Do You Give Blood
Discussion
Not sure my blood is actually any use to anybody (AB rh+) but they haven't turned me away yet.
Only heading for double figures so far, but not the worst way to spend part of a Sunday morning. Gives me a chance to have a good read of whatever book I've got on the go.
Biscuits are the Crawfords packs, but we did get mince pies for donating in the run up to Christmas.
Only heading for double figures so far, but not the worst way to spend part of a Sunday morning. Gives me a chance to have a good read of whatever book I've got on the go.
Biscuits are the Crawfords packs, but we did get mince pies for donating in the run up to Christmas.
BlackVanDyke said:
Slink said:
I was looking online at drug trials to see just how much you get for them (up to 3,500 quid for a month fyi) and one company doing the trails was also taking 400ml of blood for tests, and for that 400ml, you could get 30 british sterling.
I have to give blood every 6 weeks and sometimes between that aswell, but it doesnt go into another person
it goes to a lab(unrelated to the above text I might add).
no one would want my blood.
just wondering, why can you not give blood if you have had a blood transfusion? I thought the blood that they give people was clean so dont see the issue?
It is as clean as they can be sure of which is unfortunately not the same as guaranteed never to have anything in - as good as possible is almost, but not quite, 100%. The problem points tend to be things like a donor with a very early HIV infection not yet diagnosable, and - historically now I hope - CJD and vCJD. I have to give blood every 6 weeks and sometimes between that aswell, but it doesnt go into another person
it goes to a lab(unrelated to the above text I might add).no one would want my blood.
just wondering, why can you not give blood if you have had a blood transfusion? I thought the blood that they give people was clean so dont see the issue?
Once someone's been transfused you can't fully know their medical history, not properly, and so it's that tiny bit harder to be really absolutely sure that they haven't been exposed to anything.
The only reason people who've received a donation can no longer donate is due to the theoretical vCJD risk, this rule was introduced about eight/nine years ago when the small risk was confirmed by a handful of people who developed vCJD and (for a number of reason) a transfusion was thought to be the cause. All the donor guidelines (rules) are to make donating and the donated blood as 'safe' as possible.
Of course that might worry you if you've had or need a transfusion but they are very safe. The number of deaths attributed to a transfusion each year are in single figures and most of them are due to human error i.e an error in cross typing or some other mistake leading to a patient receiving the wrong blood type. Around 2.5 million units of blood are issued to hospitals in a year so problems/complications, in comparison to other medical procedures, are exceptionally low.
I hate needles but put my fear to one side when I thought of the benefit my blood could give to those people who were in a bad way and really needed it.
I thought "what if it was me or a loved one in hospital and the doctors said they couldn't help because they didn't have enough blood...?"
I used to be 'eugh' at the idea. However, giving blood is an altruistic act.
Think of it as a deposit in the blood bank that one day you may need to make a withdrawal from.
ETA - we get offered a good choice of snacks. Orange Club biscuits and custard creams are favorites!
I thought "what if it was me or a loved one in hospital and the doctors said they couldn't help because they didn't have enough blood...?"
I used to be 'eugh' at the idea. However, giving blood is an altruistic act.
Think of it as a deposit in the blood bank that one day you may need to make a withdrawal from.
ETA - we get offered a good choice of snacks. Orange Club biscuits and custard creams are favorites!
Edited by muppets_mate on Saturday 12th January 02:28
A+, started when I was 18 at uni, up to 40-odd donations so far. I try to give regularly but miss out occasionally through timing - having a bad cold or generally feeling crap on the day.
First time I gave, one of my class-mates nearly fell off the bed trying to see the blood bag as they were inching it under the bed to keep it out of sight as she complained she was a biologist and wanted to see her blood! Now they don't seem to care. They told us that first time to take it easy and asked if I was doing anything energetic that evening? No, of course not. Gave blood, cycled back up to the top of Swansea, followed it up with 2 hours of dive training and an hour of underwater hockey.
My blood has a tendency to float in the test tube if I've been indulging in carbs, but I've never failed the test for iron levels. Only problem I had was turning up late in the day and my blood floated so I waited for the second test. They came back and told me they'd run out of needles for the second test so couldn't take my blood. I told them no probs, I'd go to another local session in a neighbouring village so I didn't miss out, and was told I couldn't do that as I'd been refused and would have to miss the next session as well.
I phoned up the system to complain that it was daft that I couldn't give when they didn't actually know my blood level - surely better to go to another session and get it checked. (In fact it went down on my record as 0mg/ml Hb, which would mean I was dead and had probably been sucked dry by a vampire!) They checked the records and said there was no record of the session running out of needles, so either it was late and they just didn't want to be bothered, or they didn't like the look of me (they did seem suspicious of my acne) and didn't want to make up a better excuse. Anyway, I've had no problems since then and now try to avoid carbs the week before to prevent the issue.
Yes, tilty beds last time and that was weird. Looked very sinister walking in!
First time I gave, one of my class-mates nearly fell off the bed trying to see the blood bag as they were inching it under the bed to keep it out of sight as she complained she was a biologist and wanted to see her blood! Now they don't seem to care. They told us that first time to take it easy and asked if I was doing anything energetic that evening? No, of course not. Gave blood, cycled back up to the top of Swansea, followed it up with 2 hours of dive training and an hour of underwater hockey.
