I Give Blood, Do You?

[donnagarnet]

There is a severe shortage of blood in many places. Because I'm a regular donor, getting others to donate is an issue dear to my heart.

If you can donate, please do. You may save some one's life.

Thanks!:KS

[Grenage]

I do so because I feel I should, but I hate every second of it!

[shubham1]

its good but am less then 18.

[F.G.]

giving blood is a great thing to do, and something i used to do regularly. nowadays (post various foreign and tropical bugs and with fairly high levels of native toxicity) i don't think my blood would be very useful to anyone.

ps i used to give blood when i was under 18 in fact my school promoted it (in the UK btw).

[ve4cib]

I donated for the first time a few weeks ago. Planning on doing it again, though I've got some international travel coming up soon, which may delay the second donation somewhat.

[anaconda]

no.

I have donated 2 times, but got quite dizzy after each time, so I decided not to do it again...

[XubuRoxMySox]

I wish I could help, but there's a minimum weight requirement. Tiny people aren't eligible I guess.

[szymon_g]

@anaconda
try to drink a lot of water and eat a chocolate or two before donation

and yes- i'm donating blood, i've donated approx 6 times.

[mips]

Requirements to donate blood in South Africa are as follows:
Weighing at least 50kg or more;
Between 16 and 65 of age;
In good health;
Leading a sexually safe lifestyle; and
Considering your blood safe for transfusion to a patient.

We donated blood since being in school already.

[NightwishFan]

I am not afraid of injections but blood draining doesn't sit well with my mind.. So no I have never given blood. Though logically I think I am a bit of a lightweight person to be doing so.

[OldBoy44]

A number of years ago I tried to give blood but was refused because of the medication I am taking. :(

[NCLI]

There is a severe shortage of blood in many places. Because I'm a regular donor, getting others to donate is an issue dear to my heart.

If you can donate, please do. You may save some one's life.

Thanks!:KS

No, and I most likely never will. I HATE needles. :(

[donnagarnet]

You'll have to check with a Blood Center in your area to see what local restrictions are.

My nephew started donating when he was 16, but recently had to stop because he got a tattoo. If he had it done in a place licensed by the state we live in, he could have continued to donate, but the kid got his tat in someone's kitchen.

Here restrictions are periodically reviewed & changed, People used to have to wait a year after any kind of surgery to donate. In the last five years I've had both knees replaced, & I was allowed to donate six weeks after both surgeries. I believe the rules are different at places where you donate blood from the places you get paid.:)

[wojox]

I grew up playing Hockey. I've given plenty of blood. :P

[RiceMonster]

I really should start. Last time I had the opportunity I was sick, so obviously I couldn't.

[BeRoot ReBoot]

No, I'm absolutely terrified of sharp objects anywhere near me, I haven't had a blood sample taken since I was 8.

[realzippy]

Never,hate needles.
Also I dislike that they sell the blood for a few 100 bucks/l ...
..but agree,someone has to do it.

[Frogs Hair]

It is something I thought about until as saw a person pass out and have seizure . I know that is very rare , but I haven't thought about until I saw this thread .

[Bandit]

I am one of those that is always sick with something from the sniffles to a inner ear infection. Plus I have to take high blood pressure meds and other meds for my aches and pains.. Military service can make a old man out of a young guy quick.. So as much as I do feel bad about not giving, I cant..

[3Miro]

I wish I could, but I can't. I live in the USA, but since I was born in the EU, they won't let me give blood as I may carry European Cooties (it is technically Mad Cow, but the odds for this are so small that it might as well be Cooties).

[realzippy]

European Cooties ???

[NetDoc]

There is a severe shortage of blood in many places. Because I'm a regular donor, getting others to donate is an issue dear to my heart.

If you can donate, please do. You may save some one's life.

Thanks!:KS I stopped just before I hit 15 gallons. While I have gotten a lot healthier as of late, I still take the occasional Motrin and Zyrtek almost everyday.

As is true with any community, you only get out what you put in. Those willing to sacrifice time and body tissues for their community enjoy a certain level of satisfaction from doing so. If you haven't you should. If you can't, please find another way to give of yourself. Since I can't give blood, I volunteer my time on a few different fronts. Some say give 'till it hurts. I say give until you feel good! :D

[3Miro]

European Cooties ???

