Why don't you give blood?

Every time I think about blood donation it makes me feel guilty that I don't. My reason is a pretty crappy one, but I have a crippling fear of needles. I wish I didn't, and that I could give blood, but there you go.

My twin gave blood a month ago and it didn't go well, she nearly fainted. I have had a lot of near faints too, so I'm going to wait a bit longer. Also, it takes sooo long to register! You have to sign up, then get phoned, then arrange a time, I feel like they would get more people if you could just turn up.

This is why I decided to go. I hated them but decided it would be useful to get over the fear. I've been 18 times now

How bad was your fear? Mine if pretty severe and I get funny even thinking about needles. I've refused dental procedures in the past and can vividly remember every injection i've had since childhood. The only blood test I have ever had, they took less than a 500th of the blood they would with a donation, and it resulted in a panic attack before hand and fainting afterwards. I can't see myself ever being able to donate blood without serious amounts of therapy,

Christ that sounds pathetic

I think people just don't think about it, at 17..we're more concerned about our social life, A levels, education, relationships etc :/ i think people just need to be educated on it, and there are many misconceptions that also need to be cleared! Anthony Nolan came to our school to educate us and give us information on blood donation+bone marrow donation. Should have seen how many people were up there already completing the spit kit! Apart from those that had religious objections. Also there are quite a lot of requirements and health checks that many fail.

It's really quite simple, and after going more than once you get really used to the routine. You turn up, maybe having made an appointment, or maybe just cause you saw the bloodmobile (cool name, huh?) nearby and thought "Why not?" (btw they recommend making an appointment as you then get priority, and if you just turn up you might have to wait a while.)

They get to read some leaflets/information. You have to do this each time, supposedly to double check if anything in the rule's changed since last time. On your first time you have to read more different leaflets which takes a bit longer though.

Then a nurse will take you into a (tiny!) little cubicle to check some answers to your questionnaire and check your iron levels. If you booked ahead they post you the questionnaire, if you just show up on the day you fill it out as you wait. They'll probably ask a few more questions to clarify stuff (eg. if on your questionnaire you indicate you've been out of the country within the last 6 months, they'll ask where to, and simple stuff like "is there any chance you could be pregnant?" Then to check your iron levels they take one/two drops of blood from a fingertip and drop them into this little test tube. They either float or sink (I can't remember which) and this means you have enough iron in your blood and you're not anaemic. This is the stage where you might be turned away (eg. too low iron levels, or one time my dad had had a tetanus shot recently which disqualified him), but this doesn't mean you can't EVER donate blood, just not this time round, so it's worth trying again at a later date, hopefully without any reason for disqualification.

After this you wait a bit more, and a nurse will call your name. This is when they actually take blood! They give you a drink beforehand to help start to replace fluids, then you lie down on a sort of bunk/bed thing with the arm you'll be giving blood from on the outside nearest the nurse. (It's worth getting comfy now, and take off any jacket that might dig in later) They put a collar-type-thing (I'm not so good with names) around the top of your arm, and blow it up a bit like an armband. This will pinch a little and you probably won't love it, but it's so your vein is easier to find. After a minute they'll come back and find the vein (this takes a bit of prodding) and insert the needle.

This will hurt, but just for a few seconds, and it feels just like a bad scratch. If you relax your arm (mind over matter!) it'll hurt less. I'm not scared of needles, but I usually look away at this point anyway. They then put some surgical tape/something on to keep the needle still, and might give you a little squeezy ball to hold. If they do, you're meant to squeeze and unsqueeze this in your fist throughout the donation to keep up bloodflow. They also tell you to cross/uncross your legs and squeeze your bum which feels a bit weird but apparently helps. They also play music throughout (usually Smooth FM, I've noticed) so it's not too tedious.

This should take about ten/fifteen minutes (or it usually does for me!) Once they've got enough, they'll come back and remove the needle. This hurts a little, but not as much as before. I find the bit I actually dislike the most is when they take off the TAPE holding the needle, rather than the needle itself! It's really hurts! But like before, over in a second.

Then (maybe after a while, especially if you're small) they sit you up slowly and give you a drink and some food. This is usually tea/coffee/squash and crisps/biscuits and you should eat/drink because it will prevent you feeling faint later. They put a nice big plaster on your arm, and after a while you go on your way.

If you're deadly scared of needles, that's an excellent excuse not to do this, so don't anyone feel guilty! If you're just a bit nervous, so is everyone at first and it's worth giving it a go. All the nurses are lovely, and they'll be well aware it's your first time and give you some extra reassurance if you tell them you're a bit scared. They are all SUPER cautious about making anyone feel ill or faint, so please don't worry about this! They're all experts who've done this a thousand times and more, and if there are ANY problems WHATSOEVER they won't put you at risk in any way.

The rules on how regularly you can do this basically are: every 3 months for a guy, every 4 months for a woman. If you're a man but a bit on the small side, maybe think about waiting 4 months as well.

Anyone who gives blood is saving lives, and that's what it's all about! I hope more people reading this will decide to start doing it too.

I love how people think they are such do-gooders when they give blood.

Obviously it's a good act but I hate how people feel so smug after it.

Why don't you give monthly donations to charity? Why don't you volunteer at your local homeless shelter?

what does it mean when you give platelets?

I used to give blood when I lived in Nottingham, never had any issues.

In Manchester, however, it is nigh on impossible to donate unless you book your appointment 50 years in advance (well, 3 months or so). No one can realistically plan that far ahead when they work 6 days a week and regularly use the 7th day to see family/friends.

They need to make it easier to book appointments IMO, and have more available. They say there is a crippling need for O- blood, but in Manchester they've never made it easy for me to donate.

Therefore I give platelets instead.

I can't give blood yet.
For under 20s you have to be a certain weight for your height to give blood, and I'm not heavy enough by about 13 kilos otherwise I would.

Don't want a needle in me if I can help it.

Do you afraid of that you may get AIDS by injceting a needle in your vein?

There are many possible things you could contract.

There are many possible things you could contract.