Did you know: you can't donate blood while on Finasteride/Dutasteride

[jeffshair]

Just curious if anyone else knew that. I try to donate blood on a regular basis but I never really read the list of deferral medications (since I don't take any prescription meds), and just today found out that you can't donate while you're actively taking these medications. You have to stop taking them for a period of a few months to half a year before you can donate again.

Just thought I'd give a heads up to anyone else since it was news to me. I'm likely to keep donating since I'm a universal donor, so I guess that means I have one less weapon in my arsenal against hair loss, oh well

 

[Dark Link]

Yes I was aware of this. I'm surprised they don't put that on the label of the drug. You can continue to give blood once you've quit finasteride for 1 month. I wouldn't let that stop you from taking finasteride. Many people can't give blood.

I gave blood on finasteride back when it was allowed. To me this isn't really an excuse on why you can't take the drug. I think you are just wanting an excuse to not take it.

 

[yadayada029]

Yes I was aware of this. I'm surprised they don't put that on the label of the drug. You can continue to give blood once you've quit finasteride for 1 month. I wouldn't let that stop you from taking finasteride. Many people can't give blood.

I gave blood on finasteride back when it was allowed. To me this isn't really an excuse on why you can't take the drug. I think you are just wanting an excuse to not take it.

I can't give blood because I pass out, so adding this additional restriction was not important, but yes I knew about it. I wonder if there is or are additional restrictions on donating organs.

 

[Dark Link]

Well the only reason why you can't donate blood is that it may be given to a woman that is pregnant with a male fetus. We all know that it may cause guevedoche symptoms to male fetuses in theory, but haven't seen much of this actually happening in real life. The red cross is very particular on who can give blood. I would guess that many people wouldn't be eligible to give blood if they knew the full sexual history of everyone they've ever had a sex act with...

I don't believe there are restrictions on organs. It's not very likely for a pregnant woman to receive an organ during pregnancy right? Even then I'm not sure there would be risk to a male fetus if they did.

I'm very animate on the fact that the only reason Merck says not to crush or break pills is so that people don't opt to get proscar instead of the more expensive propecia. Despite the fact that propecia is 1/5 the dose of the active ingredient and yet costs more! Conspiracy theory sure, but great marketing and loophole by Merck IMO.

 

[jeffshair]

I can't give blood because I pass out, so adding this additional restriction was not important, but yes I knew about it. I wonder if there is or are additional restrictions on donating organs.

Good point, I'm an organ donor too, not that I've had a chance to donate organs yet (I hope not any time soon lol)

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Yes I was aware of this. I'm surprised they don't put that on the label of the drug. You can continue to give blood once you've quit finasteride for 1 month. I wouldn't let that stop you from taking finasteride. Many people can't give blood.

I gave blood on finasteride back when it was allowed. To me this isn't really an excuse on why you can't take the drug. I think you are just wanting an excuse to not take it.

It's a pretty good excuse, no? There are people with a lot bigger problems than hair loss, I like to remind myself of that fact every once in awhile, keeps me grounded

So this is a recent addition to the medication deferral list? How recently was it changed?

 

[Fermat]

I actually had no idea until I read the leaflet (which most people probably don't bother reading). But i'm not allowed to give blood anyway so doesn't affect me!

 

[Dark Link]

Good point, I'm an organ donor too, not that I've had a chance to donate organs yet (I hope not any time soon lol)

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It's a pretty good excuse, no? There are people with a lot bigger problems than hair loss, I like to remind myself of that fact every once in awhile, keeps me grounded

So this is a recent addition to the medication deferral list? How recently was it changed?

I quit on September 30th of 2011 and gave blood on November 1st of 2011. The regulation was there back then so at lease 2.5 years. I'm not sure when they made it a rule to be honest.

 

[drgs]

You could have reasoned it out yourself -- what if your finasteride carrying blood was transferred into a pregnant woman?

 

[Dark Link]

You could have reasoned it out yourself -- what if your finasteride carrying blood was transferred into a pregnant woman?

I'm not sure what you mean? I quit for exactly a month. I was ok by the red cross standards to give blood. Surely you are not implying that finasteride is still in your blood after 1 month? It has a relatively short half life. 8 hours I believe.

And yes I may have given blood to a pregnant women. When I gave blood twice in 2004 I was on finasteride and the red cross accepted my blood. I didn't get any complaints come my way about fetuses born with ambiguous genitalia though.