Cooties is an American word for fictional disease:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooties

[Dry Lips]

I'm one of those persons that almost faint when they poke me
with a needle. It doesn't mean I'm a sissy, though. I've done
operations where I've insisted on not taking the benzodiazepines
they normally give you beforehand. I'm not afraid of needles,
but I just don't react well when they tap me of blood.

Giving blood is a good thing though, and I although I'd like to
keep my blood to myself, I would highly recommend people to
freely give of theirs.

[realzippy]

Cooties is an American word for fictional disease:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooties

Thanks.

[3Miro]

Thanks.
found this (http://bloodthirstyliberal.com/?p=12411) ,was irritated.

This is just a political blog, this is probably not the place to discuss it. Cooties is a factional disease and claiming someone has Cooties is silly and childish.

There was an episode of Friends where Ross was trying to get back together with his English wife (can't remember he name) after he said Rachel's name in their wedding vowels. One of the things that Ross had to do was to get rid of all the furniture and Rachel ever touched and the other fiends were making the comment that the English wife was afraid of "Rachel Cooties".

[donnagarnet]

Needles don't bother me...except in my mouth. When the dentist waves the needle at me, I freak. I literally do not breathe the entire time the needle's in my mouth. Unfortunately, the only procedures done at my dentist's without novocain is cleaning & x-rays.

The injection is the only thing that bothers me. There have been times when I've fallen asleep in the chair...after the needle's gone.:D

You can always tell which chair I've had my dental work done in by the claw marks in the chair's arms.

[Legendary_Bibo]

I wish I could help, but there's a minimum weight requirement. Tiny people aren't eligible I guess.

Lie about your weight, or down a few doughnuts the night before.

It's probably better to sell your blood rather than donating it, those blood donation places make quite a bit of change by exploiting people's good will. ;)

My first time donating I was in High School when they had the blood drive, out of 450 students that donated I was the only one where their machine had a glitch and ended up reinjecting all my blood back into me along with the chemical they put into your blood to prevent it from coagulating...and it kept injecting it into me.

I was a hemophiliac for a week.

[Paqman]

Yes I give blood, and I've got my first session donating platelets tomorrow.

[wojox]

Yes I give blood, and I've got my first session donating platelets tomorrow.

Not sure where you live, but here in the U.S. they will pay money for that. :)

[Paqman]

Not sure where you live, but here in the U.S. they will pay money for that. :)

We just get a warm cuddly feeling and cups of tea. Oh, and your blood donor card gets upgraded to a gold one. Compared with that, what use is money? ;)

[wojox]

We just get a warm cuddly feeling and cups of tea. Oh, and your blood donor card gets upgraded to a gold one. Compared with that, what use is money? ;)

I'm a capatilistic pig. :P

[jtarin]

We just get a warm cuddly feeling and cups of tea. Oh, and your blood donor card gets upgraded to a gold one. Compared with that, what use is money? ;)I can get a warm cuddly all night feeling.:P

[Paqman]

I'm a capatilistic pig. :P

Tbh with all the amazing care that some close members of my family have had and will continue to have (free) from our health care system, I feel like I should probably be paying them.

[wojox]

Tbh with all the amazing care that some close members of my family have had and will continue to have (free) from our health care system, I feel like I should probably be paying them.

Socialism?

I wish the U.S. would switch to that. Our health Care system is messed up. :P

[jtarin]

Socialism?

I wish the U.S. would switch to that. Our health Care system is messed up. :P
There's another thread about that.

[Paqman]

Socialism?


Lol, that makes it sound a lot more Soviet than it really is. Would you describe the protection you're offered by your police and fire departments as socialism? Some countries just group health care in with those other services.

[Lucradia]

I don't even know my own blood type. :|

[Paqman]

I don't even know my own blood type. :|

Red?

Actually I have a friend who was thrilled to find out his blood type was B+. He was very happy to find out his blood type matched his philosophy for life.

[hoppipolla]

No, I don't.

[Thewhistlingwind]

My first time donating I was in High School when they had the blood drive, out of 450 students that donated I was the only one where their machine had a glitch and ended up reinjecting all my blood back into me along with the chemical they put into your blood to prevent it from coagulating...and it kept injecting it into me.

I was a hemophiliac for a week.

I know what my nightmares tonight will be about.

