Ever donated Blood?

[gamesquest1]

So a few days ago I decided to randomly go donate blood as a spur of the moment decision, just wondering how many people here donate blood?

I have always talked about it as my sister regularly donates blood but never had the drive to actually go out of my way to do it, its genuinely not as big of a deal as some people make it out to be, I had been reading a few statuses of people on FB in the past with people saying they went really dizzy, light headed or tired etc etc, but personally I didnt feel any different at all......idk maybe I was just lucky

So how about you guys, have you ever given blood?
Is it a big no no for you?
or is it something you would kinda like to do but kinda cant get off your arse to do it like me for the longest time

Bonus question being do you know what blood type you are?
I'm O- which is why I have always felt like I should donate as O- is the blood they use in emergencies if they dont know what blood type the patient is

 

[Patxinco]

Been just one time, almost collapsed, it seems i don't produce enough blood to donate. Sometimes i think maybe i should try plasma donations, but don't know, maybe i'm a bit scared of it.
I'm O+.

 

[Veho]

or is it something you would kinda like to do but kinda cant get off your arse to do it like me for the longest time

That's me, yes

I donated once and would donate again, but that has joined the ever growing pile of "things I should / would like to do but just can't seem to find the time". Some day. Some day.

 

[gamesquest1]

That's me, yes

I donated once and would donate again, but that has joined the ever growing pile of "things I should / would like to do but just can't seem to find the time". Some day. Some day.

yeah i'm kinda hoping i stay motivated to go back, my next "donation day" is supposed to be 25th december....yeah i kinda doubt that

I saw you're supposed to get a text message or something when your blood is actually used, which i guess would be kinda inspiring to donate again knowing it was actually used and not just left in a room to go bad

Been just one time, almost collapsed, it seems i don't produce enough blood to donate. Sometimes i think maybe i should try plasma donations, but don't know, maybe i'm a bit scared of it.
I'm O+.

the nurse was telling me that you should really drink lots of water and stuff on the day i kinda joined and went to give blood within 2 hours so i just glugged 2 cups of water in the waiting room

 

[CosmoCortney]

Nope. Last time I checked the situation in Germany as well as trans people (homo and bisexual men) are not allowed to donate blood here *shrugs*

 

[Reynardine]

My blood type is 0+, I don't think I've ever donated blood, not that I can remember. You have to pay to donate blood here, it's not exactly motivating.

Hmm, maybe I should go and do it next time, for the sake of goodwill.

Previously gay and trans people weren't allowed to donate blood in Germany, but this law has been revoked by now.

 

[Hardline]

Nope

 

[Glyptofane]

It's not even really a charity, at least in the US, they make thousands of dollars selling your blood and give you a damn cookie. Fuck em. Maybe if they paid fair compensation for it.

 

[gamesquest1]

It's not even really a charity, at least in the US, they make thousands of dollars selling your blood and give you a damn cookie. Fuck em. Maybe if they paid fair compensation for it.

yeah would be nice to get moolah, maybe if everyone went on donation strike and people started dying they would be forced to have to start paying....but i would prefer people don't die tbh

My blood type is 0+, I don't think I've ever donated blood, not that I can remember. You have to pay to donate blood here, it's not exactly motivating.

Hmm, maybe I should go and do it next time, for the sake of goodwill.

Previously gay and trans people weren't allowed to donate blood in Germany, but this law has been revoked by now.

probably the same as the UK i.e men who have anal sex with other men need to leave 3 months of no "action" before they can donate (or women who slept with a man who also sleeps with other men, totally not a sexist/homophobic rule), this is a totally functional restriction, i don't like it when people play up the prejudice card when there is a genuine health and safety concern for those limits to exist, they aren't there just to make people sad but to prevent the potential spread of blood-bourne viruses such as HIV that cant be screened for in blood until several months after infection.

they also don't allow people who have ever received a blood transfusion to donate blood ever.....not just 3 months, but EVER because of the risk of spreading un-screenable viruses from spreading any further than necessary, honestly of all the restrictions this one is the most ballsey imho, i would imagine most people who are inspired to try donate would've received a transfusion only to be rejected because of that fact, i can understand a restriction for a set period of time, but forever seems a little much seeing as they dont have that level of restriction on anyone else afaik

 

[fpw76]

I'm O- and I do donate my blood around every 3 months.

I've started donating about 3 years ago and I do enjoy it - I know my blood helps others in emergencies. I do prefer giving whole blood instead of plasma as it's much faster process (I'm in and out in about 30 minutes or so).

 

[gamesquest1]

I'm O- and I do donate my blood around every 3 months.

