Do you give blood?

[gettheleadout]

Just wondering...

I've donated twice, mostly out of convenience, but I'd like to make it as regular as possible just for the warm fuzzy feeling you get from knowing you make a difference (and because I am able)

Also see: Is this volunteering?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Geekchick921]

I try to donate when my work (I work at a hospital) hosts drives, but the last few times I've scheduled a donation I've had to cancel it because I kept getting some heinous bug or another and being on an antibiotic. I would donate more often but I have fainted after donating before and I'm not comfortable having to drive to and from a donation spot. It has to be somewhere I'm already going to be for a few hours or someone else is around to take me.

 

[CaliGirl14]

Can't I'm anemic.

 

[Ursa]

Can't I'm anemic.

You know you won't get into med school because of that, right?

 

[nicolemeooow]

I donate platelets and plasma as well Also registered with the National Marrow Donor Program

 

[Charles_Carmichael]

I've wanted to for the past two years but bad luck or me just forgetting has caused me to miss the blood drives at my undergrad! I'm kicking myself because I missed a blood drive 2 days ago that I was planning on donating at but just forgot because things got so busy in the lab.

Definitely planning on doing it in the future.

 

[Charles_Carmichael]

I donate platelets and plasma as well Also registered with the National Marrow Donor Program

Oh wow, that's awesome!

I should look into this further because I'd definitely be interested in being a bone marrow donor.

 

[wanderer]

I always donate whole blood (O+), though I'd think about other kinds of donations if they were available when I donate. They usually aren't because I donate in those mobile units. I generally donate 3-5 times a year.
I'm a pretty big guy so giving blood doesn't affect me unless I work out shortly before or after the donation.

I haven't signed up for the marrow thing since the procedures for that are pretty intense, though I'm open to changing my mind on that.

 

[Avoidthetiger]

does donating blood to myself once count? (pre-surgery)

Other than that, I can't. According to the red cross, I might still have mad cow disease. MOoooooo.

I also travel to a no-no country once a year.

so pretty much I'm doubly off the blood donating list.

 

[wolverinepwns]

Went to Africa and got Malaria, so No blood donations for me, FOR LIFE.

 

[Venc]

I have but I can't at least for another 8 months. Got exposed to TB working at a hospital , I'm not active but I doubt I can donate

Ohh man the crap I been exposed to

 

[nicolemeooow]

Donating platelets is fun. For my blood pressure it usually takes me a lil over an hr to complete. I can enjoy a full movie provided by the blood center However I wish i can grow taller & gain more weight (currently 5-5 and 116lbs). Every time they had to put several blankets and heating pads on me cuz my body temperature drops rapidly . But it feels good knowing my blood is going to help someone!

 

[DaisyBuchanan]

I always mean to, but I only actually have donated once. After that one donation, I found out I'm AB+ and thus my whole blood is useful to almost no one

 

[Tappinfool66]

I have O- blood so I try to donate when I can.

 

[NickNaylor]

It's my blood and I need all of it.

 

[avion321]

I donate whole blood as often as I can. Unless I am differed (I have spent 1 yr ineligible for traveling to a malaria risk zone and another yr for getting a tattoo). I used to donate plasma (I have AB+ blood) (only requires one arm). Then they converted us to platelets and plasma (requires two arms) and after twice have a six inch bruise on my right arm from my return line backing up I decided to go back to whole blood. No problems since, and I am going to keep on donating. Until I get another tattoo this spring, and then start again after my year wait is over.

 

[Janieve]

I donate platelets and plasma as well Also registered with the National Marrow Donor Program

Same here! I don't have a lot of excuses not to donate blood, at least - I'm a Red Cross volunteer and I work mostly blood drives. It's totally normal for any of us to donate if our quota is looking low. Then we keep working; we're the most hypocritical people ever. It's great.

And the marrow donor program is really easy to enter. I don't know why more people don't do it. I've gotten my whole family to register; none of us have been called yet (and I don't know if any of us ever will be), but we're prepared just in case.

I for one am glad to see so many SDNers are repeat donors. Keep it up, darlings!

 

[boaz]

It's easy, fast, and hardly painful at all. Most premeds volunteer at hospitals or otherwise frequent areas where there are established blood donor centers. Once you're volunteering there you might as well also help by donating just 0.45L out of 5L (~9%) of their blood.

 

[berriesandcream]

I did once in high school, lost a BUNCH of weight, and am now shy of 110 pounds, so nope, unless I gain some weight.

 

[eablackwell]

I've donated a few times, but they shut down the place I used to donate at and I haven't looked up the new address (bad excuse). I tried donating at a Bloodmobile, but they wouldn't help me into the bus and couldn't do it outside the bus (wheelchairs hate stairs).

I need to get back into it. My husband tried donating blood, but they told him because he grew up in Austria he wasn't allowed to donate.

 

[teddy bear doc]

I've donated twice in the past, but passed out both times (out cold for quite a while, apparently) due to the fact that I always have very low BP. After the second time, I was politely asked by the Red Cross staff to find other ways to give back.

 

[addo]

I havent in a while, but I have donated many times. Now that you mention it, I probably will donate soon.

Last time I did a double red cell donation, and I didnt quite feel 100% while working out for a couple of weeks.

 

[courtnes]

Whenever I thought about giving, it was a couple months after I got a tattoo, so that was a no-go.

 

[mishaS]

I've only given two or three times. Up until fairly recently I couldn't give because I am from a nation which had prion disease. After that waiting period expired I began to take propecia, which discounts me from giving . I have to get off my butt and get on the marrow donor list, I just hope that they won't discount me as well.

 

[RTP424]

Wish I could. Tattoos prevent me from donating for one whole year.

