Why can't *you* donate blood?

MistyCheese

That sounds a bit accusatory! I don't mean it like that but I recently found out that I can't donate blood because I lived the North in the 80's and my OH also can't because he had jaundice as a baby.

So, anyone else here not allowed to give blood?

NTC

I had a "false positive" on one of my samples.

Daith

I'm a guy who has sex with other guys.

Kablamo!

I'm a recipient.

Gongoozler

I haven't been able to give blood numerous times for variable reasons, but the most recent problem is that I'm coming down off my anti depressants and they didn't want to cause a lower level from taking the blood. They said come back to them when I've been on a stable dose for six months. Problem is I'm slowly weaning off them, so my dose keeps changing. Maybe in another year.

Tried to do it at least four times.

angelfire9

I thought the jaundice thing was gone??

I am O Neg give blood regularly

Bipolar Joe

I lived in the UK. I'd like to. I got tested and I'm clean(ish). It sucks, especially when they run adverts making you look like a cunt if you don't.

rannerap

I'm usually not able to because I recently got a tattoo or piercing and you have to wait six months after getting either before a donation. But when I can I do!

snubbleste

trypanophobia

dan1895

Had an operation in the UK in the 80's. I need to check if this is still a reason for not donating these days.

No Pants

I've given blood before and plan to do so again this week, but my missus can't. Her veins are just too small or something. Anytime she tries, they never get more than a third of a pint and she ends up black and blue.

Penny Tration

Sarannewrap wrote: »

I'm usually not able to because I recently got a tattoo or piercing and you have to wait six months after getting either before a donation. But when I can I do!

The exclusion period for tattoos and piercings is four months, not six. might make it easier to donate, cause I know I plan my tattoos around donating!

Thankfully, I'm able to donate. Currently I can't for another few months as I was in a tropical country before Christmas, but I'll be able to go again shortly.

I jave junkie veins so it takes them a few goes to get the blood. :pac:

Sunnyisland

The last time I went they told me I had not enough Iron in my blood, still got me tea and chocolate though :-)

OT but actually worked in pelican house years ago when it was at the top of lesson street,good times.

Gran Hermano

Time spent in UK
Time in tropics
Recent transfusions.

dan1895

dan1895 wrote: »

Had an operation in the UK in the 80's. I need to check if this is still a reason for not donating these days.

Just looked at the detailed form for first time donors and the question is still there.

RoyalMarine

born in the UK in 1984. Unable to give blood in Ireland.

efb

MSM

Before I had given 6 pints B-

MistyCheese

angelfire9 wrote: »

I thought the jaundice thing was gone??

I am O Neg give blood regularly

Ooh, I must tell him that. I did do the Can You Give Blood quizette on the GiveBlood website and it didn't ask if you'd had jaundice as a baby as a question. So maybe it's not an issue anymore.

Corkfeen

Was misdiagnosed with Crohns disease for a while so couldn't give blood for about two years. Allowed to give again now so try to do so as much as I can.

smurgen

Anaemia and a tattoo.it's a great thing to give blood though and I'd 100% donate if I could

Medusa22

I can't because I take antibiotics every day as a prophylactic (I have CF) and well, because I have CF :P I would like to give blood though so I do feel bad that I can't

Tabitharose

Used to give blood, last time though, my vein collapsed so not allowed anymore.

Miss Lockhart

They had some sort of trouble getting enough blood within a certain amount of time and told me not to come again.

rannerap

green_screen wrote: »

The exclusion period for tattoos and piercings is four months, not six. might make it easier to donate, cause I know I plan my tattoos around donating!

Thankfully, I'm able to donate. Currently I can't for another few months as I was in a tropical country before Christmas, but I'll be able to go again shortly.

I jave junkie veins so it takes them a few goes to get the blood. :pac:

Hmm dunno why I thought it was six! I'm able to donate at the minute anyway so gonna do it before my next piece!

Darkglasses

Let's say hypothetically I'm a complete ignoramus...Why can't you donate if you lived in the UK in the 80s?

dan1895

Darkglasses wrote: »

Let's say hypothetically I'm a complete ignoramus...Why can't you donate if you lived in the UK in the 80s?

Wasn't there batches of contaminated blood going around at the time but it only came out in the 90's? But I'm not 100% sure about that.

Larianne

BSE/Mad Cow Disease..

I can't because I lived in the tropics for a while... stupid!

Chazz Michael Michaels

I had unprotected sex in a poor country. Shame, my blood is a premium brand.

Risteard

I have haemochromatosis which means I actually do have to get blood taken from me every once in a while. I asked one of the nurses before if that blood can be used for transfusions or anything. She said that it can be but there are rules against or something and it has to be destroyed. Seems like such a waste given the amount of blood taken over the past few years.

TouchingVirus

Darkglasses wrote: »

Let's say hypothetically I'm a complete ignoramus...Why can't you donate if you lived in the UK in the 80s?

