quote:I really wish they would change their donation requirements. Because I lived in Europe for a time, I am ineligible.
As I am European myself, I wonder if you lived in GB? As far as I know, there aren't any other European countries mentioned on the form (at least on the forms I know from the Red Cross Germany and the Universitätsklinik).
By the way, I've donated blood 24 times, but two months ago, I started to donate platelets: the money. It's 40€ per donation (each time, it takes two hours instead of ten minutes!), and I can make an appointment every second week instead of only four times a year (à 26€). Nevertheless, I didn't stop donating blood, for I don't want my last donations to be thrown away only because there aren't any new ones to verify again that my blood is alright.
I used to donate blood (13 times)to the Red Cross until I moved from the villages to a town with an own clinic and donation center. That's much more comfortable, though I wouldn't stop donating if it were not... I think, donating blood is a MUST, if you are able to.
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I've only been turned away for low iron once - December 2004 - and they put me on the "ineligible" list for 6-8 weeks (whatever the limit is between donations). I was a little freaked out about it, because my hemoglobin's always been really high in the past, so I scheduled a physical with a full blood workup between then and the next blood drive in February. The CBC I had in January was good, and I've never had any trouble since.
I agree it's cool to watch the needles and blood and all, but I'm a science geek, so YMMV.
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Okay. You said you go every three months, but didn't specify where you were in that cycle, so I didn't include you in case it was two months away or something.
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maui babe, I've been put on the ineligible list for 6 weeks each time I've gone in with low iron, too, even if it was only a few points off. And the last 5 times I've tried, it's been low every time. Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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Huh. Is this something new? I've gone in the next day after iron loading and been able to donate at least three times.
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I will look into it...I was ineligible due to some of the things I was exposed to in the Army at USAMRIID, but that was years ago so I think I am eligible now. Posts: 15082 | Registered: Jul 2001
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Pinky, just so you're clear of the differences, because many people are not, when a company pays you for a donation, the blood products often do not go directly to the patient. Drug companies will buy these products for drug research. The blood you donate via the Red Cross will go directly to the patient. While the patient does have to pay for the procedure of getting the blood, as well as paying the medical personnel who administer it, they don't have to pay for the product themselves. Not always the case with blood that was bought from a donor.
I guess I'll just say what I want to say: Donated (not sold) blood is best!
When I worked for the Red Cross drawing blood, this information was given to me by the head nurse.
Posts: 2064 | Registered: Dec 2003
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I'm ineligible and likely to be for some time, but as soon as they'll let me, I'm there. I'm B-, which is pretty rare, so they always need me.
I just want to say thank you to everyone who donated or will donate. My Aerin has had 4 blood transfusions in her short little life and she wouldn't be here without them.
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I don't see why they don't let you donate when on, as Artemisia Tridentata puts it, "rat poison." Sure, I'd bruise a bit, but no more than if I trip or run into a coffee table or something...
But I'm doubly-disqualified - I've lived in Europe too long as well.
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I'm also cut because of the time I lived in Europe. Which, in my selfish heart, is just as well because I don't like needles in my own arms. It took some getting used to, but I got to the point where I didn't mind watching other people give blood, in fact I'm pretty sure I could happily do it myself, but no needles in my veins. I would have donated myself just to get used to getting needles, but you're not allowed to work on your own blood.
A fantastic idea though, Eljay.
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To make matters even worse, my blood never wants to be drawn. The last time I did blood work, the nurse poked repeatedly for a vein and when she finally found one the vial stopped filling halfway through. So she tried the other arm but couldn't find anything. She just sort of shrugged and said they'd have to make do with what they got.
This is a great idea, though. I'd love to participate in something not related to blood.
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I am too scared of needles...They're having a blood drive in my neighborhood soon, but I'm just too scared of holes in my skin. I'll donate just about anything else, but not anything that goes inside my skin. I'm sorry to let some people down, but I cannot help it. I have a serious phobia towards needles in my body.
Posts: 3389 | Registered: Apr 2004
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quote:Pinky, just so you're clear of the differences, because many people are not, when a company pays you for a donation, the blood products often do not go directly to the patient. Drug companies will buy these products for drug research. The blood you donate via the Red Cross will go directly to the patient. While the patient does have to pay for the procedure of getting the blood, as well as paying the medical personnel who administer it, they don't have to pay for the product themselves. Not always the case with blood that was bought from a donor.
