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Do you give blood?

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Do you give blood?

As many of you will be aware, you can register as a blood donor in the UK, and you can give blood every 12 weeks if you are male, and every 16 weeks if you are female. Giving blood is hugely important - over 6,000 blood donations are needed every day to treat patients in the UK, and every year 200,000 new donors are needed!

Registering to give blood is really easy - you can do so online here! You can also book appointments to donate online or through the NHS Give Blood app, so deciding when to donate is super easy too. You even get recognition for it the more you give.

Of course, there are also reasons people don't give blood; being unable to for medical reasons is a big one, and fear of needles is another. Some people simply haven't signed up with no other reason for it, or due to lack of awareness how to do so.

Do you give blood? To those of you who don't, are you unable to, or do you choose not to?

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I'm 15 so I don't think I'm able to but I definitely want to when I'm an adult. I have G6PD-Deficiency though so I'm not sure if I'm allowed to.
Reply 2
Avatar for Drewski
Drewski
19
Used to, but no longer can.

Shame, because I've got a relatively rare blood type, too.
Original post by HowToBeABlobfish
I'm 15 so I don't think I'm able to but I definitely want to when I'm an adult. I have G6PD-Deficiency though so I'm not sure if I'm allowed to.


That's right, you have to be 17 - 66 to give blood (or up to 70 if you've given blood before) :yep:

In terms of G6PD-Definiciency you should be able to find out if that excludes you here :smile:
I'm unable to because I have POTs. I did ask and wanted to donate blood but they said I couldn't and they took me off their mailing list. :frown:
I cant because I have many tattoo's how sad.
I tried, but they turned me away because my veins weren't big enough. They did have a vein they could use but they said I would get a big bruise as it's on the side of my elbow. I said it was fine, I'd rather potentially save someone's life and have a bruise for a few days, but they refused. Shame they refused blood for that reason.
Original post by shadowdweller
That's right, you have to be 17 - 66 to give blood (or up to 70 if you've given blood before) :yep:

In terms of G6PD-Definiciency you should be able to find out if that excludes you here :smile:

Awhhh I cant: "We are very sorry but sadly you are not able to donate blood."
Original post by hannxm
I'm unable to because I have POTs. I did ask and wanted to donate blood but they said I couldn't and they took me off their mailing list. :frown:


Oh no, that's a shame! :frown:

Original post by MrCole&Co
I cant because I have many tattoo's how sad.


I believe you can give blood if you have tattoos, you just have to wait a certain amount of time after your most recent one - I think it's a year but I'm not certain :holmes:

Original post by DrawTheLine
I tried, but they turned me away because my veins weren't big enough. They did have a vein they could use but they said I would get a big bruise as it's on the side of my elbow. I said it was fine, I'd rather potentially save someone's life and have a bruise for a few days, but they refused. Shame they refused blood for that reason.


I'm quite surprised they'd refuse to let you give because of getting a bruise! :eek:
Original post by HowToBeABlobfish
Awhhh I cant: "We are very sorry but sadly you are not able to donate blood."


Oh no, that sucks!
Original post by shadowdweller
(...)

Do you give blood? To those of you who don't, are you unable to, or do you choose not to?


No, I don't, I am too selfish to give my blood. It also does not fit to my misanthropic attitude. I am a bad man now?
Ive always wanted to but never got round to it.
Original post by MrCole&Co
I cant because I have many tattoo's how sad.


You can still give blood.
You just have to wait 4 months after having one to donate.
I can't because I've had malaria.

My wife does though, and because she's O-ve CMV-ve EBV-ve they only use her blood for newborns, which she loves to boast about and gives as often as she's allowed!
Original post by shadowdweller
I'm quite surprised they'd refuse to let you give because of getting a bruise! :eek:


Me too! I can understand tiny veins would be a good reason, but seriously they don't want me to bruise?! Because that's more important than saving a life
I don't because I choose to take part in clinical trials instead. Not allowed to do both within the same period.
It's the same criteria - once every 3 months - so if I donate blood I can't take part in a trial without waiting for 3 months.
Reply 16
Avatar for Airmed
Airmed
21
I get tattoos too often :lol:
I haven't, but it's definitely something I want to do.
Original post by Kallisto
No, I don't, I am too selfish to give my blood. It also does not fit to my misanthropic attitude. I am a bad man now?


I don't think that makes you a bad man, no - though personally I think that if you would accept a blood transfusion you should also be willing to donate blood if you are able!
Original post by Kinyonga
I haven't, but it's definitely something I want to do.


What has prevented you from doing so until now, if you don't mind me asking?

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