Blood donation

[slowfen]

After a few hiatus’s, have finally made 100 units whole blood, am now staying donating every 6 months as takes longer to recover, and to rebuild Hb

 

[PeteXXX]

After a few hiatus’s, have finally made 100 units whole blood, am now staying donating every 6 months as takes longer to recover, and to rebuild Hb

Remarkable achievement! Well done 🤗
I doubt I have time to reach 💯 especially as I, too, have dropped to 6 monthly donations.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

I never thought I would need the services of these unsung heros.

But last year, during intense chemotherapy, I benefited from several 'bags'.

So... thank you.

 

[EltonFrog]

I never thought I would need the services of these unsung heros.

But last year, during intense chemotherapy, I benefited from several 'bags'.

So... thank you.

I sincerely hope you are well and truly on the mend.

I am no longer able to donate platelets and plasma because repeated needle insertions have caused scarring in the area, which is a shame.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

I am pretty sure blood donations are finished for me

I have "failed" the blood test the last 2 times

which was the things that started them testing me for Coeliac Disease
and that seems to have screwed my absorption of iron
so at best it will stay at the lowest acceptable level which is too low for donation

 

[EltonFrog]

After a few hiatus’s, have finally made 100 units whole blood, am now staying donating every 6 months as takes longer to recover, and to rebuild Hb

Well done, you are doing a good thing.

 

[johnblack]

When I was younger I gave blood twice a year as the blood wagon came to work and did it there. Then I moved companies, got out of the habit and never got in to it again. I re-registered three years ago and trying to get an appointment was so difficult I gave up. Got and email from Blood.UK the other week, saying that the wagon was coming through and to book an appointment, and I managed to get one, so going next week and hope that it will be the start of a regular thing.

 

[slowfen]

With the advent of booked only appts, it became increasingly difficult to donate on the mobile unit. However as I live reasonable close to a fixed centre, that has allowed an easier way to donate, especially as working part time

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

When I was younger I gave blood twice a year as the blood wagon came to work and did it there. Then I moved companies, got out of the habit and never got in to it again. I re-registered three years ago and trying to get an appointment was so difficult I gave up. Got and email from Blood.UK the other week, saying that the wagon was coming through and to book an appointment, and I managed to get one, so going next week and hope that it will be the start of a regular thing.

That is very similar to my experience

the local blood centre used to have an arrangement with out company
and one afternoon we were allowed to go there at any time of the day and donate - then walk back to the office
all in office time
so a lot of us did that

Then the blood people cancelled that arrangement
and we had to make a specific appointment and when I tried it was in x months time
so I stopped

started again after a while but it was a pain getting an appointment when I could go so I stopped


tried to start again some year ago
tried several times but the appointments were in 6-12 months time unless I went into Liverpool centre
kept trying every few months and after a few years got an appointment
they said my iron levels were too low and the GP put me on iron tabletes and said that'll do it
went back after 6 months on them and got kicked out again for low iron
just as well really - they said it was the lowest level they had seen!

so teh GP started a raft of test and after severl goes diagnose Coeliac disease

but the difficulty in getting an appointment locally within a reasonable time frame gave the impression they are not really bothered

 

[PeteXXX]

Appointments can be a pain to get unless you're planning several months ahead. When I used to work away from home I gave up even trying.. It's OK now as I only do a Friday and Saturday now so I can plan ahead more easily.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

but the difficulty in getting an appointment locally

Clearly got enough donors you do not need to bother. It seems the same experience everywhere; such a monumental pain try to book an appointment that works, that you do not bother.

 

[Homers Double]

I knew someone once that went to give blood on a whim once

He came back saying they we desperate for him to continue as his blood group was very unusual (AB negative) and certain people needed it

after some extra tests it turned out that he had some unusual thing that made his blood even more important

That's me. Not literally me but I'm the same rare blood group so I donate as often as I can because of it.

 

[johnblack]

That's me. Not literally me but I'm the same rare blood group so I donate as often as I can because of it.

I have to carry a card because of my blood group, so I always felt like I need to give. Glad that I've got the ball rolling again.

 

[T4tomo]

Clearly got enough donors you do not need to bother. It seems the same experience everywhere; such a monumental pain try to book an appointment that works, that you do not bother.

or not enough blood sucker staff perhaps?

 

[Ming the Merciless]

or not enough blood sucker staff perhaps?

Either way, same result for potential donors