I guess I'll just say what I want to say: Donated (not sold) blood is best!
When I worked for the Red Cross drawing blood, this information was given to me by the head nurse.
The money is just a bonus. It is only given to attract people to donate more often than they would usually do. Especially students. The ones I ask to come with me are at least more attracted by that than by being altruistic, especially if they don't like needles. So it serves the purpose.
I would donate blood whether or not I get something in return. And I DID. I kinda like it, and I never had any problems during or after the donation. The clinic of the university where I donate since I came to Freiburg, uses the blood for the patients in the clinics in and around Freiburg in cooperation with the Red Cross. For research, they ask (quite often!) for extra samples, in addition to the ones one gives to test the donated blood. The Red Cross itself is in charge for the villages and towns without clinics. (In Europe, a drive that takes longer than thirty minutes, is already considered to be too far away. )
However, the main reason why I am glad that I don't have to go to the Red Cross itself anymore, is, that I don't have to wait for them to come to me. I don't have a car, and it happened quite often, that I had to wait four or five months between two donations or that it was not possible for me to get there when they finally came. So, in the first five years of my "donation career", I only donated 13 times, instead of 20.
Posts: 262 | Registered: Feb 2006
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In Canada, back in the day, eligibility for donating blood started at 16. I tried to donate for several years, but was turned away every single time due to low blood pressure (90/50 usually). As soon as it got high enough, I started donating regularly. The only problem I've ever had with needles was that I didn't like the pain, but once that was over, I was always fine. And I donate very quickly - in about 1/3 to 1/2 the time of other donors.
Now that I'm here... I haven't thought about it.
But now I'm going to look into procedures for donating blood here. Sri Lankan Red Cross? WHO? No idea...
Thanks for the reminder, Eljay. Great thread. Posts: 8355 | Registered: Apr 2003
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The problem with the commercial blood banks is that you get some people like homeless and addicts giving because they really need the money. Because of this, they will be more likely to lie about their sexual history or history of IV drug use in order to be accepted. Testing catches many of them, but for those who recently acquired HIV or other blood-borne illnesses, the testing is not 100%. Also, every test ever made has some false positives and false negatives. There is no 100% accurate test that's ever been devised. This means that when the hospitals are forced to use commercial blood bank blood for their transfusions to patients, the rates of infection from blood donations rise somewhat. It sucks and is entirely preventable if people will just donate (those who can). Donating people are usually quite happy to be rejected on any pretext. I mean the ones that aren't Theaca.
I like watching the needle go in, too, and watching the blood flow through the tubes, but then, I too am a science geek.
I did one of those double red cell donations last time, and I didn't like it. The part when they pump that stuff (your plasma and platelets) back into your arm made me feel really weird. Also, I was quite noticeably tired and weak for a while after I gave, which is unlike my usual feeling of elation and energy. I think from now on I will just give whole blood.
The thing about Europe and UK is about mad cow disease. It has a long latency period. For every decision like that they weigh the probable cost and benefits and choose the healthiest best thing for the blood supply and the patients who receive blood. They may be guessing wrong, but I think they're just trying to be ultra-conservative in their decisions. That makes sense to me unless we get into a situation where the nation's blood supply is so low that people are dying for lack of transfusions. Then they should revisit those decisions and would probably reverse them.
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Well, I found the site for the Sri Lankan Red Cross. Apparently, they only want donations of money, and the only news they offer consists of first aid kits they've donated to schools and houses they've built for tsunami victims.
Yes, I'm being snarky.
I'm just disappointed that they say absolutely nothing about donating blood on their website.
Posts: 8355 | Registered: Apr 2003
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I woke up with a tickle in my throat this morning. If it's the beginning of a sore throat, I'm ineligible to give blood until it goes away (according to the Canadian Blood Services website). The tickle may just have been due to dryness, so if I feel okay at the end of the work day I'll set up an appointment.
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quote:I like watching the needle go in, too, and watching the blood flow through the tubes, but then, I too am a science geek.
