Give Blood!

Gavin "shels"

Piste wrote: »

I'm not sure when I can give blood again...I'm not sure if it's been 3 months yet, I gave when we had all that ice and snow and there was a shortage due to all the injuries from slips and falls on the ice. I'm assuming they'll remind me like they did the last time.

Ring em up and ask I suppose, although I think I get a letter at the start of December saying I could give people again.

Sardonicat

I used to give blood regularly, until they changed the criteria, and suddenly I wasn't allowed to give blood anymore becuase of the time i spent in the uk in the early 90s.

moo Boo!

Faith+1

TheZohan wrote: »

I donate platelets every 4 weeks or so, so won't be donating blood.

Me too. And donating platlets counts as a double donation, handy if you want to get the gold pin before you're 50!:)

Nothingbetter2d

maybe they think Gayness is a contagion... it seems to be growing in numbers...just watch tv for poof soz i meant proof

Mahatma coat

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

Of course you can donate blood if you are Gay.

But people (of either sex) who have sex with men who have anal sex with other men can't. It's to do with risk of infection because of sexual practices rather than sexual preference.

If you can't understand the difference then IMHO you fall into the category of "people who desire to be offended"



For years I couldn't give blood.
I won't be able to give blood again until September.
The rules change as the evidence on the risks changes.

WTF

Now I'm not out to deliberqtly take ofence or anything, but this statement has me confounded a bit.


Shouldnt the word "unprotected" be in there somewhere.

cocoshovel

They won't be near me until May. But I think Ive given enough blood to the doctor for tests over the last few weeks. It makes my arm numb when she takes out like 4 vials of it

enda1

Can't donate, though did twice before I was on the meds I'm now on... Hopefully can again in the future. They really need to privatise the service though and make it much more available to people. Also more calling around to companies and the like should be encouraged.

coffee_cake

I should start, I'm sure there is a clinic around here somewhere

Duno my blood type though

Azureus

I've tried about 10 times but my iron count is too low every time..
Brought friends with me a few times and now theyre regular donators so that makes me feel a bit better bout it

folan

i did number 11 on Tuesday.

Was turned away from platlets because of my puny veins.

am thinking of putting my name on the register for bone marrow.

supermouse

Im in NZ and would love to donate blood, however they have the Mad Cow disease rule... but extended to the Republic!
Unfair.
Oh well. I'll keep my blood!

jackiebaron

dark crystal wrote: »

I'm not allowed either, by virtue of the fact I lived in the UK for a while during the 80's.

Shame, as I have quite a rare blood group and would only love to share some of it out!

Please elaborate. Why can't you give blood?

coffee_cake

jackiebaron wrote: »

Please elaborate. Why can't you give blood?

I think it was the mad cow thing, anyone living in england during certain periods including the 80s cant

folan

there is a load of information here on it, including an eligibility quiz.

Mint Sauce

jackiebaron wrote: »

Please elaborate. Why can't you give blood?

Because of the CJD risk from mad cow disease in the UK during the 80's and 90's. If you lived in the UK during this time, you cant give blood.

I cant give blood for the same reason.

I think the rule may extend to people who received blood in the 80's as stocks also came from the UK.

TechnoPool

noo!! its mine

folan

To the people who are asking why isnt there a full time ibts staff in Galway/Cork etc, why not ask your local TDs when they come around to your door? Its sometihng i think would be worthwhile and benificial to everyone. Its fine for me, im close to dublin, but for the rest of the populace, i can see why it would be offputting.

folan

TechnoPool wrote: »

noo!! its mine

reminds me of the Dilbert episode.

Wally: What if I only have exaclty the right amount!

Nurse: Are you now, or have you ever been..... Wally?
Wally: Yes, first out!

Dravokivich

irish-stew wrote: »

Because of the CJD risk from mad cow disease in the UK during the 80's and 90's. If you lived in the UK during this time, you cant give blood.

I cant give blood for the same reason.

I think the rule may extend to people who received blood in the 80's as stocks also came from the UK.

you cant donate if you've ever received a transfusion.

used to do it frequently up until a couple of years ago. got to get around to doing it again.

old_aussie

Give Blood, Give Life

Yearning4Stormy

irish-stew wrote: »

Because of the CJD risk from mad cow disease in the UK during the 80's and 90's. If you lived in the UK during this time, you cant give blood.

I cant give blood for the same reason.

I think the rule may extend to people who received blood in the 80's as stocks also came from the UK.

Me too Some possibly good news in last week - http://www.medpagetoday.com/InfectiousDisease/GeneralInfectiousDisease/24683 - whereby researchers are a step closer to detecting vCJD in asymptomatic folks.

In any event, if you're originally from the North and you've still access to a residential address, your parents perhaps, the NIBTS (http://www.nibts.org/) aren't as picky. Gave blood in December for the first time in twenty years and it felt good to help

Bottle_of_Smoke

Takes about 600calories to make a new pint of blood. So if going on a diet thats a few mars bars.

I really want to, but I'm not allowed 'cause I lived in England from the late 80's to very early 90's

Marcia Lustley

women can't donate either if they have cervical pre cancerous cells fyi

cython

Gave number 12 on Tuesday, and put myself on the bone marrow registry. It's something that I've been considering for a while; after seeing my dad pass away while waiting for a heart transplant, I realised/decided that I would hate to think that someone might go through similar suffering for want of a transplant of my bone marrow, especially when the side-effects of donation are short-term.

Funnily enough I had been giving blood for a few years before he passed though, and have considered platelets, but with the limited donation times/locations, it makes more sense for me at the moment to stay with blood donation.

Archeron

Has there been a drop off in the number of mobile clinics around the country? I live in Meath and used to see them every three months or so, and would always go, but there hasnt been a notification now for about 6 months, and looking at the site online, there is still no dates planned for anywhere in Meath. Anyone else find this around the country?

RedXIV

Recently did number 7, am due for number 8 i think now, but never actively sought to give blood, just whenever it was around and I was free.

I've never noticed giving platelets and marrow before though? And I would like to get that Pin for 50 donations.....hmmm

My dad got the 50 donations dinner last year and was chuffed with himself.

phill106

I did a quick check as im A+, no clinics near me in shannon atm. Be an idea with the election coming up to have clinics in polling stations.

Kiera

I'm off to give some tonight. Do it every 3 months.

beertons

i haven't donated blood in over a year. i went on hols to malaysia, had to take a break for a while, and i've had a cold the last few times they've been around.