Why can't you donate blood?

Aestivalis · 19-01-2014 11:01PM

pow wow wrote: »

I had a mild reaction to a prescription drug when I was a kid. Very mild. The nurse read that as anaphylaxis and sent me home. I got a cup of Club Orange and a mini Dairy Milk for my trouble though.

How many years ago was that? To be honest that doesnt sound like something you need to even tell them when donating blood.

_Redzer_ · 19-01-2014 11:07PM

efb wrote: »

msm only unless your a lady that had sex with a guy who had sex with a guy

That's such a stupid clause. As if any man who's also sleeping with a woman would bring that up or even tell her before having sex.

Judging by the sheer amount of closeted and self identified "straight" lads I've met, many of which with girlfriends, they've inadvertently broken the rules themselves because they honestly didn't know.

There are so many holes and flaws in the system. Banning gay men outright doesn't cover all the bases.

cassid · 19-01-2014 11:52PM

Had 4 pints transfused after giving birth, 4 years ago and as recipient can not donate blood. Makes you wonder about the blood I got!!

I tried to donate milk as well and the same criteria, once a recipient never allowed to donate.

JuliusCaesar · 19-01-2014 11:54PM

a) was 7 and a half stone when I went at age 20 or so.

b) lived in the UK for a few years, so am now ineligable.

Gongoozler · 19-01-2014 11:57PM

cassid wrote: »

I tried to donate milk as well and the same criteria, once a recipient never allowed to donate.

Huh?

delw · 20-01-2014 12:05AM

I wish i had donated when i was able to,sorry i didn't now but don't think they'd let me now,on penicillin,steroid,blood pressure & chemo tablets daily

Nolanator Rugby · 20-01-2014 12:17AM

Chorcai wrote: »

My AB- isn't good enough for em cause I have the ghey, fúck em.

Muise... wrote: »

Yep, fcuk 'em with a thousand needles. I'm a woman who has had sex with a man who was bisexual (at least one that I know of) so that's me out, and to be honest, even if I hadn't had sex with a man who sometimes also had sex with men, I'd tell them to fcuk off on principle. Blood transfusion rules are thicker than blood. :mad:

Yeah, **** the safety of the patient :rolleyes:

Real Life · 20-01-2014 12:18AM

2 reasons, tattoos and i had to be giving blood before so i think that stops you giving it.

gctest50 · 20-01-2014 12:30AM

Gongoozler wrote: »

Huh?

Human milk bank

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/4318136.stm

http://www.healthpromotionagency.org.uk/work/Breastfeeding/pdfs/8.pdf

helps stop

https://www.google.ie/search?q=necrotising+enterocolitis&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X

and loads more

Pumpkinseeds · 20-01-2014 12:33AM

I have Epilepsy. My father in law has donated so much that he was given a gold pin and he and the others who'd donated that much blood where taken out for dinner.

B_Rabbit · 20-01-2014 12:40AM

Hi, Hopefully someone can answer this:

For the whole "living in England" scenario, the online "can you give blood test" asks if you were in England for over a year between 1980 and 1996. If I was born in the second half of 95, should I be ok to donate?

J_E · 20-01-2014 12:40AM

Nolanator Rugby wrote: »

Yeah, **** the safety of the patient :rolleyes:

Nobody's doubting the safety of the patient, but for those of us who know for sure that our blood is good, it is just a little frustrating. While I can understand the rules, some of them seem slightly out of sync with modern times.

Something I can understand to a degree but question - if all blood is going to be screened anyway, why outright ban some of the 'fringe' cases? They obviously can't just go on someone's word. I could easily walk into a clinic and say I've never slept with a man and have no issues (although you should not do that)

_Redzer_ wrote: »

That's such a stupid clause. As if any man who's also sleeping with a woman would bring that up or even tell her before having sex.

Judging by the sheer amount of closeted and self identified "straight" lads I've met, many of which with girlfriends, they've inadvertently broken the rules themselves because they honestly didn't know.

There are so many holes and flaws in the system. Banning gay men outright doesn't cover all the bases.

Yeah, agree, the term is MSM but there are a lot of flaws and not everyone is going to be honest.

20-01-2014 12:43AM

Was born in UK and lived there for a few years.

Also faint every-time I get a blood test. Blood pressure goes too low.

heffoo · 20-01-2014 12:44AM

Strangely because im allergic to wasps

heffoo · 20-01-2014 12:45AM

Strangely because im allergic to wasps

heffoo · 20-01-2014 12:46AM

Strangely because im allergic to wasps

NegativeCreep · 20-01-2014 12:48AM

Have to wait 12 months after having snorted coke I think so that's me out. Also had jaundice as a baby so I might not be able to do it because of that too.

