Do you donate blood?

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Replies

  • hostile17
    hostile17 Posts: 54 Member
    I would but gay blood is bad blood here in the UK. Sadly even someone who lives a healthy lifestyle can't give blood if they are gay.

    Example: two men meet, are virgins, have sex but are ineligible despite being monogamous.

    Another example: a woman can have unprotected sex with a random man every day for a year and be accepted. Unless... one of them as had sex with a man. I wonder if the average woman asks about all previous sexual history before commencing love making? I can see it now... "Before we start, have you slept with any men in the last year?"

    I would happily donate otherwise, but clearly they've got plenty to go around with the above policies in place!
  • Sockimobi
    Sockimobi Posts: 541
    Further to blood donation, guys 18-30 who are fit can check this out:

    http://www.anthonynolan.org/What-you-can-do/save-a-life/Are-you-fit-to-spit-.aspx


    Think it's UK only? My fella is on the register.
  • myfitnessnmhoy
    myfitnessnmhoy Posts: 2,105 Member
    No. Never have, never will.

    I'm sorry but I'm someone gets blood drawn for tests every month and I'm still terrified of it all the same. I just don't see myself letting someone stick another needle in me if not absolutely necessary.

    I just hope you never go to the hospital and need some and they don't have it.

    I work on a volunteer committee at work to try and increase workplace blood donation, and the New England blood supply hit two days last summer for about a week and a half (in other words, they had a TWO-DAY reserve of blood based on average usage), and skirted 1.5 days for a day or two. I had a friend whose back surgery had to be put off for a month because the emergency reserves of blood were too low to support the two pints she'd need.

    With the vanishingly small percentage of people who actually give blood, it's amazing there's a solid supply at all. And if people really understood how close the bloodbanks get to running out every year, I think the numbers would go up.

    Imagine being in a car accident, and your next of kin being told "We're out of her blood type and we have to airlift the blood in from 150 miles away, so hopefully she can live for two hours on artificial plasma, but it's not looking good."
  • Erica002
    Erica002 Posts: 293 Member
    You people are awesome. I would if I could, but I can't.
  • Luvlee85
    Luvlee85 Posts: 120 Member
    To all those that donate blood, I just want to say THANK YOU. At the age of 25 I needed 3 emergency blood transfusion due to being severely anemic and on the brink of passing out. I use to give blood all the time but had to stop. You all are amazing!!!
  • frixtine
    frixtine Posts: 965 Member
    I'm A+ and before I moved here (super rural) I used to donate platelets every two weeks. I only occasionally got turned away if I was anemic because of my TOM. I loved it. It was 2 hours of peace. No husband nagging, no child saying mom, mom, mom. The nurses were as nice as could be, let me watch whatever I wanted on TV, sometimes I'd read, we'd talk and laugh. I loved it. There is a medium sized city about 45 minutes away, and I'm going to see if they have the facilities to do it there so I can get started again.

    It made me feel good because I was giving something that couldn't be bought in a store or produced in a lab or anything like that. This was strictly a gift that one human could give of themselves to another. When I started, it was because someone my husband works with had a son with leukemia. Sadly, he passed. Then another little boy turned up with a brain tumor, then someone else had lung cancer. Where I live, if you use someones name, it takes money directly off their bill when you donate in their name, so I was helping healthwise, and financially as well. Little things like that, that make you smile are definitely worth it!
  • Drudoo
    Drudoo Posts: 275 Member
    I'll be honest...I look forward to the free Nutter Butters following donations. Ive even given double units before when I was bigger. I try to give every 8 weeks if possible. I missed about a year following a trip to China but i've gotten back on the wagon.
  • kyle4jem
    kyle4jem Posts: 1,400 Member
    I would but gay blood is bad blood here in the UK. Sadly even someone who lives a healthy lifestyle can't give blood if they are gay.

    Example: two men meet, are virgins, have sex but are ineligible despite being monogamous.

    Another example: a woman can have unprotected sex with a random man every day for a year and be accepted. Unless... one of them as had sex with a man. I wonder if the average woman asks about all previous sexual history before commencing love making? I can see it now... "Before we start, have you slept with any men in the last year?"

    I would happily donate otherwise, but clearly they've got plenty to go around with the above policies in place!
    Yup... I was happily and gladly a blood donor until the late 80s when the Blood Transfusion Service introduced this ban.

    It's a stupid piece of policy because all blood is screened now before use and as I'm A- (which is apparently quite rare - only 15% in Scotland, not sure of England's stats) I would love to give blood. :grumble:
  • ScientistStudy
    ScientistStudy Posts: 249 Member
    YES! I did as soon as I turned 17 :smile:
    My dad always did (he was a firefighter so they all used to go together) so I always wanted to. Needles don't bother me in the slightest.

