I've given blood. I haven't since I had Glandular Fever but I should get back into the habit of doing it really.

And there's nothing to be scared of. You don't have to really do anything.

When you first get there, you'll be asked to complete a form to make sure you're suitable to give blood. If you're new, a small sample of blood will be taken (in fact, they do this every time you give blood). This will then be sent off to check whioch blood group you are and to check that the blood isn't infected with any disease.

You then lie down, your blood pressure is checked and a suitable vein is found. Then, a tube, using a syringe, is gently put in and you are asked to gently squeeze on a grib to pump the blood into the bag. Doesn't take long, just a few minutes.

Once finished, you stay laying down for 15 minutes or so. Then you go and sit down somewhere else, have a cup of tea and a couple of biccies. Then you can go. However, you will be told not to do anything strenuous for the rest of the day and if you have any side effects to get back to them or your doctor straight away, but it's unlikely.

After a week or so, as you're a newbie, you'll be notified of your blood group and given a funky credit card thing that has your blood group details on it

Hope this helps

Spike I have done in the past and it's really easy

Check out the National Blood service website www.blood.co.uk this will tell you where and when your nearest session is.

You have to be aged between 17 and 60 weigh more than 7st 12lbs and be in good health, remeber your going to save a life

I never have. I'd like to in theory, but I absolutely hate needles. Regular injections I can just about cope with cos they only last a couple of seconds. But, once when I was a kid, I was having these skin tests to find out what I was allergic to, and I very, very nearly fainted.

Also, my mum went to give blood once and they turned her away cos she's asthmatic (which I am as well).

It's a very, very admirable thing to do... one anonymous donor donated and quite probably saved my daughter's life.. she had a transfusion the day she was born.. so i have great admiration for blood donors. My sister is a regular donor as is one of my uncles... they have awards for amount of blood they've given.. i can't remember which one my sister got, but my uncle received a gold award.

I haven't. I know you can't after having a baby, though i don't know how long after that is (possibly a year).. and my GP told me that in my case i probably wouldn't be able to, given the fact i have kidney problems... I think those of you who have just had a tattoo can't donate for a little while afterwards also.

I don't know if the rule's still in force, but the last time I tried I was politely turned away because of what they coyly referred to as 'homosexual activity' within the previous ten years. So that's something you might want to bear in mind, Spike

(Edited by Random 13/03/2002 14:06)

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by Random
I don't know if the rule's still in force, but the last time I tried I was politely turned away because of what they coyly referred to as 'homosexual activity' within the previous ten years. So that's something you might want to bear in mind, Spike

(Edited by Random 13/03/2002 14:06)

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I think they state that you must never give blood if ...


You are a man who has had sex with another man "even safe sex" using a condom

Ummmm.. I should really as I have a rare blood group, but I'm so pale I can't help thinking that if they start pumping all this blood out of me I might become invisible!

A few years ago I was also slightly aenemic (cant spell) so I don't think I would qualify anyway. I would like to give blood though so maybe I'll try again.

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by Sweet-Sange
(quotes)


I think they state that you must never give blood if ...


You are a man who has had sex with another man "even safe sex" using a condom

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thats jsut stupid! surely when they take a test of your blood in the 1st place they can see that its safe or whatever. what about if you used to be a drug addict?

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by SPIKE
(quotes)
thats jsut stupid! surely when they take a test of your blood in the 1st place they can see that its safe or whatever. what about if you used to be a drug addict?

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You must never give blood

You carry the hepatitis B virus, the hepatitus C virus or the HIV virus
You are a man who has had sex with another man "even safe sex" using a condom
You have ever worked as a prostitute
You have injected yourself with drugs, even once

You should not give blood for 12 months after sex with

A man who has had sex with another man(if you are a woman)
A prostitute
Anyone who has injected themselves with drugs
Anyone with haemophilia or a related blood clotting disorder who has recieved clotting factor concentrates
Any one of any race who has been sexually active in Africa(apart from Morocco, Algeria, Libya, Tunisia or Egypt) in the past year

Funnily enough I had my reminder to give blood through the door this morning hence what I'm quoting you is off the back of the letter I recieved

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by Whistler
Once finished, you stay laying down for 15 minutes or so.

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The last couple of times that I have given blood, they have said that if you normaly feel OK after giving blood you can skip the 15 mins lying down part.

Which is great by me, as it means that I can be in & out in 30 minutes.

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by PictureOfFlowers
I never have. I'd like to in theory, but I absolutely hate needles.

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Same here. I gave blood regularly over a 7 year period - the first time when I was at college and was a great excuse to avoid a boring lesson.

I even got a badge, or something, after a number of donations (I can't remember which).

I was never able to donate during hayfever season, as I was drugged up to the eyeballs, and in the last few years, the travelling nature of my job means that I'm rarely around. I still try when I can though.

I'm a blood donor although I haven't given any for a while, so this thread has pushed me in the right direction really

I became a blood donor at college and was generally so proud of myself! However, even though I am not anemic (sp?) I started feeling unwell after the second time I did it and the third time I had to lay down for a hour because I almost fainted. The nurse kindly made me promise never to try giving blood again and told me that i needed the blood more than they did!

Please don't make my experience put anyone off - it's a very honerable thing do!

I'd like to be able to give blood when I'm old enough. I don't know if I'll be able to as I'm anemic.

I hope I can as I'd like to be able to help people like that, but I don't know if I will, I feel ill enough when I don't take iron tablets let alone having blood taken out of me!

my mum does.

I am a bit to young and maybe a bit underweigght! If I could, I would.

I pass out every time a syringe comes near me - being pregnant with Georgia meant I had to have regular blood tests - which meant regular passing out - which meant lots of TLC afterwards

The staff at the local hospital always put me on a bed rather than a chair when I went in so that I would be comfortable when the inevitable happened.

For that reason and my intense fear of needles, alas I don't give blood - I wish I could get over the phobia so that I could - we need more doners.

Giving blood is one of those things I always think about doing but never get round too...the thing I would most like to do is become a bone marrow donor as I'm sure I read that they are even rarer than blood doners because it is so painful...something I'll need to look into

I used to give regularly, but got out of the habit when i was on medication. I shall be giving soon when they come round to where i work, glad to start again.

I got tissue typed for bone marrow donation, its a very quick little sample they took when i was donating as usual, definately worthwhile

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by Jola
I pass out every time a syringe comes near me -

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Yeah, I'm a fainter too. It's really, really, really annoying because I'm so un-dainty in most ways.