donating giving blood

fsdss

ping wrote: »

Now I'm getting really nervous!

congratulations on taking this huge step - its really nothing to be nervous about.

the nurses who take your blood will be very experienced in dealing with nervous patients i can assure you. if you tell them about your worries you'll get extra TLC and you even might get 2 biscuits / hot drinks.

pinkdiamond

it was my new year's resolution to start giving blood. i have always wanted to, but i had glandular fever quite badly during my early 20s although not as badly as poor rick bless him

I booked in for a blood session this wednesday but reading this thread has got me worried. i ended up having to have my tonsils and adenoids out because the glandular fever made my throat swell up and close up so i couldnt swallow for about 2 years until i got well enough to have the operation. i basically was living off liquid foods and i am rather fond of heinz tomato soup now as a result (everything had to have no bits or i would end up chocking)

just after i had my tonsils and adenoids out there was a big story in the news saying they had to change to disposable instruments because of the CJD risk :eek:
does this mean i wont be able to donate? i think i will be very upset if i can't

torbrex

I have been donating blood for nearly 30 years and Platelets since about 1992.
It is just part of my routine to go every 3-4 weeks, it does not require any thought on my part and certainly no effort is required, I sit back and relax for about 90 minutes then back to normal life.
There has yet to be discovered a replacement for blood and it cannot be made artificially so it is in everyones best interest to at least try to donate and who knows you might find out that you are as common as I am an with good veins and a high platelet count you could have the privilage of donating as regularly as I do.

My philosophy on being a blood donor is simple: I got it for nothing - it came with the body.

see also this thread http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=181787

fsdss

pinkdiamond wrote: »

does this mean i wont be able to donate? i think i will be very upset if i can't

in a short answer i don't know - on the website there is a questionnaire that you can participate with if you are in any doubt - there is also a facility to contact them.

Browntoa

the marrow donor bit is here

http://www.blood.co.uk/pages/marrow_info.html

Why do we need donors?

Bone marrow or stem cell transplants are necessary when the bone marrow becomes diseased or damaged so that it can't function normally.

Sometimes the damage to the bone marrow is a result of treatment for leukaemia or a related cancer of the blood. In order to destroy all the leukaemia cells it may be necessary to use treatment so strong that it completely destroys the bone marrow, in which case a bone-marrow or stem cell transplant must be given to restore blood cell production.

Without the stem cells to produce blood the patient will not survive. So you can see, when we say 'bone marrow saves lives' we really mean it.


Where do donors come from?

Sometimes an appropriate donor can be found within the patient's immediate family as it is more likely that their 'tissue type' will match. However, only 30% of donors are found this way, and this is when we rely on the British Bone Marrow Registry to find another suitable donor. And this is the reason we really need people like you who are prepared to help save a life.

It is your genes that determine your tissue type. But there are other factors that determine the probability of finding a compatible tissue typed donor for a patient. Some tissue types are more common in particular ethnic backgrounds. Therefore, in addition to matching a donor and patient's tissue type it's also important to match the ethnic background. By doing this, the transplant has a better chance of being successful.


Can I help?

We're extremely pleased that you've asked yourself if you can help, because we are always looking for new bone marrow donors to help save the lives of people who desperately need a transplant. Before you can become a donor though there's some important information you need to read and some things that we'll need to ask you too, but for now all we need to know is:

Are you aged between 18 and 49?

and

Have you, or are you prepared to give blood?

If you answered yes to both these questions, then - providing there are no medical reasons that prevent you from doing so - you may well be able to become a bone marrow donor. Just click here to be taken to our online enquiry form and we'll send you more information and details of where you can go to register.

Thank you for taking the time to find out whether you can save a life.

Bogof_Babe

I'm a bit puzzled about the "received blood since 1980" thing. Surely if they no longer use potentially infected blood in transfusions, there must be a time after which any received blood was perfectly alright. E.g. if I had a transfusion last year, that blood would be free of CJD because it would have been screened before use, so why would that preclude me being a donor?

If the relevant date remains at 1980, it will reduce the possible donor base every year. I could understand if they said "between 1980 and (say) 1995", because after 1995 all blood used in transfusions was known to be good, but don't understand why it seems to be ongoing indefinitely.

fsdss

torbrex wrote: »

see also this thread http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=181787

i have posted the e petition from this thread. on the 1st page of my thread

thank yoy

Murtle

fsdss, because of your thread, I have registered and booked for the next one in my area which is February, it needs to be within walking distance as I'm not to good when they stick needles in me

I have often looked at giving blood, but have always been under the weight limit - thanks to Christmas I should be able to give blood!

Healing thoughts to Rick

:T

Ishtar

I've been a blood donor since I was 20 (I'm nearer 40 now!!) - I went along when I was 18 but had just got over glandular fever so had to wait two years.

The appointment system works fantastically well - I'm in and out in around an hour...sometimes takes me longer because I'm a 'slow bleeder', and it's absolutely painless - no worse than when you have a blood test.

One of my reasons to give was that maybe one day either myself or someone I cared about might need a transfusion. I got to thinking that if no-one bothered to go along, or left it to 'someone else' then there would be no blood stocks....so off I toddled.

It's not much to give, just a bit of time and just under a pint of blood...but just think of the benefits you are giving to someone who is really ill.

D.

noonesperfect

clairewp wrote: »

i am A recuse - ( dont think thats spelt right) but i smoke is my blood any good

Is that A rheusus positive or negative? They'd be happy with either.

Smoking shouldn't make any difference - I used to smoke and they never sent me away :rotfl: