Do you donate blood?

The_Minister

As above.

I am O- (I think) but I've only ever donated on one occasion, which was years ago.
I found it to be quite unpleasent, but tbh it was procrastination that has stopped me going back.

How about yourselves?

Dravokivich

Generally yes...

...But I'm on some meds and skin creams at the mo... so my blood wouldn't be acceptable.

Edit:

O+ myself...

amacachi

Dunno my type. Don't give though, not allowed to last time I checked.

mardybumbum

Dravokivich wrote: »

Generally yes...



O+ myself...

Thats some quality blood right there.

Actually, The OP's is even better.

Ruu_Old

I am not allowed to in the U.S.A with the mad cow thingy, shame since there is a massive demand for it right now in our area.

Sod'o swords

Every time I can I grab a friend or two and we give blood.

It barely takes any time, sometimes it hurts, sometimes it doesn't. But what's a small quick discomfort for possibly saving someone's life?

Plus, free Fanta, can't go wrong.

donmeister

I've AIDS, so no.

Caoimhín

Im not allowed. I lived in the UK for a number of years and the nurse said that I am disqualified.

Has anyone heard about this? Im not sure of the years but i think; 1977 - 1982 and 1998 - 2002.

Raphael

Was in the UK in the early 90s, so they don't want mine.

Hank_Jones

I've donated a few times before.

Noticed that you can't donate blood if you are gay though.
Found that fairly shocking and prejudiced tbh.

chasm

No, because i lived in the UK. Often wondered if i gave blood up north and they ran out down here, would it be good enough for them then lol

Cupcake_Crisis

I went in to donate a few months ago, but my blood wasnt good enough im quite anemic

Dave!

I donate every time I can (every 3 months innit?), though I haven't donated at all in Australia. Dunno if I'm allowed or what.

Sod'o swords

Hank_Jones wrote: »

I've donated a few times before.

Noticed that you can't donate blood if you are gay though.
Found that fairly shocking and prejudiced tbh.

It doesn't say if you're gay or not, what is does say is you can't donate if you've had unprotected Anal sex. Again i don't think it specifies gender, but definitely not sexual orientation anywho.

GLaDOS

Every so often, I'm A+ so nothing special

IvySlayer

Donated 7 times.

I'm 0 positive.

I'm also doing a platelet donation on the 15th!

Hank_Jones

Sod'o swords wrote: »

It doesn't say if you're gay or not, what is does say is you can't donate if you've had unprotected Anal sex. Again i don't think it specifies gender, but definitely not sexual orientation anywho.

Probably should check more into these things before making sensationalist comments.

I'm almost certain there was some sort of prejudiced towards gays though, maybe I'll look into it.

starbelgrade

I used to donate regularly, but the donation place where I live is a bit of a joke - last time I went, I waited over an hour & they still hadn't gotten fround to the 10 or so people in front of me.

I'm AB+ ... not much good to most people, but handy for me as I can take a transfusion of any blood type.

Overheal

I'm disqualified in the US because I was in Ireland during the BSE situation.

Also all the donor places are likely full of crackheads, not a nice environment.

Hank_Jones

Knew I was right.

Gay blood ban

Controversially, any man who has ever had sexual contact with another man is barred for life from donating blood. The IBTS acknowledges that this policy causes "considerable offence" and is "clearly discriminatory" against gay men but claims that it preserves the safety of the blood supply.[3] Several campaigns have been launched in an effort to reverse the ban.[4][5] Gay Doctors Ireland denounced the ban as "unscientific" and outdated.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_Blood_Transfusion_Service

ballsymchugh

next one is my 20th. have to say, the standards of the snacks in d'olier street will never match the cakes in mespil road.

Dave!

ballsymchugh wrote: »

next one is my 20th. have to say, the standards of the snacks in d'olier street will never match the cakes in mespil road.

