Blood donation.

[MOAMB]

Hey people.

Just wanted to give you all some facts on giving blood or a component of your blood (platelets) and if i can get just one more person to give blood id be very happy.

96% of us rely on the other 4% to give blood. Please don’t leave it to someone else.

Main site, just put your postcode in and find some where you can donate today.

The National Blood Service - do something amazing give Blood

Who Can Give Blood?

Most people can give blood. If you are generally in good heath, age 17 to 65 (if it's your first time) and weigh at least 7st 12Ib you can donate. You can give blood every 16 weeks, that's approximately every four months.

Donor Health check

The National Blood Service - Can I Give Blood

Whole blood

This is rarely used these days, only really in instances of severe blood loss. It's usually separated into its individual components.

Red cells

The main function of red blood cells is to distribute oxygen to body tissues and to carry waste carbon dioxide back to the lungs.
These are used in the treatment of all kinds of anaemia which can't be medically corrected, such as when rheumatoid arthritis or cancer is involved, when red cells break down in the newborn and for sickle cell disease.

They're also essential to replace lost red cells due to blood loss in accidents, surgery and after childbirth.

Platelets

This blood vessel has been cut open to reveal its inside wall (lower left).
Platelets can be used in bone marrow failure, post transplant and chemotherapy treatments, and leukaemia. Platelets can be of huge benefit to the recipient

Bone Marrow

If you are a regular blood donor please read the following as it gives you some information about donating bone marrow. All you do is give them an extra sample of blood when donating and you go on to the register.

Bone Marrow Information

Organ Donation

Please also consider registering on the organ donation web site.

Organ Donation Information


Thanks for looking and do something amazing to day and give blood.

 

[Kruger]

Quality post m8,

I give blood and often wondered about platlets but was told by someone on here it much more of a commitment in terms of turnig up and more regular etc.


But like you say if only more more decide to do it then well done.

 

[Munkey]

Donating would be so much easier if there were more mobile units visiting shopping centres and other public places rather than having to go to your local clinic or hospital.

It's worth donating just for the free biscuits and glass of squash afterwards though.

 

[pks00]

I used to donate blood regularly. They send me invitations giving me details of local blood sessions. There is a pub near me that used to hold these sessions. When I was working in Leatherhead, the mobile units used to come to the business park. I used to try get everyone going but some were just not interested at all. I don't know why though.

 

[Munkey]

Is it an old wives tale that donating blood gets rid of all the crappy blood in your body and replaces it with new blood that's all clean and healthy?

 

[ekwat]

Is it an old wives tale that donating blood gets rid of all the crappy blood in your body and replaces it with new blood that's all clean and healthy?

Blood gets renewed all the time, it's what make your faeces brown. A wives tale

I stopped giving blood because of medication but when I last checked my medication no longer prevented me from donating. I'm waiting for the next session in work.

If you used to give blood but had to stop because of the rules at the time it might be worth checking the current rules as they are changing all the time.

 

[MFCGMFC]

i regularly give blood

they send me an invite cause i have that O+ type, at least someone invites me to something

Cheers
MFCGAVMFC

 

[jaffa]

I used to give blood regularly aswell, even got some nice badges from them. Not so much now, I have low blood pressure so theey don't take it, even though the doc said (and I quote) "low blood pressure, you will live forever".

I haven't actually tried in years and sometimes I feel really bad about it, its pure laziness on my part.

I agree 100% with Munkey, if there where more mobile units it would be benefital. The last firm I worked for had mobile units come in but my current fiirm doesn't. The biscuit and juice where also nice.

When I said pure laziness on my part I was telling the truth, even though work don't have a mobile unit come in, they post the dates and times of a mobile unit which is only 500 yards away and they let you go out to give blood without loss of pay.

 

[MissOxyDon]

Great post :thumbsup:
I used to give blood regularly until I was diagnosed with Interstitial Pneumonia and was put on loads of mad meds including chemo tablets, I wasn't able to after that.
But when I had my lung transplant last year I needed several blood transfusions in the weeks following it, so without the good people donating their blood (and organs, I have to add) I probably would not be here now.
I have a hell of a lot to thank them for.
My hubby gives blood on a regular basis and has done for years now.

 

[MOAMB]

Quality post m8,

I give blood and often wondered about platlets but was told by someone on here it much more of a commitment in terms of turnig up.

Hey,

It is more commitment but worth it and you can give platelets every 2 weeks if you want (I give once a month) where whole blood you can donate every 4 months

I have to go in to Birmingham City center (New Street) as they cant do locally or in the vans due to the equipment they have to use, also giving blood usally take's around 15 minutes where as giving platlets takes me around an hour just on the machine but im normally there for at least hour and half to 2hrs everything.

Its the same process as its just 1 needle. They take a small amount amount of blood that then spins in the machine that seperates the platelets from the blood and then returns the blood back in to you minus the platelets.

The end result is a bag that just looks like i have just pis*ed in it. Platelets only last 5 days too so it gets used very quick.

If you like the biscuits then give platelets because they bring you drinks while your donating (non alcoholic tho :thumbdown they also have fruit, buscuits, walkers crisps and chocoate clubs :Clap:

 

[MOAMB]

Great post :thumbsup:
I used to give blood regularly until I was diagnosed with Interstitial Pneumonia and was put on loads of mad meds including chemo tablets, I wasn't able to after that.
But when I had my lung transplant last year I needed several blood transfusions in the weeks following it, so without the good people donating their blood (and organs, I have to add) I probably would not be here now.
I have a hell of a lot to thank them for.
My hubby gives blood on a regular basis and has done for years now.

Good point about organ donation and bone marrow. ill update the first post to include this :Clap:

 

[Tamarc]

After reading Barons post,though this one could do with a bump

 

[prezzy_78]

BUMP

Just signed up / made an appointment to go and give blood for the first time

Not sure why I have not done this before

 

[oneman]

Blood gets renewed all the time, it's what make your faeces brown. A wives tale

I stopped giving blood because of medication but when I last checked my medication no longer prevented me from donating. I'm waiting for the next session in work.

If you used to give blood but had to stop because of the rules at the time it might be worth checking the current rules as they are changing all the time.

I had a similar experience regarding travel. My mrs family is from africa and every time I visited it would be 12 months (or one time two years wait for malaria kits) before I could donate again. Now a days that area is considered safe and I don't need to wait.

However after 20+ years of donating, I can no longer donate as my iron levels have dropped too low.

As somebody else mentioned, more mobile units would be good.

 

[ekwat]

Gave my 20th unit on Weds last week