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Want to donate blood but...

blackraspberry

When I was 18, I went to donate blood for the first time. About halfway through, I started to feel really faint and I almost passed out. For some reason, it really freaked me out and I never went back again.

It's nearly 10 years on now though and I'm feeling like I really, really should donate blood - but just thinking about the last time makes me feel nauseas. Does anyone have any tips about how I can overcome that and just man up?

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Anonamoose

mmmmm Guinness

Darkglasses

Donated blood for the first time a few months ago, had no problem at all. Felt very hot afterwards but that's all. Will be going back to donate at the end of this month.

Sunnyisland

I gave blood once,went again and they refused saying my iron was to low, so I put it on the top shelf.

biko

As said, go an hour after lunch and bring a bottle of water to sip during, as well as music to listen to (it'll distract you).
Afterwards go sit down and relax before you leave.

hairyprincess

The Backwards Man wrote: »

I got turned down last time because my iron count was 0.1 too low (coming off a long shift). Next time I'm going to eat a fortune of spinach beforehand and if that's no good, well, I yam what I yam, and that's all I yam.

That's exactly what happened to me about 2 years ago and I haven't managed to get back since as the times are really awkward round these parts. Apparently if you have a low iron count three times then you are banned for life, a wee bit extreme imo.

A cow called Daisy

Donate a pint of blood?

No way. That's nearly an arm full:D

hairyprincess

MadYaker wrote: »

I tried to give blood a while ago but they wouldn't let me because I spent a few months in Africa. My blood is grand like I don't have any diseases or anything but they don't care, the flat out refused me purely because of the country I was in.

It's a precaution, based on the country you were in. You can't categorically say that there is nothing wrong with your blood, you could have any number of diseases.
It's the same for people who loved in the UK, it's a precaution against CJD, they discount everybody because they can't test for it thus can't take the risk of giving people infected blood.

Ice Storm

hairyprincess wrote: »

It's a precaution, based on the country you were in. You can't categorically say that there is nothing wrong with your blood, you could have any number of diseases.
It's the same for people who loved in the UK, it's a precaution against CJD, they discount everybody because they can't test for it thus can't take the risk of giving people infected blood.

Ooh matron!

Rocket19

blackraspberry wrote: »

When I was 18, I went to donate blood for the first time. About halfway through, I started to feel really faint and I almost passed out. For some reason, it really freaked me out and I never went back again.

It's nearly 10 years on now though and I'm feeling like I really, really should donate blood - but just thinking about the last time makes me feel nauseas. Does anyone have any tips about how I can overcome that and just man up?

You'll probably be fine. Just let them know that you were sick last time, and they'll keep an extra eye on you.
It's possible your iron levels were a bit low or something?

Keep hydrated and make sure you eat a decent meal before donating, as this can make a big difference!

Rabbo

I've always wanted to give blood but even reading this thread had made me woozy.
Don't think I stand a chance

AlanS181824

Not sure I'd ever be able to donate blood, wouldn't be able for the sight of blood....

Darkglasses

Rabbo wrote: »

I've always wanted to give blood but even reading this thread had made me woozy.
Don't think I stand a chance

Be confident, it's definitely worth a try just once. I have no idea what the actual statistics are but I strongly suspect more than half the people who do it have no problem giving blood. I certainly didn't have a problem when I gave blood for the first time earlier this year.

Carry

blackraspberry wrote: »

When I was 18, I went to donate blood for the first time. About halfway through, I started to feel really faint and I almost passed out. For some reason, it really freaked me out and I never went back again.

It's nearly 10 years on now though and I'm feeling like I really, really should donate blood - but just thinking about the last time makes me feel nauseas. Does anyone have any tips about how I can overcome that and just man up?

Had the same problem in my early twenties. The procedure itself was fine, I'm not freaked out by blood or needles, but afterwards I almost fainted and felt very dizzy for several (!) days.
It was due to low blood pressure, so I didn't donate blood for several years.

But when you get older usually the blood pressure gets higher or normalizes when you've had a low one.

Get your blood pressure checked and stick to the advice given here (decent food beforehand and plenty of water).

donkey balls

I remember during the 90s donating blood over at Mespil road and depending on what Nurse was serving you might get a few glasses of either Guinness or Harp:D,It was a cheap way for me to get pis*ed later that Friday evening as I hadn't got a pot to p*ss in back then.
I haven't donated blood since last year as I donate platelets once a month now normally before work so even if the free beer was there I couldn't avail of it:(.

Darkglasses

Pat Custard wrote: »

My friend wants to donate blood but he can't. Because he is gay.

My friends mother wants to donate, but she can't. She lived in the UK. Ridiculous.

Why is it ridiculous? Both are relatively high-risk for blood being unsafe for transfusion. Screening is a safeguard but it isn't completely reliable.

Abertlocan

Pat Custard wrote: »

My friend wants to donate blood but he can't. Because he is gay.

