Are you a Blood Doner?

whassupp2 · 09-06-2007 04:02PM #1

I donated for the first time recently and was told by one of the staff of the great shortage in blood donors to meet demands.

Just wondering aswell if there are any long term affects to giving blood??

Guy:Incognito · 09-06-2007 04:09PM

I have received a donation before

I went a few years ago and couldnt donate as I had recently got a tattoo. Been lazy and never went back. Keep meaning to though.

Ice_Box · 09-06-2007 04:12PM

No

There are no long term effects of giving blood.

What I hate about giving blood are the queues. There simple isnt enough staff to handle the demand so there is no point blaming the general public. Last time I gave blood loads of people left because they were sick of waiting.

Oryx · 09-06-2007 04:14PM

No

Yes, but they dont always take it cos i get anaemic

oh, and im a universal donor (O neg) so my bloods good for anyone.:D

G&T · 09-06-2007 04:29PM

No

Think everyone eligable should have to give blood.
I give every time i can.
The waiting around is a pain but imagine you or someone in your family having to wait for surgery if there was no blood available.
Every time i donate i think of it as saving someone's life and that to me is worth the hastle,
If you havn't done it i hope this will give you something to think about.
Also your body make's a new pint up in no time so you have new cell's fighting off infection,im never sick and i think donating has something to do with it.

445279.ie · 09-06-2007 04:31PM

No

Made my 10th donation recently and got a nice little gift in the post

Always think the worst part is the prick on the finger to test for iron levels :eek:

Zaph · 09-06-2007 04:48PM

No

rebel72 wrote:

Always think the worst part is the prick on the finger to test for iron levels :eek:

People always say that but it's never bothered me.

Dave! · 09-06-2007 04:55PM

No

zaph wrote:

People always say that but it's never bothered me.

I had that done and it didn't bother me either......

Gave my first donation a few weeks ago, gonna make it a regular thing.

I was asking the nurse about why so few people donate (the IBTS site says only 3% of the population do) and she was saying that one of the main problems is travel. If you go to places like South America, South East Asia, Africa, etc., then you have to wait months before you can donate because of the risk of picking up diseases there.

There's also the whole "if you spent more than a year in the UK between 1980 and 1996", then you can't donate ever.

Ruu_Old · 09-06-2007 04:56PM

I am in Ireland but my blood isn't good enough for the Americans so I'm not allowed donate.

(mad cow ban thingy)

lucernarian · 09-06-2007 04:59PM

I wish there was an option for those who are excluded from giving blood.

A question, how do you find out what type of blood you have?

Nehpets · 09-06-2007 05:01PM

Stupid question but ... how do I give blood exactly? Like where do I go etc etc?

ballooba · 09-06-2007 05:06PM

I am not a kebab!

spurious · 09-06-2007 05:06PM

In Dublin, the main clinic is at the junction of Westmoreland St and D'Olier Street - up on (I think) the 2nd floor.

I went in last year ready to give blood and couldn't because of some medication I'm on. It's actually quite a small group they can take blood from now, when you exclude the people who have lived in England, gay men, people on blood pressure and similar medication and all the other excluded groups.

Mossy Monk · 09-06-2007 05:13PM

I have received a donation before

No.

sunnyjim · 09-06-2007 05:16PM

Yep. Did it once. Fainted after. Going back next week

Zaph · 09-06-2007 05:24PM

No

You can find out here if you're eligible to give blood or not.

Oral Slang · 09-06-2007 05:26PM

No

Nehpets wrote:

Stupid question but ... how do I give blood exactly? Like where do I go etc etc?

Log on to IBTS.ie and look up locations. There are some fixed ones & then they have mobile units that travel around to different schools, halls etc.

I gave blood for the 2nd time about 3 weeks ago. Have low blood pressure though, so nearly fainted both times. I absolutely hate that sensation, so will probably wait a while b4 I go again. Before I gave blood, it was the needle I dreaded, but now its the half an hour afterwards. They keep you ages if they think you might faint, so not good if you're in a hurry.
Happy I can donate though, everyone should try donate if they're eligible.

Zaph · 09-06-2007 05:28PM

No

Make sure you eat properly before you go as it reduces the risk of fainting.

