Donating blood

JUST DO IT! Needles suck but you have tattoos? You will live! Look away!

Hello. I would like to donate blood and I know how to go about it. However I am very squeamish about it. And I am also very scared I will pass out which is really unpleasant. Any ideas how I can stop being so squeamish about it and not pass out? I mean I've had tattoo's and people can pass out from those, but never have. I feel donating blood is different though. Have any of you had any experiences with donating?

I have given blood 15 to 20 times, and last year I was the recipient of 2 packs of blood.
Therefore I will continue to donate when I can.

It's not my favourite experience, a sharp scratch in the arm, that's all.

You don't have to look at it just lie back and take a break.

If you have tattoos then giving blood is probably nothing in comparison, just make sure that you'be eaten before you donate, that will prevent any fainting feeling.

Once you have done it you will feel great about having done so.

Ive donated 36 times me personally needles don't bother me or the sight of blood, actually I have several pictures on my phones of the needle in my arm and pictures of the unit of blood ive just donated. If you don't like seeing needles in your arm just look away, bring headphones or like I do have a quick 5-10 power nap.

Once you have got over your first one and you realised what you have just done then everything will seem as an overreaction.

Lesson I learned - It is not a race! U don't have to pump the squeezy ball in your hand to fill the bag faster than the other people. That didn't give me a better score or a medal. It made me pass out, so just don't be all competitive as u are donating. LOL

Tell that to the two people in the chairs next to me, they had a bet on who was going to finish first, even made the nurses put the needles in at the same time.

When I used to give blood, I would look away from my arm the whole time, that certainly worked.

I donate Whole Blood every 60 days through either LifeStream or the Red Cross, both companies have websites.

I am also on the National Donors List and the Bone Marrow Donors national list.

Please be incredibly hydrated and do eat a well balanced meal, but do NOT donate right after eating, you may feel queasy enough to be sick. Also, please be honest about ALL medications, vitamins and supplements you're taking. You CANNOT donate if you've recently had Aspirin.

IF you have a history of fainting and passing out while donating blood/having labs drawn, you might be experiencing "Vasovagal Syncope" which both my son and my husband suffer from. My husband has "mini" seizures whenever he gets labs done and HAS to be laying in a bed, sometimes restrained because he flails about or seizes up his limbs.

Edit: Correction of a word spelled wrong.

Just keep your eyes closed! I've donated once, and my problem was after, when I nearly passed out as I have low blood pressure and I think I got up too fast!

I want to donate again, but have to wait until my baby is 6 months old.

My mum is in remission from leukaemia. Without blood/platelet transfusions she wouldn't be here.

I donate blood religiously. Which part makes you feel squeamish? Is it the needle stick, sitting there with a needle in, or the feeling after donating blood?

If you're squeamish about the needle stick, it is less painful than a tat or piercing. You don't have to watch, and you can have a friend stand next to you and chat. If you're grossed out by the idea of sitting there with it in, it only feels like light pressure. I play on my phone the whole time I'm donating. If you're afraid of passing out from the bloodloss/feeling woozy, I find that I am wayyyyy less woozy if I donate double red vs the normal whole red. Drink fluids and get some sugar in ya and you'll feel fine.

Some good advice here. I've donated over 9 gallons (73 pints). Eat some iron rich foods the night before and at breakfast. Stay REALLY hydrated the day before and the day of. If you're squeamish, don't watch the needle stick or the bag as it fills up (or anyone else's). Squeeze slowly and infrequently, it will slow the outflow slightly and reduce the risk of fainting (according to a number of phlebotomists). Sit around for 10 - 15 minutes afterward and have some juice and a cookie (or something) afterward. You'll do fine. You're saving lives, so go give it a try!!!

First off, KUDOS to all of you who donate blood! You are AWESOME!

I cannot donate blood. I have Iron Deficiency Anemia. After I had my daughter, I had to take IV iron infusions in several month intervals to get my iron/blood to where it needed to be. As of now, it's ok, but my hematologist told me, because we could never find the direct cause of of my IDA, not to donate blood, that losing even a pint of blood could send me right back into a tailspin, and it took me over a year to get built back up. With that said, at one point in time, while my hematologist was attempting TO get to the root of why I was IDA, they *literally* took 16 vials of blood out of me at one time. Yes, that's equal to giving a pint of blood. I got a little nauseated after about the 8th vial, but pushed on through.

I'm not bothered by needles, having blood drawn, IV's, or anything like that- BUT I won't like, I don't like watching it go in, and if they miss my vein, I will get nauseated and pass out if they keep poking on me. As long as I've got someone who can hit the vein, it's all good. I just keep my head turned, and depending upon where you are, if there's a wall or something to look at, that's what I do, try to focus on something. I'd look at a picture on the wall, if there was a window, I'd look out the window, ANYTHING but the needle going in my arm. As long as I could focus on something, I was good to go. Once it was in, I could look at it, no problem, just didn't like to watch it going in.

I think they'll often offer you a snack or drink afterwards. DO take it. After they took those 16 vials out of me, I felt a little light-headed. I really enjoyed my Sunkist that day! Of course, I got sent right over to the next room and got poked again, because I got poked in the next arm to get more iron, so, it was a double whammy that day! *LOL*

Regardless, you can do it! Good luck!

+1 on hydration. I'm not squeamish but I almost passed out after I donated the first time because I made the mistake of not drinking enough water beforehand. Also, try not to give blood during your cycle because that can also make you more likely to feel faint. My advice is only based on personal experience.

I've donated tons of times (over 10 gallons). I just sit back and relax and squeeze the play toy they give me until they say stop. Only advice - don't stand up too fast and drink lots of fluids after. You'll be fine.

I donate blood all the time, and it's not necessarily the most fun thing in the world. But just distract yourself and you'll be fine. It doesn't take that long, and it's such a good thing to do! My grandfather had to have many many blood transfusions in the last 6 months of his life, and I know several people whose lives have been saved by donations. It's totally worth the temporary discomfort, IMO.