Why Do Rheumatoid Arthritis And Hashimotos Often Coexist
The big question we all want to know is why Hashimotoâs and rheumatoid arthritis often show up together. Exactly how these two conditions work together is not completely clear. Still, we know that rheumatoid arthritis is a risk factor for Hashimotoâs. Likewise, Hashimotoâs increases your risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis.
The leading theory as to why these two diseases occur in the same person comes down to genetics. Researchers suspect that there is a genetic predisposition for the two diseases on the HLA genetic sequence. HLA stands for the Human Leukocyte Antigen System, which plays an essential role in regulating the immune system. Many autoimmune disorders, including type 1 diabetes and psoriasis, also show defects in this genetic sequence.
Aside from your genes, evidence suggests that environmental factors and stress also increase your risk for autoimmune diseases. For example, infections, exposure to toxins, and dietary habits may play a role in autoimmune diseases. In response to these stressors, the immune system develops âself-antigensâ that can lead to tissue destruction.
When Can Psoriasis Exclude You
Dr. Herron said there are a few instances where otherwise healthy psoriasis patients may be deferred:
- Plaques that occur in the creases of your arms. This will make it difficult to get a needle in your veins.
- Plaques that are bloody or are open wounds. This may be a sign of infection, and the medical director may be consulted for a determination of eligibility.
- Some medications.Acitretin has a three-year deferral from the last dose, and those who have taken Tegison are never eligible due to these medications high risk of birth defects.
Reasons For Delaying Donation
While you may not be experiencing the factors that determine immediate disqualification, you could still face some that will cause you to delay your donation. For example, if youre having a flare-up of symptoms from psoriatic arthritis, you would have to put a hold on donating plasma.
A flare-up could mean youre experiencing high inflammation levels, joint pains, swelling, and fatigue. All of these things create unideal situations for being a donor and will only worsen your current condition. Some of the medication you take to address the flare-up could also temporarily prevent you from being a donor.
Another reason for the delay is if youre suffering from an infection of any sort because it could easily transfer through the blood you donate. If youre taking an antibiotic, you have to wait until you complete the prescribed period to take it.
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The Restriction Came With Treatment
Over time, I tried to donate blood a few times each year, only being turned away when my iron levels were too low. Even after my psoriasis diagnosis in my late 20s, I was allowed to donate and was never told I couldnt based solely on my disease.
That all changed when I started taking methotrexate. The donation center staff couldnt provide a good answer if this medication made me ineligible. I got frustrated and walked out.
The confusion escalated when I started taking a biologic. Turns out, there are many psoriasis patients in the same boat as me.
Pregnancy Birth And Miscarriage
You cannot donate blood if you are pregnant. After giving birth, you must wait at least six months before donating blood.
Also, after a miscarriage, you must wait at least six months before donating blood.
An early miscarriage does not prevent blood donation.
Donating blood once in early pregnancy does not constitute a risk, and blood donation does not increase the risk of miscarriage. However, women attempting to become pregnant are advised to avoid blood donation, since those hoping to become pregnant should keep up a good haemoglobin level.
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How Is Ra Diagnosed
RA is diagnosed by reviewing symptoms, conducting a physical examination, and doing X-rays and lab tests. Its best to diagnose RA earlywithin 6 months of the onset of symptomsso that people with the disease can begin treatment to slow or stop disease progression . Diagnosis and effective treatments, particularly treatment to suppress or control inflammation, can help reduce the damaging effects of RA.
The Decision To Donate
The first time I donated blood was my senior year of high school when I was 17 years old, and I did not have psoriasis at that time.
My chemistry teacher offered extra credit to anyone who signed up to donate. I really wanted to help the community, but to be honest, a little extra credit did sweeten the pot.
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Reasons For Immediate Donor Disqualification
While it isnt unsafe for people with PsA to donate plasma, certain factors could disqualify them from giving. The first is a persons medication. Some prescribed drugs like Arava, Aspirin, Rinvoq, Soriatane, and Tegison automatically disqualify a person with PsA from donating plasma. If you take these medications but still want to donate, youll have to stop and wait for a prescribed period before youre cleared for the donation process.
If youre taking Arava, youll need to wait two years before you can donate plasma. Aspirin requires a waiting time of two days, while its a whole month for Rinvoq. Stopping Soriatane will need three years of waiting, while Tegison makes you entirely ineligible for donation.
Another reason for disqualification is if you have anemia, which is a disorder that results in the blood having an inefficient amount of healthy red blood cells. People suffering from PsA or other autoimmune diseases are more prone to developing conditions like anemia of inflammation or iron-deficiency anemia.
How Often Can You Donate Blood
According to the American Red Cross eligibility standards, healthy people can donate whole blood every 56 days and every 7-14 days for platelets.