I've started donating about 3 years ago and I do enjoy it - I know my blood helps others in emergencies. I do prefer giving whole blood instead of plasma as it's much faster process (I'm in and out in about 30 minutes or so).

yeah i'm hoping to donate fairly regularly, considering it was my first time and had to fill out a form i was out within half an hour

 

[fpw76]

they also don't allow people who have ever received a blood transfusion to donate blood ever.....not just 3 months, but EVER because of the risk of spreading un-screenable viruses from spreading any further than necessary, honestly of all the restrictions this one is the most ballsey imho, i would imagine most people who are inspired to try donate would've received a transfusion only to be rejected because of that fact, i can understand a restriction for a set period of time, but forever seems a little much seeing as they dont have that level of restriction on anyone else afaik

I think the restriction is put in place due to the risk of carrying prions (causing Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease) which one might have received from another transfusion and the difficulty in detecting them in the blood.

It'd be like a reverse pyramid where one carrier decides to donate blood and (unknowingly) infects others. Then the grateful individual donates again, and the infection spreads even faster.

 

[gamesquest1]

I think the restriction is put in place due to the risk of carrying prions (causing Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease) which one might have received from another transfusion and the difficulty in detecting them in the blood.

It'd be like a reverse pyramid where one carrier decides to donate blood and (unknowingly) infects others. Then the grateful individual donates again, and the infection spreads even faster.

yeah i understand why, it just seems super strict from what i read the rule originated in 2001 in europe after the BSE scare and afaik they still don't have a method to screen for it, so ultimately they are only doing it to protect people, as long as there isn't mass shortages of blood i guess it ultimately doesn't matter, I'm sure if it ever got to that point they would be forced to lower the restrictions

 

[Mythical]

I've donated a few times, but I had my ears pierced, then my tongue pierced so I've had to wait a while (think it's something like 6 months after you get pierced you can't donate). I'm about to re-pierce my tongue so I gotta wait even longer.
edit: It's apparantly a year for tattoos and piercings
Looking more into it there are a lot of reasons you can't donate blood :/ From the looks of it I won't be able to donate blood ever again lol (I'm pansexual)

 

[Alexander1970]

*bump* falls without consciousness to the ground....

Exactly that happens the last time (a few years ago)
But not of the Donation and its Aftereffects.

When the paramedic made the blood test (the tiny little prick with the blood test device)

 

[Mythical]

*bump* falls without consciousness to the ground....

Exactly that happens the last time (a few years ago)
But not of the Donation and its Aftereffects.

When the paramedic made the blood test (the tiny little prick with the blood test device)

oof, did you atleast get a cookie or something? (glad you atleast tried to donate!)

 

[Lacius]

I'm O negative (universal donor) and used to donate my blood whenever possible. I don't do it anymore.

 

[Alexander1970]

oof, did you atleast get a cookie or something? (glad you atleast tried to donate!)

A Glass of Coke and a Pair of "Frankfurter Würstel".

Unfortunately, no further Donation possible,
I really have "problems" with these Bloodtest devices ......
The same thing last Summer: I had a nasty Insect bite and the Doctor needed a "Blood Test" .... guess what happened .....

 

[FoxMcloud5655]

Don't like needles enough to get over it and donate. AB+ here; at least I'm pretty sure. I was told that, but never have had it tested.

 

[Reynardine]

but isn't pineapple juice your blood?

yeah would be nice to get moolah, maybe if everyone went on donation strike and people started dying they would be forced to have to start paying....but i would prefer people don't die tbh

probably the same as the UK i.e men who have anal sex with other men need to leave 3 months of no "action" before they can donate (or women who slept with a man who also sleeps with other men, totally not a sexist/homophobic rule), this is a totally functional restriction, i don't like it when people play up the prejudice card when there is a genuine health and safety concern for those limits to exist, they aren't there just to make people sad but to prevent the potential spread of blood-bourne viruses such as HIV that cant be screened for in blood until several months after infection.

they also don't allow people who have ever received a blood transfusion to donate blood ever.....not just 3 months, but EVER because of the risk of spreading un-screenable viruses from spreading any further than necessary, honestly of all the restrictions this one is the most ballsey imho, i would imagine most people who are inspired to try donate would've received a transfusion only to be rejected because of that fact, i can understand a restriction for a set period of time, but forever seems a little much seeing as they dont have that level of restriction on anyone else afaik

I agree with what you say. I was writing in response to the post above mine.

In Germany the law excluded homosexual men from blood donating for a lifetime. In 2017 this was changed to a restriction of one year after having had anal sex with another man in accordance with the European prohibition of discrimination rules.

I'm aware of the fact that these restrictions are in place to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. To be honest, after thinking about it for a while the only thing that may not be entirely justified is the following:

If I'm not mistaken only men who regularly change their sexual partners should have an increased risk factor of carrying STDs. A man living with another man does not pose a higher risk than a traditional male/female couple as far as I can tell.

Shouldn't the law exclude people who frequently change partners, rather than all homosexuals? Then again, how could you accurately tell this before soemone is donating blood.

As for whether it is plausible to categorize homosexuals as being more likely to frequently change their partners, I honestly can't say.
I'm absolutely no expert, these are just the points that came to mind.