Blood donation

[T4tomo]

According to BBC article, there are 800,000 regular donors and they really need 1 million to keep blood stocks at a decent level, and they particularly need more black donors.

They really need to up their donation taking capacity as they often have these 'appeals' but hen you try to get an appointment booked and can't for quite a while.

I donated on Thursday.

 

[PeteXXX]

After an enforced year off, after I was not allowed to donate due to low haemoglobin, I received a letter inviting me to donate next month..
If I'm OK, that'll be my 72nd pint of A+ sucked out, I think..

 

[bikingdad90]

That is for a very obvious reason! With me it's a bit different. I wonder if they screen folk for drug abuse, with them not wanting traces of illegal drugs to be passed from donor to receiver. 🤔

Yes they do, when you donate blood they take a sample which gets tested for all sorts of things before the donation is cleared for use in patients to make sure it is safe. If it isn’t safe for use, it can still be used for medical research purposes.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Yes they do, when you donate blood they take a sample which gets tested for all sorts of things before the donation is cleared for use in patients to make sure it is safe. If it isn’t safe for use, it can still be used for medical research purposes.

Trust me, I've given blood for various different trials over the years, but can I just give some for Haematological research purposes then?

They can play with my dirty tomato juice all they like! 🤣

 

[PhotoNic69]

I used to give regularly up till about 6 years ago when I was put on a various cocktail of drugs that tainted my life juice so it was no longer wanted.....

 

[bikingdad90]

Trust me, I've given blood for various different trials over the years, but can I just give some for Haematological research purposes then?

They can play with my dirty tomato juice all they like! 🤣

They can do some very clever stuff these days. In some centres you can donate platelets only instead of whole blood and in some will take your plasma with the rest returned to your body.

For the majority of those who donate and give whole blood it might get broken down into its constituent parts after testing in the lab rather than donating as a pint of blood.

 

[T4tomo]

encouraging, I went to log onto my account to see how many pints I've got upto (a lot less that @PeteXXX) , and there was a 5 minute queue to log in, so hopefully the BBC article has stirred up some interest.

 

[PeteXXX]

Actually getting an appointment can be a bit of a challenge, too.. Unless you book your next appointment when you're donating, most days are almost, if not entirely, booked.
I know a few people who've given up donating because of this.

 

[presta]

but my friend found it painful even without the numbing jab first - she really didn;t like it

Is it anything different to an ordinary cannula?

 

[Psamathe]

I'm very uncertain about it, not because of personal concerns (I'm fine with needles, blood, etc.) but last time I attended a few years back I had to have a long interview because of countries I've spent too long in too recently so they had to flag me with extra tests, then they couldn't get blood out. They tried one arm and couldn't even fill the tiny bottle thing so said as the small bit hadn't filled they could try the other arm if I OK'd it. I OK'd that so they got a supervisor to try and she couldn't get any significant amount out so they politely said thanks but no thanks.

Sort of felt I took quite a bit of their time and they got nothing.

Ian

 

[Willd]

69th donation today. Online booking system is working OK, just with a 25 minute wait. Free publicity on the BBC etc. seems to be working

 

[palinurus]

I have been retired after 75 donations. I have a heart condition and had a doctors note to donate but I think there has been a change to guidelines. Called to request a callback from clinical staff but was sent an email confirming I've been withdrawn.

 

[palinurus]

Anyway, there will be a small get-together on Saturday to mark my retirement and we will drink some Guinness. For the iron.

 

[bikingdad90]

Is it anything different to an ordinary cannula?

Yes, the needle is a wider diameter.

 

[T4tomo]

I'm very uncertain about it, not because of personal concerns (I'm fine with needles, blood, etc.) but last time I attended a few years back I had to have a long interview because of countries I've spent too long in too recently so they had to flag me with extra tests, then they couldn't get blood out. They tried one arm and couldn't even fill the tiny bottle thing so said as the small bit hadn't filled they could try the other arm if I OK'd it. I OK'd that so they got a supervisor to try and she couldn't get any significant amount out so they politely said thanks but no thanks.

Sort of felt I took quite a bit of their time and they got nothing.

Ian

Maybe you're not human and have no blood?!!?