Blood Doners

Baldie

Does anyone here give blood on a regular basis?

If so, how did you start, who told you to come along?

Have you introduced anyone to giving blood?

What blood group are you? Just to see if O Positive is the most common...

Any stories to tell?

I'll start so,

A mate of mine told me to come along. I was nervous at first but now I love going. It's my good deed for the 90 days...

Tried to get a few people to go but just got the usual excuses.... "I hate needles"!!!

Im O Positive, im just a commoner....

Another mate of mine has very rare blood. O Negative, I think. One day all the nurses gathered around and made a big show because ha had this rare blood..... weird...!

ferdi

i gave blood in college two years ago and i was grand but about half way through i had a bit of a white out (fainted like a girl) and the nurses had to stop. but i got free food and guinness!

now the only doners i go near is the kind wrapped in a peta bread out of iskanders at 02.30

Baldie

ooooo not good....

Never felt faint after giving blood thank god!

Did you have something to eat before you went in?

ferdi

cant remember to be honest, i presume i did, i'm not that silly. it was a really horrible feeling, like being drained of all energy and life-force in my body - quite scary.

Rhyme

Ive not been one to dish out my life juice...

Bad reactions include;
Fainting
Cold sweats
Hot sweats
Collapsing
Vomiting
etc...

But i am determined later in life to do it regularly...

skywalker

I went in to donate once but I hadnt eaten that morning so couldnt donate. I keep meaning to go back, but its one of those things that ends up on the long finger. I will go back soon.

Highlander

Have given about 9/10 times, but havent been for a few years, will have to start again. Blood group is B Positive

ferdi

i'm A Rh-

Enii

I give every 6 months or so. I think I will go this week. I have no problem giving and the staff are great - they really make you feel good about donating. I am A Positive.

I think Blood Donating is a civic duty that everyone should try at least once and if possible should give regularly.

************************************

Who Has Which Blood Type?

TYPES DISTRIBUTION
RATIOS

O + 1 person in 3 38.4%
O - 1 person in 15 7.7%
A + 1 person in 3 32.3%
A - 1 person in 16 6.5%
B + 1 person in 12 9.4%
B - 1 person in 67 1.7%
AB + 1 person in 29 3.2%
AB - 1 person in 167 0.7%

ciaran76

I am O- and give every 3-6 months if i can. There usually is a mobile clinic that comes out our way about 3 times a year. Missed it last month as i was away but hopefully give one before X-mas.

Seen others faint but never have myself

finlma

I give it as often as I can cause I'm O-, the universal donor. A good friend got me into it and I've converted a few people including my sister.

A vein has collapsed on me once or twice, nothing worse than a bit of bruising

I was in New York on a J1 for 9/11. When it happened they called for blood donations from any O- donors. I went to the hospital straight away and sat there for the day. Turned out that there was no need for blood - you either got out or died.

ghostchant

I'm A+ (no change there then ).
I've only given blood once but I'm doing it again next week, though last time I got very faint that night, fell and smacked my face off a shelf...I'm almost looking forward to find out what happens this time.:D

Enii

ciaran76 wrote:

I am O- and give every 3-6 months if i can. There usually is a mobile clinic that comes out our way about 3 times a year.

If you are giving for the first time, I would advise going in to D'Olier Street as there tends to be less queues than in the mobile clinics. Both are just as equipped as each other and the staff are great in both.

declanoneill

For years I thought I was allowed give (was told as much) because I had Jaundice when I was younger. Gave for the first time 2 months through work. I've always wanted to give because I remember being a nipper and watching my dad do it, always struck me as a very selfless act. Next month I'm bringing the misses with me.

I'm A- (Ferdi, ever get stuck, give me a nod )

Alun

I used to give blood regularly, and it's really not a big deal, honestly. Reason i had to stop was that I'm from the UK and they're afraid there's a 1 in a gazillion chance someone might get mad cow disease from me ... MOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

vibe666

i tried, but they wouldn't let me.

i've lived in the uk during the 80- & 90's (mad cow disease) and been to places with weird tropical diseases (apparently) like thailand in the last few years.

they said that as the rules stand right now, i'll probably never be able to give blood in ireland.

i've done it a couple of times in the UK and in spain though.

big ass needles in spain too, much bigger than the uk ones. almost needed an injection to prepare me for it!

finlma

There are quiet a few restrictions on blood which I don't understand. Can they not test it to see if its ok. I have a mate who is gay and cannot give blood. I lived in the UK for a while and almost fall into the "mad cow" bracket but miss out by a few months.

