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Giving Blood

I really want to give blood. I'm not worried about needles but I have a fear of being sick. I wouldn't be worried about fainting but just hope I wouldn't be sick. What would help prevent any risk of being sick afterwards? I have had three blood tests at the doctors and was fine after those - is this a good sign?

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Reply 1

lollipopsticks

yea it is. i went to give blood and couldnt do it.they do a wee finger prick test and i near passed out before that was even done so the nurse got the doctor and he said he didnt think i should do it but i was very sweet for tryin!!how embaressed was i!!all my friends all got blood taken and all i could do was sit with them and look away.infact the nurse had to look after me more than the ppl giving the blood becuase i thought i was gonna pass out or b sick i didnt no which 1!!was soooooooooooo bad

Reply 2

alocin

I should think it's very uncommon to be sick after giving blood - the vast majority of people are absolutely fine, and only one or two feel a bit faint. But if you are worried then tell the nurses and assistants when you arrive, they're really good with first-timers and will talk you through everything step by step and make sure you feel okay. Perhaps you could take some ginger biscuits to eat just before and after, they're supposed to be very good if you get car sick or morning sickness.

Reply 3

xraspberryx

Just did it about 2 hours ago. I feel fine. You get ten minutes to lie down after to make sure your not dizzy and then you get juice and biscuits. You work home with a warm fuzzy feeling knowing that you did a good deed!

Reply 4

warranty-ideal

Being drained of 480 odd millilitres of blood doesnt make you feel sick generally, If you are uneasy about the sight of blood.. you don't have to look :smile:

Good on you for giving blood, go save a life!

Reply 5

white_haired_wizard

My first (and only time) experience was dreadful but i blame myself for that mainly. I was pretty nervous prior to it so i ate very little to no breakfast prior to the donation...and i can't remember being offered a drink after giving blood (for the intake of sugar that is), i'm not sure if some of the members of staff knew it was my first time as i don't think i received particularly great care. I sat down in rest room after i felt i had rested long enough to be ok, but i fainted when sitting down in the small lounge area and was sick...it was not a nice experience at all, it's really spooked me into going again but i know i will at some point when my courage has come back to me. I think my body wasn't really adult, fully developed and strong enough to cope with having all that blood taken from me - now i think i'd be more biologically cut-out for blood donation.

Reply 6

xraspberryx

Tho u do get to hold the bag at the end which i thought was cool but maybe im a sick person. It was all nice and warm!

Reply 7

white_haired_wizard

xraspberryx

Tho u do get to hold the bag at the end which i thought was cool but maybe im a sick person. It was all nice and warm!

No you are definitely sick, but that's sexy.

Joking :smile:

Reply 8

sidi

No reason why you should feel sick afterwards. Must have a proper meal beforehand tho

Reply 9

icedout

Smoke weed, it suppresses nausea.

Reply 10

flyboy123

Just thought id point out you have to be 18 to give blood. Really annoying as ive wanted to give it for ages but arnt allowed. Oh well

Reply 11

240920

flyboy123

Just thought id point out you have to be 18 to give blood. Really annoying as ive wanted to give it for ages but arnt allowed. Oh well

No you dont, I used to think that. Its anyone aged 17-59 http://www.blood.co.uk/pages/flash_questions.html

Reply 12

helenlicious

Nope, it's 17 - I've done it before and I'm still not 18! I've not heard of anyone being sick before, some people feel a little light-headed but I didn't even get that, fortunately. They give you biscuits afterwards to keep your blood sugar level up, and a groovy sticker with "Students do it lying down" on it, so it's definitely worth it :biggrin:

Reply 13

tomtheone

It is seventeen, and for those who dont know how it is done here goes. Fist they prick your finger, not a lot just slightly and squeeze out some blood a put it in a tube filled with a liquid, this is just to see if it is OK to take. Then they lie you on a bed and use one of those arm bandage things to make a visible vein. Next they take the needle a put it in to the vein, you cant feel the sharpness of it going in, just a slighty stinging sensation for a couple of seconds. They then take your blood. Then they ask you to lie down for 10 mins so you dont faint and then my personal favourite part they give you loads of biscuits and drinks to have.

A bit of advice:
-You are allowed to pull out at any point and you wont be the only one to do so, alot of people's nerves get to them.
-It a good meal before and after to keepup your strength
-Dont do much excercise or strenuous activity after

Reply 14

blissy

I gave blood a few hours ago and fainted today, I felt sick in my tummy right after I'd given (the only time out of 4 or5 donations that I'd felt like that) and then thought I was feeling better but obviously wasn't when I went to get my juice. It was because I'd not had enough to eat or drink today and the room was stuffy. Being sick is extremely rare, far far rarer than feeling faint. Make sure you eat and drink enough the day of the donation and always always be honest with the nurse about how you feel. If it's too soon to sit up, don't.

Reply 15

midloon

I discovered that its really hard to give blood - 2 out of 3 of us failed the questioning part at the beginning. I had a slightly sore throught (could kill someone with lukaemia(sp) apparently) and my mate felt "a bit anxious" and wasnt allowed to give blood. So yeah the good intention was there...

But if you feel at all aprehensive theres a chance they wont let you do it anyway

Reply 16

sticky-kitten

You also have to weigh more than 7 stone 12 - they're only allowed to take 13% (or something) of blood from a person, and the amount taken from the donation and for the test equates to 13% of the blood from someone weighing 7 st 12.

Last summer, I suggested to my boyfriend that we went to give blood (neither of us had before), and ended up just sitting next to him, reading all the leaflets and watching the blood drain out of his arm. I did draw the line at holding the bag of his blood though, that was just weird.

Reply 17

Hygeia

i've triedd to give blood twice since my 17th birthday and failed at the question stage both times - firstly because i had an elbow support on and then because i'd had my ears pierced less than 6 months before but they told me to keep trying...

Reply 18

Time To Dance...

There's about a million reasons you can't give blood... Out of all my friends, there's hardly any of us who are actually able to donate. It's really annoying, I want to and have waited ages... I'm finally 17 and have to wait another 6 months just because I've had piercings recently. Sigh!

Reply 19

alocin

I had a tattoo done in the summer and can't donate in Wales for another 6 months yet, although the English service will take you post-tattoo or piercing after 6 months now it's still 12 here in Wales.

With all the categories of people who can't donate it's all the more important that those who can, do!