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Original poster

Blood donation

219 replies

talksensetome · 10/02/2017 12:46

AIBU to tell you all that I am going to give a pint this afternoon, just because I love these threads and how they inspire others to give.

I wanted to donate platelets but I am too tiny so a pint of the red stuff it is!

OP posts:
TheTapir · 10/02/2017 14:52

Thank you for the reminder. I haven't been for ages because the last time I went, I felt really dodgy afterwards and I was made to feel like I was wasting their time which put me off. I've moved house since & hadn't got as far as finding my new donation centre. I've just booked myself an appointment :)

AWhistlingWoman · 10/02/2017 14:53

I am a regular donor. Like Celtic I had an extremely premature baby, under one and a half pounds at her lowest weight. Used to love how the transfusions made her all nice and pink afterwards. She is eight now and I am just so grateful for all the amazing medical technologies and people (like blood donors) that made it possible for her to be alive today. It blows my mind, her whole life was rescued from that tiny body, born before she was even considered viable at 23 weeks. Now she may just live

I am slowly chipping away at her blood 'debt' - I gave before but seeing donated blood in action has made me even more determined!/

derikthesheep · 10/02/2017 14:58

I'm keen to donate but have always had health reasons stopping me. Does anyone know if very low ferritin levels are a problem?

Ewock · 10/02/2017 15:02

Fantastic that so many people give blood. I am no longer able to after a blood transfusion when ds was born. My dh regularly gives.

GoulashSoup · 10/02/2017 15:45

Thank you to all donors. Just wanted to say that if you are over 30 you can't join the Anthony Nolan register, but you can register with Delete blood cancer until your 61st birthday. They link up with other registers, and now it is only a mouth swab you do at home in order to sign up. For those who have given birth recently and can't give blood, you can consider donating breast milk if you are lucky enough to have lots. A tiny premie only needs a few mils. The other way of 'helping/donating' is to see if you can be involved in local research studies, most research studies require healthy controls and often it is just a questionnaire and or a few millilitres of blood. A last thing you can do is make sure you are on the organ donor register and that your family know your wishes.

Iwantacampervan · 10/02/2017 16:16

Crunchyside I got a text message telling me where my blood had been sent. I also get messages reminding me about the appointment and one straight after thanking me for donating.

SittingWithMyFeetUP12 · 10/02/2017 16:32

I'd like to say thank you ! I've had three units...saved my life...I was really anaemic. I got a phone call at home at 9pm saying I needed to goto hospital there and then, I thought the person on the phone was joking !

Thank you xx

UnicornButtplug · 10/02/2017 16:34

I have just donated and even though I went dizzy and lightheaded no body made me feel like I was wasting their time. I was well looked after and treated kindly. I just had to sit a bit longer thank most and get tipped back and have a drink.

Nquartz · 10/02/2017 16:36

I go every time I can (4 months, I think) as I'm a rare group, A rhesus negative, only 7% of the population.
I always have an orange club & then have the song from the old tv advert in my head for the rest of the day.
DD says she wants to do it as soon as she's old enough, she's only 4!

Nquartz · 10/02/2017 16:38

I got a text telling me where mine had gone too, if anyone has been to Rotherham General they could have had some of mine!

PuntCuffin · 10/02/2017 16:38

I was too light until after DS2. I still dream of losing the half stone that keeps me fat enough to donate but in the meantime, 16 donations done. Found out last time that my blood is marked up for neonates. Love to hear about where it goes and know that it is helping keep someone's precious baby safe.
Am also registered for bone marrow and organs (which I strongly feel should be opt out...).

Natsku · 10/02/2017 16:39

Just coming in to say thank you to donors. I can't donate because I've received blood (plus generally have anaemia and now I live somewhere that doesn't let Brits donate because of Mad Cow Disease) so can't contribute but was very grateful for that blood someone donated for me. Although it was weird to think part of someone else was going inside me...

Natsku · 10/02/2017 16:40

Does anyone know if very low ferritin levels are a problem?

Yeah they are, that's what stopped me when I tried to donate when I was 18.

LunaLoveg00d · 10/02/2017 16:45

Yes I go regularly too - although not at the mo as I've not long had major surgery and they prefer you to wait until 6 months after the op.

Started giving after the birth of my first - a friend who I met at antenatal classes had a very sick child who needed several tranfusions, she was unable to give so loads of her friends decided we'd start donating instead. Have lost count of the number of donations as we moved from England to Scotland where the systems are different, but probably around 25 over the years.

And the Glasgow blood donor centre has Tunnocks wafes and teacakes so it's WELL worth the effort.

SherlockPotter · 10/02/2017 16:47

I had a session on Sunday! They've gone very upmarket with the snacks for afterwards, Oreos AND Lotus Biscoff.

MrsTeller · 10/02/2017 16:51

I'm aiming to get to 50 this year, two more donations, them I'm having a celebratory first tattoo.

Lovelybangers · 10/02/2017 17:03

I donated blood from the age of 18 until it was discovered that I have a blood clotting disorder. Can no longer give blood. :(

Nor can DH.

There are so many who can not give blood that it's important that those who can do.

TinselTwins · 10/02/2017 17:10

Next donation will be no. 56 and I aim to reach 100

That's awesome! Maybe you "made" one of the units I had! Thank you anyway

Kinda annoys me that DH never gives blood, when I bring it up he's all "yeah I should look into it" then never bothers to do anything about it, ever Angry I take it a bit personally having needed blood myself in the past that he has no actual objections he just can't be arsed to look into it and organise doing it

HungryHorace · 10/02/2017 18:48

I've given blood a paltry 5 times (next one booked for 27th Feb) and DH has given 6 or 7 times.

I like getting the text to tell me where it's been sent to, though they seem to be rather hit and miss, sadly.

ArriettyClock1 · 10/02/2017 18:55

Am I the only person that eats none of the snacks? Grin

I have a lemon squash and only because they don't like you attempting to leave straight away (I have tried!)

BestMammyEver · 10/02/2017 19:06

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

RaspberryOverloadTheFirst · 10/02/2017 19:09

As far as the snacks go, it's the only time I ever seem to come across Mint Club biscuits. Of course I have to sample one Grin

shellistar · 10/02/2017 19:53

A- & CMV- here so my blood is routinely sent to the neonatal unit! Finding out my blood can be given to new borns is one of the reasons I now make regular appointments!

HungryHorace · 10/02/2017 21:32

I only have a snack because it's nigh on forced onto you! I'd rather just bugger off.

ArriettyClock1 · 10/02/2017 21:37

shellistar - CMV-, that's it!

A- too? that's the gold standard!

I am B-.