I almost screamed reading that.

[NightwishFan]

I know what my nightmares tonight will be about.

I almost screamed reading that.

No kidding. >_<

[fyfe54]

I used to at work (3-4 times a year) until the American Red Cross added this restriction on donor eligibility.

You are not eligible if: "From January 1, 1980, through December 31, 1996, you spent (visited or lived) a cumulative time of 3 months or more, in the United Kingdom (UK)...."

I lived in the UK until 1984 when I was 30, so no more donations from me.

[Paqman]

I know what my nightmares tonight will be about.

I almost screamed reading that.

I'm pretty sure he's pulling your leg.

[Lucradia]

Red?

Actually I have a friend who was thrilled to find out his blood type was B+. He was very happy to find out his blood type matched his philosophy for life.

All blood is actually a blue color (save for the clear film of plasma. When blood hits air, it turns red.

[hoppipolla]

All blood is actually a blue color (save for the clear film of plasma. When blood hits air, it turns red.

whoa really? That's so cool!

Are you sure though? Because our skin colour is pinkish when there's blood in it, not blue!

Our veins (or arteries or whatever) are blue, but I thought that was just the colour of the vein itself?

[realzippy]

No,he is right.
I saw it on the german counterstrike version.
Trust him,blood is blue.
http://img518.imageshack.us/img518/3641/examplesrf.jpg

[grautskaahl]

I donate on a regular schedule. The donation center here have recruited more and more donors, so my donating intervals have increased over time because their capacities are limited. I guess that's a good thing.

[Bandit]

All blood is actually a blue color (save for the clear film of plasma. When blood hits air, it turns red.

What? Before I call shenanigans I am gonna need to see some prof on this.
Pretty sure anytime I smashed a finger, got a blood blister, or swollen lip or swollen anything else it was red not blue. But then again I am partially color blind.. :KS

[mips]

They're not called red blood cells for nothing ;)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood#Color


Color

Hemoglobin

Hemoglobin is the principal determinant of the color of blood in vertebrates. Each molecule has four heme groups, and their interaction with various molecules alters the exact color. In vertebrates and other hemoglobin-using creatures, arterial blood and capillary blood are bright red, as oxygen imparts a strong red color to the heme group. Deoxygenated blood is a darker shade of red; this is present in veins, and can be seen during blood donation and when venous blood samples are taken. Blood in carbon monoxide poisoning is bright red, because carbon monoxide causes the formation of carboxyhemoglobin. In cyanide poisoning, the body cannot utilize oxygen, so the venous blood remains oxygenated, increasing the redness. While hemoglobin-containing blood is never blue, there are several conditions and diseases wherein the color of the heme groups make the skin appear blue. If the heme is oxidized, methaemoglobin, which is more brownish and cannot transport oxygen, is formed. In the rare condition sulfhemoglobinemia, arterial hemoglobin is partially oxygenated, and appears dark red with a bluish hue (cyanosis).
Veins in the skin appear blue for a variety of reasons only weakly dependent on the color of the blood. Light scattering in the skin, and the visual processing of color play roles as well.[24]
Skinks in the genus Prasinohaema have green blood due to a buildup of the waste product biliverdin.

[Paqman]

All blood is actually a blue color (save for the clear film of plasma. When blood hits air, it turns red.

Er, no. Crabs and lobsters do have blue blood because they use copper as their oxygen carrier, but everything else on Earth that uses iron (like us) has red blood.

[ve4cib]

All blood is actually a blue color (save for the clear film of plasma. When blood hits air, it turns red.

A common, yet incorrect belief. As has been pointed out many times, blood is always red due to the presence of iron in haemoglobin (the chemical that bonds with oxygen molecules to transport them through the body). But the shade of red does change depending on the exposure to oxygen.

Arterial blood (blood in the arteries, carrying oxygenated blood away from the lungs) is bright red because of the reaction between the haemoglobin and the oxygen.

Blood moving through the veins (carrying carbon dioxide-infused blood back to the lungs) is a much darker, almost purplish shade of red. This is because the oxygen that had been giving it that bright red colour has been transferred to other cells to metabolize sugars, and the carbon dioxide does not react with haemoglobin in the same way.

When you give blood they put the needle in a vein (as opposed to an artery), so there's relatively little oxygen in that blood. If you watch the blood flowing down the tube you can see that it is a very dark red, but it's definitely red. Not blue.

