FAQs
- You may donate 4 months after the procedure & being cleared by your doctor.
- Most cancers are a deferral. Please contact the Blood Center for more details.
- Please wait until you are feeling well and healthy to donate blood. We look forward to seeing you soon.
- If you have tested positive for COVID-19, please wait 10 days after you become symptom free to donate
For the most updated ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ about COVID Vaccines & Blood Donation, please reference the link below. Link: https://www.coastalbendbloodcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/FAQ-COVID-Vaccines-and-Blood-Donation-2.23.pdf
- You may donate the day of if it is a routine procedure, however, if a biopsy was taken, please wait until biopsy results are clear to donate blood.
- Individuals with diabetes are eligible to donate blood even if they are on oral medication or insulin. Make sure you have a good meal prior to donating blood to insure your blood sugar doesn’t drop during or after a blood donation.
- PrEP/PEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis and Post Exposure) Preventative Oral Medication such as: Truvada, Descovy, Trivicay, Isentress – You are eligible to donate 4 months after the last day of the oral medication.
- Any injection for HIV Prevention – You are eligible to donate blood two years after the last injection.
- Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) – Unfortunately, you are not able to donate blood after receiving this treatment.
- For more information on the recent FDA changes, please visit: bit.ly/FDAGuidance2023.
- Cornea Surgery – You must wait 4 months after the surgery to donate blood.
- Lasik Surgery – Once healed, you are eligible to donate blood.
- Cateracts Surgery – Once healed, you are eligible to donate blood.
- FDA has recently changed questions to better assess each donor's risk for HIV.
- For more information on FDA's move to individual donor assessments, please click this link to read America's Blood Centers FAQ: http://bit.ly/FDAChanges2023
- If in jail for over 72 hours, you must wait a year after the release date to donate blood.
- Deferred for iron? You can wait one day for levels to rise & donate again. Just because you were deferred for iron before doesn’t mean you will be deferred today.
- If you are a female, please keep in mind that your menstrual cycle might lower your iron levels
- Here is some basic information about iron-rich food to increase your levels:
- Asthma – Donor will NOT be eligible to donate if experiencing symptoms the day of donation
- COPD – You are eligible to donate as long as you are NOT on oxygen
- Oxygen – Unfortunately, if dependent on oxygen, donor is unable to donate blood
- Pneumonia – If you’re currently experiencing an active infection you will become eligible one month after treatment
- For any other lung diseases, please contact the Coastal Bend Blood Center.
- Donor cannot donate while currently pregnant
- If you have been pregnant, had a miscarriage or an abortion, donors must wait at least 6 weeks to donate blood or until released by your doctor.
- Breastfeeding - If you’re breastfeeding you can donate blood
- HIV – Unfortunately, you cannot donate blood
- Syphilis – Donor can donate 6 months after the last treatment
- Gonorrhea – Donor can donate 6 months after the last treatment
- All other STD’s must be treated and are eligible to donate four months after the last treatment.
- Please contact the Coastal Bend Blood Center for questions regarding other STDs.
- You are eligible to donate blood if you have receive a tattoo at a state-licensed facility and the tattoo is healed.
- If you have received a tattoo outside of Texas, please contact us at 361-855-4943.
- Please note, microblading is not considered a tattoo
- Must have used a single-use equipment and the piercing must be healed before donating blood.
- We have a testosterone program in place. Please contact the Blood Center for more details.
- If you have recently traveled out of the country & are unsure if you are eligible to donate blood, please contact the Coastal Bend Blood Center at 361-855-4943.
- If you were previously deferred due to military or civilian travel, please contact the Coastal Bend Blood Center as many of these restrictions have been lifted.
- If you are experiencing reactions from the vaccine, you are not eligible to donate blood until those have subsided.
- Flu – You can donate the same day you receive a flu vaccine.
- Allergy - You can donate the same day you receive an allergy vaccine.
- Shingles – You can donate the same day you receive a shingles vaccine.
- Pneumonia – You can donate the same day you receive a pneumonia shot.
- Hepatitis B Vaccine – You must wait 2 weeks after you receive the Hep B vaccine in order to donate blood.
- COVID-19 – You can donate the same day you receive a non-replicated, inactivated or mRNA-based COVID-19 Vaccine.
- Live-alternated - 15 day deferral
- If unknown - 2 week deferral from last dose
- Any other questions about a recent vaccine, please contact the Blood Center at 361-855-4943.