    My twin sister can't donate because she has a heart murmur so I consider myself lucky.
    I am blood type RH O+


    I hope you guys read this because another major reason I have continued to donate and always do so when possible is my 23 month old niece.
    She has Diamon Blackfan Anaemia so needs blood transfusions ever 4-5 weeks.
    My sister made a website about it for her textile crafts project at university:

    http://www.wix.com/leighlalovesyou/thebloodbagproject#

    It's to promote donating blood but also if you can't you can help us by getting crafty!
    Check out the website for more details, basically there is a template to make a blood bag out of whatever materials you would like. They are going in an exhibition and will help raise money for DBA UK :bigsmile:
  • ScientistStudy
    ScientistStudy Posts: 249 Member
    I would but gay blood is bad blood here in the UK. Sadly even someone who lives a healthy lifestyle can't give blood if they are gay.

    Example: two men meet, are virgins, have sex but are ineligible despite being monogamous.

    Another example: a woman can have unprotected sex with a random man every day for a year and be accepted. Unless... one of them as had sex with a man. I wonder if the average woman asks about all previous sexual history before commencing love making? I can see it now... "Before we start, have you slept with any men in the last year?"

    I would happily donate otherwise, but clearly they've got plenty to go around with the above policies in place!

    I think it's changed and you can donate.. you just can't have sexual relations for a year. Fair to say I don't blame you for not donating in that case haha.
  • BeckiCharlotte13x
    BeckiCharlotte13x Posts: 259 Member
    Saying that you are too scared of needles to donate is bull****...

    If you were in hospital, and needed blood, you wouldn't turn around and say, umm, excuse me, i don't want the blood coz I'm too scared of needles. Man up, don't look and get on with it...

    The feeling you get from it is amazing!

    ^-THIS. Amen sister. I am scared ****eless of needles and get claustropohobia everytime I have that damn thing in me, but I do it anyway cause its important.


    THANKYOU!
    nobody likes needles. if everyone had such a selfish nature, god knows what would happen to people in hospital. i HATE to say something SO horrible, but some people don't deserve blood if they need it/I hope my blood doesn't go to somebody like that.. People takes things like this for granted.
  • charliedavisxxx
    charliedavisxxx Posts: 53 Member
    i want to. i have Rhesus negative blood though so i dont know if they would want it... doew anyone know? xx
  • ScientistStudy
    ScientistStudy Posts: 249 Member
    i want to. i have Rhesus negative blood though so i dont know if they would want it... doew anyone know? xx

    They want all blood types :) I don't think they would turn you away for your blood type.
  • charliedavisxxx
    charliedavisxxx Posts: 53 Member
    ok thank you ScientistStud i will follow it up then xxx
  • WhatDoesLisa
    WhatDoesLisa Posts: 214
    I faint at the sight of blood but I am a registered organ donor and bone marow donor. That probably sounds crazy but I got woozy having routine bloodwork this morning.
  • _hi_hat3r_
    _hi_hat3r_ Posts: 423 Member
    No but drinking blood has become a way of life for me.
  • Jain
    Jain Posts: 861 Member
    I'd love to, but got turned away when I tried. I have a heart problem that means I 'need' antibiotics before any treatment that breaks the skin. Not that I've ever bothered, far too much hassle and the risk is tiny. But it means they wont take my blood.:grumble:
  • ScientistStudy
    ScientistStudy Posts: 249 Member
    I'd love to, but got turned away when I tried. I have a heart problem that means I 'need' antibiotics before any treatment that breaks the skin. Not that I've ever bothered, far too much hassle and the risk is tiny. But it means they wont take my blood.:grumble:

    My sister is very similar, she was disappointed when she was turned away.
  • vade43113
    vade43113 Posts: 836 Member
    Yes, two to three times per year, and I also just learned from my friend BerryH that it can burn 600 to 650 calories for your body to replace the removed blood - bonus!

    really???

    Blood is being taken from the body. The blood is how calories get to the cells. Not to mention your heart has to beat that much harder for the drop in blood pressure... Take a pint out of your body it only has seven more to work off of, until it replaces it
  • vade43113
    vade43113 Posts: 836 Member
    i want to. i have Rhesus negative blood though so i dont know if they would want it... doew anyone know? xx

    Negative blood means you can give to your type whether they are positive or negative.... one of the few times, in life, where it pays to be negative :P

    I mean, AB- can give to an AB+ or an AB-. Same for every other blood type.