[url=https://www.facebook.com/notes/irish-blood-transfusion-service/faqs/469905931412]IBTS[/url] wrote:

Why can’t I give blood if I’ve lived in the U.K. for a year or more between 1980-1996?

This is due to the increased risk of vCJD in the U.K. food chain during these years. vCJD was first reported in the U.K. in 1996. It is thought to be contracted by eating bovine meat products infected with an abnormal prion protein. This is generally accepted as being the same agent that causes BSE.

There is no blood test available for the disease at present and while there are a number of companies working on developing a test, it will be a few years before one will be available. So there is no way of screening blood donations for the presence of vCJD at this time.

I can't give blood because I had jaundice from an unknown source after the age of 13. I went into their main office on D'Olier St last year to try but the nurse there went through the procedure and ruled me out based on that. It's a case of more supply than demand I think, so the IBTS can afford to be picky. If I were in the UK I could donate no problem.

Call me Al

dan1895 wrote: »

Wasn't there batches of contaminated blood going around at the time but it only came out in the 90's? But I'm not 100% sure about that.

That restriction is in place for people who lived in the UK until the mid 90s. There was a big scandal there st the time about the beef (and parts of the cow) that was being processed into cheap food. Als that the dodgy pieces (spinal cord etc) were being processed back into animal feed. We also banned cuts of meat on the bone at the time.
They can't screen for CJD and they said that symptoms can take up to 20 years to become evident.

GAAman

Hi I'm Troy McClure, you may remember me from such shows as "I didn't read the thread title properly"!

efb

GAAman wrote: »

I do, have 30+ donations of my O neg blood. I did it all these years just cos it was the right thing to do but a nurse recently said to me that I had saved at least 10 peoples lives if not closer to 15, will admit that hit me right in the feels!

That's nice but you can give blood so well dohe

TouchingVirus

GAAman wrote: »

I do, have 30+ donations of my O neg blood. I did it all these years just cos it was the right thing to do but a nurse recently said to me that I had saved at least 10 peoples lives if not closer to 15, will admit that hit me right in the feels!

This is not the thread for you

Menas

Lived in the uk in the early 90s and go to asia once a year.

GAAman

TouchingVirus wrote: »

This is not the thread for you

You are right, I thought thread title said "Why don't" rather than can't...

looksee

Used to give regularly but:

Lived in tropics
Had blood transfusion in Kenya in 1972
Lived in area of Kilkenny with endemic jaundice (at the time)
Lived in UK briefly during 70s
and finally...I am too old

smurfjed

Unfortunately, you are unable to give blood for 3 months after you return from a tropical country and for 12 months after you return from a malarial country.

they won't let me

Merkin

Have lived in Asia, live and have lived in UK and have had a blood transfusion. Such a shame, am A Neg and used to give blood regularly but unable to anymore.

spiralism

Phobia of needles.

Teyla Emmagan

I am barred, I got a transfusion in the dodgy years. Used to give blood but then they changed their regulations and I got a letter telling me they didn't want to see me anymore!

Ten of Swords

I can't because I do number 39 on this list as often as possible

stefan idiot jones

U.k. Foot and mouth.

MistyCheese

All very interesting guys. There's quite a few exclusions.

RhubarbCrumble

I had glandular fever and I weigh less than 7st 12. Not sure if the glandular fever one would prevent me anymore having looked at the website, but I knew it used to before.

Links234

'cos I'm transgender

Reiketsu

I have given blood a few times, however I often can't due to new piercings. That and I get really faint and sick so I was told not to bother because of how it affects me. I tried . I have O negative so would really like to be able to.

J_E

I like men. Even though I don't partake in what they call the high risk activities, they won't have it, so bar lying that I like women it's not possible. I suppose I am still a little sore about it but for the most part I've gotten over it, I only represent about 9% of the country but if they don't want my blood that's absolutely fine by me!

Czarcasm

I always gave blood regularly since I was 18, but when I had my hip operation at 22 they did an autologous blood transfusion, so I used have to put that down on the form every time, then a couple of weeks ago when I went to donate I put down on the form that I'd had X-rays done on the hip recently, so they told me because it was part of ongoing medical treatment I couldn't donate.

It's ok anyway because every time I get the letter notifying me of the next clinic times, I get a text maybe the day before to say they have enough AB+ and please consider skipping this time and coming the next time, something like that

efb

Cydoniac wrote: »

I like men. Even though I don't partake in what they call the high risk activities, they won't have it, so bar lying that I like women it's not possible. I suppose I am still a little sore about it but for the most part I've gotten over it, I only represent about 9% of the country but if they don't want my blood that's absolutely fine by me!

If you never had anal inter course with a man it's ok

Ten of Swords

efb wrote: »

If you never had anal inter course with a man it's ok

No, they will still not allow it.

Their loss to be honest, I have an uncommon blood type and I'm clean, but they won't take mine - rules are rules...