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Do you give blood donations on the regular?

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Got back from it yesterday with nothing but a pretty nice experience!
The folks at the centre were real nice and I got some nice swag in the form of a pin, cookies, soup and juice.

Took about an hour (which was kinda lame) and the needle and testing prick hurt marginally. removing the doctor's tape they used to keep the tube on my hairy arm hurt more.

All in all it was gnarly enough and I'm planning on doing it again in a couple months.
Would recommend.
 
I've only donated a couple of times in my life. It's just not something that is regularly on my mind.

I remember doing it right after 9/11 and a few times in college.
 
G. N. Arly said:
Ahh right. That sounds more legit. It's the same here. I guess platelets take 56 days to renew.
How did you guys first decide to donate blood? I was hawked by a friendly dude at my local college. Turns out my college pledged 850 donations and I thought I'd help out.
oh! And they give you a neat donator card that has your blood information on it. I'd really like to know what blood type I am.
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RBC (Red Blood Cells) take 56 days to renew. Platelets take 48 hours.

I chose to donate because it's the right thing to do. I have the ability to donate, it can help my fellow man, no questions I should donate. For a long time I was scared of the process/needles, but as I grew older, I realized that was a stupid phobia and I was being selfish in regards to not donating.

So happy I chose to donate and I plan to continue for as long as I am able.
 
Cereal KiIIer said:
Banned for life



Potential donors are excluded on a permanent basis for the following reasons :

People who have spent five years or more in Western Europe since January 1, 1980. Western Europe includes: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, United Kingdom and Switzerland. Note that the time spent in the United Kingdom and France since January 1, 1997 must not be included in the cumulative period.
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I never gave blood other than in the military, who incidentally is responsible for me being in western Europe in the 80s thus rendering me ineligible. Ha.
 
RBCs, plasma and plts, every time.

I cause enough bleeding as it is, gotta donate to make up for it. The warm blankets that they pile on you makes for a nice afternoon nap.
 
About 3 years ago, I decided to start donating blood after meeting a few people from the Red Cross at a student convention. However, since I tend to get a bit uneasy when it comes to this topic (seeing blood doesn't bother me, but talking or thinking about it in a more anatomical sense has somehow always gotten to me), I was turned down when I went in for my preliminary check-up and sample analysis.

To be honest, I still don't quite understand that. If I don't mind feeling unwell once every few months in exchange for being able to help people, then why should they? At any rate, I was advised to try again in a few years. Supposedly, people generally handle the procedure better once they get to their mid to late twenties. So far, I still want to do it. I'm guessing I'll give it another go after I graduate from university.
 
I would if they let me, because neither my mother or myself would be alive without donor blood.

Not elligible because I shot up hard drugs. (so not exactly.afraid of needles lol)
 
No sir, not at all! I don't like needles so I avoid them in general, and no one needs my blood anyway. It's the rarest Rh+ blood type, no one else at all can take it, as we can accept every other type. So I'm content.
 
I don't really know my type, so I'd imagine that my lack of knowledge of my medical history as far as blood goes, does not make me a desirable candidate.
 
I don't know of it's a mental thing, but after I donate blood I get chest pains for the couple of weeks afterwards
 
Yep, I do every 6 months but I have a common blood type so it's not in short supply. My misses can't due to low blood pressure (and her hatred of needles).
 
RustyO said:
O Negative; so universal donor; but never (can't) give blood as according to the Red Cross I'm 27.8% Mad Cow
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I'm O negative too, always got the Red Cross calling me asking for donations. I've only ever given once, It felt good afterwards but getting me to go in there and do it is another thing.
 
SPE said:
RustyO said:
O Negative; so universal donor; but never (can't) give blood as according to the Red Cross I'm 27.8% Mad Cow
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Nothing to do with Mad Cows. It's because the iron in your blood has oxidized.
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Result from the Red Cross' "Am I eligible to donate blood?" online quiz.

Red Cross said:
I canÂ’t give blood as I lived in the United Kingdom for six months during the period 1980-1996. When will a test for vCJD be developed?

Although the number of cases of vCJD (the human form of 'mad cow disease') in the UK is declining, in the absence of a screening test, the full extent of exposure is not known.

The Blood Service is monitoring progress in the development of a reliable blood screening test for vCJD. Should this deferral policy be changed for any reason, please be assured that this information will be disseminated widely.
Click to expand...


Hurley said:
I'm O negative too, always got the Red Cross calling me asking for donations. I've only ever given once, It felt good afterwards but getting me to go in there and do it is another thing.
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I used to live (literally) next door to a blood donor centre... would have donated regularly if they would take it.
 
If the Red Cross thing is true, so many British walking around with JCvD in their blood is probably why you get so many street brawls.
 
Brian Fellows said:
Never. Not even in high school where you could get out of class for an hour.
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Funny, that's where I started. I would do it to get out of class and hang out with friends.

Now me and 2 other friends do it ever 4-6 months. We make a trip out of it and everything. I love it.
 
I used to give blood all the time in high school and early college, but I'm not allowed anymore. Wish I could since I'm the universal donor. My blood is needed, dammit!
 
O+, but since it's so common I don't feel a huge need to donate. I only did it once.

Whenever I actually did plan to donate again, I realized I had to stand for long periods and basically do errands for the rest of the day later on.
 
I'm not giving those commies my precious bodily fluids...

But seriously, I can't give blood, as I suffer from sickle-cell.
 
Apparently my blood doesn't replenish fast enough or something. The first and only time I gave blood, tested fine right before, decent blood count, blah blah, two days later I was so anemic that I was nearly hospitalized. Which would have been amusing. Would they have given me my blood back? Heh.
 
I'm losing sensation in my toes as I think about it. Really wish I could. If there was some way they could get blood out of me other than sticking me with a big sharp thing, I'd totally do it.
 
I'm donating blood since my 18th birthday. 21 times so far.

Feels pretty good every time. Just like bloodletting and the body creates new and better blood.
 
entrement said:
I've been doing it for ages and definitely recommend it as there are always shortages, especially if you're a rare type. I am being an -A.
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Doesn't quite work like that. O- is the "best" donor, as anyone can accept their blood.
A- means that only people with A or AB (about 37% of the population, varies by country) can receive your blood.

Blood+Donation+-+Blood+Group+Match+Chart.jpg


I was a regular donor (usually plasma rather than blood) for about 5 years, but was recently told I couldn't donate while the (Australian) blood service conducted an investigation after some received "problematic" blood.

Naturally I was worried, and it took a bit of chasing up to find out what had happened. Basically someone had received a donation tainted with Hepatitis and they had to test all donors whose blood had been given to this patient. Got the all clear in the end, but haven't been back since. Will resume soon.

Donated platelets once. Never again.
 
I've donated consistently since my senior year of high school. I'm now approaching my second year of college, only recently being told that I can get paid to donate blood. I've always went to the Florida Blood Center/Oneblood, and all that I got were T-shirts and movie tickets.

Does anybody know any healthy organizations that give money?
 
Every time I can. My blood is like 40% iron and I have the heart of an ox, I've honestly never missed it. Someone needs that blood more than me.

Given away gallons of the stuff.
 
Hurley said:
I've heard there's health benefits associated with giving blood regularly, how true is that?
Click to expand...

In Poland you don't have to wait in queues when visiting doctors, you can get some basic drugs fo free and all blood donations are tax deductible.
 
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