    O-'s are those that are most wanted, cause they can give to everyone and anyone.
  • stylistchik
    stylistchik Posts: 1,436 Member
    I too donate. I wish they would store some away for me personally, my own little stash. I'm O negative and would probably be assed out if I needed some in an emergency...LOL

    Obviously you can't store it for an emergency because it doesn't last long but now they will sometimes let you donate blood before surgery so they can use your own blood if needed for recovery. I think that's so cool!
  • vade43113
    vade43113 Posts: 836 Member
    this might help everyone, http://www.redcrossblood.org/learn-about-blood/blood-types

    Though I doubt anyone would read it after the turn of the page
  • Captain_Mal
    Captain_Mal Posts: 945 Member
    I wish I could. I have a severe iron deficiency.
  • zippo32
    zippo32 Posts: 1,407 Member
    I saw a gentleman's license plate frame that read 27 gallon donor.............................................I was impressed.

    Also, I donate
  • alexandrahrah
    alexandrahrah Posts: 25 Member
    I started donating within six months of my 17th birthday (when you're allowed to start here in canada) and was successful the first time. The second time I completed the donation but fainted upon taking the needle OUT of my arm.

    The third time I shouldn't really have been allowed to donate - my blood pressure was below required and iron juuuusst at what it needs to be, so the woman told me to walk around the block to raise my blood pressure and come back. I was still two points below for blood pressure but they let me anyway, and I fainted halfway through filling the bag. Resulted in a 5 year ban on me donating. I'm now 20 and just waiting for the next 2 years to hurry up and pass already!

    So proud of ALL of you who donate, especially those with a fear of needles/blood who do it anyway. I like how one person above put it - if you needed the blood to survive after an accident/illness/surgery you wouldn't turn it away because of your fear!
  • Tree72
    Tree72 Posts: 942 Member
    I used to donate on a regular basis. But then they got all crazy about Mad Cow Disease. Now anyone that lived in certain parts of Europe during much of the 80s or early 90s is indefinitely ineligible. :frown: I really hope they get the test perfected soon so that I and many of my friends who are vets (or were dependents, like me) can go back to donating.
  • leannems
    leannems Posts: 516 Member
    I donate! The think I hate most is the tattoo rule. Takes me out of commission. :ohwell:
  • doorki
    doorki Posts: 2,576 Member
    I used to donate on a regular basis. But then they got all crazy about Mad Cow Disease. Now anyone that lived in certain parts of Europe during much of the 80s or early 90s is indefinitely ineligible. :frown: I really hope they get the test perfected soon so that I and many of my friends who are vets (or were dependents, like me) can go back to donating.

    /second
  • myfitnessnmhoy
    myfitnessnmhoy Posts: 2,105 Member
    I donate! The think I hate most is the tattoo rule. Takes me out of commission. :ohwell:

    My wife was told that she could still give blood after a very brief waiting period if the tattoo parlor was licensed (you just have to get a copy of the license from the parlor and bring it with you to the drive, I believe). Sadly, even though it was, she had done it with her sister in another state, and could not provide a copy of the license.
  • myfitnessnmhoy
    myfitnessnmhoy Posts: 2,105 Member
    i want to. i have Rhesus negative blood though so i dont know if they would want it... doew anyone know? xx

    RH Negative blood is the most desirable type.

    In general, a recipient cannot take any factor in blood that they do not already have (this is an oversimplification, but pretty accurate). There are three factors: A, B, and Rhesus or RH. The presence of this factor in blood will cause an adverse reaction to a recipient that lacks this factor. The lack of a factor in donated blood will be unimportant to the recipient.

    O- has none of the three factors and is therefore called the "universal donor". If you have O- blood, your blood can be used for anyone. But you NEED another O- donor to get your blood supply, because everyone else has a factor in their blood that will hurt you. So if you're O-, YOU NEED TO GIVE BLOOD if you're eligible. Your blood is the best blood for everyone, and it's always in short supply and high demand. And it's the only thing YOU can accept as a recipient, so it's in your best interest to keep that O- supply well-stocked. If they're out of O-, you die. It's that simple.

    On the other hand, AB+ (all three factors present) is called the "universal recipient" because they can pretty much take any blood from anyone. Lucky *kitten*. (grin) If you're AB+, your blood is actually less important, but it's still useful.

    Someone with, say, B- (my blood type, which is a very rare one) can only accept blood from O- and B- donors. If "A" or RH are present in the blood, my body will reject it. But I can give blood for anyone with the "B" factor present (B-, B+, AB-, AB+). My blood cannot be used for an O- or O+ patient as I have the "B" factor present. So I can donate to a far larger percentage of the population than I can receive from, and the Red Cross never leaves me alone (and for good reason).

    RH- is a GOOD thing, and should be a reason to give blood as often as you can.

    ----

    Here is a chart from Stanford on the occurrence of blood types: http://bloodcenter.stanford.edu/about_blood/blood_types.html

    So, looking at my blood type (B-), I can accept blood from only B- (1.5% of the population) and O- (6.6% of the population). So only 8.1% of any average blood supply can keep me alive. On the other hand, my blood can be USED to help over 50% of the population (anyone without the B factor). The only blood type with a lower supply is O-, and there's particularly high demand for that blood type since anyone can use it.

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