National Blood Week...... Will you?

[RaRa]

I would love to give blood but I'm not allowed to.

Blatant discrimination sadly

Same here - every couple of years I try but they keep turning me away.

 

[martint235]

I can't as I'm booked in for the 25th.

 

[smokeysmoo]

Have you sat in the new-style donor chairs? Went to give blood today.
Very comfortable.

Not yet no, but seeing that I want to

They told me about them at my last session, (not last week the one before), but they still had beds when I went last week. They said some areas of our region are using them and we will get them but she couldn't say when. They'll be better for me as being 6' 5" means my legs dangle over the end of the bed quite a lot!

 

[smokeysmoo]

I did a couple of years ago, the blood taking was fine but i felt like i was quite close to fainting on the way home so havent been back yet to find out if it happens again. My dads given blood around 50 times and has always been perfectly fine.

Definitely go back I'd say. Talk to them, tell them what happened last time. Was that your first time as well? You can always call them for a chat, then if that goes well you can make an appointment at the same time

You can call on 0300 123 23 23

 

[smokeysmoo]

Donated for my first time in Feb but due to poor blood flow it couldnt be classed as a full donation

Going to try and go back shortly cause i would like to keep doing it just worried about poor flow again

Ask them for a stress ball. I tend to clench and unclench my fist anyway as I like to get it done with, but I've seen people using stress balls as well, possibly to speed things along. Worth a try

 

[smokeysmoo]

Your location may be different, but when I turn up 5 minutes before my appointed time, I've been checked, tested, and am lying down donating, within 15 minutes of arrival.

+1

 

[Col5632]

Ask them for a stress ball. I tend to clench and unclench my fist anyway as I like to get it done with, but I've seen people using stress balls as well, possibly to speed things along. Worth a try

They gave me a paper ball to try and it seemed to work but then i started doing it too fast

 

[Basil.B]

I went last Friday, 19th time I think.
Like the look of those new chairs, wouldn't mind one at home.

 

[Maz]

Not yet no, but seeing that I want to

They told me about them at my last session, (not last week the one before), but they still had beds when I went last week. They said some areas of our region are using them and we will get them but she couldn't say when. They'll be better for me as being 6' 5" means my legs dangle over the end of the bed quite a lot!

6'5"...serious question, but do tall people have more blood than shorter people? Or do we all have an average 8 pints or so?!

 

[Maz]

I went last Friday, 19th time I think.
Like the look of those new chairs, wouldn't mind one at home.

After 50 donations you get to sit in a leather one with ipod docking station, free wifi and all sorts!

 

[smokeysmoo]

6'5"...serious question, but do tall people have more blood than shorter people? Or do we all have an average 8 pints or so?!

A quick Google suggests it's more to do with weight rather than height. In which case I've probably got about 20 pints in me

That said I sourced that from Wiki answers and Yahoo answers so take it with a pinch of salt. OK maybe not salt as that will be bad for your blood pressure and then you may not be able to donate!

 

[fossyant]

I'm one of those that went green before giving my donation, and had to convince them to let me give blood. Not been since I am afraid.

As for 'speed donating' - how about we hook up turbo trainers - the blood pressure would get sub 4 minutes easily (given how much blood spurted from a cut to the side of my nose from a flying stone once).

 

[uphillstruggler]

Broke my Duck yesterday, booked in for my next donation in October too.

Fingers crossed that the blood is good, no reason why it shouldnt be but you never know.

offered to take my 8 and 10 year old daughters along so they could watch, funnily enough, they turned me down maybe next time

 

[Lyrical]

Booked in again for the 22nd, I kinda wish you could donate more frequently.

 

[Chris S]

My local blood donation centre is only open Moday to Friday. If they opened at weekends they'd get a lot more donors. They'd probably have to pay their staff an overtime rate but this would be offset by the money they'd save on advertising.