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Donating Blood
Topic Started: Mar 26 2015, 08:03 PM (823 Views)
Harly
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#HarlyforHarly20Harly

So, there was a blood drive at my school today, and I donated a pint of blood! Speaking to the people there, I also learned that it is something that I can do fairly regularly, with two months between each donation (I'll be able to do it twice more before I leave for Chile).

Blood is always in need, and donating even once can save as many as three lives. Furthermore, while roughly 38% of Americans are eligible to donate blood, only about 10% ever do, even though 41,000 are needed per day.

Have any of you ever donated blood? Do any of you do it regularly?
"He walked down, for a long while avoiding looking at her as at the sun, but seeing her, as one does the sun, without looking."
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Nikki
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Omniheurist
I do, though I wouldn't be honest if I didn't tell my main motivation is free lunch... :heart:
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Miva
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Free lunch? We only get tea and a biscuit here.

I tried to donate 3 times: the 1st time my arm tensed as the needle went in and it bruised a bit, they had to stop. The 2nd time I gave successfully and the 3rd time I was feeling a little weak before I went in, so I didn't go through with it.

I do want to give again, but I dunno excuse excuse excuse I guess.

We're only meant to give every 6 month here.
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Sagie
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crotchety

Don't you guys have some strange laws about who can and can't give? I was listening to an NPR report...something to do with food I think.
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Miva
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Ermmm I dunno. You have to fill in a questionnaire when you go in and it asks you if you're a man who has slept with a man without using a condom, or if your a woman that's slept with a man whose ever slept with a man without using a condom. They also ask about if you've been abroad and such. I'm not sure what happens if you answer those with a yes though.

I'm not sure what you mean about food though. Maybe there's some new rules, it was many years ago that I went in.
NHS website
 
Who can donate blood?

Most people between the ages of 17 and 66 who weigh over 50kg (7st 12lb) and have a good level of general health will be able to donate blood.
If you are over 70, you need to have given blood in the last two years to continue donating.
Your blood volume may need to be estimated first if you are a women and you:
are under 20 years old
weigh under 65kg (10st 3lb)
are under 168cm (5' 6") in height
It is usually recommended that women leave 16 weeks (4 months) and men 12 weeks (3 months) between donations.
People who cannot donate blood
Before donating blood, you will be asked to fill out a confidential donor health check form. This makes sure that your blood is suitable for donation.
Not everyone can donate blood and the donor health check form ensures that people receiving the blood are not exposed to harmful viruses or infections. It's also to avoid putting you at risk if there's a reason why giving blood might harm you.
If you are not sure whether you are able to give blood, call NHS Blood and Transplant on 0300 123 23 23 for advice.
You may not be able to donate blood if:
you have had a serious illness or major surgery in the past
you have had complicated dental work (it is safe to donate blood 24 hours after having a filling or seven days after a simple extraction)
you have recently come into contact with an infectious disease
you have had certain immunisations within the last four weeks
you are currently on a hospital waiting list, or waiting to have tests
You should not give blood if:
you have a chesty cough, sore throat or an active cold sore
you are taking antibiotics or have finished a course of antibiotics in the last seven days
you are pregnant or have given birth in the last six months
you have had hepatitis A or jaundice in the last 12 months
you have had a tattoo, semi-permanent make up or any sort of body piercing in the last four months
a member of your immediate family has had Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) – a rare condition that affects the nervous system and causes brain damage
you have had acupuncture in the last four months, unless this was done within the NHS or by a qualified healthcare professional registered with a statutory body
you have received human pituitary extract (a substance used in some growth hormone and fertility treatments before 1985)
you have received blood during the course of a medical treatment or procedure since 1980
You should not donate blood for 12 months after having sex with:
a commercial sex worker
someone who has injected drugs
someone who has haemophilia (a condition that stops your blood from clotting normally) or another type of blood disorder that required clotting factor treatment
someone who has been sexually active in parts of the world where HIV and AIDS are common – such as sub-Saharan Africa
a man who has had oral or anal sex with another man (if you are female)
a man (if you are male) – with or without a condom
You should never donate blood if you have ever:
had HIV
had hepatitis C
had syphilis
had human t-lymphotropic virus (HTLV)
injected yourself with drugs
worked as a commercial sex worker
Edited by Miva, Mar 26 2015, 09:35 PM.
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Sagie
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crotchety

Ah, it's US law:

Quote:
 
In-Depth Discussion of Variant Creutzfeld-Jacob Disease and Blood Donation
In some parts of the world, cattle can get an infectious, fatal brain disease called Mad Cow Disease. In these same locations, humans have started to get a new disease called variant Creutzfeld-Jacob Disease (vCJD) which is also a fatal brain disease. Scientists believe that vCJD is Mad Cow Disease that has somehow transferred to humans, possibly through the food chain.

