Donating Blood and Tinnitus

Hello guys!

I am thinking about becoming a blood donor, but I heard that iron deficiency can cause you T (I guess temporary) and I guess in my case, either worsen or spike my T. The blood centers will give you iron after donating to make sure that you have enough iron to replace the blood they take from you. However I am still worried it might cause spike or anything negative towards T, so have any one here donated blood with T? Have you noticed any difference?

 

I used to donate blood a couple times a year and never once had an issue even with temporary ringing. Not to say it can't happen. I have not donated in the last 5 years mainly due to other factors and not because I worry about an increase in my Tinnitus. Donating blood saves so many lives its crazy. So my advice might be to do it once with the T you now suffer and see if there was any spike, even short term. Then you have a better answer and can decide on what you will do in the future as far as donating goes?? Just a thought............

 

That is my thought too. But ofc I dom't want to make it worse

 

Of course not. Well this is totally up to you. I have heard of so many reasons people believe Tinnitus got loud or even began. Many reasons I personally have a hard time believing but that's not to say it isn't possible. I guess its best to really research this and not just ask the average person who may think it will or wont make it worse. Look for case studies. Look at all possible known side effects. Make sure the source of the information is valid.

Put off any decisions about donating for awhile until you are sure it may or may not cause extra grief.

Good luck with everything and hope your T improves in time!! Hugs,

Mike

 

Keep me posted on everything. I love to know how people are doing with this T.

 

Thank you Mike!

I really want to donate since I know it helps a lot of people and I don't want to be selfish when I can help. But the same time it scares me in case iron deficiency would cause T to get worse, especially since it takes a few weeks with supplement before the the iron level gets back to normal. I am considering going there tomorrow and ask them, however I think they will try to talk me into donating anyway, since most people cannot understand fully how it feels to have T. I am more or less habituated so I don't want to start fearing the noise again. So tough I feel like a horrible person if I don't do it.

 

Do NOT feel bad if you don't donate. Do what you are most comfortable with. Research, talk to your doctor even if he/she has barely a clue about T and how badly it effects us. My own family doctor was about as helpful with my T as the neighbors dog was. So I pretty much needed to do tons of research, talk to many others who suffers, and help guide my doctor to better treat me.

I can already tell you are a good person. Anyone who has ever donated a drop of blood in the past are usually decent and caring individuals. Same goes for those who volunteer time in other areas. You may have a valid reason to stop donating....... I just don't know for sure. This won't change who you are. Once a good person, always a good person in my books!! If you feel guilty, well donate an hour a week at the local food bank or something. Lots to places need a hand now and then. I donated blood for many years and also volunteered for 7 years with a local YMCA to provide security at hockey games 5 months each year. This money they got to provide volunteer security personnel helped send underprivileged kids to summer camp. Was a win win situation for me. The YMCA got paid and sent kids to camp, and I got to see tons of hockey games for free!! Only had a few nasty instances in 7 years of security!!

So don't feel bad and do not donate blood if this will cause anxiety or an increase in your T. I am sure you can do other things if you really want too. You meet good people too when you volunteer time.

Big hugs to a good person (YOU) Good luck and let me know how everything goes.

Mike

 

How much iron can you lose by donating blood? It's a joke, really.
I have T. and I donated blood. My biggest fear was that they could't find my vein (I am fat), not about T.
If you feel you want to, Go and donate.

 

donating blood is all good! good idea to help people

 

The iron is "lost" after the donation, when the body is creating new blood cells to replace the blood you lost. For that you need a lot of iron, and that is where I get worried that iron deficiency might kick in. I cannot find reliable sources anywhere that the T is only temporary (if so, that would mean for T suffers that we might get an increase in loudness/spike?) or not. Since women are more prone to be lacking iron to begin with due to our monthly menstruation, that sort of gives me a rather bad starting point But I know I cannot be sure until I do it but that is still scary

 

Hi again Mike!

Thank you for the kind words! Feels much better, so thank you. I am still going on and off about the donation, my mother almost died when giving birth to my younger sister (not sure what happened, i was only 6 at the time) and I know that she had to be given A LOT of blood to survive. For that reason alone I want to make sure that I could give back a bit to everybody that would need blood. I will try to call them today and talk to them, my only worry is that even if they tell me it is fine, I am hesitant if I will believe them. Sort of like going to a GP and talk about T with them, they'll tell you it is nothing to worry about and it will get better. But we all know that it is not that simple. But I guess it is worth a try to at least talk to someone there.

 

@Fangen

Well I think your very cool! There is no rush to donate so gather as much information as you can and make your own educated decision.

