I find this scary

[Ed]

I mean this:

http://www.blood.co.uk/pages/stocklevel.html

This is as at today. Just 5 days supply of O+ :shock: :shock: :shock:

[kwak zzr]

not good really considering it doesnt cost anything.

[New Leaf]

can they store it much longer than that?

[Carsick]

I'm B+ but can't give blood for almost a year now (actually, I think the rules in England are different, I will check)

[Ed]

can they store it much longer than that?

Platelets, no. But other blood products can be frozen, eg plasma.

[Blue_SV650S]

I am O Pos, so by the looks of it wouldn't really help much ... good job ... I don;t have to feel guilty of being a wuss when it comes to needles ;)

[tricky]

I need to check when I last gave.
Probably go and be bled on friday if I can.

I don't know why more people don't give blood, I really enjoy it.
Everyone is really nice and friendly and they practically force feed you biscuits and orange squash. :D

So you there (yes you, no excuses (including "they've got lots of my type" )), go and give blood as soon as you can ! :D

[Davido]

I missed the last blood drive here, I feel pretty guilty about it. They actually rang up and asked, that shows they really need it. However I'm going on the 1st december, makes you feel all warm and fuzzy and you get to eat ****loads of food afterwards FOR FREE. :D

[Ed]

I am O Pos, so by the looks of it wouldn't really help much ... good job ... I don;t have to feel guilty of being a wuss when it comes to needles ;)

Blue - that's where you're wrong. It might be that they have more of this than any other type but as it's the most common blood group they need more of it too.

[northwind]

IIRC it's always terrifyingly low... Though that's not much of a consolation.

Some of the restrictions are absurd, though, given modern screening techniques. Had a donation of blood since 1980? A man who's ever had sex with another man, even protected? Or for that matter, had sex with anyone who has within the last 12 months? Ever injected any form of drugs, regardless of how safely?

Frankly, I don't believe that supplies are so desperate, as long as they continue to reject perfectly good sources of blood. My own surgery and analgesia now has medically no effect whatsoever, and hasn't had for over a year, but I'd still be unable to donate for a couple of years from now. Not that it matters, because I had a very small transfusion during the surgery, which puts me off the list permanently. I'm in credit at the blood bank, but it's absurd to disqualify healthy donors for such ancient history. Not just my opinion, by the way, there's a huge amount of medical support for this. I know nothing about blood myself ;)

As far as I can see, it's politics. As much about maintaining public confidence in the blood supply as about public safety. You can understand paranoia, after the hepatitis contamination, but it's more dangerous to have a shortage... If I ever end up needing blood again, and supplies are low, sign me up for some homo blood. I'm sure my manhood can fend off the gay platelets.

[hovis]

I need to check when I last gave.
Probably go and be bled on friday if I can.

I don't know why more people don't give blood, I really enjoy it.
Everyone is really nice and friendly and they practically force feed you biscuits and orange squash. :D

So you there (yes you, no excuses (including "they've got lots of my type" )), go and give blood as soon as you can ! :D

i have never given blood(dont even know what group i am) :oops: i have been thinking about it for the last3-4 years just not done anything about it........"force feed you biscuits".....thats no good im on a diet

(job for tomorrow look into giving blood)

[Blue_SV650S]

I am O Pos, so by the looks of it wouldn't really help much ... good job ... I don;t have to feel guilty of being a wuss when it comes to needles ;)

Blue - that's where you're wrong. It might be that they have more of this than any other type but as it's the most common blood group they need more of it too.

Oh yeah (just scrolled down and looked at second graph ... :?).

Is 5.3 days (of excess rolling stock (it continually gets topped up as well as withdrawn, presumably floating around the 5day excess??)) a problem?? At what point is it 'worrying'??

B neg is the one with shortest excess, at 3.9 days ... presumably if it gets near (or indeed below) 1 day that is when it is critical?

[DarrenSV650S]

According to that site my nearest blood donating center is 100 miles away :shock:
I'm think you can give blood at any local hospital but can someone verify this :roll:

[hovis]

According to that site my nearest blood donating center is 100 miles away :shock:
I'm think you can give blood at any local hospital but can someone verify this :roll:

i think they come to local places in a van?

[Grinch]

mmmh that reminds me.. I don't even know my blood group.

[Blue_SV650S]

According to that site my nearest blood donating center is 100 miles away :shock:
I'm think you can give blood at any local hospital but can someone verify this :roll:

Amazingly no you cant ... I was shocked too!!! :?

