I'm feeling a bit self righteous at the moment...

[EltonFrog]

Respect Carl... I usually faint when they take 10m never mind an armful!

Thank you. I'm alright with it all except the needle going in. I have take a deep breath close my eyes at that bit. I dont like it at all, not one little bit.

 

[Globalti]

I used to enjoy giving blood.

 

[ColinJ]

I used to enjoy giving blood.

Perv!

I have to confess that I am a total needle-phobic, which is a nuisance since I have to have blood tests done regularly now that I am on Warfarin. Most haven't been too bad, but I think the nurse was a bit distracted last week - she shoved the needle in a bit clumsily and it bloody well hurt! In fact, the arm was throbbing for a couple of hours afterwards.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

I googled it and wished I hadn't! But they stick a hole in ya arm take out the blood put it in a HUGE Ronco record cleaner like whizzy thing, put the white stuff in a placcy bag, to use later for folk what is poorly, stuff the red stuff back in somewhere. That last bit can make your lips tingle a bit.

I had a white blood cell 'harvest' a couple of times in the late '90s. They take your blood out of one arm, put it through a centrifuge, so that the different componenets of your blood seperate, take off what they need, and then once through the centrifuge and back together again, they put your blood back in the other arm.

I've sat and watched as all 8 pints of mine have come out (no, not at the same time! ), been spun around, and then been addded back into me! It takes a couple of hours to do

White blood cells, Leukocytes (lah dee dah!) just look like a creamy red coloured version of blood.

but I think the nurse was a bit distracted last week - she shoved the needle in a bit clumsily and it bloody well hurt! In fact, the arm was throbbing for a couple of hours afterwards.

I am normally quite easy to get blood from as I have veins like drainpipes, but the last time I had to give blood, the nurse obviously hit a nerve, and yes, my arm was sore for a while too. That said, I've also had a vein collapse before. That was a little bit strange and the best way to describe it was that it was a sudden tingling sensation, as if something had just gone bang/kaput. And yes, it hurt for a while afterwards.

 

[Spinney]

I volunteered for platelets, so they took a sample to test and said I didn't have enough to be worth harvesting. (Plenty for what I need, but not enough to be worth the bother of extracting - if the disposable equipment alone costs £90 a time, as said above, I can see they would want to get as much as possible per donation!)

 

[Sara_H]

Well done, I work in an ICU and believe me, platelets really do save lives.

 

[Wodman]

Good Man CarlP!! I've donated platelets for 10 or more years (300+) units and would suggest that the whole process gets easier and less painful the more you do it.I found that the numb face/lips sensations stopped after a few sessions and somehow your arm hurts less too. Mind you, when I started, they banged a needle in both arms and used you as a sort of filter in a closed loop...

Seriously worthwhile though so keep it up!

 

[Kiwiavenger]

i live too far away from a platelet center so have resorted to just giving blood.

we must be good blood givers in my family as my sister gave blood and was done in 3 minutes, mine was a bit longer at 3:30 but i do have a lower then average resting heart rate. my wife is also considering giving blood in the future after latest sprog is born. fair play for the platelet donation, how long did it take in total?

 

[EltonFrog]

Good Man CarlP!! I've donated platelets for 10 or more years (300+) units and would suggest that the whole process gets easier and less painful the more you do it.I found that the numb face/lips sensations stopped after a few sessions and somehow your arm hurts less too. Mind you, when I started, they banged a needle in both arms and used you as a sort of filter in a closed loop...

Seriously worthwhile though so keep it up!

That's good to hear, it was making me feel a it light headed too, but they adjusted the pooter doodad and that the light headedness passed.

300+ Units eh? Blimey that's hardcore.

 

[EltonFrog]

i live too far away from a platelet center so have resorted to just giving blood.

we must be good blood givers in my family as my sister gave blood and was done in 3 minutes, mine was a bit longer at 3:30 but i do have a lower then average resting heart rate. my wife is also considering giving blood in the future after latest sprog is born. fair play for the platelet donation, how long did it take in total?

Your on the chair for about 90 mins, plus time to arrive and pack up and go. Plus travelling about 4 hours total. Its a fair commitment and they want you to do it every four weeks or so.

 

[Kiwiavenger]

id be looking at a 3 hour round trip at least for platelets so not really feasible ah well, ill just give as much blood as possible instead!

 

[EltonFrog]

id be looking at a 3 hour round trip at least for platelets so not really feasible ah well, ill just give as much blood as possible instead!

Aye, it can be a long trip for some folk, but giving blood is very important so keep at it.

 

[Kestevan]

I've been asked to consider platelet donation because my blood type (AB+) makes me a universal platelet donor.
Trouble is, the nearest donation centre is quite a ways away, and there's no way I can afford to spend 3-4 hours every month plugged into a vampire machine

Just have to stick to an armful of blood every 12 weeks.

 

[BrumJim]

Tried to give blood last week. Fully booked!
Stop telling me that you want my blood, and then don't provide the facilities for me to give it!

 

[Maz]

we must be good blood givers in my family as my sister gave blood and was done in 3 minutes, mine was a bit longer at 3:30 but i do have a lower then average resting heart rate.

I'm a really slow bleeder. And when I'm giving blood, too.