By partyrocker12 - 19/09/2012 19:45 - United States

Today, I decided to give blood for the first time in my life. As an 18-year-old, 5'1", 110lb woman, I guess I shouldn't have been allowed there, much less permitted to leave the room to get some food. I ended up passing out in the middle of the dining hall. FML
I agree, your life sucks 21 927
You deserved it 4 214

partyrocker12 tells us more.

partyrocker12 1

Hello, OP here! Thank You all for your concern! I'm doing a lot better. I actually ended up passing out three more times before they carted me off to the hospital, where I took a nice nap. I think what did me in was my blood pressure, which to me actually seemed low to give blood. I have normally low blood pressure (96/84 is my average) and it was 100/85, or something like that. They also did not attempt to detain me. As for the amount, they took 2 cups from me, so one of the smaller bags. This is a company that regularly visits my university (not the Red Cross, if it was Red Cross it would be different), and my sorority sister who took care of me had two bags taken from her last year, she's about 5'5" and weighs maybe 170lbs and she nearly passed out. I think the next time I give blood, it will be with RC. They made no attempt to stop me as I went up a flight of stairs, handed my meal card over, and made my way over to the pop machine, which is where I fainted for the first time in my life. Thank You again for your concern, and I'm so glad that I did it.

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Top comments

hopsinlove17 26

At least your vein didn't collapse. Shame on the doctor who permitted you...at our blood drive you have to be 120

200 3

Comments

beclaurela 18

It happens. Get over it. Losing a pint is a big deal to the body.

0 12
ElricMustang 23

It's people like you who say "Get over it" then go commplain elsewhere about everything, isn't it? :/

11 0
SWhimsynBubbaS 14

The good things are: youre ok and you did a good thing... I guess passing outs pretty typical i mean if it would be me, id just pass out from the blood itself :-/

0 0
rawritsdinogirl 4

Fail. OP said it right.

2 19
Punkibug 0

They had a blood drive at my high school. We had to be 115lb+ (didn't even ask about height) and they only asked us our weight/sexual/drug use.... Granted they test the blood. I almost donated, but I was hesitant on my actual weight so the nurse weighed me..... But kinda scary knowing they'll just drain blood from anybody without much precaution.

3 1
deg1017 3

They test the blood afterwards, before it is used for anyone else. If something gets flagged, they usually mail you something and don't use your blood. At least that's how the Red Cross does it.

2 0
acdance08 6

Lucky im 18 5"3 1/2 and 102 and cant give blood i have to be 120 pounds :( but ya wait in till u gain weight to give blood again ..lesson learned... Sorry for that

0 2
drewcat21 0

As a phlebotomist I feel responsible to explain that at her size it was perfectly acceptable for her to give blood. There are people 3 times her size that can still pass out after giving blood. They explain very well not to be very active after donating blood and I'm guessing the dining hall wasn't just a few steps away.

8 1
kirby1964 20

I've given blood for year. Sometime I still feel a little lightheaded. Keep trying OP. You might be the who needs someday.

4 1
X_Codes 11

Don't be an idiot. If this is what happens when she gives blood then she obviously already needs all the blood she's got.

0 9
X_Codes 11

@34 - Weight is somewhat related to mass, so someone who is taller might want to weigh a bit more since more of their weight could be composed of bone and connective tissue as opposed to blood (5'10", 150 is very different from 5'0", 150, for example). It should also be fine to give blood even if you only weigh, say, 80 lbs, but in that case you're probably not big enough to donate a "useful" quantity of blood safely, so you just get turned away. That's probably what happened here. They drew more blood than OP could donate safely because she's so small, and the obvious happened. Eat lots of leafy greens and protein. Make sure your system has plenty of resources available to replace that blood that was taken out of your arm.

1 0
jelly713 19

It does matter your weight because it's a lot of blood to take out of a 5 foot, 105 pound girl than it is to take out of a 6'3" 200 pound male. The bigger you are the more blood you have. I barely fit the weight qualification myself. I feel light headed when I get blood drawn.

7 3