NEED 1 (ONE/UNO) A + BLOOD DONOR for Open Heart Surgery

Need 1 Blood donor for a patient who will be getting open heart surgery at IMSS (Centro Medico) April 1st.

Qualifications:

1. A+ blood type
2. Alcohol-free for 48 hours
3. Smoke free for 48 hours
4. No active infectious diseases or History of Hepatitis infection
5. No tattoos within the last calendar ear
6. No body piercings other than ear rings.

Please contact Bonnie: bnb@prodigy.net.mx or chapalamed@gmail.com

Monetary compensation will be given for travel expenses etc.

Is there an upper age restriction on blood donors?

George

As far as I know, there is no age restriction.

This country has very stringent blood donor restrictions. You should probably check the laws as you could get someone up there to donate only to be turned away for age or something else. IMSS wouldn't be any different, I wouldn't think. . .

Gawd Trailrunner, one would think an MD would know the rules given the number 0f donor's  turned down that were in their 60's, because of age, blood pressure meds, weight, or sexual preference.  

Maybe Chapala Med can provide the new set of rules, not yet available to the people? BTW, hope the needed donor is located stat.

Jim W.

I am only passing on information that was given to me. I'll be frank. I've been in practice here in Mexico for 15 months and have not had any of my patients go thru the ÏMSS route before. This particular patient got all the attention I could provide and had to go thru IMSS due to lack of financial resources. The family has asked me to help out in any way I can. Thus far we pulled some strings and managed to get the surgery pushed up approx. 3 months.  Working in the private sector is entirely different from the public sectors like IMSS and SEGURO POPULAR.  When any of my patient's have needed blood thus far, we've just arranged to get it thru the hospital that has a blood bank.  

I'm just passing on the info from my patient's spouse and the indications she was given. But if somebody else is familiar with such screening rules, my patient and I are eager to learn.  Yes Jim, I guess you managed to point out that I (as a doctor) don't know it all.

Meanwhile, please pass the word.

Just as a word of caution....when I needed blood for an operation at Del Carmen, the age limit was 60 years...no exception, and my type was O-, very rare in Mexico, but nevertheless, the rules were the rules. With IMSS, TMMV but I doubt it, as it seemed to be some sort of government regulation.

SAMPLE REQUIREMENTS TO DONATE BLOOD

*Be older than 18 years of age and younger than 65 years of age
*Weigh more than 50 kg and less than 100 kg
*Have not consumed solid foods or liquids such as: soup, milk or dairy products or coffee (water, natural juice and fruit is allowed) in the last 6 hours
*Show identification (usually a passport, FM3, Mexican voter’s card, if the donation is at the Instituto Mexicano de Seguro Social (IMSS) or other social medical service, they may ask for your membership card if you have one but they will likely not accept a foreign or Mexican driver’s license as ID)
*Not have donated blood in the last 45 days
*Not arrive tired or after having not slept well
*Not have fasted for more than 12 hours

Temporary causes for rejecting a blood donor

*Having a cold, cough, diarrhea, fever, cold sores or viral sores (herpes) or other infection
*Having recently had parasite illnesses, typhoid, dengue
*In the case of women: being pregnant, menstruating, breast feeding
*Having done the following in the last year: piercings, tattoos, acupuncture
*Having received a blood transfusion in the last 12 months
*Having lost more than 10% of your body weight or more in the last 2 months
*Unexplained diarrhea
*Having drank alcohol in the last 48 hours
*Having taken medications such as aspirin (ASA), analgesics, some antibiotics and other medications (consult the doctor or nurse at the clinic about your specific medications)
*Having received a vaccine in the last month
*Smoke more than 3 cigarettes per day

Causes for rejecting a blood donor

*Using or having used intravenous or inhaled drugs
*Having suffered from: hepatitis, convulsions, seizures, attacks, fainting, epilepsy, asthma, Chagas disease (parasite), cancer, leukemia, hemophilia, diabetes, heart disease or illnesses such as hypertension, even if controlled, arthritis, hormone or thyroid-related illness
*Having suffered renal failure or renal complications
*Having had risky practices or a risky background such as homosexual, bisexual activity, having been with a prostitute or having had more than one sexual partner in the past 12 months
*Having been jailed or in a detention or mental health facility
*Being a health worker

I'm surprised you didn't know this either, given the magnitude of donor restrictions in this country.

Thank you, Trailrunner.

Thank you TRAILRUNNER for sharing the information and I did know most of these rules. The ones I posted were the ones stressed to the spouse of my patient. Seems just a few have been added since I did my internship here >10 years ago.  Lady Otter Late,  I simply typed the requirements that my patient's spouse was told at IMSS.  and I believe I went above and beyond what most docs I know do for their patients in these circumstances.  Although you may have tried to pain me as one who doesn't care about posting correct information,  I'll just state that you are entitled to your opinion.   Being bilingual (can't get more bilingual than I am) in Mexico  and keeping up to date with all rules and laws where laws and rules change with each change of Government administrations is a never ending battle.

