Have you donated blood ?

Have you donated blood ?

I have few times.

~ Smarti

Not eligible after a bypass.

StephenS, Why does a bypass make you ineligible for blood donation? Just curious. I've had five bypasses, but have assumed that diabetes and some of my meds made me ineligible. But it never occurred to me that the bypasses made me ineligible. Thanks.

I don't have an answer for your question. The cardiologist who referred me to the surgeon told me at a post surgery exam. I did get a couple of units of blood but this was in March 01, so blood supplies should have been checked for infectious diseases.

Thanks StephenS. Mine was Nov 01, and I honestly don't remember if I got any blood or not. We're both still here, so any blood we got couldn't have been too bad. Stay healthy my friend.

Thanks Quincy and thanks Smarti for donating blood. Our good health depends on selfless donations such as yours. I myself can't give blood anymore because of a needle stick from a hepatitis B patient.

I've given blood because I'm type O+ blood, so I can give to all other positive blood types. I'm not sure I understand the first post well because as other have said, there's language issue, but I've never been turned on by it! The only good feeling I get from it is knowing that my blood will be doing others good and saving lives! 😉

Actually it's O negative blood which is the universal donor. Frequently when a patient is bleeding out and they're not cross matched we use O neg until a crossmatch can be made. It's lifesaving.

^^^^ For the majority of the population that is Rh positive, Brooklyn's O+ blood can be used as a donor to Rh+ people who comprise over 85% of the population.

But it's a disaster if you give Rh + blood to an Rh neg patient. In a surgical emergency you just don't know. Hemolysis to da max.

That's true. I was referring to a known blood type where there might be a short supply of an exact match.

Even type specific and crossmatched blood can be a disaster. I had a reaction while having a hip repair at the Mayo clinic years ago. I was awake and I felt terrible. Shaking chills, headache and muscle aches. Coombs to the max.

I've given blood because I'm type O+ blood, so I can give to all other positive blood types.

Brooklyn specifically stated she can give to all other POSITIVE blood types. She did not state she's a universal donor.

Brooklyn specifically stated she can give to all other POSITIVE blood types. She did not state she's a universal donor.

Thank you Chester! I didn't claim to be a universal donor. I'm a third year biology major, I know what blood types are and why they're important. 😉 I'm O+, so I can give to all other blood types that are Rh positive because my blood has neither the A or B antigens, but does have the D antigen (hence Rh positive).

My mother on the other hand...is type O-! No A, no B, no D. Everyone can take her blood. 😃

As far as antibodies in the plasma go, type A has Anti-B, type B has Anti-A, type AB has none, and type O has both. Which is why giving the wrong blood type to someone can have a disastrous immune response. Same thing goes if you give someone blood that is Rh positive, when they're Rh negative. You'd be giving them blood that has an antigen that's foreign to their body.

I haven't given blood - and can't.

If you've had a blood transfusion in the UK since 1980 you're considered ineligible to be a donor, and my transfusions were in 1984 and 1985.

Surprisingly, for being part of the med fet scene, I actually have a pretty decent phobia of needles (and bees/wasps/stingers). It's been pretty bad in the past when I've had to get my blood drawn or get a shot.

Anyone else with a phobia for needles?

I have given several pints of blood and I am O+. I have not given blood lately, however.

Bill

I have donated blood on several occasions

but am not able to do so now.

While being gainfully employed, I donated a total of three gallons of blood in 30 years of belonging to the Blood Bank where I was employed at. Little did I think about till 2011 when I had issues following Knee replacement surgery and had to have 8 units of blood and 4 units of plasma given back to me. As a result of having transfusions, I am now no longer able to give this life-saving substance.

I have not given blood. I would like to, but having diabetes means I'm not allowed to give blood. When I've enquired about this (on a visit to the UK Blood bank), I was told it's not due to any risk from the blood itself, but they wouldn't want to risk any side-effects for me (my blood sugar levels) as a result of giving the blood.

I give blood twice a year since I have legal age. Currently I do it because I have hemoglobin over 20 and live to sea level.

When I got married I had an argument with my mother in law when she found out it was a common donor. She thought that blood should be donated only to the family. She believed that if two bloods gathered, these people were going to meet in the next life.

Yep, do it a couple of times a year. I have a more rare blood type, so it helps replenish their stock 😉

Yep, think I'm approaching my 20th donation in a few weeks, wish I had started donating earlier, can't believe I left something so important so late.

Enemaseroticos do you have polycythemia vera as a cause for your hemoglobin of 20? If you do it's of paramount importance that you keep your hemoglobin at normal levels. If you truly have P Vera you can't give blood in the U.S.

Liquidsky, thanks for the observation.

Swim 4 miles and to smoke 4 packs daily, raises much hemoglobin levels.

I know, I know, but ....

Mark Twain once said:

"Quitting smoking is easy; I've done it hundreds of times."

My wife says:

Kiss to you is like kissing an ashtray.

;-)

I have donated several gallons during my lifetime. Began doing double reds about six years ago. Had to discontinue this year because of blood thinners.

Banks used to have decent swag for donors but the past several years it hasn't been worth the effort of redeeming your points. It was a nice gesture on their part, and certainly not a motivator to donate, but cheapening the give aways insults the donor, IMO.

It's called "DONATING"

donate, def: The act of giving to a fund or cause. 2. A gift or grant.

A gift is something freely given without strings attached.

I first donated blood in college. We used to "compete" to see who could fill the bag first. I donated for many years, even after I was diagnosed with sero-negative rheumatoid arthritis. I always disclosed it, I wasn't on any meds for it, and they'd check the reference books and OK it. I never got a letter later saying that they couldn't use the blood and/or not to donate again.

When I started donating, the AIDS epidemic had just hit the news. They'd ask if I was donating to be tested for AIDS. I'd tell them, "No, I'm donating to get the cookies." The local blood bank served the Knotts Berry Farm cookies after we were done, and I loved them. I also often got a t-shirt because of some special blood drive going on.

I last donated more than 10 years ago. They had the drive set up in a mall in an area not being used for stores. I'd eaten before I donated, but it was warm, pushing hot, up there. I'd never had a problem at all, but as I sat up on the table after i finished, the tech turned back to me, looked at my face and said, "Lay down now." I managed to get prone without passing out, but it was close. They monitored me, put ice packs several places, and then when I was stable enough, moved me to another area to lie down longer. I was there more than an hour after I finished donating, and a few others joined me back there, complete with ice packs. It took me a couple of days to recover after that instead of a couple of hours, and I haven't donated since then.

I donated once in my life before I had a needle stick from a hepatitis B patient. The subclinical Hep B I contracted prevented me from donating further. I was devastated. The first time they gave me a chocolate donut. My fav.

My Mom had taken me to my first blood drive ages ago. She thought it was a good thing for me to start doing. Donated a couple times of year until about 25 plus years ago.

I had a similar problem, as chester's. It was a different organization doing the drive. They had you lay down to donate, the other group had you sit upright through out the whole procedure. When they sat me upright, I was not looking nor feeling quite so good so back down I went until I felt better (which didn't take long). I have not been back to donate since.

Didn't mind giving though hated the finger prick.