I love it when they have Time Out bars

Tahyo crisps are always well received too

Einhard

I used to go down whenever the blood bandwagon trundled into town but invariably got turned away for one reason or another, usually to do with excessive alcohol consumption in the previous 48 hours. Puritan bastards. Now that I have my very own medical condition, with cool sounding name, I'm barred from donating. I still like to sneak in for the aul Guinness and cream crackers whenever I get the chance though.

Einhard

Cupcake_Crisis wrote: »

I went in to donate a few months ago, but my blood wasnt good enough im quite anemic

You mean you forget when you've donated a pint? I can see how that might be risky...

Rabies

don't know my type, but since I'm a foreigner living in another country and I have had a blood transfusion here in the past so I presume I can't donate again.

Caoimhín

Overheal wrote: »

Also all the donor places are likely full of crackheads, not a nice environment.

Do they take the blood off them?

stovelid

Didn't realize that late-70s UK-dwellers were disqualified. That would include me.

I've always meant to get round to donating blood but never have.

Glico Man

Born in the UK in 87, so I'm disqualified.

Would have liked to donate though

Wacker

I ticked the Every Time I Can button, although it's not strictly true. I donate platelets every month, but one cannot donate platelets and blood. One or the other, not both. The reason I give platelets is because I can do it more often. And they send a taxi to pick me up!

arybvtcw0eolkf

Hank_Jones wrote: »

Found that fairly shocking and prejudiced tbh.

Seriously, if your gay you can't donate?.

If thats true, and I'm not doubting you its pretty shocking.

Oh, no I don't donate as I'm on med's for a small, but permanent kidney problem.

Leeg17

I was going to a few times when the clinic was near my school. But you have to be 18
I will when I'm in (in 18 days!! :pac::D:pac:)

Abrasax

I don't bother coz I've AB type blood.
I can receive anyone's but mines useless for almost everybody (I think).

Lynnsie

I donate every time I'm eligible. I'm O-,universal donor, so they ring me sometimes if the supplies are low and ask me to go in. Makes me feel very special

Yeah it can take a while but spending an hour or two there a maximum of once every three months isn't much to ask. And D'Olier st have free sandwiches as well as tayto and chocolate :cool:

spurious

I'm on tablets so they won't take mine, but I'll say I have deh BSE cos you never know.

gerrycollins

Miss Lala wrote: »

I donate every time I'm eligible. I'm O-,universal donor, so they ring me sometimes if the supplies are low and ask me to go in. Makes me feel very special

Yeah it can take a while but spending an hour or two there a maximum of once every three months isn't much to ask. And D'Olier st have free sandwiches as well as tayto and chocolate :cool:

im a grown man(in body) but I get calls to donate when there are children been admitted to hospital with serious cancers etc. they usually ring me 2 months in advance to see if I can.

I used to donate every time i was able to so far donated 11 times but since I moved out of Dublin 2 years ago havent donated since. Last time they called me I was on anti-biotics so couldnt. am currently so trying to make it my business to get up there soon just to get the free tayto and chocolate too hee

CathyMoran

I am AB+ so can take blood from anyone (I think), just as well as I had 3 pints of blood 3.5 years ago after major surgery. I respect anyone who gives blood.

Wacker

Technically, no, they do not discriminate based on sexuality. If they question asked was 'Are you gay?', then that would be obvious discrimination. What they ask is, if male, whether you have ever had oral or anal sex with another man. Also, women who have have had sex with a man that has ever had oral or anal sex with another man are prohibited from donating for one year.

Basically, they don't care if a guy shows up wearing pick lederhosen and drinking white wine spritzers. They're just trying to limit the exposure to high risk groups.

Anyone who feels vitriolic about this had better be regular donors themselves, (or be precluded for some of the dozens of reasons). Otherwise, it would make one a f*cking hypocrite.

