Donating blood!

[Richt]

Does anyone else partake in giving blood?

I am doing it tonight.

Rich

[MotherOfGizmo]

Re: Donating blood!

Nope, I have a tatoo, you're not allowed if you have a tattoo.

[Origam]

Re: Donating blood!

They won't take my blood because my iron levels are to low. Back in San Diego I used to bake cookies and brownies to entice people at work to donate blood.

[Richt]

Re: Donating blood!

I thought you had to wait a certain amount of years after getting a tattoo, but could give after a while.

Same as having unprotected sex with a stranger. You have to wait a set time but after that time could donate blood again. Maybe thats just a british thing.

Rich

[MotherOfGizmo]

Re: Donating blood!

LOL, they actually ask you if you've had sex with a stranger? Nosey lot aren't they?

[Richt]

Re: Donating blood!

LOL, they actually ask you if you've had sex with a stranger? Nosey lot aren't they?

You have to fill out a questionnaire

Have you been to any of these following countries in the last 8 months (then list some)
Do you have a tattoo
Have you been ill or had a cold in the last 7 days
Have you had unprotected sex with a stranger in the last (certain amount of time)
Are you a gay man who has had unprotected sex in (the last certain amount of months).

Lots and lots of quite personal questions.

[Richt]

Re: Donating blood!

Oh, and you arent allowed to give blood if you have had any piercings in the last 12 months.

[MotherOfGizmo]

Re: Donating blood!

Wow, they sure are pickey! LOL

[Richt]

Re: Donating blood!

But you are not allowed to give at all, just because you have a tattoo?

[dotsamantha]

Re: Donating blood!

You can't give if you've had tattoo or piercing in the last year, to make sure you didn't contract any diseases. I give every few onths. i give platelets and plasma also. Well I used to. I can't anymore because I've had so many immunizations in the army and been to countries where they think I can get stuff that will stay in my blood.

[Luna Rossa]

Re: Donating blood!

I wonder how many donors LIE about whether or not they've had unprotected sex?!
Or how many people with very small and discreet tatoos or private piercings that aren't visible would donate anyways?

There's just something about all the possible diseases that can be transmitted by blood that has kept me from giving my own. I've thought about it quite a few times since I was told blood banks would love me.

[killerbombshell]

Re: Donating blood!

I just gave blood last week and I do it every time I can. Here's the US procedure: not only are you given a questionaire of stuff (are you feeling well, do you weigh more than 110 pounds, are you pregnant, blah blah blah) the nurse also sits down with you and asks you a variety of mandatory yes or no questions (including have you ever accepted drugs or money for sex, had sex with anybody who'd accepted drugs or money for sex, had unprotected sex with an African national, and a bunch of others. They seem silly the first time you hear them). Most of them are for detecting AIDS risk factors.

You ARE allowed to give if you'd have piercings and tattoos recently (I've had 4 piercings within six months) but then they ask you another series of questions (was it done in a clean place with a fresh, disposable needle, etc). They're more concerned with whether or not you've traveled or lived in Europe within the past 15 years than a tatt because there's a chance of contracting mad cow or the little wormy thing that causes mad cow. My friend lived in Holland for 2 years in the eighties and can't give blood.

[dotsamantha]

Re: Donating blood!

Don't forget, they're going to push cookies and juice on you.

I just looked at the U.K. site, a little different fro the states.

[Richt]

Re: Donating blood!

Don't forget, they're going to push cookies and juice on you.

LOL, I am a seasoned pro at this Atkins diet lark.

I am taking some food with me.

[dotsamantha]

Re: Donating blood!

For you Rich, it's six months for the tattoo and piercing rule, but they will ask you more questions, just like kb said. As far as things being in your blood, when you give, it goes through a series of tests. If anything comes up even as a question, they don't use that blood. The last time I donated, I got a phone call a few weeks later and had to go through a bunch of tests because the immunizations made me come up indeterminate for a bunch of crazy things.I'm healthy but not allowed to donate anymore. There are some curious defferences between the U.S and the U.K's rules.