Baldie

I just figured out how to do a poll...

So I stuck one in just for laughs....:D

IceHawk

I'm A positive. Donated once when I was 19 cos my mother was going anyway. I nearly fainted afterwards, though. Sort of puts me off doing it again.

In UL, when they wanted to bring in the mobile blood clinic, there were protests because the IBTS 'discriminate' against gay people. It was totally ridiculous.

Oriel

I have no idea what blood type I am.

tk123

me neither - OP you should have an I don't know option!! I'm not allowed to give blood because i'm on prescribed medicines!!

Baldie

tk123 wrote:

me neither - OP you should have an I don't know option!!

i know, I thought of that afterwards. I don't think I can change it now? Can one of the mods put in an "I don't know" Option?

D

just came across this and thought that it was relevant.

It is particularly important for expectant mothers to know their blood's Rh factor. Occasionally, a baby will inherit an Rh positive blood type from its father while the mother has an Rh negative blood type. The baby's life could be in great danger if the mother's Rh negative blood attacks the baby's Rh positive blood. If this happens, an exchange transfusion may save the baby's life. The baby's blood can be exchanged for new blood that matches the mother's.

from here:http://sln.fi.edu/biosci/blood/rh.html

jacko

I'm O+. Yea i give about 3 times a year, have asked a few of me mates if they'd go but they all give the usual crap about being afraid of needles. Totally selfish in my opinion. I always shame them by saying something like

"you're in a car crash where you and 1 other person are seriously injured and both of you need a blood transfusion to survive. You are lucky and get the transfusion and make a full recovery. The other person, who had been a donor for 20 years is out of luck and dies because theres no blood left in the bloodbank"

Enii

sinecurea wrote:

I have no idea what blood type I am.

when you go to donate you will find out what blood type you are after you have given.

Alun

finlma wrote:

There are quiet a few restrictions on blood which I don't understand. Can they not test it to see if its ok. I have a mate who is gay and cannot give blood. I lived in the UK for a while and almost fall into the "mad cow" bracket but miss out by a few months.

Yeah, it's a bummer. I've been a donor on and off for the best part of 30 years in the UK, Germany and Holland, and now I'm here in Ireland I can't donate any more. I'm almost tempted to drive up north, to Newry for example, and give blood there.

I actually left the UK towards the end of 1980, but have spent several holidays / family visits there since thus bringing me over the now totally ridiculous 1 year limit. There's no science to this arbitrary cutoff time, I'm sure, it started off as 3 years, then went down to 2 I think, and now it's just 1. I mean, anyone who just travelled regularly to the UK on business, or to visit family would have racked up 12 months in that time period (16 years) without too much trouble.

jor el

I'm O- and have donated about 23 times now since 1995, have my silver and gold pins now. I go every 3 months these days, didn't donate much in college as I was never at home when the clinic arrived and they were only in WIT once in the 4 years I was there.

I first started with a mate of mine, we took the afternoon off school to go down to the mobile clinic. Great excuse for a half day on a Friday. Since then, I've convinced a few people to go along, my Mother for one, and two workmates, but I don't know either of any of them still go. Most people won't go because of the needle. I find the finger prick for the iron level test to be the worst bit though.

LegacyUser

no idea

Tar.Aldarion

I give blood a lot.Have haemochromatosis so I have to anyway.

dundalk cailin

i cant donate either cos i lived in the north as a baby (86-87), went to donate last year, but was refused.. any1 who spent a yr or over in the UK during 80s cant donate in the south and they're crying out for donors ...

my dad donated for years, i used to go with him to get the free crisps my mam couldnt cos she's from the north, but think she donates up there

Hagar

I tried to give blood here in France about 2 weeks ago but I was refused as they won't accept blood from anyone resident in the "British Isles" between 1987 and 1996.
As an Irishman who never lived in Britain that really píssed me off.

Baldie

jor el wrote:

.....I find the finger prick for the iron level test to be the worst bit though.

