Giving blood

[classic33]

It's a bum covering list. I'm sure that the last clause is just a trip wire for further filtering of potential donors.

Otherwise they are going to have to use tomato juice.

But the medication is no longer given as a reason.

 

[slowmotion]

I'll give them a ring later and see what they say. I would be delighted to be relieved of a pint. At the very least, I owe it to the people who helped me. I still have a couple of small scars, just above my diaphram, where a couple of 8mm silicone tubes drained gunk and goo and blood from my chest cavity. Mainly blood. Somebody else's, probably.

 

[martint235]

I used to give blood regularly but then for some reason the service decided to move where they had their sessions to about 3 miles away. Now to be honest they get on my nerves. I've explained the issue to them many times but they still ring me up and get quite snooty "Well can't you drive there?" "No I don't own a car". "Get a bus then" "There is no bus from near me that goes near that centre, I'd have to take two buses". "Surely you can get one of your neighbours to give you a lift". By this point I'm usually close to telling them to feck off.

 

[vickster]

No platelet donors then? It seems they hope for once a month which should be doable at St George's. Only issue for me is a trip to Vietnam and Cambodia in November requiring jabs and anti-malarials

 

[vickster]

I used to give blood regularly but then for some reason the service decided to move where they had their sessions to about 3 miles away. Now to be honest they get on my nerves. I've explained the issue to them many times but they still ring me up and get quite snooty "Well can't you drive there?" "No I don't own a car". "Get a bus then" "There is no bus from near me that goes near that centre, I'd have to take two buses". "Surely you can get one of your neighbours to give you a lift". By this point I'm usually close to telling them to feck off.

Not sure where you work in London but there's a centre near Oxford Circus. Can't you cycle back gently? I'll need to or at least to a station for St George's to be practical. Not paying for parking there for 2 hours!!

 

[EltonFrog]

No platelet donors then? It seems they hope for once a month which should be doable at St George's. Only issue for me is a trip to Vietnam and Cambodia in November requiring jabs and anti-malarials

I'm a platelet donor, over 50 visits, I try to go every two weeks. Recently I went South Africa (to ride the Cape Argus) and was told not to come back for a month after that, complicated by low iron levels I ended up having a twelve week break.

I have now returned to fortnightly visits, each visit takes about two hours plus traveling to the JR in Oxford.

What else do you need to know @vickster ?

 

[vickster]

Well I don't really know what else I need to know. I have no issue with needles but not overly keen on pain!

I'd never heard about it or considered it before. I got an email after my recent blood donation asking if I'd do it because of my blood type. What's yours?

I won't be able to go every two weeks but monthly should be ok although the times aren't great with working

 

[EltonFrog]

Well I don't really know what else I need to know. I have no issue with needles but not overly keen on pain!

I'd never heard about it or considered it before. I got an email after my recent blood donation asking if I'd do it because of my blood type. What's yours?

Actually, I'm not sure what my blood type is, but I think it's very common.

What is not very common is that in the best part of three years I've been donating I have not seen any women donate. It's apparently quite unusual for females to donate platelets for various reasons unique to them.

Platelet donations are quite a commitment because the NHBTS need consistent donors,unlike blood donors who can turn up as and when they feel like it.

Take a book or a tablet to entertain you, have a very good breakfast/ lunch, and make sure you go for a wee immediately before you get on the bed!

 

[vickster]

Thanks for the advice especially on the wee front!

If you are of a lighter height-weight ratio you may not have sufficient platelets, not an issue here

I'll go along for the screening and see what they say

 

[EltonFrog]

My donation awards.

For 50

For 100

 

[martint235]

Not sure where you work in London but there's a centre near Oxford Circus. Can't you cycle back gently? I'll need to or at least to a station for St George's to be practical. Not paying for parking there for 2 hours!!

I don't work in Central London. I live out in Welling and where they have moved the centre to is an area where I'd be unwilling to leave a pub bike locked up let alone one of the rest of the stable.

 

[uphillstruggler]

im giving tomorrow evening and have also said that I could do the platelets - trouble is, they never give me any decent information.

I may talk to them tomorrow evening about it.

@CarlP , 100 donations is pretty impressive. im looking forward to double figures being a late starter.

 

[vickster]

There's a comprehensive part of the Blood.co.uk website covering platelets http://www.blood.co.uk/platelets/. You can be screened at normal donor centre but have to go to a special centre where they have the cell separation machines. There are 23 in the UK

 

[raleighnut]

I had a transfusion during my leg op so that rules me out.

 

[TreeHuggery]

Seems like the rules have changed again, now its just that last one stopping me.
http://www.blood.co.uk/giving-blood/who-cant-give-blood/
You should NOT give blood if...

• You're a male donor with less than 12 weeks' interval between donations
• You're a female donor who had given blood in the last 12 weeks (normally, you must wait 16 weeks).
• You have a chesty cough, sore throat or active cold sore.
• You're currently taking antibiotics or you have just finished a course within the last seven days or have had any infection in that last two weeks.
• You've had hepatitis or jaundice in the last 12 months.
• You've had a tattoo, semi-permanent make up or any cosmetic treatment that involves skin piercing in the last 4 months.
• You have had acupuncture in the last 4 months, unless this was done within the NHS or by a qualified Healthcare Professional registered with a statutory body.
• A member of your family (parent, brother, sister or child) has suffered with CJD (Creutzfeld-Jakob Disease).
• You've ever received human pituitary extract (which was used in some growth hormone or fertility treatments before 1985).
• You have received blood or think you may have received blood during the course of any medical treatment or procedure anywhere in the world since 1st January 1980.