Donating Blood With Lupus

If you have lupus (systemic lupus erythematosus or SLE) and want to donate blood, it's important to know that some organizations and blood banks will accept your donation whereas others will not. And even when lupus doesn't automatically disqualify you, eligibility criteria usually require that the disease be inactive or in remission.

Potential risks to you also need to be considered, and you and your healthcare provider should discuss whether donating is a good idea for you.

While it can be disappointing to find out you can't help people by giving blood, keep in mind that you can "give back" in many other ways.

Blood Donation Eligibility

Whether you can donate blood with lupus depends not only on the status of your condition but on where you choose to donate blood. Blood banks can vary considerably in their requirements and guidelines so that you may be able to donate somewhere even if you are told you are ineligible at one organization.

For example, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center allows people with lupus to donate blood if they're asymptomatic.

The Australian Red Cross is an organization that doesn't accept blood from people with lupus as it claims it's concerned not only about the risk to the person receiving the blood, but about the potential for negative impact on the person with lupus.

Restrictions to Donating Blood With Lupus

In addition to general guidelines that limit who can donate blood (such as those with HIV infection and more), some conditions will disqualify people with lupus from donating blood at any blood bank or organization.

The reasons for these restrictions is again two-fold. Healthcare providers don't know how donating blood could affect you nor how exposure to components in your blood may affect the person who receives it, especially if that person is very ill or has a suppressed or compromised immune system.

Plasma Donation and Lupus

Since antibodies found in the blood are the primary cause for concern surrounding blood donations from people with lupus, plasma donation is usually discouraged. Red blood cells and platelets from people with lupus are generally considered "safe."

Bone Marrow Donation and Lupus

Having lupus, even in remission, is usually a contraindication for bone marrow donation. The organization Be The Match excludes people with an autoimmune disease other than stable autoimmune thyroid disease.

Organ Donation and Lupus

People with lupus may or may not be able to donate organs. The only absolute contraindication is Creutzfeldt-Jacob syndrome. With lupus, problems with blood clots (antiphospholipid syndrome) would be one reason why healthcare providers may think twice. In many cases, the benefits (saving a life) may easily outweigh the potential risks.

Another Way to Help: Lupus Plasma Donation Studies

Even if you can't donate plasma to help someone in need, there is another option for people with lupus. Several organizations ask for plasma donation from people with lupus in order to study the disease.

Many of these are paid plasma donation studies, so those who are disappointed that they can't "give back" by donating blood could actually give back in two ways; their donation could further study on lupus, and they could use the monetary aspect to assist people struggling with their health (and life) in other ways.

Before You Donate

Before deciding whether to donate, it's important to consider whether it's right for you. Because you you can help or give back in other ways, you don't need to risk your health to do so.

Possible Risks

Potential risks of donating blood could include worsening of your disease, depending on what factors set off your lupus flares. If you have fatigue associated with your disease, donating blood could make it worse. It may also exacerbate lupus-related heart issues.

There is also a risk of persistent bleeding and bruising if you have underlying blood cell count abnormalities.

Benefits

If you are able to donate, it is a noble endeavor, as one blood donation can help save up to three lives. According to the Red Cross, every two seconds someone in the United States needs blood and only approximately 6.8 million people in the United States donate blood a year.

There is no blood substitute, and donors are the only sources of blood. Donated blood is used not only in emergencies but also for people with cancer, blood disorders such as anemia, and many other illnesses.

Making a Decision

If you meet the criteria to donate, talk to your healthcare provider first. Even if you are in remission and your disease is inactive, they may have some specific reasons why you should not donate. If you're disappointed, they will probably have some idea where you can use your desire to help others in a different way.

Before working on behalf of others, however, make sure you are living and coping with your lupus as well as possible. People who take care of themselves first are better able to help others.

Summary

Many blood donation organizations do not allow people with lupus to donate, and if they do, the guidelines can significantly limit who may give blood. Unlimited ways of helping others exist, however, including becoming an advocate.