Stan, I would love to donate blood.

But I'm the biggest pu$$y when it comes to needles.

I passed out when they had to do a blood test for a possible infection ect......

If I could be put to sleep then drained I'm happy, but they don't do it...

feeble.............

I am a serial recipient of whole blood and platelets in particular. Have been for most of my life on and off. I am therefore enormously grateful for blood donors and would have died may times over by now without them. If I was allowed to donate then I would.

I know transfusion isn't a perfect solution, but there are many situations where there is simply no time to sit back and let the body produce more blood (which happens in the bone marrow btw). I have suffered from auto-immune reactions which have destroyed all my platelets and haemoglobin in a matter of a couple of days. There was no other option but to transfuse at the same time as other treatments.

James

^^^ one of many reasons to do so, and why I have to date given blood over 50 times. James you could have some of me in you, worrying thought

Every story of a life saved makes me glad to be able to donate.

Man up Marco!

To all those who could, but don't, poor show. Some very badly justified excuses

James i bet you used those lines on that barmaid at the AGM eh? dirrrrrty boy

I think I've probably got too many STD's to be a suitable donor...

Giggady

What is? The decision to post something completely consisting of errors, or the fact YOU have made the decision YOU don't want someobody else's blood in YOUR body? Really, the last thing is YOUR decision and would have made me roll my eyes in the privacy of my room. The first one made me quite mad.

Sorry guys, I just have a massive problem with needles.

Other wise I would happily give blood.

i donated once and never again,felt really ill for about 2 weeks afterwards,really run down.had to have a few days off work,couldnt climb for 3 weeks

psychological issues, not physical ones i'd suggest

Is the gayest thing I've read today

Do you feel ok now princess?

dont see what its got to do with you like but if you must know i have a lung condition and the lack of blood caused me to collapse(blood deoxygenation etc).no wonder people on here think your a d**khead with comments like that

nope physical ones,i have blood oxygenation problems

I've been donating blood since 1985. Normally I donate 6 times a year, but because I'm a fairly rare blood group (B-) I get called in more often. This year I've donated 8 times.

Giving blood is usually pain free. Ok you may get a bleed (bruise) but tbh it's not a big deal.

Reading through this thread has made me quite sad. My Mother was saved by a blood transfusion as it would appear has stan.

I'm not going to preach about the positives of blood donating but if anyone her has any doubts or worries please talk to your GP or practice nurse. It does make a difference and does save lives.

Oh and Ross, it doesn't put the donator in ANY danger.

I've been trying for years but they don't like my travel habits - too many years in less than salubrious bits of the world, and Dengue fever is a no-no...

but I would like most sincerely to thank all the A Rh(d)+ donors in Surrey who filled me full again after my spleen burst while recovering from the paraglider crash.

Having seen the frankly piss poor level of care given to both my parents by the NHS over the last year (not to mention the even worse level of care supplied by local council "carers") I wouldn't volunteer to let any of them put a needle anywhere near me.

I've been tattooed every year for about the last 12 years and they're a bit sticky about that, so probably wouldn't want my blood anyway.

It can do actually, depending on the person, surroundings, etc.

It can cause you to faint or have a fit, which can be a danger, hence being 'made' to drink tea and eat a biscuit afterwards.

It's to make sure the donor is fit to leave the session and those who give out the drinks and biscuits are as trained as those who take the blood, it's just they rotate their jobs.

I used to, but I stopped. Two reasons -
1. I had one of the epic bruises, and it made me go ouch for a week. That put me off a bit, but you can manage that by saying no to the students.
2. Despite making appointments I twice had to wait in excess of 90 mins to start donating. Sorry, that's not good enough.

I have never given blood, because (like others on this thread) I'm a complete wimp when it comes to needles.

However, the attitude of others on this thread (positive and negative) has convinced me that I'm going to go for it. I'll try not to knock the plate of biscuits over when I faint

@Ross - please bear in mind that outside of A&E blood-loss is common in child-birth. Do you think you'll feel the same way about blood transfusions when you're looking at the possibility of losing a partner and your child?

My wife tells me that a lot of Jehovah's Witnesses do tell maternity services that they're not to be given a blood transfusion, and her hospital does have a (very expensive) machine to clean their own blood and pump it back into them, but it's not always possible. If push comes to shove then it's apparently normally the new fathers who put pragmatism ahead of faith.

I no longer donate thanks to a malaria scare (with me, not with the blood bank lol)

I must say, its not exactly an amazing experience but free brew and biscuits and they generally come to some of the most convienient places going now theres no excuse not to.

Especially if youve got some super rare blood group, you might never need it, but thousands of others do.

I do,
Most rare blood group of them all.

i collapsed about a week after donating,my blood oxygen had dropped alot and my body was struggling to replace the blood so there obviously is a danger when donating,infact people die from it every year-im making sure im not going to be one of those reagardless if its viewed as being gay by site moderators or not

AB- ? im AB+ so fairly rare

10/60 fully?

T, if you're given correct advice before donating then those donating are free* from risk.

* upto 3% of donators may have a 'problem'. If properly screened then the worst than can happen can be light headiness, nausea or soreness. Although complications may and DO occur.

The tea and biscuits are to increase the blood sugar in the body, after all you've just lost 'an armful!!!!'

Just to clarify my view/position on this, I volunteer for the Warwickshire blood transfusion unit so my views, experiences and gratitude may be biased.

50/50 methanol i was thinking

Bezzer, I understand where you're coming from, but needed to state that donators 'can' come into danger, although as you say, very few and far between, but the danger is present.

My Mum worked taking the blood on sessions for 20 odd years and I spent quite a bit of my time with her and her workmates at local sessions, when I was younger and as I got older

I saw perfectly normal acting people go from drinking their tea to fainting and/or fitting within seconds.

It's never put me off though, as I knew how well trained my Mum and the other staff were

Lol

A+(The plus sign in mine stands for added Gin), not as rare a blood group as you may think

I do it when i get a chance, not as often as i'd like to though. Love the free biscuits and i make a point of telling awful jokes to the nurses as i know they are a captive audience!
Last visits was:
Me: Nurse, after you take my blood will i be able to play the piano?
Nurse: Yes, no problem.
Me: Great, I've never been able to play and always wanted to!
Nurse: Groan
Wife: Paul, shut up!