My friends mother wants to donate, but she can't. She lived in the UK. Ridiculous.

Surely with the amount of HIV+ people in the country and abroad there would be a market for collecting HIV+ blood. Certainly in places like the UK and USA.

Anyone that is HIV+ on antiviral medication their CD4 count or Viral Load is going to be at an undetectable level which would make it virtually impossible to contaminate.

Capt'n Midnight

MadYaker wrote: »

I tried to give blood a while ago but they wouldn't let me because I spent a few months in Africa. My blood is grand like I don't have any diseases or anything but they don't care, the flat out refused me purely because of the country I was in.

Malaria kills about half a million children in Africa every year so you've to wait a year to be sure.

MRnotlob606

are you a communist ?

Darkglasses

Pat Custard wrote: »

Blood is screened anyway isn't it? So what's the harm?

I'd say the prevalence of AIDS is the same among the gay community as it is in the non-gay community.

If it affected gay women would they have changed it?

If someone had mad cow disease contracted in the 80's .. I think they'd know at this stage.

Like I said, it's not completely reliable. There is a period after having contracted HIV where the virus is undetectable.

There are plenty of statistics easily available on the prevalence of HIV/AIDS, so you don't have to guess. It is statistically much more common among men who have sex with men.

As for CJD, people with a lot more medical experience than me still deem it a risk, so I won't speculate as I don't know enough about that.

Fortunately, blood transfusion services in Northern Ireland and the Republic are in a position where they can afford to not take blood from people with relatively high-risks, so they don't. It's about patient welfare, and nothing else. And I hope we can both agree patient welfare is by far the most important thing in blood donation.

Abertlocan

Darkglasses wrote: »

Like I said, it's not completely reliable. There is a period after having contracted HIV where the virus is undetectable.

There is also the 3 month window period after exposure.

Someone can be tested HIV- and not show up positive for up to three months.

eisenberg1

Bill Lee wrote: »

Tis a lyric from the latest Rubberbandits number.

I am actually willing to give blood.

Good, not too sure about listening to the Rubber Bandits though:D

Gavin "shels"

As someone who started donating nearly 5 years ago after my brother had a bad accident and nearly pints upon pints of blood I can't recommend the feeling of donating! Personally I'm sh1t scarred of needles, I was that kid in Primary School who always wanted to be last in the queue when getting vaccinations! I just look away when they put the needle in and make sure they put a tissue over it so I can't see it

Before I started working full time I used to have some steak, bit of chocolate and 2 litres of water before donating, worked a charm and never had issues. Working full time has time constraints and eating constraints. Last couple of times donating I've just had a meaty sambo an hour before going in, some fruit, loads of water and a can of coke, again minimal issues.

Think I'm on 14 donations (due to give again next month) with 1 issue, which my veins collapsed which was one of the most painful experiences but the pain lasts for about 5 minutes then it's gone and leaves some bruising which is nothing a tube of Arnica can't sort.

The way I always look at it is, no matter my fear of needles or the chance of a bit of pain or a bruise, if people didn't donate before 5 years ago my brother would be dead. It made me realise not to take things for granted!

Hoofball

I'd like to donate blood but because I got a blood transfusion in Spain about 20 years ago I'm barred from donating for life. Bit extreme I think, surely something would have shown up by now.

Nash Bridges

Hoofball wrote: »

I'd like to donate blood but because I got a blood transfusion in Spain about 20 years ago I'm barred from donating for life. Bit extreme I think, surely something would have shown up by now.

I think this is done to make the process as simple as possible. Already there is about 50 questions to be answered every time including "Have you handled monkeys feces?"

To include every scenario there could be 200 or 300 questions making giving blood an even bigger pain and would probably result in less donations.

It is not a perfect system but strikes a reasonable balance between ease of giving and patient safety.

The_Captain

Pat Custard wrote: »

My friend wants to donate blood but he can't. Because he is gay.

It's not because he's gay, it's because he's had sex with another man.

You could be openly gay for 50 years and give blood provided you've never had sex with another man.
You could be 100% straight, married with kids and you won't be allowed to give blood if you'd ever had sex with another man during your college years.

Without going into details, it is one of the easiest ways to transmit the disease, and the incidence of HIV in the gay community in significantly higher than in most other groups.

[Deleted User]

Duracell Bunny wrote: »

Are you a man who has ever had sex with another man?

you still cannot give blood if your gay ?

Capt'n Midnight

Hoofball wrote: »

I'd like to donate blood but because I got a blood transfusion in Spain about 20 years ago I'm barred from donating for life. Bit extreme I think, surely something would have shown up by now.

some diseases have incubation times of 30 years or more

it also means there is no feedback loop

Kuru is a really scary disease. 100% fatal, can take years to show up.

Had people being paying attention to the example of Kuru instead of maximising profit things like scabies and mad cow diesase and vCJD could all have been avoided.