My blood has a tendency to float in the test tube if I've been indulging in carbs, but I've never failed the test for iron levels. Only problem I had was turning up late in the day and my blood floated so I waited for the second test. They came back and told me they'd run out of needles for the second test so couldn't take my blood. I told them no probs, I'd go to another local session in a neighbouring village so I didn't miss out, and was told I couldn't do that as I'd been refused and would have to miss the next session as well.
I phoned up the system to complain that it was daft that I couldn't give when they didn't actually know my blood level - surely better to go to another session and get it checked. (In fact it went down on my record as 0mg/ml Hb, which would mean I was dead and had probably been sucked dry by a vampire!) They checked the records and said there was no record of the session running out of needles, so either it was late and they just didn't want to be bothered, or they didn't like the look of me (they did seem suspicious of my acne) and didn't want to make up a better excuse. Anyway, I've had no problems since then and now try to avoid carbs the week before to prevent the issue.
Yes, tilty beds last time and that was weird. Looked very sinister walking in!
monthefish said:
Riley Blue said:
I've been doing it on and of since 1968. Mine's A RH Negative, I just read this about me...
Characteristics that can be scientifically proved or observed (of people with RH Negative blood):
larger than average head size
low blood pressure
low pulse rate
extra vertebrae or rib
high IQ
heightened senses, including vision
cannot be cloned
light colored hair, mostly red or reddish,
light colored eyes (blue, green or greenish brown eyes)
sensitive to sun and heat
often are healers
body scars that cannot be explained
often have empathetic illnesses
Where did you read that? (The previous page of this thread perhaps? )Characteristics that can be scientifically proved or observed (of people with RH Negative blood):
larger than average head size
low blood pressure
low pulse rate
extra vertebrae or rib
high IQ
heightened senses, including vision
cannot be cloned
light colored hair, mostly red or reddish,
light colored eyes (blue, green or greenish brown eyes)
sensitive to sun and heat
often are healers
body scars that cannot be explained
often have empathetic illnesses
c123 said:
Sort of right.
The only reason people who've received a donation can no longer donate is due to the theoretical vCJD risk, this rule was introduced about eight/nine years ago when the small risk was confirmed by a handful of people who developed vCJD and (for a number of reason) a transfusion was thought to be the cause. All the donor guidelines (rules) are to make donating and the donated blood as 'safe' as possible.
Of course that might worry you if you've had or need a transfusion but they are very safe. The number of deaths attributed to a transfusion each year are in single figures and most of them are due to human error i.e an error in cross typing or some other mistake leading to a patient receiving the wrong blood type. Around 2.5 million units of blood are issued to hospitals in a year so problems/complications, in comparison to other medical procedures, are exceptionally low.
Well they won't accept my blood at all because as a Rosbif in France they're scared I'm full of la vache folle The only reason people who've received a donation can no longer donate is due to the theoretical vCJD risk, this rule was introduced about eight/nine years ago when the small risk was confirmed by a handful of people who developed vCJD and (for a number of reason) a transfusion was thought to be the cause. All the donor guidelines (rules) are to make donating and the donated blood as 'safe' as possible.
Of course that might worry you if you've had or need a transfusion but they are very safe. The number of deaths attributed to a transfusion each year are in single figures and most of them are due to human error i.e an error in cross typing or some other mistake leading to a patient receiving the wrong blood type. Around 2.5 million units of blood are issued to hospitals in a year so problems/complications, in comparison to other medical procedures, are exceptionally low.
I did it! The world now owes me some snowy goodness!
Had a bad moment at the end where I felt very lightheaded as I approached the refreshments table and had lie down again as they thought I was going to faint, but it all worked out in the end!
Had a bad moment at the end where I felt very lightheaded as I approached the refreshments table and had lie down again as they thought I was going to faint, but it all worked out in the end!
Edited by MentalSarcasm on Sunday 13th January 18:33
MentalSarcasm said:
I did it! The world now owes me some snowy goodness!
Had a bad moment at the end where I felt very lightheaded as I approached the refreshments table and had lie down again as they thought I was going to faint, but it all worked out in the end!
Congrats!!Had a bad moment at the end where I felt very lightheaded as I approached the refreshments table and had lie down again as they thought I was going to faint, but it all worked out in the end!
Was the lightheadedness because they didn't have Foxes busquits?
longshot said:
Congrats!!
Was the lightheadedness because they didn't have Foxes busquits?
Possibly, it's my 4th donation and I have no idea why I felt dizzy at the end as normally I feel fine Was the lightheadedness because they didn't have Foxes busquits?
Normal preparations of eating and drinking too.In biscuit news there were bourbons, fruit shortbread and digestives, and I can't remember the crisp brand but they weren't Walkers. No Foxes to be seen anywhere, sadly.
MentalSarcasm said:
longshot said:
My 1st draining session of the year tomorrow.
I'll report in on the buffet afterwards.
How did it go? What was the biscuit selection like?I'll report in on the buffet afterwards.
Crawfords ofcourse but no dead fly biscuits.
No Foxes or crisps.
There was an unopened box of Kitkats under the desk and I was too shy to ask them to open it up.
All of this was easily conpensated for by the blood falling out of me so I wasnt "in the chair" for too long and the delightful blonde nursie who did the deed while she told me about how she wants to be a geologist.
All in all, 8/10
Gassing Station | Health Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff