Do Something Amazing- Give Blood

noonesperfect

I don't know if they have changed the rules, but you could fill in this query form and submit it, or alternatively phone them.

https://secure.blood.co.uk/mqf.asp

EmmaJ_3

Bit of a long shot but someone here might know the answer, or at least give your opinion on what you would do!

I've been giving blood when I could since I was 17 and done about 12 donations so far. This year I have been diagnosed with IBS, probably had symptoms for a good few years now. Last time I went to give blood, I rang beforehand to make sure it was ok with IBS and they said yes no problem. When I turned up, I had to tell them I'd used over-the-counter anti-diarrhoea medication in the previous 7days and explained it was an IBS flare-up - they said even though I have diagnosed IBS they won't take my blood if I've had any diarrhoea in the previous 14 days, in case it was something else other than the IBS causing this.

Now I very rarely go 14 days without any kind of diarrhoea at all, it's just something I deal with now......what do I do? Just say I'm fine (unless it's been a proper big bout or something obviously) or never give blood again?

jackieb

I used to give blood, but had to stop because i've had a couple of transfusions myself (one in 1986 and another in 1995). I'd love to be able to give again. I don't know why they stopped because it was good enough before they change their rules. I thought all the blood was tested anyway?

oldhaggis

I would like to give blood as I am healthy and not on any medication. I went along to my local centre but they couldn't get any blood out of me and I was told I couldn't be a donor.

First one person tried and then asked her senior for help. They made several attempts with two needles, after which they gave up. My entire inner arm was black and blue for a week.

What I can't understand is that when I went for a routine blood test at my local hospital a couple of weeks ago and they had no problem getting any blood out of me and I didn't even feel the needle go in.

Has anyone had a similar experience? Should I try a different centre perhaps?

torbrex

oldhaggis wrote: »

I would like to give blood as I am healthy and not on any medication. I went along to my local centre but they couldn't get any blood out of me and I was told I couldn't be a donor.

First one person tried and then asked her senior for help. They made several attempts with two needles, after which they gave up. My entire inner arm was black and blue for a week.

What I can't understand is that when I went for a routine blood test at my local hospital a couple of weeks ago and they had no problem getting any blood out of me and I didn't even feel the needle go in.

Has anyone had a similar experience? Should I try a different centre perhaps?

Could be you were just unlucky and they could not find the vein properly, I know someone that tried half a dozen times to donate before they gave up on him and my father was told not to come back as the blood just would not come out no matter how well the needle went in.
You should try again, maybe tell them to try the other arm.

torbrex

EmmaJ wrote: »

Bit of a long shot but someone here might know the answer, or at least give your opinion on what you would do!

I've been giving blood when I could since I was 17 and done about 12 donations so far. This year I have been diagnosed with IBS, probably had symptoms for a good few years now. Last time I went to give blood, I rang beforehand to make sure it was ok with IBS and they said yes no problem. When I turned up, I had to tell them I'd used over-the-counter anti-diarrhoea medication in the previous 7days and explained it was an IBS flare-up - they said even though I have diagnosed IBS they won't take my blood if I've had any diarrhoea in the previous 14 days, in case it was something else other than the IBS causing this.

Now I very rarely go 14 days without any kind of diarrhoea at all, it's just something I deal with now......what do I do? Just say I'm fine (unless it's been a proper big bout or something obviously) or never give blood again?

They would not take your blood if you were taking any kind of medication for whatever reason, certain meds hang about your system for a number of day and you cant donate for this reason. I know that asprin is 5 days and other painkillers are as little as 2 days.
Possible recipiant may be allergic to any residue of meds in your blood so you should be wary of just saying that you are fine if you have taken something recently, also the donor service had a duty to make sure that no harm is done to you, if you have had a bout of diarrhoea your system will be depleated and giving blood might make you ill.
If you have had a period of not being ill or having taken anything and there is a donor session on in your locality then it should be ok for you to go along.

Bob63

torbrex wrote: »

Could be you were just unlucky and they could not find the vein properly, I know someone that tried half a dozen times to donate before they gave up on him and my father was told not to come back as the blood just would not come out no matter how well the needle went in.
You should try again, maybe tell them to try the other arm.

Agreed. Low blood pressure can be a factor.

As a (previously) regular donor I rarely had problems donating.While I was in hospital over the past few weeks the doctors had real problems putting cannulas in my hands for IV antibiotics and pain relief, and sometimes had problems drawing blood from my arms due to very low blood pressure. Trouble is, when you are sick they can't tell you to come back next time so they get their cannula in or sample out no matter what - I had to have a blood test every day for 24 days and received antibiotics three times a day, every day. I had one nurse attempt 7 times to put in a cannula before she gave up and called for help. I sympathise completely with the previous poster's comments about being black and blue!

None of this has put me off donating so I'll be back in line in 5 months time...

surreysaver

oldhaggis wrote: »

First one person tried and then asked her senior for help. They made several attempts with two needles, after which they gave up. My entire inner arm was black and blue for a week.

What I can't understand is that when I went for a routine blood test at my local hospital a couple of weeks ago and they had no problem getting any blood out of me and I didn't even feel the needle go in.

I think for a routine blood test they use a much smaller needle, so it will be much easier to stick it in you! For donating blood, the diameter of the needle is much bigger, to prevent damage to the blood cells and enable the blood to be taken much quicker. If they used the blood test needle to take your donation, it would probably take a couple of hours!

surreysaver

jackieb wrote: »

I used to give blood, but had to stop because i've had a couple of transfusions myself (one in 1986 and another in 1995). I'd love to be able to give again. I don't know why they stopped because it was good enough before they change their rules. I thought all the blood was tested anyway?

They cannot take blood if you've had a transfusion since 1980 to reduce the risk of vCJD transmission. There is no test for vCJD, so the only way to reduce the chance of transmission is to reduce the risk. If the blood you received had vCJD in it, then other people would also have received that blood. If you then donate blood, you will be passing the infection to several other people, so from the one person originally infected it could then end up passing the infection to dozens, possibly hundreds of others.

Bob63

surreysaver wrote: »

They cannot take blood if you've had a transfusion since 1980 to reduce the risk of vCJD transmission. There is no test for vCJD, so the only way to reduce the chance of transmission is to reduce the risk.

That's the same reason why people who have spent 6 months or more in the UK are not allowed to give blood in the USA and many other countries.