Blood Doners

Baldie · 03-11-2005 11:38AM #1

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 · 03-11-2005 11:41AM

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 · 03-11-2005 11:44AM

ooooo not good....

Never felt faint after giving blood thank god!

Did you have something to eat before you went in?

ferdi · 03-11-2005 11:47AM

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 · 03-11-2005 11:48AM

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 · 03-11-2005 11:50AM

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 · 03-11-2005 11:53AM

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

ferdi · 03-11-2005 11:59AM

i'm A Rh-

Enii · 03-11-2005 11:59AM

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 · 03-11-2005 12:04PM

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 · 03-11-2005 12:14PM

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 · 03-11-2005 12:16PM

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 · 03-11-2005 12:17PM

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 · 03-11-2005 12:21PM

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 · 03-11-2005 12:21PM

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 · 03-11-2005 12:25PM

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 · 03-11-2005 12:25PM

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 · 03-11-2005 12:30PM

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

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

IceHawk · 03-11-2005 12:39PM

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 · 03-11-2005 12:43PM

I have no idea what blood type I am.

tk123 · 03-11-2005 12:53PM

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 · 03-11-2005 01:07PM

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?

03-11-2005 01:09PM

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 · 03-11-2005 01:10PM

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 · 03-11-2005 01:15PM

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 · 03-11-2005 01:15PM

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 · 03-11-2005 01:27PM

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 · 03-11-2005 01:30PM

no idea

Tar.Aldarion · 03-11-2005 01:33PM

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

dundalk cailin · 03-11-2005 01:34PM

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 · 03-11-2005 01:42PM

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.

Blood Doners

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