Anaemia fears as 90,000 blood donors are contacted

maudgonner · 12-02-2016 06:28PM

maudgonner wrote: »

This, despite the fact that you get to eat Taytos and drink Fanta guilt-free AND get a free pen. A free pen!

conor222 wrote: »

I did my first donation yesterday as well. Staff were lovely, was in and out in less than an hour with a nice can of fanta and a bag of crisps afterwards.
I'm easily bought :P

Taytos: check. Fanta: check. Free Pen...

You failed Conor. You failed hard...

gines_ · 03-03-2016 04:53PM

mahoganygas wrote: »

The letter is very vague with the details and to be honest it doesn't instill a lot of confidence.

In January wife was sent back home after her haemoglobin was 6.5, she donated 3 times last year. Couple of days later she got the letter- 2 months after IBTS found out their device was 'faulty'. I'd say I can estimate someone's haemoglobin by eye better.

cowboyBuilder · 03-03-2016 06:16PM

Didn't they used to give you a pint of Guinness ?

maudgonner · 03-03-2016 06:23PM

cowboyBuilder wrote: »

Didn't they used to give you a pint of Guinness ?

They did. Only stopped relatively recently, around 2010 according to this article.

stinkle · 03-03-2016 06:45PM

Trent Houseboat wrote: »

I got the letter and it didn't bother me. In the years that I've donated I've never been warned about my iron level. I'd only be worried if my first donations were during the flawed testing or if I had been borderline anyway.

I imagine IBTS set the threshold for donation higher that anaemic levels. In that you couldn't just barely be above the iron level to not qualify as anaemic and still donate.
Belt and braces.

In relation to the people with haemophilia infected with HepC and HIV in the 1980s: was it not the case that donations were low and IBTS had to buy in blood for the US which was screened at a much lower standard?

In which case OP trying to scare donors and potential donors away from the service increases the likelihood of bought blood being used again.

They do. I remember my iron reading being lower than their min levels once, but the nurse assured me that I wasn't anaemic by clinical standards, just that my iron levels were too low to benefit to a recipient.

The Raptor · 03-03-2016 06:49PM

Do they give sandwiches at these?

Also do they screen your blood, would they let you know your blood type.

I never gave blood because I couldn't get to it. A bit of travel involved.

But now that I'm living in a city i'll try and make an effort the next time they're around.

stinkle · 03-03-2016 06:55PM

You find out your blood type after first donation, they write to you and send a donor card with all that info.

Can't remember about sandwiches!

maudgonner · 03-03-2016 07:00PM

The Raptor wrote: »

Do they give sandwiches at these?

Also do they screen your blood, would they let you know your blood type.

I never gave blood because I couldn't get to it. A bit of travel involved.

But now that I'm living in a city i'll try and make an effort the next time they're around.

They normally don't give sandwiches, in my experience (I donate in the pop-up clinics, the permanent ones in Dublin & Cork might be different). Chocolate bars, biscuits, crisps & soft drinks are the norm. (But they might be able to make special arrangements if you can't eat those).

I'm not sure whether they'll be able to tell you your blood type there and then, since you're a first time donor. But they post you out a card that you can bring with you the next time you donate (it saves them having to look up your details) and that shows your blood type on it.

Be prepared to answer a fairly comprehensive questionnaire - nothing too daunting, but it's needed to make sure you're a suitable donor. They have a copy of it on the website I think, if you want to look at it in advance. And bring a book with you - if they're busy you might have to wait a little while. But it's well worth it

The Raptor · 03-03-2016 07:04PM

Thanks for the info, I'll definitely donate. You never know I may need it someday.

edbrez · 03-03-2016 07:05PM

"You will never donate blood in this country". That's what a rotund lady in the Stillorgan branch said to someone last year when they tried to donate. Lucky escape.

TheChizler · 03-03-2016 07:09PM

Any chance they'll recalibrate the machine and bring it back in? I've gone 3 times now and only been accepted once for various reasons, the needle prick is much worse than the actual donation, and the thought of attempting to donate, getting the finger prick, and likely being told I'm unsuitable for other reasons (mouth ulcers/unable to find a vein) is putting me off. Won't stop me going but I'd be much more relaxed about it.

mahoganygas · 14-03-2016 12:50PM

I received a reimbursement cheque from IBTS this morning.
Roughly 300 hundred quid for GP visits, blood tests and treatment.

gines_ · 09-06-2016 09:20PM

mahoganygas wrote: »

I received a reimbursement cheque from IBTS this morning.
Roughly 300 hundred quid for GP visits, blood tests and treatment.

Im waiting for my reimbursement 8 weeks, how long did you wait for yours?

failinis · 09-06-2016 09:38PM

If you don't have an illness, or a fear of needles and are eligible please consider about donating, even go with a friend.

I can't donate, I was given 4 transfusions within my first 5 weeks of life, would certainly not be here with out it.
(Plus my mum has had countless transfusions after each child she had.)

In Sweden if you donate, you get a text when your blood is used to save someone. Not that people should need a text incentive but is a good idea.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/blood-donors-in-sweden-get-a-text-message-whenever-someone-is-helped-with-their-blood-10310101.html

Edit: I also see in the article it shows the levels of each blood type in real time, seemingly by county.

Anaemia fears as 90,000 blood donors are contacted

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