If you were to puncture the tube and expose the blood to the air then you'd get that bright red colour again, as the haemoglobin reacts with oxygen in the atmosphere.

Some animals, including crabs, lobsters, and mollusks, do not use haemoglobin to carry oxygen. Instead they use a chemical called haemocyanin, which contains copper instead of iron, and thus turns blue when exposed to oxygen.

[Legendary_Bibo]

I'm pretty sure he's pulling your leg.

Not really, I felt dizzy and they made me sign a form saying I wouldn't sue them if anything bad happened afterwards...while I was dizzy then the school sent me home and they had some medical professional at one of their headquarters call me to tell me to avoid all sharp objects.

I thought it was more of a funny story than a scary one.

[Paqman]

Not really, I felt dizzy and they made me sign a form saying I wouldn't sue them if anything bad happened afterwards...while I was dizzy then the school sent me home and they had some medical professional at one of their headquarters call me to tell me to avoid all sharp objects.

I thought it was more of a funny story than a scary one.

You probably just went into mild shock. Happened to me once, I went all white and felt light headed. From the reaction of the staff it seems like it's not unusual.

[Grenage]

No, I've seen several people faint after giving blood; some people aren't good with the process; that they still continue to do so is rather respectable.

[lisati]

I've donated blood in the past but these days I'd hesitate because of medical reasons.

[fontis]

I'm a medical student, so yes I have donated blood many times.

Good things to remember is to always drink some fluid and something with sugar afterwards, it helps. Also salty food isn't that bad either.

So donate blood, then go off and have yourself a nice meal of fish and salty chips with a big coke and some candy afterwards as a treat! :D

[3Miro]

I'm a medical student, so yes I have donated blood many times.

Good things to remember is to always drink some fluid and something with sugar afterwards, it helps. Also salty food isn't that bad either.

So donate blood, then go off and have yourself a nice meal of fish and salty chips with a big coke and some candy afterwards as a treat! :D

That is a good point and it brings up an interesting (controversial) question.

There are many people out there that are trying to lose weight all the time, why don't they just donate blood on regular basis? One would have to be careful to not overdo it, but donating blood has to be healthier than many of the pill that people get and it helps other people.

[fontis]

That is a good point and it brings up an interesting (controversial) question.

There are many people out there that are trying to lose weight all the time, why don't they just donate blood on regular basis? One would have to be careful to not overdo it, but donating blood has to be healthier than many of the pill that people get and it helps other people.

Donating blood doesn't really make you lose weight. The blood volume lost is just compensated by sodium and water retention. The glucose from candy helps to increase the blood sugar concentration which also becomes decreased when you lose volume. The salty food adds more sodium chloride, which helps with water retention from the kidneys and expand blood volume.

The immediate signs of fatigue and sometimes dizziness are simply symptoms of circulatory deficiency caused by the loss of volume.


(If I've not forgotten too much physiology)

[IWantFroyo]

I would, but my blood isn't really much use to anyone.

My blood type is so rare that I forgot what it is :(

[3Miro]

Donating blood doesn't really make you lose weight. The blood volume lost is just compensated by sodium and water retention. The glucose from candy helps to increase the blood sugar concentration which also becomes decreased when you lose volume. The salty food adds more sodium chloride, which helps with water retention from the kidneys and expand blood volume.

The immediate signs of fatigue and sometimes dizziness are simply symptoms of circulatory deficiency caused by the loss of volume.


(If I've not forgotten too much physiology)

I know that the weight in blood is meaningless, it is just that your body will have to exert more energy to replenish the blood. Doesn't bool donation have the effect of a heavy workout (on the body as whole not the muscles).

[Grenage]

I know that the weight in blood is meaningless, it is just that your body will have to exert more energy to replenish the blood. Doesn't bool donation have the effect of a heavy workout (on the body as whole not the muscles).

It certainly makes your body 'work' a little more; I'm not aware of any real benefits (aside from the act of donation), and the cell re-population is rather slow.

As a vegetarian, I'm always worried (actually, hopeful) that the donations will have lowered my iron count to a point where they no longer accept it. Damn you, balanced diet!