Ya that's the bit I hate as well!! The free sweets and biscuits make up for it though...

Civilian_Target

Does anyone here give blood on a regular basis?

Used to, when I'm in Dublin I still do.

If so, how did you start, who told you to come along?

I'd just missed a bus, and had to wait 40 mins for the next one so I dropped into the blood bank in D'Olier St. to kill some time, I'd always meant to give blood because I'm a rare blood group, but never could before then because I was on medication.

Have you introduced anyone to giving blood?

No, anyone I know who gives blood has been donating for longer than I have. Anyone I've talked to about it either already gives, is on medication, or is afraid of needles.

Any stories to tell?

Aye - the first time I went to give, they missed the vein and poked me in the arm with the big needle. It hurt quite a bit. The nurse then turned around and said "You work in the IT industry, don't you" to which I answered "yeah, how did you know?" and she replied "You've got keyboarders arm - can I drain from your mousing arm instead, its easier to hit the vein."

So there you go, too much time on the keyboard obscures the view of the veins in your left elbow.

Also, I was banned from giving blood for a year because I lived in the north for too long when I was a kid, which made them suspicious that I might have BSE...

monkeyfudge

I have pure Atari Jaguar flowing through my veins.


I don't know what blood type I am actually... I've asked my GP and other doctors lots of times, but they always seem to change the subject.


I've always been meaning to donate, but when I get around to thinking about it I usually have a head cold or something. The thought of free Guinness is greatly tempting to me... they really should play up that angle more.

Sleepy

I've donated for the first time this summer. According to the little card they sent me I'm O RhD+. Am I weird for actually enjoying the sensation of the blood draining through the needle? Only ill-effect I noticed was that I was a little tired that evening. Really is something everyone should do. Always surprised that the IBTS don't set up the mobile clinics outside the dole office tbh. I'd imagine most people claiming would be able to spare the half hour or so to donate and knowing how good you feel about yourself after donating it could really help give those people a feeling that they were making a genuine contribution to society while out of work...

robinph

They wouldn't ever take any of mine due to me probably having mad cow disease as well as all the medication I'm on, but anyone using the "I'm scared of needles" excuse need a good hard slap and be told to sort themselves out.

I do think that the IBTS are a bit daft by not taking anyone who has spent time in the UK though and then complaining about a lack of blood. That rule has got to be excluding a huge percentage of the population from giving blood and is not helping their cause any.

Alun

robinph wrote:

I do think that the IBTS are a bit daft by not taking anyone who has spent time in the UK though and then complaining about a lack of blood. That rule has got to be excluding a huge percentage of the population from giving blood and is not helping their cause any.

I think it's something of an overreaction too, probably caused by the uproar that ensued after the hepatitis scares of a few years ago. Someone in the IBTS needs to look up the phrase "risk assessment". I mean, if you had a bad accident up north or in the rest of the UK and needed blood what would you do? Refuse, on the grounds that you might get vCJD, or just take that infinitessimaly small risk and get on with it?

IIRC, there have been a grand total of 5 cases where someone who later contracted vCJD had previously had a blood transfusion, but only one of those donors had vCJD themselves, and one other case was diagnosed only 7 months after the transfusion. Hardly an epidemic.

RobertFoster

*Checks Blood Donor card*

O+

I've only given blood 3 times, when they came out to my college. I'm very rarely in town to give blood in there

robinph

Alun wrote:

I think it's something of an overreaction too, probably caused by the uproar that ensued after the hepatitis scares of a few years ago. Someone in the IBTS needs to look up the phrase "risk assessment". I mean, if you had a bad accident up north or in the rest of the UK and needed blood what would you do? Refuse, on the grounds that you might get vCJD, or just take that infinitessimaly small risk and get on with it?

IIRC, there have been a grand total of 5 cases where someone who later contracted vCJD had previously had a blood transfusion, but only one of those donors had vCJD themselves, and one other case was diagnosed only 7 months after the transfusion. Hardly an epidemic.

If it was a case of needing the blood transfusion and you have a choice of:
A) you will definately die now
or
there is a very small risk that you could get vCJD at some point in the future, but you've probably already eaten enough BigMac's already when visiting the UK that you've got it already.

