile Gun:
Applied by licensed facility in the state of Texas: One week from date of application
Applied by self, unlicensed individual or a facility outside the state of Texas: One year from date of application.
All Other Body Parts:
Applied by licensed facility in the state of Texas: One week from date of application
Applied by self, unlicensed individual or a facility outside the state of Texas: One year from date of application.
Acupuncture - Licensed Practitioner:
Applied by licensed facility in the state of Texas: One week from date of application
Applied by self, unlicensed individual or a facility outside the state of Texas: One year from date of application.
Tattoo:
Applied by licensed facility in the state of Texas: One week from date of application
Applied by self, unlicensed individual or a facility outside the state of Texas: One year from date of application.
I recently had a shot/vaccination, can I donate?

Allergy shot You can donate
Botox injection You must wait two days before you can donate
Flu shot You can donate
Gamma Globulin – HBIG (exposure to hepatitis) You must wait one year before you can donate
Havrix (hepatitis A vaccine) You can donate
Heptavax (hepatitis B vaccine) You must wait one day before you can donate
Meningitis You can donate
Novocaine You can donate
Polio You can donate
Rabies (animal bite) You can donate
Routine TB test You can donate
Steroid injection (joint) You can donate
Steroid injection (intramuscular) You must wait three days after the shot before you can donate
TB test for exposure You must wait three days or until the test has been read to donate
Tetanus Booster You can donate

AVODART (dutasteride) was approved on Oct. 10, 2002, and became available for prescription in December of 2002. Like Proscar (finasteride) , it is for the treatment of symptomatic benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) in men. However, it is considerably more potent. You must wait 6 months after your last dose before you can donate.
I recently had surgery or a skin graft, can I donate?
Major surgery performed in hospital/surgery clinic (no blood used) You can donate if you have resumed normal activities
Major surgery performed in hospital/surgery clinic - blood transfusion received You must wait one year after surgery to donate - even if autologous blood was used
Minor surgery performed in MD office You must wait one week to donate
Lasik/cataract surgery You must wait one week to donate
Grafts - Autologous You must wait six weeks after the graft to donate
Graft - Allogeneic You must wait one year after the graft to donate
Graft - Animal BIO-OSS dental graft, OASIS non-cellular graft or heart valve graft - you must wait 6 weeks after graft to donate .
Solid organ graft – You cannot donate

I have a circulation or heart - related disorder, can I donate?
High blood pressure (controlled) You can donate
All heart conditions/surgery/ angioplasty and heart attacks that have associated chest pain Please contact Medical Services:
(713) 791-6612
Mitral Valve Prolapse (MVP) - (Stable - no chest pain in past year) You can donate
Mitral Valve Prolapse (MVP) - (Unstable or chest pains within the past year) Must have a physician approval letter to donate
Arrhythmia - no pain/no medication or controlled by medication You can donate

I just came from the dentist, can I still donate?
No deferral unless on antibiotics, then can donate 2 days after last dose.
Common questions from men:
My PSA is elevated, but I don't know why. Can I donate?
Please contact our Medical Services Department at (713) 791-6612.

My PSA is elevated due to benign prostate hyperplasia. Can I donate?
Yes, you may donate today, unless you are taking Avodart (dutasteride) or Proscar (finasteride) .

My PSA is elevated and I'm taking Proscar. Can I donate?
You may donate one month after your last dosage.

I'm taking Propecia for baldness. Can I donate?
You may donate one month after your last dose.

If I have had sexual contact with another male, even once, from 1977 to the present, can I donate?
You cannot donate.

Common questions from women:
I am pregnant, can I donate?
You cannot donate until six weeks after giving birth.

I recently had an abortion, can I donate?
You are eligible to donate six weeks after the procedure.

I recently had a miscarriage, can I donate?
You are eligible to donate six weeks after the miscarriage.

I am going through Menopause or am having Hormone Replacement Therapy. Can I donate?
Yes, you may donate.

I'm taking birth control pills, can I donate?
Yes, you may donate.

I'm taking fertility drugs, can I donate?
Yes, you may donate.

I've just had a routine mammogram. Can I donate?
Yes, you may donate.

I've just had a mammogram for CA Dx. Can I donate?
You may donate one week after your mammogram.

I have been given RhoGam/RhIg, can I donate?
You may donate in 12 weeks.

I have a vaginal yeast infection. Can I donate?
Yes, you can donate.

In the past 12 months I have had sexual contact with a male who has had sexual contact with another male or used IV drugs. Can I donate?
You are eligible to donate after one year.

Can I donate if I have a sexually transmitted disease?
If you have genital herpes, chlamydia or venereal warts (human papillomavirus) , but no active lesions, you can donate. If you have syphilis or gonorrhea you must wait one year after you complete your treatments and have negative test results.

I've made contact with someone who has hepatitis, does this mean I can't donate blood?
If you are hospital personnel or have been exposed via casual contact, you can donate. If your contact has come from a member of your household (sexual contact as well), and that person is asymptomatic and not undergoing treatment, you can donate. If that person is undergoing treatment or is symptomatic, you must wait one year before you can donate blood.

I don't have Sickle Cell Anemia, but I carry the trait. Can I still donate?
You can donate blood if you have sickle cell trait. However, all blood is currently filtered to help prevent reactions in the recipient. Blood with sickle cell trait does not filter well. We encourage donors with sickle cell trait to donate plasma or platelet apheresis. These two types do not get filtered

What is CMV?
A common viral pathogen found in all population groups. Nearly all CMV– infected people are asymtomatic. It causes few problems for healthy individuals. But in newborns and immunocompromised individuals, it may produce a variety of disease processes.
~Resource info from GCRBC, Houston, Texas