[hovis]

According to that site my nearest blood donating center is 100 miles away :shock:
I'm think you can give blood at any local hospital but can someone verify this :roll:

i think they come to local places in a van?

it says 32 miles for me...but i know they do it 2 miles away, i just have to find out when they are there

[gettin2dizzy]

i don't know my group either. Do they need to take a pint?! its rather alot...how about a swift half?

[hovis]

halfs are for girls

[Blue_SV650S]

i don't know my group either. Do they need to take a pint?! its rather alot...how about a swift half?

It is actually supposed to be good for you ...

I guess they test you if you offer to donate?

[hovis]

i don't know my group either. Do they need to take a pint?! its rather alot...how about a swift half?

It is actually supposed to be good for you ...yes blood is good for you
I guess they test you if you offer to donate?

[weazelz]

as a bike rider I consider it an investment in my future to give blood, so I do it 3x per year - the maximum frequency allowed

they take ~470ml - a bit under a pint

all the details are here:

http://blood.co.uk/pages/b5simple.html

if you're squeamish about needles they can rub a local anaesthetic on your skin before it goes in so you don't feel it

if you haven't tried it, go & do so. it really isn't a big deal & you might even enjoy feeling that you've done something good

they'll let you know soon after the donation what blood group you are

if you need any more persuading, you'll be on the floor after two pints after dnoating, if you;re that way inclined ;-)


blue - I can't believe you're a wuss when it comes to needles - didn't you want to be sliced open & have holes drilled in your collar bone the other day!?!?

[weazelz]

also, you should all be nice to me, I'm type O-Neg so I can give blood to anyone :-D

http://blood.co.uk/pages/all_about.html

[Blue_SV650S]

blue - I can't believe you're a wuss when it comes to needles - didn't you want to be sliced open & have holes drilled in your collar bone the other day!?!?

Yeah, slash me open no problem ... but needles ... no thanx :oops:

Think it all stems back to when I was a kid and the nurse made a real botch of taking a sample (I had appendicitis (when they finally slashed me open it had burst and started to go gangrenous ... :shock: not good!!) so I was not well at the time anyway .... and to have her hacking away was not really taken to well :cry:

I tell you what was cool though ... when after a coupla weeks?? they removed my 'drain' (bit of tube they put inside you to allow yuck to be released) ... I had kinda grown in it and as she pulled the tube out a bit of new me came too ..... have to say that made me look away!!! :lol:

[tricky]

I guess they test you if you offer to donate?

Yes they test if your iron level is good before they let you donate.
The blood is then screened for Hepatitis, HIV etc before its used.

[Kilted Ginger]

sign me up for some homo blood. I'm sure my manhood can fend off the gay platelets.

:lol: :winner: :notworthy: :smt044 :smt043 :smt046

I donate regularly the only downside being that when i stand back up to go fro the tea and biscuits I faint :roll: EVERY TIME, makes no odds how long i lie for, as soon as i sit / stand up it all goes dark.

An early donation on a bus allowed me to take a header right out of the door down about four steps and land on my face. Now I've learnt and try to catch it by immediately lying back down as soon as i start to feel woosey, sometimes i catch it sometimes i fall on the floor.

Now I'm a big lad (6ft) 15+ stone so there's no excuse really. Gives the nurses a good laugh though.

So come on peeps, open an artery today, If i can keep going back anyone can do it.

Oh and sign up for the organ donor (http://www.uktransplant.org.uk/ukt/how_to_become_a_donor/how_to_become_a_donor.jsp) register as well, you really could save someones life.

[Blue_SV650S]

You know this has inspired me to be a big boy and go get it done … the reason I know that hospitals don’t take blood is that last time I was there (in an assisting role, not for myself) I was waiting around and thought it’d be a useful thing to do … so I nearly bit the bullet then … but to my surprise the person at the hospital said they didn’t take blood there … go figure??!!? :?

Anyway, just been looking at dates/collections in my area and there is one in the next town tomorrow … I am off work at the moment coz I am broken, so I’ll take a looksee …

My only final get out clause might be that they are fully booked or won’t take blood from someone with a broken bone?!!? :lol:

[Biker Biggles]

A PINT? That's very nearly an armful!



Taxi!

[Marshall]

Ive never donated blood before ( I'm a big girl with needles ) but being a biker i suppose i have a greater chance of possibly needed some at one point or another, so i think i may bite the bullet and go and donate this week, especially as I'm looking at getting a tattoo soon, so if I'm going to donate, it needs to be before.

[Gazza77]

I used to work for the NBS. As I recall, supplies were historically low, but for a couple of years they were got up to levels required. It's not that long since hospitals were declined full orders due to limited supply. I think that stocks have recently become more depleted though - not sure why however.