A_Sober_Paddy · 20-01-2014 12:55AM

I'd love too, but last time I got bloods taken for testing, I nearly passed out and got sick, the doctor taking the blood was worried that I might pass out, I just gave about 3 viles of blood and nearly passed out, and was quiet unwell for the next couple of days...

Even in movies if there is a scene with needles being used, I have to look away, can make me feel physically unwell

Jogathon · 20-01-2014 12:56AM

I have donated loads, got my gold necklace a few years ago. However, I have been refused a few times because of far away travels and malaria tablets. And, whenever I try to donate when it's my time of the month my iron levels are too low. Does that affect any other females here?

blacklilly · 20-01-2014 12:59AM

Tried to donate for the first time at the beginning of January but my haemoglobin levels are too low, have to wait 6 months until I can try to donate again.

marialouise · 20-01-2014 01:02AM

Donated 5 times but felt unwell after 2 of them, after the 2nd time they told me not to come back

And I'm O- too !

20-01-2014 01:03AM

Born and raised in UK so that's me ruled out. I had donated about ten times before I moved to Ireland. I should really enquire about clinics in NI as I'm not too far from the border.

I'm B neg which I believe is quite rare?

marialouise · 20-01-2014 01:07AM

Strawberry Milkshake wrote: »

Born and raised in UK so that's me ruled out. I had donated about ten times before I moved to Ireland. I should really enquire about clinics in NI as I'm not too far from the border.

I'm B neg which I believe is quite rare?

Blood Group Percentage
O Positive 47
A Positive 26
B Positive 9
O Negative 8
A Negative 5
B Negative 2
AB Positive 2
AB Negative1

You're 2% which is pretty rare here! They vary in different parts of the world. I'm just sad because O- is the universal donor, every blood type can receive O- so it's important to have high stocks of it, but I can't give any of mine, boo!

CinammonGirl · 20-01-2014 01:07AM

Lived in London late 80s/early 90s

Emmacash · 20-01-2014 01:11AM

I've donated a couple of times but I had a baby in June and I think you've to wait until a year after giving birth 'til you can donate again (?!)

sawdoubters · 20-01-2014 01:13AM

u cant give blood if your
under 18
if you are over 65 and never given blood
if over 70 you need doctors cert
weigh less than 7 stone 12 lbs (less than 50kgs)
or more than 20 stone 6 lbs (130kgs
However, the weight bearing capacity of the donation beds in D'Olier St and Stillorgan Clinics is higher.
pregnant or pregnant in the past 12 months
For men; if you ever had sex with another man ever
tattoo or body piercing in the last 4 months
you ever had a blood transfusion
spent one year or more in total/cumulatively in the UK* between 1980 and 1996, including living, working or on holidays
visited an area where there is a risk of West Nile Virus (such as Canada, the USA, parts of Europe, Israel, Ukraine or Russia) in the last 28 days?
visited a tropical* or a malarial country in the last 12 months
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
you are unable to give blood if you are taking medication for some conditions such as for a heart condition or diabetes

Berns · 20-01-2014 01:16AM

Wonder how it works up here in the North , if can't take blood since live/born in the north o.O also diabetic so guess prob ruled out anyhow -.-

Moonbeam · 20-01-2014 01:19AM

Nearly everyone has jaundice as a baby i did not realise that counted.
I have not been able to give it for a few years due to having babies close in age.

urabell · 20-01-2014 01:22AM

I'm a rampant homosexual, how do the people in the centre know this though?

Cian92 · 20-01-2014 01:35AM

Cydoniac wrote: »

Nobody's doubting the safety of the patient, but for those of us who know for sure that our blood is good, it is just a little frustrating. While I can understand the rules, some of them seem slightly out of sync with modern times.

Oh for god sake, your deluding yourself. You are part of group of people who are at a higher risk of having not suitable blood. The IBTS most certainly has to have rules and can't be doing this on a case by case basis.

Cydoniac wrote: »

Something I can understand to a degree but question - if all blood is going to be screened anyway, why outright ban some of the 'fringe' cases? They obviously can't just go on someone's word. I could easily walk into a clinic and say I've never slept with a man and have no issues (although you should not do that)

About all blood being screened, it has been explained already in the thread that blood is tested among other samples, if one pint is bad many more pints are thrown out. It's a waste of perfectly good blood, but would have to be done for safety.

I used be a big fan of the LGBT society in college until they decided to picket the IBTS while they were on campus. They lost a huge amount of my respect that day. The safety of patients is paramount.

Also since when has the acronym MSM been a commonly know acronym. I was hardly the only person who had to google it :rolleyes:

Why can't *you* donate blood?

Comments

Why can't you donate blood?