Blood donation

[ImperialPleather]

I’m so fed up of being told to donate blood? It’s happened 3 times in the past week I’ve been shamed for not giving blood.

I have no good reason to not give it other than I don’t want to but given I have bodily autonamy AIBU to think it’s no ones damn business?

It’s amazing some people give so well done to those who do!

I made my next appointment earlier this week. The next one I could get that fitted around work (and I only work PT) is November 🤷‍♀️. We're in a large town but sessions were slashed a few years ago.

I agree with you Op, I am a huge advocate of women’s rights to full bodily autonomy and part and parcel of that is accepting people who don’t want to share their blood.

This is something I feel really strongly about (although would never shame anyone for not donating). I do think if you can donate (unless there is a medical or phobia reason) you should. I do agree it's got more difficult to donate with sessions and time being seemingly cut back but do still make the effort (have taken time off work to donate although certainly not something I would say everyone should do!). I've donated since I was able to at 17. Years later my dad was in a RTA and needed a lot of blood and was so grateful it was available as he wouldn't be here without it.

“Have you spent 12 months or more in total in the UK* between 1980 and 1996, including living, working or on holidays?”

This is copied from the Irish blood transfusion website. If the answer is yes you can’t donate. It’s not about being British specifically. If you were born after 1996 or lived abroad during this period you can give blood. I can’t as I did live in the UK during this period.

If you can you should

I still can't get my head round why the reasonings behind being unable to give blood if you've had a transfusion. I have bad veins and hate the sensation of blood being drawn from my veins, I've fainted a couple of times but I would try and do it if I were allowed as it's so needed but I've heard it's very difficult to get booked in to donate these days! I understand not everyone feels they can and I do think people get really pushy about it.

I have blood a few years ago and had a bad experience, where they left me and wandered off and I passed out as too much blood had come out. It's awful but I haven't been back since as I'm worried about it happening again

If you'd accept a blood transfusion, you should give blood.

Meant to say, I needed 3 ,(I think) bags of blood after my emergency c section 12 years ago so I'm very grateful to those donors! Not something you think about needing is it? It really is so vital.

being squeamish about needles is not at all the same as a genuine phobia

Absolutely right

"I still can't get my head round why the reasonings behind being unable to give blood if you've had a transfusion."

There are some infections they just can't test for yet, CJD is one but potentially there are others too. There is a risk that any donor is a carrier of one of those infections but if they have had a transfusion of a single unit then there is twice the risk, if they had more units then it increases by that many. You could then expand this to think that if a person had a transfusion from someone who had also had a transfusion then the odds go up even more.

After the problems of blood borne infections given to people needing transfusions in times gone by the blood and transplant service want to do everything they can to reduce the risk.

That is why I am not allowed to donate, I have never had blood or a blood product but I had fertility treatment including eggs from another woman and they can't risk that I may have had a prion disease like CJD given to me at the same time.

I can't give blood since they changed the rules on those who have received donated blood can't donate themselves!

I wish I could give blood again. I keep hearing the adverts and I have O-, I’d given 27 times, but because I received it after labour I’m not allowed to give any more.

I'm needle phobic, but still donate. To me, it's a small price to pay to potentially save someone's life.

I wish I could give blood, and feel guilty whenever I see leaflets urging us to give blood. Sadly, though, I had malaria in Africa in the past and that rules me out because of the parasites.

Those who have trouble getting appointments, it is usually quite manageable if you either book well in advance - I always have my next two appointments booked - or check a few days before the session for free slots as they send out text reminders then, which obviously reminds some that they need to cancel.

I am a blood donation evangelist, have just got my 50 badge, and agree with other posters that if you are eligible you should at least give it a try. I do ‘publicise’ blood donation but have never made any attempt to shame people.

I gave blood once and felt dreadful after. They tilted my chair back and people came over with fans and water etc as I almost passed out. Then I went over to get a biscuit and mid-biscuit, felt that I was either going to be sick or pass out again, so had to lie on a stretcher with a paper bag for a while. It was pretty embarrassing. I then managed to get up and out of the blood donations place but passed out a couple of hours later.

At the time I donated, my iron levels were fine but that was before kids. Since kids, my iron levels are always low or borderline so I haven't been back to try again. Not sure if I should or not. I really don't want what happened last time to happen again so I have been avoiding it in all honesty but I do feel guilty for not doing my bit.

I have not been able to for a long time due to medical reasons and I don’t feel bad about that it’s not my fault

I don’t judge if people really do not want to either

@PFB2

If you react like that a few times then they tell you not to come back and send you a nice little certificate.

Gave blood for the first time a few weeks ago. Will do so again.

YANBU OP, the adverts for blood donation boil my piss on a regular basis.

I've been contacted 3 times this week too, twice by telephone and once by text. II last gave blood 2 months ago but this will be the last time unless they start offering more suitable appointment times again.
I've been donating for about 9 years But always at weekends. They've changed the times and day so no weekend appointment available within an hours commute. I cannot attend week day appointments and travelling an hour to give blood is above and beyond. Really disappointed and have sent in a email and explained in both phone calls. Not sure why they have stopped offering weekend appointments in my area.

I would want blood to be available for me or my family if needed so I have to be willing to donate it myself. It's that simple to me. How is the blood available when you need it otherwise?

I find it frustrating that giving blood is so hard. It's like they don't want people to donate

Agree ! I struggled with website and gave up
Need to try again but I wish they had a more tech savvy way for me to be alerted and do it

That said last time I had a whitey and had to go in that funny chair

Yabu op

If they were actually in dire straights with blood donation they wouldn't apply so many dumb rules to who can donate.

They are still operating on an vCJD outbreak footing in spite of the global consensus that there are no more people out there with vCJD.

In short get your house in order before pestering the crap out of people who can't donate in any case because of your dumb rules!