History - when a person gives blood, the Red Cross tests their hemoglobin level before they can donate. (This shows the number of red blood cells in the blood.) Normal levels for an adult woman are between 12-15. (Different labs define 'normal' with slightly different numbers.)
(For men, it's between 14-17. Women are slightly lower because they menstruate.)
To give blood, the Red Cross requires you to be at 12.5 or above.
I've given blood many times (closing in at the 10 gallon mark). When I was younger, I never had a problem hitting 12.5 though I was never much above it. I don't think I ever hit 13. But as I've gotten older (I'm 53), hemoglobin levels naturally drop so I haven't been able to give blood for maybe 6-8 years because I was under the 12.5.
So today I saw the bloodmobile parked at a local store and decided to stop in. (They get some sort of credit when someone tries to donate, even if they're not eligible.) I told the nurse right away that she might as well test my hemoglobin first because I probably wouldn't be able to donate. So she did and it was...
15.0!!!!
The nurse could see my history (last time I tried to donate, my hemoglobin was at 11.3). Naturally she asked if I'd changed anything in my life and I told her the only thing that had changed was that I had quit smoking and was now vaping instead. We ended up having a nice little chat about vaping, etc. (It probably helps that I am a nurse also.)
So now I'm wondering if anyone else has noticed any changes in their hemoglobin levels since they've started vaping.
(For men, it's between 14-17. Women are slightly lower because they menstruate.)
To give blood, the Red Cross requires you to be at 12.5 or above.
I've given blood many times (closing in at the 10 gallon mark). When I was younger, I never had a problem hitting 12.5 though I was never much above it. I don't think I ever hit 13. But as I've gotten older (I'm 53), hemoglobin levels naturally drop so I haven't been able to give blood for maybe 6-8 years because I was under the 12.5.
So today I saw the bloodmobile parked at a local store and decided to stop in. (They get some sort of credit when someone tries to donate, even if they're not eligible.) I told the nurse right away that she might as well test my hemoglobin first because I probably wouldn't be able to donate. So she did and it was...
15.0!!!!
The nurse could see my history (last time I tried to donate, my hemoglobin was at 11.3). Naturally she asked if I'd changed anything in my life and I told her the only thing that had changed was that I had quit smoking and was now vaping instead. We ended up having a nice little chat about vaping, etc. (It probably helps that I am a nurse also.)
So now I'm wondering if anyone else has noticed any changes in their hemoglobin levels since they've started vaping.
