Donating blood after procedure?

[Donnchadh]

After a month post my first CCSVI procedure, I resumed donating a pint of whole blood (which really helps with symptoms).

Now I am wondering about it's effects concerning the "blood-thinners" does donating blood make it thicker?

Note I am NOT saying donating blood while undergoing a course of blood thinners but rather after its completed.

Does donating blood make it "thicker" or "thinner" or has no effect either way?

Donnchadh

[Cece]

From: The Blood Clinic

HEART ATTACKS AND BLOOD VISCOSITY REDUCED BY BLOOD DONATION

Studies Show Blood Donation Reduced Viscosity up to 32%, Acute Myocardial Infarction by 88%

August 6, 2008 – A benchmark research study published in 1998 in the American Journal of Epidemiology demonstrated an 88% reduced risk of sudden heart attack (acute myocardial infarction, or AMI) in regular blood donors. Results published in Clinical Hemorheology and Microcirculation the same year demonstrated that blood donation reduced systolic and diastolic blood viscosity values from their baselines by 21% and 32%, respectively.

The first study was a prospective epidemiological study following 2,862 men aged 42-60 for an average of 9 years. Only one out of the 153 men (or 0.7%) who had donated blood in the 24 months preceding the baseline examination experienced an acute myocardial infarction during 1984 to 1995, whereas 316 men (12.5%) of 2,529 non-blood donors had an AMI (p < 0.0001 for difference between proportions). The study authors adjusted for age, examination years and all other predictive coronary disease risk factors and found the blood donors had an 88% reduced risk of AMI compared with non-blood donors.

The second study examined 30 patients (12 male, 18 female) who donated one unit (450 +/- 30 mL) every four days for a total of four donation sessions. Blood viscosity measurements were taken at baseline and at the end of the four sessions. Systolic blood viscosity was reduced by 21%, and diastolic blood viscosity was reduced by 32%, on average.

Donation of blood not only causes hemodilution but also erythropoiesis, or the formation of new red blood cells. The new, younger cells have more deformable membranes and less of a tendency to aggregate. In fact, old cells have been shown to be 30% more rigid and to aggregate 80% more than new cells. [Muravyov] The improved circulation from a larger proportion of young cells causes less damage to the vessel wall leading to a reduction in the buildup of atherosclerotic plaque and plaque rupture.

SOURCES:
J. Solonen, et al. Donation of blood is associated with reduced risk of myocardial infarction. American Journal of Epidemiology, 148 (1998) 445-451.

X. Cliville, et al. Hemorheological, coagulative and fibrinolytic changes during autologous blood donation. Clinical Hemorheology and Microcirculation, 18 (1998) 265-272.

A.V. Muravyov, et al. The microrheological behavior of young and old red blood cells in athletes. Clinical Hemorheology and Microcirculation, 26 (2002) 183-188.

It not only reduces blood viscosity, making the blood thinner, it sounds like the new young blood cells that are formed are better than the old ones.

[CCSVIhusband]

Blood cells last an average of 120 days (4 months give or take).

The average body contains about 10 pints of blood ...

So donating 1/10th every so often of your blood and having the body replace it ... certainly seems like it would put new "fresh" blood in your system regularly. BUT it doesn't necessarily mean you're donating your oldest blood, so I'd imagine the aggregate effect is about the same. as a regular 12 day cycle (1/10th of 120 days) ...


Whether that does anything or not, I think people can only speculate. Some seem to think it helps though.

[Talisker]

In the UK I think people with MS are banned from giving blood.

[CureIous]

I donated awhile ago, no problems at all, but not while on thinners but I haven't read or heard any specific exclusions per se for thinners.

[Donnchadh]

My blood bank screens for a multitude of infectious diseases, and whether you are taking any "MS" autoimmune drugs.

I have never taken any "MS" autoimmune drugs and CCSVI isn't contiguous.

Donnchadh

[hwebb]

In Australia people diagnosed with MS are not allowed to donate blood. The reasoning is that the cause of MS is not yet proven, and it is possible the cause is infectious in nature (think bacterial/viral infection).

Maybe a crazy rule, as most people take years to get an MS diagnosis - so could be donating blood for years. Also, with all the new science around MS it seems likely to have a vascular cause.

[drsclafani]

After a month post my first CCSVI procedure, I resumed donating a pint of whole blood (which really helps with symptoms).

Now I am wondering about it's effects concerning the "blood-thinners" does donating blood make it thicker?

Note I am NOT saying donating blood while undergoing a course of blood thinners but rather after its completed.

Does donating blood make it "thicker" or "thinner" or has no effect either way?

Donnchadh

thinner. when you lose blood or give blood, initially your blood thickness remains the same. However body fluid normally "seeps" into the circulation when the blood volume is reduces as in donation, and dilutes the blood making it termporarily thinner.

[Blaze]

In the UK I think people with MS are banned from giving blood.

Same in Canada. I have been banned from donating blood since just after my diagnosis 27 years ago.

[ppicklee]

Same here Talisker and hwebb and Blaze btw. Great document Cece! I wonder it they would allow me to donate blood now. Before diagnosis (one month after I had last donated), no problem. After I was diagnosed with MS I was no longer allowed to donate. Hmmmm