Giving blood

[EmpressaurusDeiGatti]

When I went to donate my pint of O positive tonight, the staff told me about the recent cyber attack that meant London hospitals were unable to process a lot of their stock of blood, meaning that loads of it went out of date and had to be disposed of.

They especially need O negative, which can go to anyone, and O positive, which is safe for anyone with a positive blood type.

The other thing I learned is that each blood donation can help to save three people.

I think there's only 3 plasma donation centres in England - London, Reading, and Bristol. I'd have considered it otherwise.

For platelets, they weren't looking for females when I last checked.

I have to wait a few months as medically deferred at the moment, but will carry on when I can. Over 70 donations, neonatal, so I'd like to get to 75 as long as no medical conditions get in the way!

I fundraise from some super rich people daily, I always love it that it’s a gift almost anyone can give that is so valuable and income has no impact.

I was looking and thought 50kg was tiny 😂

It is tiny!! Nice problems to have I suppose! I’m a fat shit so they have no problems taking my plasma 😂

I wasn’t suggesting in my post that everyone should switch to donating plasma from whole blood, I know full well there are only three centres in England that do it. It’s an option for those who live close enough and as they are campaigning for more plasma donors nationally, I thought it was worth mentioning.

That is what I've read. Bit of a wait to see the endochrinologist so no meds yet but I am hopeful it will be meds and not an op. I think it's a chronic condition but obviously just have blood results at the moment!

I'm O negative and my blood also goes to neonates because its negative for cytomegalovirus.
Unfortunately the whole system round here has been centralised and the local place I give blood isn't being used anymore. It's now a drive across town or a 20 minute drive away to the next town which isn't much use as giving blood makes me feel woozy.

I have hypo (underactive) thyroid and couldn't donate blood until I was stable on my prescription. No idea if it's the same for people with overactive.

@Anewuser they won't take my blood now either because of cancer. I'm O neg and used to donate regularly.

Same for me - esp as I’m O-neg. ☹️

Sure, but I’m 4ft11 so they say I’d have to be 70kg!

I'm O and on about 60 donations, I can't donate at the moment because it's too soon after my last donation but I am booked in again later in the summer.

O+ and booked in for Thursday

I read this in the paper yesterday. I'm O negative so thought I'd register and donate. The next available appointment is. . . . . . 20th of August! Now I remember why I stopped donating years ago, I could never get an appointment. Frustrating.

Thanks for the reminder to rebook!!!
They stopped our local donation point due to "lack of interest", which is weird, because whenever I donated there, it was always rammed!!

Just reviving this thread to see if anyone else had their appointment cancelled? I'm frustrated as I booked the appointment months ago. Last week I had a text reminder telling me how important my donation was and then again this morning on the day saying 'see you soon'. Then 2 hours later 'we're sorry your appointment is cancelled due to unforseen circumstances'. Arrgghh!!! And this is not the first time I've had it cancelled either.

I'm sure it's lack of staff or maybe they are prioritising other blood groups or some other good reason but I'm still really frustrated. I've arranged work around this and delayed getting my ears pierced with my dd. I know this is trivial. I even looked up my recent hrt medication online to make sure it was allowed. I admit I was also looking forward to feeling good about doing it. I'm just venting.

I've had mine cancelled, but then went on the website and rebooked for the very same session! Or sometimes just showed up in person and done it anyway, so you could try that, if it's today. I think the computer system is sometimes unhelpful in how it books and rebooks appointments depending on the sessions and staff.

No (it's Friday so there's still time) but this happened with my last one, cancelled on the day. I know things happen out of their control but it is annoying if you have had to make special arrangements or cancelled something in anticipation of being unavailable

yes very annoying! Mine was cancelled about an hour to go, and yet on the app there were other appointments. So it is worth still trying, especially if you have things arranged. I told them it was annoying when I went, and that I'd just been able to go make another appointment for the same session despite having had it cancelled 20 minutes earlier, and they didn't seem bothered. But I still keep going back despite the lack of organisation.

Ultimately it's up to them whether they want your donation or not but when they treat you like this then there's no wonder so many people don't want to do it.