Hmmm, I may be a bit of a science geek, but I don't mind needle sticks (but only to take things OUT, and not finger sticks) and enjoy watching the blood flow for a different reason. See, from the time I was 12 until I was 18, I had to get my blood drawn once a month to monitor liver function because of medication. So did my brother. My mom took us for donuts at Foster's if we sat still the whole time and didn't complain (actually, she did when we were younger, too, but it wasn't every month.) So I associate getting stuck for blood with my favorite donuts in the world. (And that's still the rule; since I've been pregnant I've gotten donuts on the grounds that I got my blood drawn several times now. My husband doesn't complain because he gets one, too. )
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There is always a blood drive at my school every two months or so, and four buses from various institutions come and people donate blood, and I always try, and my heart rate shoots up because I'm terrified of needles, or else I'm anemic, or else they can't find my vein (but I've only ever gotten this far once). Last time my heart rate went up to 135 and my temperature was 99.1
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I donate as often as I remember to, which is not nearly often enough. I need to get off my lazy butt and go do it, probably this weekend.
I've only really had two bad experiences with it; one time the needle site swelled up into a huge painful lump a few minutes after I left and I had to scurry back to the clinic and sit there with an ice pack on it for a while, and another time the person sticking me managed to stick the needle all the way through the vein and out the other side, so that I had an enormous Technicolor bruise covering the entire inside of my elbow for about a week. Oh, and it happened about two days before I had to go to my cousin's wedding, and my dress was short-sleeved--not only did I look like a junkie, I looked like an incompetent junkie Posts: 957 | Registered: Aug 2002
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I love this idea. Used to love donating; there were blood drives at my office which made it really easy. I'm O-, universal donor, so they really were happy to see me every time. It was never too hard on me (except for the one time I went to a donor center by our hospital and they butchered my arm, huge black bruise like Stray's but I don't what caused it--eww to her description!). But then they tightened eligibility so my Portugal mission made me ineligible, and then I went to Mozambique for a while, so I doubt I'll be able to donate again ever.
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My last job was only two blocks from the blood bank, so I went pretty regularly -- enough that they knew me on sight. One day I walked in and the lady behind the counter said she thought it hadn't been long enough since my last donation. I said yes, I know, but I don't feel well, and I think I might be a little fevered -- could you guys just take my temperature? Ok, sure. 101.9. Yep, that's a fever all right. Thanks! <Walks back to work and goes home.>
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Like quid I bleed super fast. A few years ago there were two big guys in front of me who talked the attendent into setting them up simultaneously so they could race. They were in there, flexing their arms madly, while I was getting my iron checked and paperwork filled out. Then I walked in, got hooked up, and was done before either of them were 3/4 through. They both just stared at me.
Of course, that's why I have to drink liquids while donating and have the ice pack on my neck and stay horizontal for a few minutes afterwards or I turn green and pass out. Posts: 9866 | Registered: Apr 2002
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I gave blood frequently before I had surgery in September so I couldn't take another appointment before January, and then I had a staphylococcus so I had an antibiotic treatment and they didn't want me. I stopped the antibiotics (again...) last week, if everything goes well in two weeks I'll be officially staphylococcus-free, I'll take an appointment then. Here you always give blood for free, it's one of the two principles - it has to be for free and you can't know who you give to, or who gave you if you're the receiver.
Posts: 3526 | Registered: Oct 2001
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quote:Once you're seventeen you can do it with Parental consent.
I gave blood when I was 17 without parental consent (through my high school.) :shrug:
I'm one of the lucky ones that bleeds fast, fills up a pint in about 5 minutes and then immediately walks away just fine whether I have the cookie or not. (Though why would I want to walk away without the cookie?) It's never phased me, though I have noticed that I'm a bit weaker for the rest of the day and that's ok.
Put me down for "Going to get an appointment ASAP" ElJay. I haven't given since December and it's time. Posts: 6415 | Registered: Jul 2000
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I feel lousy. I'm B+ blood type and so they like me to give blood. It's not the nausea the needles or even being stabbed, that makes me not give blood now. My iron content has always been fine.
What I can't take is the bruising. Two days after giving blood, I will have a giant purple-yellow bruise, normally in the joint of my elbow where they like grabbing the vein. And it Hurts. It's physically incapacitating to that arm or wrist. It makes me grouchy and miserable for the following two weeks. No amount of patting myself on the back for Doing a Good Thing helps.
If I give blood, I end up cheating the people around me both at work and home, the people I care about, because they have to put up with AJ the grouch for two weeks.
I have donated for specific people on occasion. One was a baby going into open heart surgery. While I appreciate all who do donate blood, I feel can't pay that price in my life on a regular basis. Because it's not just me that pays, it's everyone around me.
But I do realize it's a selfish decision. Which is why threads like this make me feel bad.
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I used to donate religiously, every time they called or we had a community drive or anything (I'm A+).
