To ask about Giving blood - can you do it at the doctors or get extra appointment?

[Kayano]

Sooooooooooo

Some of you may know about my extreme needle phobia and my ongoing therapy/ drama/ moderate success so far.

My (stupid rhesus positive) child is now 3 months old and I know you can give blood 6 months after having a baby.

I promised Mrs DV that I would continue treatment and get this thing done, however I know my own mind and the likelihood that I will need the blood people to show me the size of the needles, talk to me for a while, maybe have a couple of false starts (this is a HUGE improvement for me btw)

I am aware that the blood vans offer short appointments.

Does anyone know if I can give blood anywhere that could maybe give me a double appointment or if I could get a referral from my therapist (that I got referred to from the NHS) as it is really going to help for my ongoing treatment.

I don't want to waste an appointments slot if I can't have time to sort of psyche
Myself up and do my breathing. (hence... Starting to prepare 3 months in advance)

I'm feeling quite positive ATM though.

PS - PLEASE GIVE BLOOD IF YOU CAN xxx

I would like to give blood, but I can't get over there homophobic views that gay males can not give blood.

Unless someone can convince me that anal sex between males is any riskier than a hero sexual couple having anal sex is different I refuse to give blood

Hetro damn auto correct

I am giving blood in a few weeks. I'm going to go to one of the designated buildings they have, where about once a month they have a collection. It gives you a number to phone up. Perhaps you could explain your worries and ask whether you could have a briefing, be shown the needles that will be used and have a longer slot?

They seem really helpful from my experience, as my Dad gives blood 3 times a year.

Just to mention that it is 9 months post-full term delivery that you have to wait. You have to have been nonpregnant as long as you were pregnant if that makes sense?

Well done so far!

9months?!?! headdesk

Oh well 6 months to prepare is even better

I thought Gay people could give blood now ?

Looked on there website and they can as long as they have not had sex in the last 12 months :(

Kayano- just want to say that I think you are incredible to consider giving blood. I feel clammy just typing that. I'm of the 'BP drops & I faint' variety of needle phobes but can actually inject myself- I'm with you on the control thing.

I agree with OP re finding a permanent donation place. I always feel calmer with someone who knows about my fear so I don't have to explain myself. When DD had her immunisations, the nurse already had experienced one of my spectacular fainting episodes so was brilliant and I felt more in control as I knew she understood.

Good for you though!

I understood that the anus is delicate and bleeds far more readily than a vagina when it has a foreign object inside it, meaning if there was a bad disease to catch it would most likely be passed on to everyone who has contact with the infected individual. It's not a given you will contract a bad disease from an infected woman if you have sex as a heterosexual male. I still think they should revisit the rules for married homosexuals though.

9 months! Arse - was due to go in a week or so. I may still do and get the skinny on my iron levels though.

McHappy - unfortunately gay sex IS riskier for the reasons described below. Not wrong, but riskier because of its nature. Please don't refuse because of this reason - you are hurting the wrong people. You would be in a much better position morally to campaign as an active blood donar - otherwise people will think you have just found an excuse tbh.

Kayano I am SO impressed. I have been wanting to give blood for years but the thought of it scares me so much

My phobia doesn't sound nearly as bad as yours', but I've had blood taken twice now and both times nearly passed out afterwards, and that was just a wee bit for tests. I'm okay when the needle is actually in (as long as I don't look) but it's before and after that I really struggle.

The thing that really annoys me is that I was fine until I was about 18 and had a terrible experience with an immunisation injection.

Anyway - I know that my pathetic fear of needles is NOTHING compared to what the people who need blood are going through so I'm going to follow this thread and try to pluck up the courage.

Dbil (a doctor) is gay and has no problem with the donor rules - gay men have a higher chance of having hiv and hiv can't be screened for in the first few months after infection so it's all about minimising risk.

Dbil has also been the recipient of a blood transfusion (as have I) - I agree with the poster above who said by refusing to give you hurt the wrong people.

Mchappy, it's not so much that gay sex is more dangerous, it's that HIV rates amongst the gay male population are horribly high - 1/20 and much higher in London. It's not homophobic any more than not accepting blood from Botswanan donor is racist.

The new 12 months celibacy rule instead of a lifetime ban seems a good compromise to me.