AIBU to think that 95% of people...

[PurplePidjin]

...do not have a significant phobia of needles?

So why do only 4 or 5 in 100 of us who are medically capable actually bother to give blood? Where are the rest of them?

It took 30 minutes of my afternoon, and they deliberately stay open late so people can pop in on the way home from work and have an excellent excuse to slob on the sofa for a bit

Oh, and apparently the registers are now cross-referenced do my Anthony Nolan sample is relevant to both

www.blood.co.uk

Just so you know, I can see exactly where your re coming from Flangelina, and I can't see why people need to be so defensive to very relevant and valid comments.

PP none of that makes the blanket statement that it doesn't hurt un-misleading, and the ink thing is beyond irrelevant.

Thank you KitchenRoll. I think its totally understandable when someone has an emotional connection to the issue, but it appears that not everyone who has been defensive has that excuse.

Mrs D V said it doesn't hurt. You say it does hurt.

Two very sweeping statements.

You appear to be either confused or hypocritical

Watched the video link Farlo - truly powerful - and you are right. Glad things that looking more posive for your DD

Thank you very much Busy .

I'm 7st 9 at the moment. I don't have any fear of needles (passed that when I had children), and fully intend on eating lots of cakes to get up to 7st 12 so I can give blood soon. I'm O negative which I understand is the type they like?

However I have previously been paid for sex - this is the question which sticks with me, I "pass" all the other questions fine. I KNOW I don't have HIV or anything since that was years and years ago and I have only had 1 partner since, and all the tests (when pregnant with DCs).

eeeeeeeeeek.

MrsDV why would giving blood be different from having blood taken for a blood test (assuming that both are done by an experienced phlebotomist)? It doesn't seem an odd thing to assume that if one is painful then the other is likely to hurt too. That's not to say that is necessarily a good enough reason not to give blood, but it seems to me that it's a bit like breastfeeding. For me, not painful at all, for others very much so. Is it better to say it doesn't hurt, or it might hurt but it's worth it? On the other hand perhaps it really is a different experience (more like a jab perhaps - initial sting but over very fast?) and that would be good to know too.

I have always thought about it. DF gives blood regularly. For me it has always been I've had a baby recently or a piercing/tattoo which prohibits me from giving blood. I keep telling DF I'm going to do it with him and we'll take turns to watch our DD's but every time I go there's something that stops me.

I've had a blood test at my local GP surgery with the phlebotomist, who presumably does nothing else all day. I seriously thought she was putting the needle through my arm, it hurt so much, and the bruise was enormous.

Any time I've given blood however, it's been the minimum of discomfort. I just think they're better at it, probably better trained, and are lots more sympathetic and appreciative of what you're doing.

That's just IMHO of course. I know other people have had bad experiences with the same phlebotomist so maybe she's just a bit crap.

babybarrister, all that is in my op plus various other posts i've made along the way.

95% of people who are able give blood. 1% have a true phobia of needles.

If even half the remainder have childcare issues, that's still a hell of a lot who simply can't be arsed!

Nope PP, I said it hurts some people. That's not a sweeping statement, in the same way that 'it doesn't hurt' is. One statement suggests everyone has the same response, the other explicitly says they don't. Additionally, one statement is factually correct and the other isn't. There's no getting round that, and it isn't a matter of opinion to say that one is universalising and the other isn't. This has now been spelled out several times.

So what do you make of the actual point, which is "AIBU to think that more people who can give blood should make the effort"?

As it wasn't in your OP, it isn't the original point. Dealing with your original points one by one:

• I don't know how many people have a significant fear of needles, nor do I consider myself qualified to assess what constitutes a significant fear.

• I presume you're right about the numbers giving blood. There are any number of reasons why people who are medically capable don't do it, some of whom have explained that in this thread better then I could.

• I don't know where all the rest of them are.

Your original points now considered, these are my thoughts on your subsequent question.

• I wish more people who don't have any reason not to would give blood. As I've done something which I now see was wrong in assuming I wouldn't be able to do it, I don't see myself as the best person to pass judgement on whether others should do so. There are people with more moral authority to do it than me, and I wouldn't wish to detract from their message.

I had to have a transfusion after giving birth to my son, which means I can't donate blood anymore. It's a shame that this is the case, because those of us who have received transfusions know how important giving blood is, and suspect a lot of us would like to give back if we could.