Despite this frequency, Dr. Herron said that there is often a shortage of blood during the summer months and the time between Thanksgiving and the New Year.
He said this is because people are off work and often go on vacation. “There is no vacation time for patients, so we need blood donors year-round,” he said.
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How Long Do I Have To Wait After Vaccination Before I Can Donate Plasma
There are some misunderstandings about wait times for donations after a COVID-19 vaccination. This is due to confusion about the different types of plasma donations.
As long as you dont have COVID-19 symptoms, are feeling healthy, and know the name of your vaccination manufacturer, you dont need to wait after your COVID-19 vaccination to donate standard plasma. But this isnt the case for other types of plasma donation.
During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a demand for both standard and convalescent plasma. Convalescent plasma contains high levels of antibodies for certain diseases.
Plasma donation centers can accept COVID-19-convalescent plasma from you if youve recovered from COVID-19 or received a COVID-19 vaccination. If youve received a COVID-19 vaccination, the Food and Drug Administration regulations state that only COVID-19 vaccinations given within the last 6 months qualify you to donate COVID-19-convalescent plasma.
Currently, neither the American Red Cross nor the National Institutes of Health are collecting COVID-19-convalescent plasma. The COVID-19 vaccine and the overall reduction in COVID-19 hospitalizations have helped lower the need for convalescent plasma donations.
Standard plasma donations are the only donations needed at this time. You dont need to wait to donate standard plasma following your COVID-19 vaccination.
What Is Blood Donation Awareness
Every year, World Blood Donor Day is observed on June 14 to raise awareness about the need to donate blood regularly to increase the availability of safe blood and its products for patients in need. This day is also an occasion to thank donors who volunteer to donate the life-saving gift of blood.
Is January National blood donor Month?
Can I donate blood with an autoimmune disease?
Some questions about donating A health services provider in California, called Providence Health & Services, agrees that autoimmune patients cannot or should not donate blood, stating that people with autoimmune diseases such as Crohns disease, lupus, MS, and RA have a permanent deferral from giving blood.
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Diagnosing Psoriasis And Psa
Unfortunately, theres no one simple diagnostic test to check for psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis. This means your doctor will need to make a clinical diagnosis, which requires taking into account your symptoms, risk factors, as well as the results of bloodwork and X-rays or other imaging scans to assess any joint involvement.
During the physical exam, your doctor might look for signs of psoriasis on the elbows and knees as well as less visible places like the scalp, belly button, intergluteal cleft, palms of hands, and soles of feet. Theyll also check for any fingernail or toenail abnormalities, like pitting or ridging, as well as swollen fingers or toes .
The presence of dactylitis and finger and toenail changes are evidence of psoriasis that can be used to aid in the diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis if there is no evidence of skin disease, says Dr. Haberman.
Here are some common steps used to diagnose psoriasis and PsA:
- A medical exam to discuss family history, risk factors, and symptoms
- Blood tests to check for markers of inflammation and antibodies , which can help rule out other types of arthritis, including rheumatoid arthritis
- Imaging tests to detect any joint damage, dislocation of small or large joints, disfiguration , new bone formation, and inflammation in the enthesis
- Skin biopsy of a skin plaque, if you have previously undiagnosed psoriasis
How Do We Test Your Blood Donation
Each time a blood donation is collected, we take blood samples for testing. These samples are subjected to rigorous safety checks back in our laboratory to ensure only healthy blood is distributed to hospitals.
These safety tests are essential and we carry them out on every single blood donation. We check your blood group and test for infections that can be passed from donor to patient through blood transfusion.
These tests are carried out mainly by computer controlled, automated machines, which accurately test all our donor samples.
Why do we test your blood donation?
Donor and patient safety is at the heart of everything we do and need to ensure the blood supply in Wales remains among the safest in the world. Blood collection is a heavily regulated activity and there are a number of safeguards in place to ensure only safe blood products are issued to hospitals.
What tests do we carry out?
As well as checking your blood group, we test every single donation for: Syphilis, Hepatitis , HIV and Human T-lymphotropic Virus .
Supplementary tests are performed on some but not all donations. They are done to provide specifically tested blood for particular patients or they may be required because of a donors travel history and some other circumstances.
What happens to blood that does not pass all the blood tests?
Donations that fail any of our tests are destroyed. All samples which fail testing are sent to a second independent national laboratory to confirm our test results.
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What Do They Test For
From age and weight up to medical history and medicine intake, there is a lot of information that must be screened for. Lets talk about age, weight, and blood type.
How old do you have to be to be eligible for plasma donation? Generally, donors must be at least 17 years of age. Younger individuals can also do it if given parental consent. You must also weigh at least 110 lbs or more. Male donors need to weigh around 110-118 lbs, depending on the height and age. Female donors have a wider weight requirement scale of 110-145 lbs.