But the last several times I have been rejected either for low iron (despite trying to load up in advance) or because I bleed so slow. The last time I gave, when I had laid there for over 30 minutes trying my best to squeeze and fill that bag, only to see her come over, unplug it and throw it away because I didn't bleed fast enough -- that discouraged me from going back. I worked hard to give them that 1/2 a bag, darn it! It isn't supposed to be a BAD thing that I have low blood pressure! (and yes, I upped my fluid intake quite a bit before going in, but it doesn't seem to help)
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AJ, do not feel bad because donating does not agree with you! Not everyone was meant to donate. Actually, I'm not the best donor either. I am scheduled to donate next month and if things don't go well, it will be my last time trying. Last time it was low iron, the time before the vein bruised so badly that they couldn't get past it, and I got dizzy the two times before that (but that was over 2 years ago).
There are other ways to show your support. For a time I worked at the Red Cross drawing the blood and perhaps volunteering is an idea. It doesn't take a lot of time and there are lots of different jobs available. You can work in the canteen giving donors snacks and monitoring them for reactions or even work in disaster services (exciting). Why not organize a blood drive at your work? All you have to do is have a handful of people and they'll send you a bus.
People should not feel obligated to donate. Also, those bruises are painful and unsightly. Not donating for that reason is a very valid one. As is fainting, nausea, fatigue, anxiety, fear of needles...they are all ok. Trust me, we don't want fainters and big bruises make us look bad Posts: 2064 | Registered: Dec 2003
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Well, I just took my own advice. Xavier and I are now signed up to volunteer in Disaster Services. Our orientation is on Monday, February 27.
Posts: 2064 | Registered: Dec 2003
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I second what Val said. . . no reason to feel bad, AJ. Some people can't give, for whatever reason, and your reason certainly sounds like a good one to me. Not selfish at all.
Posts: 7954 | Registered: Mar 2004
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Don't feel bad AJ. You've tried, and donating doesn't agree with you, that's nothing to be down on yourself about.
I also want to add my appreciation to Mrs. M's - I haven't received any blood yet, but according to the oncology nurses people whose platelets act like mine almost inevitably have to receive a transfusion or two during chemo, so I will probably benefit directly from those that choose to donate. Thanks to everybody who has ever even tried to donate, even if you can't for whatever reason, it still says something positive about you as a person.
I used to love donating blood. We had frequent blood drives where I worked (UAB - big medical research institution) and I loved the chance to take some time away from work, lie down, watch all the cool stuff, chat with people and get orange juice and cookies. We almost always got a t-shirt too, I had so many blood drive t-shirts I thought once about making a t-shirt quilt with them. Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
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quote:Originally posted by Belle: We almost always got a t-shirt too, I had so many blood drive t-shirts I thought once about making a t-shirt quilt with them.
Ooh I like that idea, Belle!
Posts: 4515 | Registered: Jul 2004
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Our blood drive always has Lorna Doone cookies. I love Lorna Doones. No t-shirts, though, which is fine by me. I have more than enough t-shirts as it is.
Posts: 7954 | Registered: Mar 2004
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I have several mugs, and a t-shirt. I used to have this calendar/calculator thing but the batteries died.
I give directly at the hospital and they actually feed me a meal if I want one. Platelets take longer - about an hour and a half if I do a double unit. I have been known to nap while doing this. Kate's version of multi-tasking.
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quote:The problem with the commercial blood banks is that you get some people like homeless and addicts giving because they really need the money. Because of this, they will be more likely to lie about their sexual history or history of IV drug use in order to be accepted.
As far as I know, at least HIV-Tests improved a lot in the last decade. Nobody gets anything for the first donation. The blood is tested, but won't be used until the second donation, which must take place within a year after the first one, tests out to be alright, too. After the donation, you always have to tick off on a separate form, whether you really think your blood can be given to others, or not. That's anonymously, there's only the bar code on those forms and on the plastic bags with the blood. So even if one is desperate enough to do it for the money, which can't be more than a 104€ per year , this one does not have to risk the lives of others because of that.
There's always a risk. I think, the people in charge thought about the pro's and contra's, too. It has probably turned out to be a lesser risk to attract people to donate knowingly blood that might be "contaminated", in contrast to not having enough donations at all.
(Pooh, I hope, I haven't screwed up the whole sentence structure in this post... if so: Sorry.)