 

[gettheleadout]

I've only given two or three times. Up until fairly recently I couldn't give because I am from a nation which had prion disease. After that waiting period expired I began to take propecia, which discounts me from giving . I have to get off my butt and get on the marrow donor list, I just hope that they won't discount me as well.

Wow, having your brain turned into Swiss cheese is fun...

 

[Avoidthetiger]

Wow, having your brain turned into Swiss cheese is fun...

Atleast s/he is now deemed prion-free, since the US allows her/him to donate again.

The US says I should fear prions destroying my brain indefinitely. wo0t.

 

[addo]

Atleast s/he is now deemed prion-free, since the US allows her/him to donate again.

The US says I should fear prions destroying my brain indefinitely. wo0t.

Whats it like to have prions? I hope they dont destroy your brain, that would be a bummer.

 

[welly]

I've given a number of times, but unfortunately the "warm fuzzy feeling" I get is usually from feeling faint. I'm generally on the cusp for having high enough iron to donate, and I have to remember to drink about twice as much water as usual beforehand or else I'll pass out.

 

[vickpick]

got malaria.. I'm not allowed to donate.

 

[SimplyMars9]

I donate as much as I can. since i'm O- I really try to give blood whenever I'm ineligible. Sometimes I can't because my iron levels are a little lower than required, but for the most part I'm a regular donor

 

[Janieve]

I donate as much as I can. since i'm O- I really try to give blood whenever I'm ineligible. Sometimes I can't because my iron levels are a little lower than required, but for the most part I'm a regular donor

I hope not. Giving blood when you're ineligible is a really bad idea.

 

[SimplyMars9]

I hope not. Giving blood when you're ineligible is a really bad idea.

lol I meant eligible

 

[CaliGirl14]

You know you won't get into med school because of that, right?

No way!?

 

[CaliGirl14]

You know you won't get into med school because of that, right?

No my doctor said I'm okay

 

[freothalaf]

I don't give blood because if I do I can't sell my plasma for like 3 months. I would rather make money off my body than give it away freely.

Seriously though I'll give it after my Plasma ***** days are over.

 

[juliedi]

I've donated twice in the past, but passed out both times (out cold for quite a while, apparently) due to the fact that I always have very low BP. After the second time, I was politely asked by the Red Cross staff to find other ways to give back.

Same here.

 

[brynleerose]

I don't post often, but I wanted to say thank you to everyone who donates their blood. I needed about 50 pints when I was hospitalized along with lots of other blood products from donors. Some people, like you, who donated blood helped save my life. It doesn't go unappreciated. Thanks.

 

[oldyogurt]

I enjoy giving blood and I love the free oreos and orange juice. I have yet to try giving plasma though.

 

[gettheleadout]

I don't post often, but I wanted to say thank you to everyone who donates their blood. I needed about 50 pints when I was hospitalized along with lots of other blood products from donors. Some people, like you, who donated blood helped save my life. It doesn't go unappreciated. Thanks.

This is why we give blood.

 

[floreat]

I have O- blood so I try to donate when I can.

Whenever I thought about giving, it was a couple months after I got a tattoo, so that was a no-go.

me too and me too. it sucks because there are always advertisements about how desperately blood is needed, but I get tattooed regularly too and have to wait a full year before donating.

 

[Janieve]

me too and me too. it sucks because there are always advertisements about how desperately blood is needed, but I get tattooed regularly too and have to wait a full year before donating.

Hey, no biggie. It's your choice. To you, getting tattooed is more important than donating right now. To others, it's the other way around. No one's going to tell you to change your priorities. Maybe after you've got all the tattoos you want, you can become a regular donor, right?

Trust me. The need will always be there. Donate when you can and want to, but don't let it keep you from parts of your life that you consider important. We at the Red Cross will be glad to have you when you're ready to come to us.

 

[deleted307836]

.

 

[soundnin]

I enjoy giving blood and I love the free oreos and orange juice. I have yet to try giving plasma though.

fan of the snacks too. and tattoos make me ineligible from time to time as well. 1 year is a long ban time.

 

[NickNaylor]

I enjoy giving blood and I love the free oreos and orange juice. I have yet to try giving plasma though.

Plasma/platelets aren't bad. I was a regular platelet donor until my vein ruptured during one of the donations. That hurt like crazy and I've been weary of doing it again.

 

[MidnightSun32]

Plasma/platelets aren't bad. I was a regular platelet donor until my vein ruptured during one of the donations. That hurt like crazy and I've been weary of doing it again.

I donate platelets too, but ouch-- sounds like it'd hurt! I'm really fair skinned and every time I donate blood or platelets I get a really small scar from the prick. One arm is starting to look funny It's really annoying that every cut or whatever always leaves a permanent mark.

 

[WorldChanger36]

I donate when I can. Of course when ever the damn blood moble rolls onto campus I have a test or something that requires my normal blood count. Last time I took a test after donating blood I just could not do as well. Could not think straight.

 

[addo]

I donate when I can. Of course when ever the damn blood moble rolls onto campus I have a test or something that requires my normal blood count. Last time I took a test after donating blood I just could not do as well. Could not think straight.

One time I donated just before a physics test as well with the same results. Should have planned that better.

 

[oldyogurt]

try going to Track practice after giving blood. I'm not sure why, but I've been on two teams where we did this.

 

[WorldChanger36]

One time I donated just before a physics test as well with the same results. Should have planned that better.

Mine was an Orgo 2 test and I did ok. Just felt like my brain was super slow and I couldn't stop thinking about how hungry and tired I was. See they need to come two weeks before finals start, then I would be oh so happy to give a pint or two.