If You Have Never Donated Blood, What’s Your Reason?

[MarmaladeSandwich7]

I went to donate back in the 90s & wasn’t allowed to as I hadn’t long been back from South Africa. Somehow I’ve just never got around to it since but would very much like to. DF donated for years. I have a tendency to be anaemic & so worry that I should maybe hang onto my blood?! My iron levels are fine atm.

Too far away, 2 hour round trip, when it was closer, i did donate, i ve a rarer blood type too.
I did was travel down once, got there late and the refused to do it, they offer free parking though.... IF its not in use, otherwise a bloody fortune.

Just booking an appointment means an account, passwords etc its not easy and i's imagine it puts people off.

I have a serious blood clotting disorder and have received 8 transfusions in the past

Last time l tried l was anaemic so they declined me. Now l have young twins and lm reluctant to waste precious childcare or babysitting on it. The blood service from my experience is chaotic with no appointments for ages and then lots of hanging around which takes up time

They struggle to get blood out of me enough for a blood test as my veins have performance anxiety 🤣🤣🤣 and shut down so I would be wasting their time trying to give blood

I tried when I was younger and was told I was too small. Which is ironic as at the time I was overweight on the BMI scale (I was short and very skinny).
Had a blood transfusion since.

I used to donate but after I got with exDH was screened out by the questionnaire. I think one of the questions was have you had sex in the last six months with someone whose ever had a sexual relationship in Africa. It was a bit ironic that I was being screened out due to his sexual history given he was a regular plasma donor.

Subsequently had a blood transfusion so can’t now.

@BernardButlersBra @Penelope23145 apparently mine is so rare that it gets turned away. I suppose it’s one of those things that can’t be stored indefinitely.

I donated for years (following the example of both my parents who also donated whenever they could - my Mum started her working life as a haematology lab technician so I think was extra aware of the need for blood). I have a rare blood group which is suitable for newborns (something to do with parvovirus or CMV immunity I think?) but have delicate veins; unfortunately most of the last 10 attempts at donation have been unsuccessful because my only decent vein has scarred/closed up after 50+ donations. So that’s the reason I now won’t continue to donate; I wish I could keep going. I like that these days they send a text telling you where your blood was used.

I have regular botox as a beauty treatment.

They're not. Im AB+ and got sent a letter years ago from the blood transfusion people years ago basically saying "don't call us, we'll call you" but they never have. AB+ can take blood from 100% of people but can only give to the 2% of people that have AB+ (that can already take from 100% of people) Plus, they tend not to take platelets from women because of potential antibodies which makes my blood even less useful. I imagine it's expensive to take and store blood that isn't actually much use.

So I've no longer got an excuse to lie down in the middle of the day and I haven't had a penguin biscuit since!

I have awful veins unfortunately I have to have blood tests often and they find it so difficult,when I have to have my 4 infusions a year it can take hours to find somewhere it can go and it knocks me very ill while it’s happening, I get so anxious and stressed.I’m on chemotherapy drugs from my ra and oa so they wouldn’t take my blood even if I could donate also have pernicious anemia and I’m b12 deficient so my bloods useless to me let alone anyone else .

For the people who faint, the beds they use they do put you flat now. Even in local pop up ones. They then pull you up to halfway up but you’re still in the chair, then finally fully sitting. The you go and get your snack. If you do feel faint, they lie you back down and put a block under your legs. It’s embarrassing when it happens to you and I was mortified at the time but it happened to someone else on a different visit and none of the other donors paid much notice. The staff are quite discreet and get you set back up but don’t hover. They give you a few minutes and check in discreetly. Nobody was mean when I fainted and they made sure to give me extra biscuits!

It’s really hard to get an appointment. You can no longer take children with you (I remember going with my mum on her way back from work), they stopped it during Covid and never brought it back.

I donate. But recently found out my ferritin is v low (haemoglobin which they test for at donation is fine) - so I’m now a bit reluctant…

I donated a few times - appointments take so long in the waiting area so there have been times I’ve had to leave as after waiting an hour I’d be late for childcare.
appointments tend to be during the working day or if they are after hours- you can’t take children.

If children were allowed to be with you it would be a lot easier to donate. Annoying thing is the place has stickers saying my mum donated blood today- so kids used to be allowed. I remember accompanying my nan to donate.

Same as @CoastalCalm also unable to due to previous transfusions and super grateful to those that do, which saved my own life as an infant

I am on the bone marrow and organ donation registers

They literally cannot get the blood out of me and kindly told me it was a waste of their time and mine.

Same.. if they came to my town I would happily donate. But when I've looked, the nearest place is always a pain to get to and at bad times

I have tried three times but apparently my veins aren’t big enough (as the needle is bigger than a blood test needle). Last time I tried they thanked me profusely for trying but kindly said not to bother again 😆. I’m disappointed, as I think if you would be happy to receive blood then you should - if possible - also donate at least once in your lifetime

Really? I'm O Rhesus Positive and they seem very happy to take my blood. I donated yesterday and am now happily waiting for the email telling me where it was used, which normally arrives a couple of weeks after donating. Gives me a warm fuzzy glow.

I've donated on and off all my adult life. My husband can't do it because of his cardiac history. Pleased that my son is now donating too. My daughter is on prescribed medication which probably rules her out. No one in our family has ever needed a transfusion or a transplant, but that's just luck. I know I would be grateful beyond measure to the donor(s) if any of us did need blood or organs.

I used to give blood and also donated breast milk to the milk bank but I’m now on medication that precludes blood donation.

Needle-phobic. Too old now.

I used to give regularly then it became too difficult to get an appointment (!). I then had cancer so can’t donate - shame as I’m O neg. I’m surprised about Botox being a disqualification; that could become a problem, as getting Botox seems to be very common now.

I thought I'd be too squeamish but I did it and i was fine. I felt a bit faint the 2nd time but they looked after me really well & it passed once I'd had some chocolate!

This!

I used to, now I’m severely anaemic and have regular iron infusions. They are talking about blood transfusions in the hope of a better result, thank you to everyone who donates.