Posts: 262 | Registered: Feb 2006
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quote:I think the time period between donations is 8 weeks. Can anyone confirm that? [/QB]
Women 12, men 10 weeks. At least in Germany. They told me that is the time the (average) donor needs to recover completely from a donation.
Narnia, the same applies to me. I'm so glad, that they don't force you anymore to sit down for another half hour or so, because I never felt more than only a tiny little bit dizzy for a few minutes. As if I had drunk a small glass of wine with empty stomach.
Tatiana, the weird feeling when you get back "the rest" of your blood is caused by the citrate they use to stop the platelets and plasma from coagulating. Calcium is helpful. I always drink two of those effervescent tabletts shortly before and during the actual donation...
quote:Originally posted by Pinky: Tatiana, the weird feeling when you get back "the rest" of your blood is caused by the citrate they use to stop the platelets and plasma from coagulating. Calcium is helpful. I always drink two of those effervescent tabletts shortly before and during the actual donation...
Thanks for the information! My father had a bad reaction to heparin once, and it nearly killed him, particularly because it took a week for them to realize it was happening. By the time they found it, he had clots all in his lungs and other organs. It turns out the RC gets just as many packed cells from two units of whole blood, donated 8 weeks apart as they do from one session of double-pack-cell donation, which keeps you from donating again for 16 more weeks. If you donate regularly as I do, it works out the same for them.
The idea of them pumping stuff back into me, including anti-coagulant, any contaminants that might have been in the tubing, (which I'm sure is a very low probability) the possibility that a clot formed in the tubing and will come back inside me, etc. along with my extra fatigue and the really uncomfortable way it made me feel have combined to convince me there is no real benefit to it. I'm sure any danger is very low, but certainly not as low as with whole blood donations, where everything goes out and nothing comes back in. I decided I just really don't want stuff coming back into my veins if I can avoid it.
It saves the Red Cross a bit of money in processing, and speeds up the process of getting blood from donor to recipient by a couple of days, but it's just not worth it to me. I feel sure they will keep the regular system in place forever, since there are so many fewer people who are able to give by the double packed cells method. (The weight requirements are stricter and your hematocrit must be 40 rather than 38.) The RC is all excited about it but my preference is to stay with the old method.
Posts: 6246 | Registered: Aug 2004
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quote:We almost always got a t-shirt too, I had so many blood drive t-shirts I thought once about making a t-shirt quilt with them.
My husband loves one of his that has stick people and says, "Save a bud, give blood." He happened to be wearing it when we went in to have Emma and all the nurses commented, "That's the way to make your time here easy! Wear a blood donor t-shirt!" Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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Boff. Tatiana, I know what you mean. By now,I've donated platelets four times, and it is still making me a little bit nervous. And it's quite uncomfortable to hang/depend on a machine for two long hours. I usually watch the monitor VERY closely. I would give my blood for free, but I would probably not donate platelets anymore or so often if it weren't for the 40€ everytime. I save the money to buy my own laptop or PC. I always have to use the laptop of my flatmate, but can only do so, when she doesn't need it, certainly. For me, THAT'S a pretty good motivation to ignore the voices in my head that tell me about the risks. (I hope, I can afford a good second-hand laptop by summer this year.)
Does anybody here have experiences with the donation of bone-marrow?
I would probably like to enter on the list of donors. I mean, I know it is not likely, that my dates will ever match the ones of a patient, but nevertheless, I'd like to know more about the whole procedure BEFORE I enter the list. It would be best to get info from someone who already donated marrow... My doctor somehow tends to trivialize the matter. I think, he thinks I would change my mind if I knew about all the details... Posts: 262 | Registered: Feb 2006
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I went to the clinic after work yesterday but since I had a tickle at the back of my throat they advised me to hold off until I was sure I didn't have a sore throat (I don't think I'm getting one, but it's possible). I made an appointment for April 27th, so now I have to go back within ten days in order to keep the later appointment. Posts: 10886 | Registered: Feb 2000
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quote:any contaminants that might have been in the tubing
You may want to take some info here, I know that in France anything that touches your blood (ie the tubing too) is brand new and sterilized since we had a few scandals about contaminations.
Posts: 3526 | Registered: Oct 2001
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Because I lived in Europe for a time, I am ineligible.
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I don't think I put the actual date in my prior post, though.
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For me, THAT'S a pretty good motivation to ignore the voices in my head that tell me about the risks. ![[Confused]](confused.gif)
