Do you give blood?

[swiss miss]

So i went to give blood yesterday. This is an issue that i feel fairly passionately about and wondered just how many people donated and whether people here represented the national average? I was looking for a few statistics on the subject and apparently in Britain less than 10% of the eligible pool of donators actually donates yet the percentage of people admitted to hospital that require a transfusion is higher.

If you were are admitted to hospital and required a transfusion, would you expect it? I suspect everyone does..... but if you dont donate how do you have the right to expect to be given blood?

Giving blood is virtually painless, it doesnt take very long (less than an hour for the whole process) and its actually good for you. The fluid lost is replaced within 24hrs and the red and white blood cells are replaced without detrimental effect. I cant think of any reason why more people dont do it, although please post below any reasons such that i can understand.

If you dont donate i advocate you going to your local donation centre and donating. Below is the link to the national blood service (Britain)
http://www.blood.co.uk/

[cunexttuesday]

I've tried to donate.

I wish I could since I have the O negative blood type.
My veins are freakishly small, and they can not fit the needle into them.

[Grendel]

Yep, and I'm also on the Bone Marrow register. I'm type AB Pos, so only 3% of the UK population have my blood type.

[Doobz]

yes to an extent... i actually donate plasma and i try to at least once a week although i can twice a week... i dont know any statistics but yea theres my answer

[Calienta]

I've tried to donate.

I wish I could since I have the O negative blood type.
My veins are freakishly small, and they can not fit the needle into them.

Same for me. My doctor told me I'm not allowed to donate as they would "collapse" my veins.

My dad however donates all the time and even donated his bone marrow one time to a person he didn't know. He was sick for a month after but would do it again, he said. Unfortunately the doctors told us the man died anyway. :(

I'm very proud of my dad.

[Lord Temujin]

I used to..But for the last year-year and a half I have been getting tattoo'd rather heavily and for a year afterwards you are not allowed..Plan to start giving blood again in two years after I get all my work done

So...Yes and no. Have in the past, plan to in the future..not allowed right now

[Zeus]

I think my marijuana habit would just make blood donation futile.

[steff]

I donate every 3 months and have done since I was eligible (17) which is the shortest time period you can (unless you have high blood pressure or are really fat) - at least in Scotland. I actually considered getting a tattoo and the decider of why I won't get one is that it would leave me ineligible for a year.

[Canadiana]

I donated blood once. AB pos blood type but wound up getting it put right back into me about 3 weeks later. Since then I've been unable to. I've had a cough ever since I got the transfusion and it's been more then a year.

[Seabiscuit]

every time i can theres a backorder on my blood type so i should problem go donate again soon so my blood can save lives

[austinagnish]

How Old You Have To Be To Donate Blood?

[hoos]

I should donate blood, but the last time I did, I fainted quickly afterwards. I think it's because I got up too soon. I also had problems in the past with my blood sugar, so that might have had something to do with it.

[Drunken Monk]

Unfortunately I can't because I have traces of drugs in my blood which apparently stay for a hell of a long time. I actually don't do blood tests on myself either..I seriously don't even know what my blood group is.

[steff]

Unfortunately I can't because I have traces of drugs in my blood which apparently stay for a hell of a long time. I actually don't do blood tests on myself either..I seriously don't even know what my blood group is.

Ecstasy stay detectable in your body on an average 3-5 days depending on weight and age.

I should be fine next time I go. :P


And the age in Scotland is 17, I don't know where you are from austinagnish so I can't tell you what yours is. :P

[Smash Bros]

i dont.

im scared of needles which is why i dont go.


but on top of that even if i wanted to i couldnt.

i have 2 tattoos and i am overweight.

[Seabiscuit]

Unfortunately I can't because I have traces of drugs in my blood which apparently stay for a hell of a long time. I actually don't do blood tests on myself either..I seriously don't even know what my blood group is.

what drugs are those???

[Drunken Monk]

Metabolites of the Delta-9-THC stick around in the body for a long time..sometimes even more than 90 days after use. I've been sober for more than two years now (Feb 2006) but you know how it is..the occasional spliff here and there..can't give blood like that.