Probably more likely to get MRSA whilst your in the hospital anyway.

keevita

i have that RH negative blood, i think the first child will be ok, but i will produce antibodies against the second one? am not overly worried yet, it will be a while before i pop one out. so what other reasons prevent you from giving blood? do they ask about drugs?

joejoem

Yeah drugs are bad mmmmmkay. You cant give blood if you have smoked for a month at least I think

Beno

D wrote:

just came across this and thought that it was relevant.

It is particularly important for expectant mothers to know their blood's Rh factor. Occasionally, a baby will inherit an Rh positive blood type from its father while the mother has an Rh negative blood type. The baby's life could be in great danger if the mother's Rh negative blood attacks the baby's Rh positive blood. If this happens, an exchange transfusion may save the baby's life. The baby's blood can be exchanged for new blood that matches the mother's.

from here:http://sln.fi.edu/biosci/blood/rh.html

That happened to me and mum. They had to give her some drugs to stop that from happening, she told me i made her very ill.... btw i was her third

joejoem

Beno wrote:

That happened to me and mum. They had to give her some drugs to stop that from happening, she told me i made her very ill.... btw i was her third

You Bastard!

BoozyBabe

Baldie wrote:

Another mate of mine has very rare blood. O Negative, I think. One day all the nurses gathered around and made a big show because ha had this rare blood..... weird...!

I don't so much think that's it's a V rare blood, look at the poll!

It's more the fact that O negative is the universal doner so it's V much sought after as it can be used in accidents etc without knowing the patients blood type.

I'm O negative but I don't give blood. I went a few years ago to give blood but I was only 7.5st so they wouldn't take any blood off me as you have to be at least 8st. I'm still a few lbs shy of it so I guess I have an excuse!!!

I have an organ doner card if that redeems me any???

cee_jay

jacko wrote:

I'm O+. Yea i give about 3 times a year, have asked a few of me mates if they'd go but they all give the usual crap about being afraid of needles. Totally selfish in my opinion. I always shame them by saying something like

"you're in a car crash where you and 1 other person are seriously injured and both of you need a blood transfusion to survive. You are lucky and get the transfusion and make a full recovery. The other person, who had been a donor for 20 years is out of luck and dies because theres no blood left in the bloodbank"

Actually if you have donate blood - even once - you will get the blood transfusion before a person who has never donated.

I am A+
Haven't been able to donate for a while, as I got a piercing (6 months ban) and was in Thailand (year ban), tropical area (6 months), and USA (8 weeks) - luckily they all ran concurrently though!!

The ban is finally up and they wouldn't let me donate because they didn't think I hadn't eaten enough! :eek:

Personally I think its something everyone should do - and fear of needles is no excuse! Just don't look! You could be saving someone's life!

Red Alert

you won't see needles really if you don't look - the needle is contained in a shroud and can't really be seen. i've donated once, the ex- was going (she was a regular donor) so i headed along with the promise of free food etc. they're all really sound in the blood bank and they'll put you at ease.

interestingly, is that really true about giving a donor before somebody else? (sound good to me though).

damien

Can't give blood cos I caught the gay. Comforting to know that a prostitute who has unprotected sex is not banned for life but I am.

Civilian_Target

joejoem wrote:

Yeah drugs are bad mmmmmkay. You cant give blood if you have smoked for a month at least I think

3/4 days is enough unless you're get stoned on a regular basis (AFAIK)

Nightwish

I've no idea what blood group I am. And I'd rather not know cos that means somebody sticking a needle in me, and I'm petrified of needles.

chrismon

Im O RHS - so im the rare one.i Donate every 4 months(everytime they are in town) and can never get anyone to come with me!
The first time i went was going great,was sitting there eatin taytos(after donating) feeling all happy about myself, then started too feel kinda tired,thinking in my head "ok im gona call the nurse" then i looked at wall and thought "wow that wall is nice" ended up blacking out and smacking my head off a wall! I rember all the nurses trying to wake me up and sayin "go away" thinking i was in bed asleap, fairly scary experience. Felt absolutly horrible but still go every time now, havnt fainted since :cool:

robinph

Nightwish wrote:

I've no idea what blood group I am. And I'd rather not know cos that means somebody sticking a needle in me, and I'm petrified of needles.

Crap excuse, need to think of a better reason than being scared of needles for not giving blood.