[fontis]

I know that the weight in blood is meaningless, it is just that your body will have to exert more energy to replenish the blood. Doesn't bool donation have the effect of a heavy workout (on the body as whole not the muscles).

No, I don't think there's any noticeable difference..
I mean, when you work out, you stress your muscles which in turn become hypertrophic (when ur muscles "grow") and this increases the metabolic activity of the muscles, which means more energy is consumed and same with ketone bodies when fat becomes mobilized.

When you donate blood, the recovering mechanisms are a bit different. The muscles are not involved at all so your metabolic rate remains the same. It's just the bone marrow that produces more because of information coming in from kidneys about the low amounts of renal blood pressure. So erythropoetin (hormone that promotes red blood cell production) is secreted, along with the activation of the Renin-Angiotensin system (which acts to counter the lowered blood pressure by constricting vessels as well as expanding blood volume by sodium and water retention etc.)

EDIT:
Oh btw, forgot to say that I mentioned this earlier but the reason why you feel tired is not because of some "workout", it's simply because your body is not used to the loss of blood volume. So in reality what you're experiencing is "mild circulatory shock" :P

[3Miro]

No, I don't think there's any noticeable difference..
I mean, when you work out, you stress your muscles which in turn become hypertrophic (when ur muscles "grow") and this increases the metabolic activity of the muscles, which means more energy is consumed and same with ketone bodies when fat becomes mobilized.

When you donate blood, the recovering mechanisms are a bit different. The muscles are not involved at all so your metabolic rate remains the same. It's just the bone marrow that produces more because of information coming in from kidneys about the low amounts of renal blood pressure. So erythropoetin (hormone that promotes red blood cell production) is secreted, along with the activation of the Renin-Angiotensin system (which acts to counter the lowered blood pressure by constricting vessels as well as expanding blood volume by sodium and water retention etc.)

EDIT:
Oh btw, forgot to say that I mentioned this earlier but the reason why you feel tired is not because of some "workout", it's simply because your body is not used to the loss of blood volume. So in reality what you're experiencing is "mild circulatory shock" :P

Oh, well. So much for that idea, I was thinking that loss of blood may boost your metabolism to replenish it, but I guess I was wrong.

[cbennett926]

I love donating blood! I am O+ and have saved 2 peoples lives with my blood, I got two phone calls from the blood drive center about that and am very proud of so!

[uRock]

I used to sell plasma, then go get drunk. Made money and spent less on alcohol.

[Noz3001]

The law here forbids me from doing so :confused:

[Khakilang]

At one point I try to donate blood but due to my high blood pressure I am unable to. They say I might faint and die.

[Legendary_Bibo]

You probably just went into mild shock. Happened to me once, I went all white and felt light headed. From the reaction of the staff it seems like it's not unusual.

I had no blood loss. It was put back into me.

I donated several times afterwards though and even during cross country season. That was...fun.

[Paqman]

Oh, well. So much for that idea, I was thinking that loss of blood may boost your metabolism to replenish it, but I guess I was wrong.

You'd be surprised how little impact it has on you. I've been told your body has replaced all the blood lost within a couple of days. Your body actually makes new blood components all the time anyway (your poop is brown because of dead red blood cells), and the amount they take obviously doesn't tax the replenishment facility much.

[Paqman]

I had no blood loss. It was put back into me.

Doesn't actually take any blood loss to go into shock. It can be purely psychological. Did they lie you down and put your legs up?

Were you donating components or whole blood? I've never seen a machine that returns blood used for whole blood, it's just gravity and blood pressure that pumps it all into a bag.

[Mister Shark]

I love donating blood! I am O+ and have saved 2 peoples lives with my blood, I got two phone calls from the blood drive center about that and am very proud of so!

Type O and have a rare blood trait. The calls creep my out. I told them not to call unless there is something wrong with my blood and my death was imminent.

[Grenage]

You'd be surprised how little impact it has on you. I've been told your body has replaced all the blood lost within a couple of days. Your body actually makes new blood components all the time anyway (your poop is brown because of dead red blood cells), and the amount they take obviously doesn't tax the replenishment facility much.

I know that the plasma is replaced very quickly, but think the cells take considerably longer.

[aldais]

I did my first donation just a few days ago, when the Red Cross visited the school I'm in for a blood donation drive. Felt quite proud of myself when the bag is filling up. Think I will continue to donate again regularly.