There is now evidence from a small number of case reports involving patients and laboratory animal studies that vCJD can be transmitted through transfusion. There is no test for vCJD in humans that could be used to screen blood donors and to protect the blood supply. This means that blood programs must take special precautions to keep vCJD out of the blood supply by avoiding collections from those who have been where this disease is found.

At this time, the American Red Cross donor eligibility rules related to vCJD are as follows:

You are not eligible to donate if:

From January 1, 1980, through December 31, 1996, you spent (visited or lived) a cumulative time of 3 months or more, in the United Kingdom (UK), or
From January 1, 1980, to present, you had a blood transfusion in any country(ies) in the (UK) or France. The UK includes any of the countries listed below.

Channel Islands
England
Falkland Islands
Gibraltar
Isle of Man
Northern Ireland
Scotland
Wales
You were a member of the of the U.S. military, a civilian military employee, or a dependent of a member of the U.S. military who spent a total time of 6 months on or associated with a military base in any of the following areas during the specified time frames

From 1980 through 1990 - Belgium, the Netherlands (Holland), or Germany
From 1980 through 1996 - Spain, Portugal, Turkey, Italy or Greece.
You spent (visited or lived) a cumulative time of 5 years or more from January 1, 1980, to present, in any combination of country(ies) in Europe, including

in the UK from 1980 through 1996 as listed above
on or associated with military bases as described above, and
in other countries in Europe as listed below:
Albania
Austria
Belgium
Bosnia/Herzegovina
Bulgaria
Croatia
Czech Republic
Denmark
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Ireland (Republic of)
Italy
Kosovo (Federal Republic of Yugoslavia)
Liechtenstein
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Montenegro (Federal Republic of Yugoslavia)
Netherlands (Holland)
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Serbia (Federal Republic of Yugoslavia)
Slovak Republic (Slovakia)
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Turkey
Yugoslavia (Federal Republic includes Kosovo, Montenegro, and Serbia)
Edited by Sagie, Mar 26 2015, 09:48 PM.
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cipher
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Fancy Chicken

I've never donated blood before, what is the process like?
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Harly
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#HarlyforHarly20Harly

Basically, they ID'd me, made me take a survey to ensure that I wasn't at high risk of any infectious diseases or complications, check your iron levels, and then you get brought to the chair, they rub some iodine on your arm and stuff, hook you up to the machine, and you stay like that for anywhere from 10 minutes to an 1 hour+ until they have a bag with a pint of your blood. I had a very slow rate of flow, so I was waiting for at least an hour, but one girl I spoke with had such a fast rate that she was done in less than 10 minutes, so it varies a lot.

Actually getting poked wasn't at all worse than getting your blood drawn normally, or maybe getting a shot. As long as they don't have the needle against the vein wall or anything like that, it doesn't hurt at all for more than a second.

You should do it if you get the chance, Cipher. :) It wasn't very hard at all, and I swear that needles aren't that bad.
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Artisan
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Tea and a biscuit? We get a sticker. ._.

I donated blood during a school blood drive before.
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TK
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*something clever*
I donated blood once in high school for bonus points but while the blood started going, it suddenly stopped at needle entry point was scabbing over. The nurse kept the needle in my arm but moved it around under the skin which was painful so I opted out and haven't done it since. :/
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Nikki
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Omniheurist
One hour? That's a lot of time! Do they make you open and close your fist so that blood will go out quicker? They alawys make us do it that way, and it's over in 5-10 minuts. I have never seen anyone take more than 15 min. How much blood do they take? 500 mL is the measure we have.
@Alias: A sticker? We get free sandwiches, sweets, juice, water, and a tiny present. ::P:
Edited by Nikki, Mar 27 2015, 08:49 AM.
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Silva
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Fiercer than the Dark

Hah, I often have acupuncture and also have sinus problems near constantly in my daily life (possibly due to allergies or possibly some kind of chronic cold that never goes away), so I suppose I would not be able to give blood.

It's a shame, too. The concept of saving up to three lives in a single donation is VERY appealing indeed.
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Harly
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Nikki
Mar 27 2015, 08:47 AM
One hour? That's a lot of time! Do they make you open and close your fist so that blood will go out quicker? They alawys make us do it that way, and it's over in 5-10 minuts. I have never seen anyone take more than 15 min. How much blood do they take? 500 mL is the measure we have.
@Alias: A sticker? We get free sandwiches, sweets, juice, water, and a tiny present. ::P:
I donated a pint, which is just under 500 mL, and yes, I did do the hand squeezing thing. It didn't help much, and I had an incredibly slow rate of blood flow the entire time.

Also, we got half a pint of ice cream for it, but I signed up before I was aware of that.
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cipher
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Fancy Chicken

So the exchange rate for blood to ice cream is 2:1.
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Harly
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cipher
Mar 27 2015, 08:03 PM
So the exchange rate for blood to ice cream is 2:1.
Yes. All of the posters said "Give a pint, get half a pint." :P
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