The Student Room Group

Giving blood for the first time

hey, i'm going to give blood for the first time on wednesday and im pretty scared! Im quite scared of needles :frown: and its taken me ages to motivate myself to go. My best friend and boyfriend are also coming to give blood and they both seem very up for it and not scared at all which is making me feel even worse! so i'm just wondering if anyone who has been before could tell me what to expect, how long it takes and if i need to do anything before or after? thanks alot!x
Reply 1
miss_buttercup
hey, i'm going to give blood for the first time on wednesday and im pretty scared! Im quite scared of needles :frown: and its taken me ages to motivate myself to go. My best friend and boyfriend are also coming to give blood and they both seem very up for it and not scared at all which is making me feel even worse! so i'm just wondering if anyone who has been before could tell me what to expect, how long it takes and if i need to do anything before or after? thanks alot!x


My doctor advised me not to give blood because I tend to pass out even when I have a blood test done! :redface: Its not the sight of blood or anything, its something to do with my blood pressure I think.

So congratulations Miss-Buttercup on being such a great citizen!! :cool:

Im sure its natural to be scared. But Im very proud of you and wish I could do it too :smile:
Reply 2
I'm terrified of giving blood. I had to sit there and watch my mum do it when I was 5. I didn't really understand the concept of giving blood, so that just made me think she was going to die.
Reply 3
I gave blood for the first time about a month ago and i was quite scared lol. But its absolutely fine. I went with a couple of friends which was good and was on the bed right next to one of them. She kept telling me look away while they put the needle in but, being the inquisative (sp?) type, i opted to look at what was happening, preferring to know exactly what the nurse was doing! Make sure you drink lots before you go as this aparently makes your veins stand out much more, making it easier for the nurse to find somewhere to put the needle in and easier for you as it does not hurt quite so much - even so, its still only like a tiny scratch. It generally takes about 10 - 15 minutes, but it does depend on how long you take to 'bleed a pint'. Also keep squeezing your hand to make the blood flow faster, which should speed up the whole process a little and stop your arm going dead. Although your arm will ache a little after and you may feel lightheaded if you start moving around and doing too much soon after you will feel really good with what you've just done - i honestly felt like id helped someone. Good luck with it and let us know how you get on!!
Just don't lie there thinking of the pain that could be inflicted if some one was to walk in and wiggle the needle around in your arm *squirms*
Reply 5
miss_buttercup
hey, i'm going to give blood for the first time on wednesday and im pretty scared! Im quite scared of needles :frown: and its taken me ages to motivate myself to go. My best friend and boyfriend are also coming to give blood and they both seem very up for it and not scared at all which is making me feel even worse! so i'm just wondering if anyone who has been before could tell me what to expect, how long it takes and if i need to do anything before or after? thanks alot!x


Don't be scared its a really good thing to do.
When you arrive you'll be asked to answer a set of yes/no questions on a form and read some information, it might seem quite daunting but it isn't really its just a formality they have to go through with every donor be it your first or you 21st time!

Nuttymimi has covered the actual donation part quite well, with it being your first time you'll probably find the nurses will explain what there doing and chat to you a bit to help settle you in.

Just make sure you eat properly and have drank plenty of fluids before as this reduces the chance of you feeling light headed after. Once you've finished the key is just to take it easy after, i used to take a magazine and just sit in the chairs after donating for about 20 minutes before i even bothered considering getting back to what i was supposed to be doing. :smile:

As for other people not feeling scared don't let it worry you, everyone hides there nervousness in different ways, and i still get slightly nervous each time i go and thats after doing it 5 times. :rolleyes:
i hate blood and needles

I've only given it once (piercings an aneamia have stopped my other attepmts) but god was i scared, but thats natural.
First you have to have you iron levels checked, they do that by priking your finger (its quick, pin for about a second). They drop it intothis solutin and depending o the way it reacts you will then be told to go and wait. Or if its playing up you may have to have an additional blood test (the same thing again, but more exact). I had this on time when my heamoglobin level was below what their standard for donating). f this happens, it usually means you can't give blood, cos your iron levels have to be at a certain standard to give blood.
After aiting and being called over you lie down and they usually ask which arm, and do you wnt aneasthtic (they are often realy friendly,so should put you at ease). If you have the aneasthetic it will sting when its gong in, as that stuff always does, but it will numb you arm so you don't feel anything. If you have that done then when the needle goes in (don't look) it shouldn't hurt, but may feel quite weird.
You'll be encouraged to pump your hand, as this gets the blood flow going, and will probs have to do this for about 5 mins (maybe longer depends on the individual). After you're done they'll take it out and stick a plaster/bandgae over it.
My advice at this point would be don't get up straight away, i did then apparently went white as a sheet, and had to lie back down. When you feel ok, the importnat thing is have a drink and some food, as this will help avoid dizzyness.

Then feel proud of yourself for actually going through wit it :smile: good luck
Reply 7
xXMessedUpXx
they usually ask which arm, and do you wnt aneasthtic


They've stopped doing aneasthetic as standard now, but don't worry about it would only have meant another needle. :p:

www.blood.co.uk now has a 'virtual session' which goes through step by step what a first time donor can expect if your still nervous :smile:
Reply 8
I've found talking rubbish to the nurses is a good way to take your mind off things when giving blood. Good luck with it anyway - it's a fantastic thing to do.
Reply 9
SpiderBoy
They've stopped doing aneasthetic


I dont think they have....i only went a month ago and i was asked if I wanted it.
Reply 10
Hey! I was so scared when i first gave blood - i totally hate the sight of it! But you cant see the bag so that was cool - as long as you dont watch other peoples :p:

They give you a long form to fill out, and then you have to talk to a nurse, who asks private Q's - but theyre really nice and confidential, i had a man and he was funny! Then you go and give the blood, and they lie you down and stuff, and once they find the vein, hopefully the blood will come out freely!
It doesnt hurt, and youre laid down so you can just sort of lie there and chat to the nurse. Plus you get a free biscuit at the end :cool:

I felt mega dizzy after, but i think it takes some getting used to, and my arm felt a bit weird for the night! Good Luck :biggrin:
well i aint doing it without it!!!! :afraid: *faints*
It doesnt hurt, it just feels a bit wierd. After you've done it you'll probably not be as scared of needles anymore. That's what happened to me anyway.
Reply 13
nuttymimi
I dont think they have....i only went a month ago and i was asked if I wanted it.


I haven't got the old leaflet that they sent me about changes affecting it and I know i was never offered it myself. :confused:
It maybe that its not availiable at all donation centres or that they have reduced its use as of course there is always a small risk of complications with an aneasthetic.
Reply 14
SpiderBoy
I haven't got the old leaflet that they sent me about changes affecting it and I know i was never offered it myself. :confused:
It maybe that its not availiable at all donation centres or that they have reduced its use as of course there is always a small risk of complications with an aneasthetic.

maybe they give you the anathetic cream instead of an injection?
Reply 15
I gave blood once. It was not even uncomfortable. Heck, shaving in the morning is usually more unpleasant. I suppose its different from one person to another, but I really think its mostly in peoples heads, cus I really didnt feel any pain at all ( and they didnt give me any form of painkiller or anything).
Reply 16
JackieS
maybe they give you the anathetic cream instead of an injection?


nope just cleaning wipe and then needle for me, but as others have said it doesn't really hurt, small scratch as needle goes in and then just a 'weird' feeling due to the needles prescense, not painful tho.