- Dec 2, 2024
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Donating Blood To Control Hematocrit
TIL about donating blood to control hematocrit from Kurt Havens.
The decision to give blood should only be based on four markers from your labs hemoglobin, hematocrit, platelets, and ferritin.
If hemoglobin and hematocrit are just slightly above the range but platelets are normal and ferritin is normal you don't need to give blood.
If platelets are high yes you should give blood because that is what's going to cause the clotting issue but you also probably need to see an infectious disease person to find out why your platelets are high.
If hemoglobin and hematocrit are high, platelets are normal and ferritin is high blood should be given as well because ferritin being iron will oxidize and can start to destroy your heart or kidneys, pancreas. Those are all rare situations.
If someone's constantly giving blood then they'll drive the ferritin low which will make you anemic. Anemia is actually deadly versus having a hematocrit and hemoglobin one or two points above the range is not deadly.
It's much more of a risk just to arbitrarily give blood because of those two markers.
TIL about donating blood to control hematocrit from Kurt Havens.
The decision to give blood should only be based on four markers from your labs hemoglobin, hematocrit, platelets, and ferritin.
If hemoglobin and hematocrit are just slightly above the range but platelets are normal and ferritin is normal you don't need to give blood.
If platelets are high yes you should give blood because that is what's going to cause the clotting issue but you also probably need to see an infectious disease person to find out why your platelets are high.
If hemoglobin and hematocrit are high, platelets are normal and ferritin is high blood should be given as well because ferritin being iron will oxidize and can start to destroy your heart or kidneys, pancreas. Those are all rare situations.
If someone's constantly giving blood then they'll drive the ferritin low which will make you anemic. Anemia is actually deadly versus having a hematocrit and hemoglobin one or two points above the range is not deadly.
It's much more of a risk just to arbitrarily give blood because of those two markers.