You'd be suprised what else they deal with other than blood too. Ground bone, bone marrow, skin, cornea's, tendons...... All has to be donated. Obviously, some of this isn't from live donors, but if you think the blood stocks are bad, you should see how much of an uphill struggle the bone marrow registry is!

I donate regularly the only downside being that when i stand back up to go fro the tea and biscuits I faint EVERY TIME, makes no odds how long i lie for, as soon as i sit / stand up it all goes dark.


Try having a cold drink rather than tea. This keeps the body temperature down and reduces the chance of fainting. It was one of the donor carers that told me that! :wink:

[Kilted Ginger]

I donate regularly the only downside being that when i stand back up to go fro the tea and biscuits I faint EVERY TIME, makes no odds how long i lie for, as soon as i sit / stand up it all goes dark.


Try having a cold drink rather than tea. This keeps the body temperature down and reduces the chance of fainting. It was one of the donor carers that told me that! :wink:

Nope faint as getting up off the donating bed before tea or juice, too much whisky's thinned the blood me thinks :wink: Its not a prob anyway, nearly almmost always manage to lie/fall back onto bed now as i recognise the sensation starting. It only happens once, once I've laid back down for about 30 secs i'm fine, weird.

[weazelz]

I donate regularly the only downside being that when i stand back up to go fro the tea and biscuits I faint :roll: EVERY TIME, makes no odds how long i lie for, as soon as i sit / stand up it all goes dark.


get up slower maybe?

[Quedos]

I used to donate but i've had meag prob's with storing iron - but i'm not anaemic!!

For all those that do give blood and have signed to be an organ donor how about signing up to the bone marrow list. It involves no extra blood being taken as they check when you donate and put you on a list if you match with someone you still have the option of saying no to donating bone marrow.

Young males (that all of you !!) are desperately needed as they provide more matches than women. Just proves that you guys are good at something!!

Ask the next time when donating :wink:

[DarrenSV650S]

If you are in Scotland and want to donate all the local centers are listed here (for some reason they're not all listed on the national site, go figure :roll: )
http://www.scotblood.co.uk/where_to_donate.html

[DarrenSV650S]

Oh yeh and I signed up as a organ donator too :)

[gettin2dizzy]

right- i've been inspired to do it. Anyone in manchester fancy going along? I get dizzy standing up too quickly, think i may be a fainter! hehe :lol:

[carlos]

I'm a fainter too :lol: well almost, but had all the staff flustering over me as i went a funny white/green colour :lol:
Did my first blood donation last week, and although they hacked my arm to pieces and I'm still bruised like hell, i will still recommend it to everyone who can donate. I've had bad experiences as a child with needles and I am embarassed to say they truly scare the s*** out of me even now, but you're only there for a maximum of 15 minutes with the needle anyway.

Been there and done it now so I am more than qualified to say you're a pansie if you don't :P :wink:

It could be you on the receiving end one day.

[fizzwheel]

I've donated a few times I always go when I can, but every time recently I have wanted to go I've been I'll so I havent gone.

I always make sure I eat well at lunchtime / before I go so I've got a good meal inside me and I've never had problems with feeling faint afterwards and I'm a whimp and I hate needles.

[keithd]

i don't know my group either. Do they need to take a pint?! its rather alot...how about a swift half?

its very nearly an armfull...

[weazelz]

is there an echo in here?

[philipMac]

My own surgery and analgesia now has medically no effect whatsoever, and hasn't had for over a year, but I'd still be unable to donate for a couple of years from now. Not that it matters, because I had a very small transfusion during the surgery, which puts me off the list permanently. I'm in credit at the blood bank, but it's absurd to disqualify healthy donors for such ancient history. Not just my opinion, by the way, there's a huge amount of medical support for this. I know nothing about blood myself ;)

As far as I can see, it's politics. As much about maintaining public confidence in the blood supply as about public safety. You can understand paranoia, after the hepatitis contamination, but it's more dangerous to have a shortage... If I ever end up needing blood again, and supplies are low, sign me up for some homo blood. I'm sure my manhood can fend off the gay platelets.


Ahhhhh. I went to give blood where I work there, and they seemed happy with my questions, then they looked up something online, and came back and told me I was no good to them. They never really filled in why, just leave.
I just had a fairly long op under a general anesthetic a few months ago. OK. That makes sense now.

[tricky]

Going to go at lunchtime, I can almost taste those custard creams =P~

I think I'm in for an award as well today (for number of donations) :D

[Tara]

I am gonna give blood again in March once my year is up (i had an op earlier this year) and if my blood pressure rises too (although after this mornings episode its prob sky high now)