All blood types are eligible for it. However, type AB is the ideal candidate because it is universal. It means that it can be administered to patients in need of plasma regardless of type. This is why the Red Cross Organization drives are called AB Elite Plasma Donation.
Next, you must pass two medical examinations. It includes medical history screening and tests for transmissible viruses. These tests will determine if youre healthy enough to donate. Theyll determine if its safe for recipients to receive your plasma by ensuring that you do not harbor transmissible diseases.
For a comprehensive list of eligibility requirements for blood and plasma donation, visit this page on Red Cross Organizations website.
Bone Marrow Donation Guidelines
These bone marrow donation guidelines provide an overview of many medical conditions. They do not include every medical situation that may prevent you from donating. Its important to note that marrow donation guidelines are not the same as blood donation guidelines.
If you have questions about these guidelines or a medical condition not listed here, please call 1 MARROW-2.
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Is It Allowed To Donate Plasma If You Have Lupus
If you have lupus, you may be wondering if it is allowed to donate plasma. The answer depends on the severity of your disease and your overall physical health.
In general, anyone with a chronic illness such as lupus should consult their physician before donating plasma. At a minimum, your doctor will provide an assessment of your individual situation and determine if you are healthy enough to give blood or plasma donations. Your doctor will also ensure that all appropriate precautions regarding transmission of any potential infections are taken during donation.
For those who suffer from more severe cases of lupus, it may not be advisable to donate plasma due to a weakened immune system caused by the disease. Furthermore, certain treatments for lupus can also potentially disqualify patients for donation depending on many other factors related to overall health status and medical history data such as height, weight etc Again it is important that individuals receive personalized guidance from their treating physician prior to considering blood or platelet donations when having lupus.
In order for those with lupus who want to donate plasma: check with your physician first only after he/she has assessed your situation can they make an informed decision which takes into account all aspects of safety when giving blood or platelet donations while living with Lupus!
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Managing Ra During And After Pregnancy
Here are some things to keep in mind during your pregnancy and in the weeks and months that follow:
- Watch weight gain. Even if your RA goes into remission during pregnancy, the added weight on your body puts more pressure on your joints. Make an effort not to gain more than your doctor recommends.
- Get your vitamins. You may need more calcium and vitamin D to help prevent the bone thinning that some RA drugs may cause. Ask your doctor about taking supplements to protect your bones. If youre breastfeeding, you may need to keep taking them after you give birth.
- Exercise after giving birth. It can be hard to find the time and energy to exercise when you have a newborn, but doing so can help you keep a healthy weight, which is good for your joints. Exercise can also help ease joint stiffness and pain.
- Eat a heart-healthy diet. RA puts you at higher risk of heart disease. This makes it especially important to make heart-healthy food choices during pregnancy. Experts recommend a low-fat diet that is high in carbohydrates and fiber. This means plenty of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. When you do eat fats, opt for healthier choices, such as the monounsaturated fats found in olive oil and canola oil fish and nuts like walnuts and almonds. Limit the less-healthy fats found in meats and fried and processed foods. Ask your doctor or dietitian to help you come up with a pregnancy diet that works for you.
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Is Donating Plasma Safe
Donating plasma is similar to donating blood. As long as you donate in a certified center, donating plasma is completely safe. If youâre considering donating plasma, the first thing you should do is look for a center that is certified by the International Quality Plasma Program . These centers are sterile and staffed by highly-trained professionals. All of the equipment thatâs used in the plasma collection process is sterilized and cleaned after use. Any equipment that comes into contact with you as a donor is only used one time to ensure cleanliness and prevent the possibility of transmitting any kind of bloodborne pathogens.
Surgery Or Minor Illnesses
Donors are required to feel well at the time of donation, so a cold, flu or allergies may temporarily prevent someone from donating. Donors must wait at least 24 hours for many minor surgeries, including dental work. Donors should rely on our screening process to determine surgery or illness deferrals. Many times the blood center medical director may make this determination.
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What Should You Eat Before Donating Plasma
Avoid drinking alcohol for at least 24 hours before giving plasma to reduce your risk of dehydration. Drink plenty of water before and after your donation. Start drinking water at least 12 hours before, and continue to stay hydrated for 12 hours after donation. You should also limit drinks that reduce iron absorption, including coffee, tea, and milk.
Eat a protein-filled and iron-rich diet a few hours before your donation, and dont head out on an empty stomach. Examples of protein-rich foods are eggs, chicken, beef, cheese, and yogurt. Examples of iron-rich foods are broccoli and other leafy greens, beans, and lean meats like turkey, chicken, beef, and ham.
Avoid fatty foods and snacks, although healthy fats, like avocado, salmon, eggs, and nuts, are fine.