to encourage you all to go and give blood.

[AtYourCervix]

Go on. Unless you have a very good reason why not.

Quick - in and out in half an hour.

Painless - really. I am an utter wuss and it doesn't hurt.

Easy way to save a life.

Makes you feel really good and noble.

And you get tea and snacks. And an hours peace.

So go on. Off you go.

Will do. Have lovely chats with the Irish lady who rings to remind me- no excuse but the reminders have so far come just as I'm pg or postnatal. Tried to sign dh up instead of me but he's not made it yet. No more excuses - we'll get there

Ok so I have always felt guilty for woosing out of this. My problem is that I am not generally squeamish about needles (I don't mind injections). But I have never had a blood test without passing out.

I try really hard to relax, and I always lie down now for blood tests, after keeling over if Ive been sitting up. But even then, however long I wait before I sit up, I still faint.

So I can't help thinking if I faint after losing a little syringe of blood, surely I would do something hideous if I lost a pint??

Yes I know I'm pathetic

Can anyone clear this up for me. My GP told me I couldn't because I take Levothyroxine. I have since been told this is not true. Does anyone know if it is or isn't?

dunno carrots - give them a ring.

I keep looking up the local website but it makes my laptop crash every time. I will phone tomorrow instead.

Giving blood saved my life - Thank you!

Unfortunately I am not allowed to give blood myself - but so wish I could. I will always be grateful to a stranger who saved my life!

Carrots - I was just about to post that question! I used to donate regularly, but haven't since having DD and now am on levothyroxine. Would love to know if I can still donate.

this suggests we can

It suggests here that if you are underactive then you can give blood but if you are overactive then you can't. Is that how others read it?

That may explain why my GP told me I couldn't - he must have got the restrictions muddled up.

I've just called the line myself about being hypothyroid. They said if you are well and your dose hasn't needed to be adjusted for over 3 months, you can give blood.

The problem with being hypothyroid though is quite often you have low iron too.

Oh thanks Carrots. That is encouraging. I'll give them a ring tomorrow then, as it won't let me book online.

So wish I could, but as i've had a blood tansfusion when I had breast cancer they don't wont my blood. Ironic as that's what convinced me to give the bood!!

DH gives blood & I'm very proud of him for doing so.

I needed a huge transfusion when I had spinal surgery so am truly thankful to everybody who does this.

If I could, I would

Used to, but these days they won't take you if you weigh under 50 kgs for some reason (why? do I have less blood than I used to?).

I would otherwise . . . wouldn't be here today if my Mum hadn't had a massive blood transfusion when she had an ectopic pregnancy.

Already do, have given about 25 times. Sometimes a slow bleeder, depends on the way the needle is put in. DH can't give as had been given a transfusion. Going to encourage the DC when they're old enough. DS1 17 in a few months. Has seen me give, although that put him off a bit!

Takver yes, you will have less blood. You have approx 1 pint per stone of weight, therefore if someone weighing 15 stone donates 1 pint they are losing 1/15th of their blood volume and generally will not notice the loss, someone weighing 7.5 stone is losing (proportionally) twice as much, and would be much more likely to suffer ill effects.

I donated blood up until the point I actually had to have a blood transfusion to save my life. Then I became ineligible to donate, but let me tell you, when you donate blood, you are saving someone's life. You saved my life, for which I'm eternally grateful.

I will if I ever can (have a slight addiction to piercings and have never made it over the 6 month exclusion period without having another one done). Planning a tattoo as well so that will be me out for a while.
I'm on the organ donor register and will give blood at some point (when I can according to their rules).

I'm on levothyroxine and am a blood donor. They're fine about it- just view it as replacing something that should be there anyway. As long as you're in good health it's fine.

I made it to four donations (so far) but because of how ill it made me afterwards, very very very weak and dizzy, flushed and nauseous, they have told me not to come back. Nothing to do with my weight, im 11st and not to do with not eating before etc.

HOWEVER they have not forbade me and i am going back :)

I'm not allowed to donate here (Oz) because I lived in the UK during the era of mad cow disease. Surely there is a test they could do by now (or am I just showing a woeful ignorance of medicine?). I used to give when I could and don't like not being able to.

I used to donate regularly and stopped because of having DC. I have been meaning to start again. Thanks for the reminder, OP.

Wish I could but I have low blood pressure and when I tried I fainted and according to the nurse was upsetting everyone else! They could only get a third of a pint so the nurse told me not to bother again :(

YANBU

But I wonder if you might be better posting this on some more male dominated forums?

Giving blood is easier for men - they have more of it, are far less prone to anaemia, and less likely to have to arrange childcare to do it.

What an extraordinary post Unwind.
I am a donor (30 odd units given), but haven't been able to since moving to mainland Europe. Those of us who lived in the UK in the 90s all have BSE according to the delightful individual in Switzerland
Her Belgian counterpart was slightly less offensive, but still they don't want it.

Stupid question but I take you can still donate if you've had a section? Noticed the question about surgery. I've not donated since before DD was born and would like to again (if I can ever shift this cold)...