_JOE_

Always donate when eligible...I'm A-

Slogger Jogger

Started donating blood when I turned 18.. many moons ago. Donated plasma then when they did that and now I occasionally donate platelets. Slightly put off by the formality of it now. The form has gotten more complicated and ridiculous year by year and you feel like you are getting interogated. I think there is a question there about where you handle monkeys.. I kid you not. I used to find it very friendly and enjoy going. Not quite the case any more.

As well, I made the suggestion before that while people are donating blood and they have the results of your blood tests on file, can they not share that back with you so you at least get a health check feedback. Didn't go anywhere. Instead I need to pay to get bloods checked as part of a near annual medical I do with my GP. Don't know why they don't do that as part of the 'service'.

Javelin77

Only when i was in the army. I did it to get a 10 days reward vacation.

QuiteInterestin

Never have, keep meaning to. Was on antibiotics the last time the blood bus was in town! Next time hopefully. For those of you interested heres the breakdown of the blood group %s from the IBTS website. http://www.giveblood.ie/All_About_Blood/Blood_Group_Basics/

Irish Blood Group Type Frequency Distribution
Blood group O Positive is the most common group in Ireland while AB negative is the least common.

O Positive 47%
A Positive 26%
B Positive 9%
O Negative 8%
A Negative 5%
B Negative 2%
AB Positive 2%
AB Negative 1%

For those of you interested, there are lots of other blood group systems, the ABO and Rh are just 2!!:) (though they are the most important!)

Victor McDade

Jeez, I really should get back in the habit of donating, I'm o- and the mobile unit come to my workplace, I've no excuses!

QuiteInterestin

Slogger Jogger wrote: »

As well, I made the suggestion before that while people are donating blood and they have the results of your blood tests on file, can they not share that back with you so you at least get a health check feedback. Didn't go anywhere. Instead I need to pay to get bloods checked as part of a near annual medical I do with my GP. Don't know why they don't do that as part of the 'service'.

As far as I know, they wouldn't be doing the standard blood tests that a GP would order e.g. cholesterol etc on donated units. They would just be testing for blood type and other transfustion transmitted diseases e.g. Hep B, HIV etc. If you were positive for any of these they'd let you know. Also I'd imagine the anonymity of blood transfusions would make your above suggestion quite hard to work.

LeNNoX

I have donate before but I'm disqualified at the moment until they say otherwise - I spent 2 months in the amazon 2yrs ago and there's a slight possibility I might have some dormant bug in me hiding (don't think they can detect it either).

Otherwise, I'd donate several times a year.

Quackles

I go down and try to give blood every three months when it rolls into town, but I haven't given in almost 3 years due to a)pregnancy, b)you can't give for a year after giving birth, and c) the two times they've come since I've been eligible I've had a cold They're fierce fussy about taking it off you for ones who beg for it so much! I'm o-, every time they come to town I get two letters, a phone call and a text. Just in case you might forget, like.

manster

used to give blood but then I heard about platelets and the benefits that brings lives. Donating now every 4 weeks so am not allowed donate blood anymore. tbh the clinic is close to where I work and that makes it easier. Personally the feel good factor aterwards is huge.

Elessar

Once. I had a terrible time afterwards. As the donation was coming to an end I felt weak and lightheaded, started panicing. The doctor came over and lay me down, raised the legs. I felt like I was going to pass out. I'm a grown man and it terrified me. I spent an hour on a stretcher afterwards. There is nothing as frightening as feeling you're going to pass out and not being able to do a thing about it.

I'd like to donate again, but after that experience, never again.

sam34

i used to, but cant do it anymore due to a medical condition

Xiney

I've donated blood several times, I think four times in Ireland now. They come to Galway once every three months or so... but they're not coming by again until August 24 which is a gap of 5 months this time.

Absurdum

I donate every three months.

Leeg17

Thanks to the thread for reminding me to give blood. I checked and I was right about having to be 18. They're coming to Tuam for 3 days in August. The clinic will be in the hotel, 50 metres up the road for me. No excuses

I'm ****less of needles, but I'd rather help someone.. Be good for something for once