I'm a smoker as well, so I'm guessing the nicotine is always present, although I haven't bothered to read up on that.

EDIT : FYI your hair is the biggest give away. Shows every single drug ever taken while the hair was in that growing period, so if you're a regular user, keep shaving your head every two weeks. I hadn't cut my hair for a year and a half when I was a regular. Don't even want to know what the fuck they might've found there lol. Although, drenching it with astringent helps I have heard..

[Infidel]

nope, i don't like needles, but im thinking im going to start. not sure. i don't do new things too often.

[steff]

i dont.

im scared of needles which is why i dont go.


but on top of that even if i wanted to i couldnt.

i have 2 tattoos and i am overweight.

Overweight people can still donate. In fact, if you're over a certain weight you can give twice in the one session.

[Smash Bros]

ok then :|

rules must be stricter here....

ill check and get back

[Seabiscuit]

Metabolites of the Delta-9-THC stick around in the body for a long time..sometimes even more than 90 days after use. I've been sober for more than two years now (Feb 2006) but you know how it is..the occasional spliff here and there..can't give blood like that.

I'm a smoker as well, so I'm guessing the nicotine is always present, although I haven't bothered to read up on that.

EDIT : FYI your hair is the biggest give away. Shows every single drug ever taken while the hair was in that growing period, so if you're a regular user, keep shaving your head every two weeks. I hadn't cut my hair for a year and a half when I was a regular. Don't even want to know what the fuck they might've found there lol. Although, drenching it with astringent helps I have heard..

your to paranoid

[steff]

ok then :|

rules must be stricter here....

ill check and get back

It's irrelevant for you anyway. If you have a fear of needles you're under no obligation to donate. :)

[Smash Bros]

i know.

[e11even]

Yes, because i'm O neg so i feel it's my duty - if i ever need blood i really hope there's other O negs out there that have stepped up as that's all i can take.

They must be less strict about weed here, because they have never tested anyone i know or knocked them back - i dunno, maybe they threw out the blood later :(

[Drunken Monk]

your to paranoid


Isn't that a symptom? :hehe:

[Q80Thug]

always wanted to but never got arsed into doing it, one of my uncle has a nice way of giving blood with his office colleges: they all give blood, each get 20 pounds cash, they donate 15 to charity then go have lunch with the rest.




p.s. mine is AB negative

[Seabiscuit]

Yes, because i'm O neg so i feel it's my duty - if i ever need blood i really hope there's other O negs out there that have stepped up as that's all i can take.

They must be less strict about weed here, because they have never tested anyone i know or knocked them back - i dunno, maybe they threw out the blood later :(

o neg you need to give all you can

always wanted to but never got arsed into doing it, one of my uncle has a nice way of giving blood with his office colleges: they all give blood, each get 20 pounds cash, they donate 15 to charity then go have lunch with the rest.




p.s. mine is AB negative

we can only get money for donating plasma here you used to get money for blood like 20 $

[steff]

You don't get any money in the UK. I wouldn't want money either anyway but that is a nice way to spend the cash Q80Thug. (Y)

[Drunken Monk]

You don't get any money in the UK. I wouldn't want money either anyway but that is a nice way to spend the cash Q80Thug. (Y)


Wouldn't this be a brilliant career choice? If only our body regenerated blood as quick as we wanted to give it...Oh well, there's always McDonald's..pays a bit more.

[e11even]

Wouldn't this be a brilliant career choice? If only our body regenerated blood as quick as we wanted to give it...Oh well, there's always McDonald's..pays a bit more.

Heh, wasn't that a Simpsons episode?
"Twelve bucks and a free cookie! What a country! [passes out]" - Bart

[Dai]

Yep, do give.

Totally agree - I'll be expecting it to be there waiting for me if I have an accident or need it for another reason, so I'd better give it.

[Ruffio]

I probably should give, because I've never minded needles or blood tests. And I think I'm B+ , which I guess is not the most common blood type.