Oryx · 09-06-2007 05:31PM

No

Do you still have the option of a glass of Guinness afterwards? (I only take tea so I cant recall what else they give you now)

philstar · 09-06-2007 05:37PM

No

yes i did it, but only the once, as i made a complete tit of myself.

because being the woss that i am i nearly passed out half way through, cause when i looked over at the bottle full of blood i started getting queasy and the nurses stopped the procedure.

i just have to toughen up a bit i think:o

whassupp2 · 09-06-2007 05:41PM

No

KtK wrote:

Do you still have the option of a glass of Guinness afterwards? (I only take tea so I cant recall what else they give you now)

ya they still have guinness

crazy_dude6662 · 09-06-2007 05:44PM

spurious wrote:

In Dublin, the main clinic is at the junction of Westmoreland St and D'Olier Street - up on (I think) the 2nd floor.

I went in last year ready to give blood and couldn't because of some medication I'm on. It's actually quite a small group they can take blood from now, when you exclude the people who have lived in England, gay men, people on blood pressure and similar medication and all the other excluded groups.

actually its only if you had gay sex (with or without a condom) so if your gay and a virgin you can give blood all you like.

i plan to give blood when im old enough to.

Tar.Aldarion · 09-06-2007 05:45PM

I'm 'anti-anaemic' to put it simply, a genetic disorder that is quite cool. So yeah, donate.

Dave! · 09-06-2007 05:58PM

No

Ye can only donate every 3 months apparantly. It takes that long for your blood to..... something.

wyndham · 09-06-2007 06:08PM

I have received a donation before

Ice_Box wrote:

There are no long term effects of giving blood.

What I hate about giving blood are the queues. There simple isnt enough staff to handle the demand so there is no point blaming the general public. Last time I gave blood loads of people left because they were sick of waiting.

Agreed, I went to give blood to a mobile clinic before near where I live. It was about 8pm and they said there would be a 2 hour wait. So I said i'd go home and come back but was told they wouldn't admit people after 9pm so i left it. Figured they obviously weren't as desperate as they make out for donations.

oleras · 09-06-2007 06:15PM

No

dont it 5 or 6 times about 6-7 years ago, got a piercing and couldent and never went back, it was the waiting around that annoyed me the most, if they are that desperate why not have a service in a hospital where you can go at anytime night or day, and as for running out, that aint gona happen, they buy it in when they run low iirc.

robinph · 09-06-2007 06:22PM

I have received a donation before

I know they won't take mine for multiple reasons so I've never gone to the bother of offering it to them, I like the idea of free Guinness though. Had a few pints taken for some drug study or something I years ago though but never got any free drink after that.

oleras · 09-06-2007 06:38PM

No

#Elites wrote:

why cant gays donate blood?

:rolleyes: ......... would you like to catch "Gay" after a transfusion........ *

* yabada yabada joke

BendiBus · 09-06-2007 06:44PM

No

I tried to give once, but when the nurse inserted the needle, it split my vein nearly the length of my arm! :eek: A doctor had to be called over and I had to wear a pressure bandage from my wrist to my elbow for a couple of weeks! But even so, I've oficially donated. Must try again soon.

spurious wrote:

It's actually quite a small group they can take blood from now, when you exclude the people who have lived in England, gay men, people on blood pressure and similar medication and all the other excluded groups.

I don't think blood pressure or its medication makes you ineligible to donate.

Collie D · 09-06-2007 06:59PM

I have received a donation before

G&T wrote:

Think everyone eligable should have to give blood.

Should have to? No way, man. I don't gve blood, I can be harvested for whatever they want once I die, would probably even donate a kidney whle alive but just too much of a wuss when it comes to blood. Even reading this thread make me feel queasy.

Vorsprung · 09-06-2007 07:08PM

No

G&T wrote:

Think everyone eligable should have to give blood.

Sure why not take a kidney while they're at it, we can do fine with one

I've donated a fair few times, used to try to do it every 3 months but haven't had the time lately, think I tried on the last bank holiday but they were closed. Will defo try over the next couple of weeks

Are you a Blood Doner?

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