In the meantime just carry on with your life and your future goals. Some people on here will have different opinions on donating and how the low Iron may effect your T, but you do what you are comfortable with and not what they think should be done. Anything that may lead to a spike in tinnitus is scary. I have no clue if even a small amount of Iron loss would harm it. I sure would hold off until I have researched everything first and am comfortable that it wont.

Keep protecting your hearing as best you can. Big hug to yea!!

Mike

 

Fangen I think you are a very compassionate and good person to consider donation of blood. If it is going to worry you and then you will be checking you T for an increase which causes stress which makes T seem louder I would forget it.. There are plenty of folks that donate that have no problems....

 

What @william adams says is very true. After donating you will most likely concentrate on the noise more to see if it has increased. By focusing on it you are bound to believe it has increased. I would put it off until your are for sure comfortable with it. Like I said before, you do not have to donate blood to make a difference. I know you are passionate about blood donations because of what your mom went thru but there are so many other ways to help people other than blood. Like I said, maybe donate an hour or two per month at a food bank or nursing home. Even a little help there goes a long way.

Keep on being a caring and sweet person. The world needs more of us who really care!

 

You didn't asnwer the question: "How much iron can you lose by donating blood?"
"A lot of iron" it is not an answer. Have you spoken with a doctor? Why I didn;t see this problem written anywhere, also nobody (nurses) asked me about that?
You know that, before donating, they make a quick analysis of your blood, right? After that they decide if you are fit or not to donate.
So, go and at least try to donate. If you still want, of course.

 

I did it and had no problems.

If you drink or smoke pot within a few hours, you'll get really trashed, though.

 

this^^^^^ and...biggest problem with tinnitus sufferers donating blood is that tinnitus is passed through the blood and you will give tinnitus to the recipient. There are further theories that this transference of T is just that, as you pass your T to an unsuspecting recipient, it actually lowers your T. But sometimes, the guilt associated with passing T along to someone unsuspecting...associated guilt heightens anxiety and therefore restores T to original values. Call it a synergistic circle and not a zero sum game after all.
Something to consider.

 

And...FWIW its never advisable to pump iron after giving blood. Best to rest after giving blood or fire up a fat boy.

 

Thank you very much William for the kind words
That is very true, I will probably check it all the time afterwards and knowing how I am, I will convince myself I hear a new or different tone just because I am trying to look for anything that is out of the ordinary.

 

Not sure if you are joking or not, but T is not passed through blood..

 

Thank you for letting me know, I don't drink or smoke so that shouldn't be a problem

 

Not what I hear, not that my hearing is perfect.
Tell that to the blood recipient who became pigeon toed because the donor had this issue. By contrast, positive traits can be passed along as well. Some recipients develop the capacity to create great art when donors have this attribute for example. So it works to the good as well including my talent for comedy I inherited by a blood transfusion. Because it works to the good and bad, why many believe there is no stigma.

 

I think you need to do some more research in that area. I am not going to argue for why that is wrong so

 

I have. In fact, I have studied this issue until I became cross eyed. Then, I engaged in the unthinkable and donated blood and you guessed it. The poor recipient developed cross eyes as well. Now for a bit of good news. Its reversible provided you receive blood from a donor with perfect vision. Lesson Learned? Choose your blood donor carefully to preclude unintended consequences.

 

unsure if you're trolling or completely insane.

these ideas were popular in the Victorian era. So was phrenology....

 

forgive me for making the extrapolation but speaking of phrenology, do you have a small head?
Your lack of sense of humor is not in question...lol.

 

I'm more into phrenological escapology, myself. You know, the divine moment of truth... the inevitability of the unexpected - the vortex of the cortex. Knowing what we don't know, while sampling the cosmos; from the darkness to the light; from the unreal to the real....from death to immortality...

 

Sounds like a metaphor for tinnitus...an enigma wrapped in a conundrum with background noise.

 

Chuckles!!!!!

 

I am going to go for a blood transfusion from someone with perfect hearing, no tinnitus, an IQ above 160 AND is filthy rich! After my transfusion I will be totally normal again and very very wealthy!! heheheheheh

Don't worry about what blood donations may give someone. This is just crazy. I know @Fangen is concerned about the lower iron in her blood from donating may increase her tinnitus or even cause a short spike. I am sure she is NOT worried about passing on tinnitus thru donating blood!! These are things she must research and make her own choices about. I just hope if she decides not to donate that she has no guilt from it. None of us can be certain what lower iron in the blood may or may not do to tinnitus. I still respect her deeply for wanting to give this wonderful gift even if she can not do it!!