I'll call the Cardiac Surgeon at IMSS today and post any other restrictions that may differ from those already posted by TRAILRUNNER.

Thank you, ChapalaMed for recognizing and acknowledging that I expressed an opinion to which I am entitled. Thank you also for following up on finding out the restrictions faced by those who would like to donate blood.
One thing I would like to clarify. You have on several occasions spoken about how you have "Gone above and beyond what most doctors do for their patients." Perhaps my friends and I have just been very lucky with our choice of doctors but our experience with doctors here has been one case after another of extraordinary caring, follow through and attention to detail. You have never talked about anything you have done that has not been standard of care for us.

Lady Other Late

I have yet to see other physicians here (on this Forum or TOF) post the need for blood donors for their patients.
I am glad you are satisfied with your current medical care.  May you enjoy good health the rest of your years.

Actually, Juan Pablo Losa (Consultorio Guerrero) had a pt who was an IMSS pt as well who was infarcting and posted on TOB an urgent need for blood donors a couple of years ago. Probably before your time here.
Not only did he post the need, but he handled all the arrangements, drove the potential donors up to donate (multiple times), sat with the pt at his house and maintained a vasopressor drip for a week until the surgery at IMSS was ready, drove the pt up there for the surgery, and did the follow up. Dr. Juan Pablo went extraordinarily above and beyond to save this patient's life, and he DID save this patients's life!
During that time we all became aware of the stringent (read insane!) national requirements for blood donation because he posted them and monitored the donors for them as well.
Just sayin'.

I assume O Neg would be acceptable?

If you just read the OP, you wonder why the doc was forced "to run the guantlet". Maybe a little short on info, but nothing deleterious.

slainte39 wrote:If you just read the OP, you wonder why the doc was forced "to run the guantlet". Maybe a little short on info, but nothing deleterious.

it's the usual suspects. one even has given themselves an expert border promo. as for touting the wonderfulness of jp-i can site alternate anecdotes.
cudos santiago, for caring enough to try to help a patient who is no longer even under your care.

Every doctor down here has "alternate anecdotes" told about them--even your Santiago.

I posted this in hopes of getting some in the community to spread the word and help somebody who's life may be saved by a blood donation.

I am not sure why some who've never met me or who hide behind false identities try to cast me in a negative light. I am not hear to pick a fight or to encourage you to change physicians if you are happy with your current one. I am truly happy for you if you are getting the medical care you feel you need and deserve.

I posted this to help somebody who really needs help. Please help and ask around. I am not sure why the IMSS has made a specific request for ONE MORE A+ Blood donor.

If you know of anybody, please spread the word.

I'm A plus but probably too old. 70.

Dr. Santiago, we are probably all too old, take HTN meds, have a yellow shower curtain, or whatever that will disqualify us. We are not a good audience for your search for a blood donor. Maybe you can access the younger Mexican community where you might be able to find someone who can meet the requirements to donate blood in Mexico. I hope so! All the best to your patient for a successful surgery.

Chapalamed wrote:I posted this in hopes of getting some in the community to spread the word and help somebody who's life may be saved by a blood donation.  

I am not sure why some who've never met me or who hide behind false identities try to cast me in a negative light. I am not hear to pick a fight or to encourage you to change physicians if you are happy with your current one. I am truly happy for you if you are getting the medical care you feel you need and deserve.

I posted this to help somebody who really needs help. Please help and ask around.  I am not sure why the IMSS has made a specific request for ONE MORE A+ Blood donor.  

If you know of anybody, please spread the word.  

Won't type O Neg work? asked earlier. Cruz Roja has several O negs and possibly some A pos. Have you contacted them?

For Chapala Med....check the sticky section at the beginning of Medical Dental.....Under Blood Banks in GDL....I listed all donors registered @ Cruz Roja, their names and telephone numbers.  May be a little out of date but a good starting point. Also the blood bank and charges for blood.

I cannot believe that a call for help from someone would be the subject of a fight. SO if this doctor does not know all the rules and someone else adds what she knows it should be sufficient for everyone else to see if they know someone who can help.
It is not the place to start a fight but time to try to help.

As Trailrunner says most of us are too old or have health problems and I would think but O negative should be great asset if you qualify with the rest of the requirements.

I do not know why every time a doctor speaks or some one is looking for a recommendation it should start a fight. Just PM people and pick up a fight privatly. This bs is pretty tiring.

Agreed. Some people really need to get a more constructive hobby.

Sadly for this particular case, I am O+.

I won't be running afoul of the age restriction, but I might be in danger of being below the weight limit -- that's a problem I've had trying to donate NOB as well. I'm just small. <helpless shrug>

Still, if there's a need for O+ and someone posts an alert, I will see what I can do.