Blood Donations Urgently Needed

[Daisy Duke]

Given our chosen hobby I'm sure a good few of us have needed some, it's a great thing to do and is very worrying that supplies are dangerously low.

In the news today

IBTS: Where to give blood

 

[jonnie comet]

67 pints so far Ms D......Doing my best........

 

[Daisy Duke]

67 pints so far Ms D......Doing my best........

Proud of you! Well done

 

[luke scott]

Well I have Haemochromatosis so donate every twelve weeks. Ive given so much that my right arm looks like a train track . Im also RH Neg so my blood is like guinness.........

 

[Buz]

Did my bit Tuesday
1st time but many more to come.....how often can you donate?

 

[ghost]

I give it every 6months since my little one had a transfusion after er appendix was takin out.
She was only 18moths old at the time.

 

[stevie Allen]

Given our chosen hobby I'm sure a good few of us have needed some, it's a great thing to do and is very worrying that supplies are dangerously low.

In the news today

IBTS: Where to give blood

I'd like to contribute a lot more than I do mrs D but the last incident put me right off, after waitin for weeks and an appointment to do my bit, I joined the q and sat patiently , then was told when I got to the front of the q that I couldn't because I had been in Africa within six months of me sitting in the chair, but meanwhile Jenny foreigner pole sat next to me could give blood even although he couldn't even fill the kn form in had no history of being in the country
So that was it, never been back , I wrote and complained about it , but as usual fell of deaf ears

 

[luke scott]

I'd like to contribute a lot more than I do mrs D but the last incident put me right off, after waitin for weeks and an appointment to do my bit, I joined the q and sat patiently , then was told when I got to the front of the q that I couldn't because I had been in Africa within six months of me sitting in the chair, but meanwhile Jenny foreigner pole sat next to me could give blood even although he couldn't even fill the kn form in had no history of being in the country
So that was it, never been back , I wrote and complained about it , but as usual fell of deaf ears

So because you were outside their safety rules you have decided to never go back ? Good man. Well done.

 

[Daisy Duke]

Did my bit Tuesday
1st time but many more to come.....how often can you donate?

I'm honestly not sure, I'm not allowed to give blood and won't be for about another 10 years, I'm one of the very grateful people that needs it

I'd like to contribute a lot more than I do mrs D but the last incident put me right off, after waitin for weeks and an appointment to do my bit, I joined the q and sat patiently , then was told when I got to the front of the q that I couldn't because I had been in Africa within six months of me sitting in the chair, but meanwhile Jenny foreigner pole sat next to me could give blood even although he couldn't even fill the kn form in had no history of being in the country
So that was it, never been back , I wrote and complained about it , but as usual fell of deaf ears

I can understand your frustration at the situation, doesn't seem fair to me either, your intentions were good at least you tried, maybe someday you'll give it another go

To all the rest already giving... well done

 

[GerryC]

Fair point

........doesn't seem fair to me ......

What's fair got to do with it - statistically if you visit Africa (or other prescribed areas) you may be carrying blood bourne disease & a period of quarantine prior to further donation is a sensible precaution, Eastern Europe is not prescribed in this context.
I donated for years but had non infective Hepitatis - they wont take any more blood from me as I have had "jaundice" but the fact that it was Hep A & non infective in the context of blood doesent sway them. Rules are there for reasons but fairness is not one of them.
If you were a recipient would it be fair that your statistical chances of contacting a blood borne disease were increased because of some arbitrary need to be otherwise fair - be fair in weighing this up.

 

[jonnie comet]

Did my bit Tuesday
1st time but many more to come.....how often can you donate?

Men must leave a minimum of 12 weeks, and women a minimum of 16 weeks, between donations.....

.....and well done....

 

[Damien]

I gave blood about 15 times. I cant donate any more as I travel to the tropics so often.

 

[GSless Girl]

I'm a snap on GerryC but I'd certainly do it if I could.

 

[Daisy Duke]

What's fair got to do with it - statistically if you visit Africa (or other prescribed areas) you may be carrying blood bourne disease & a period of quarantine prior to further donation is a sensible precaution, Eastern Europe is not prescribed in this context.
I donated for years but had non infective Hepitatis - they wont take any more blood from me as I have had "jaundice" but the fact that it was Hep A & non infective in the context of blood doesent sway them. Rules are there for reasons but fairness is not one of them.
If you were a recipient would it be fair that your statistical chances of contacting a blood borne disease were increased because of some arbitrary need to be otherwise fair - be fair in weighing this up.

I assume you mean AIDS? Sorry I hadn't thought of that being the reason Africa was ruled out. If that's not what you mean then could they not offer a test for the diseases you do mean so that someone who gives regularly can get back to doing so after a holiday, if supplies are so low surely it would be worth it? Or I could just be being really stupid. More than likely the later.

 

[luke scott]

Men must leave a minimum of 12 weeks, and women a minimum of 16 weeks, between donations.....

When I was diagnosed with hemochromatosis I gave a pint a week for 18 weeks. never felt better that was over ten years ago. My iron levels are completely under control so now I donate every 12 weeks.

 

[frank1200]

When I was diagnosed with hemochromatosis I gave a pint a week for 18 weeks. never felt better that was over ten years ago. My iron levels are completely under control so now I donate every 12 weeks.

I am a carrier for hemochromatosis but don't actually have it,my little girl has a very high colour like myself so now that you reminded me I must get her tested

An oil change would be no harm anyway so I must look for my nearest blood bank in the morning
Any advice on best way to find it

 

[frank1200]

Sorry just looked at your first post again so sorted on the where

 

[GerryC]

I assume you mean AIDS? Sorry I hadn't thought of that being the reason Africa was ruled out. If that's not what you mean then could they not offer a test for the diseases you do mean so that someone who gives regularly can get back to doing so after a holiday, if supplies are so low surely it would be worth it? Or I could just be being really stupid. More than likely the later.

You are not being stupid really or really stupid - there are no stupit questions but some stupid answers.
AIDS / HIV is not the only infectious agent at play (pun intended) but the broad principles remain the same for all blood born agents. A lot of infectious conditions have a latency period in that symptoms dont present immediately after the initial exposure. Laboratory tests may pick it up ahead of symptoms but even the most sensitive tests may not pick the condition up in the initial latency period.
Additionally testing people for diseases they have no symptoms of is a waste of finite resources.
Blood once donated is screened for HIV, hepatitis & possibly other viral markers - there was a major scandal in Ireland south of the border 20 years ago revolvind around not testing for Hep C. Anyhow you might have been exposed to the infectious agent recently & the screen will be negative but your blood would still be potentially infectious.
Receiving blood is not without risk; the risks are managed (but not eliminated) by declining to accept doners that have increased risk factors.
That is why donation in this corner of the world remains voluntary. In some parts of the globe doners are paid. Some people reason that this attracts folk at the "margins" of society with a consequent increased risk of "whatever" as a teenager might say.
Prudence or prejudice?