Donating blood

[DerpiesFreud]

Do you do it? yes?no?

if yes or no,why?

I`m considering it but I`m kinda worried about needles and stuff :erm:
my blood type is B+,dont know if thats good or bad in terms of rarity/donation.

also is there any medical requirements to it?
such as anemia,hiv,blood borne infections etc?

 

[ponder]

Use to. Stopped after this biatch tried to turn me into pincushion by trying 4 times to hit the veins in my left & right arms. Got thing about needles as well which is ok if I look away but 4 times is BS

 

[ozziej]

I've done it quite a few times haven't gone in a while. Been sick the last year or so.
B+ is one of the more rare types, you should donate.
It wasn't too bad, also don't like needles, but its worth doing.
Even KO'd once when I donated but hadn't eaten for the whole afternoon.
Was quite funny waking up to a few people looking at me on the floor. Wife enjoyed the show, thought it was funny

 

[ant_man]

Do it, there is nothing like the feeling knowing that your blood is coursing through somebodies veins.

 

[koeksGHT]

Do it, there is nothing like the feeling knowing that your blood is coursing through somebodies veins.

Some criminal usually.. shot by police and saved by your "life giving" blood.

Donated 6 times (at school to miss classes) and never again.. Pay me, then ill talk

 

[ant_man]

Some criminal usually.. shot by police and saved by your "life giving" blood.

Donated 6 times (at school to miss classes) and never again.. Pay me, then ill talk

Granted, but that is par for the course

Another bonus is that you get a discount if you need a transfusion.

I got a 20% when I needed one this year.

 

[DerpiesFreud]

Use to. Stopped after this biatch tried to turn me into pincushion by trying 4 times to hit the veins in my left & right arms. Got thing about needles as well which is ok if I look away but 4 times is BS

Yeah eish,thats something I`d like to avoid.maybe try a different place if they botch it

Do it, there is nothing like the feeling knowing that your blood is coursing through somebodies veins.

True,probably the strongest argument for donating blood,the fact that I can save someones life by just donating blood.

Some criminal usually.. shot by police and saved by your "life giving" blood.

Donated 6 times (at school to miss classes) and never again.. Pay me, then ill talk

also valid,however statistically speaking I doubt more than 50% or even 30% of people needing a transfusion are criminals..

uuh one donates at the south african blood place thingy?
do they need/do a medical record of sorts?

 

[ant_man]

Nope no medical records required.

You need to fill in a few papers and you on your way.

 

[Ockie]

Donated once while in school. Saw a question on questionnaire that did not agree with my sensibilities. And that was that.

I am however grateful to those that do donate. My mom needed a transfusion when we were in a bad car crash on N1 on our way back to Paarl. It really is a gift of life.

 

[ant_man]

Donated once while in school. Saw a question on questionnaire that did not agree with my sensibilities. And that was that.

I am however grateful to those that do donate. My mom needed a transfusion when we were in a bad car crash on N1 on our way back to Paarl. It really is a gift of life.

When I first donated I wasn't entirely truthful on the questionnaire.

I realised that what I was doing was irresponsible so from there on out my sheet had more yes's than no's.

 

[krycor]

I donated a lot when i was in Cpt. Since i moved up here i havent bothered.

 

[zizo911]

Where can one donate? I would love to, but I don't think I am eligble

 

[HavocXphere]

NB donating during varsity holidays is especially important. A sizable chunk of the SA blood supply comes from students so the available supply dips during those times.

When I first donated I wasn't entirely truthful on the questionnaire.

I realised that what I was doing was irresponsible

+1 Personally some of the questions rub me the wrong way too, but people need to realize that the blood service needs to manage risk & if they need to ask difficult questions to do that then so be it.

Where can one donate? I would love to, but I don't think I am eligble

Lots of guidance on all kind of blood donating related things here:
http://www.sanbs.org.za/

Wish I could donate, but I'm disqualified unfortunately. :/

 

[isie]

Donated once while in school. Saw a question on questionnaire that did not agree with my sensibilities. And that was that.

I am however grateful to those that do donate. My mom needed a transfusion when we were in a bad car crash on N1 on our way back to Paarl. It really is a gift of life.

It wasn't the one about being pregnant ?
JK -

I know previously they would apparently reject gay donors (or just destroy blood cant remember properly), but i think this changed in the last couple of years - Im not calling you old but I am assuming its been a while since you were in school
Next time I donate ill try and remember all the 'sexual lifestyle questions' (or take a photo) if its changed for the better would you consider donating?

Edit: never mind Ockie they still apparently have a really stupid rule:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_African_National_Blood_Service#Criticism

Gay men can donate blood only if they have been celibate for at least 6 months

:wtf:
So if you in a committed relationship for years but gay you cant donate -

 

[HavocXphere]

they still apparently have a really stupid rule:

Statistically they represent a higher risk - hence the rule. As I said - they need to manage risk. Sure there are undoubtedly many gay people out there who take better precautions than the average straight person & are less of a risk, but realistically how are you going to identify those? You can't, hence you're forced to average things out a bit - take a step back & from that perspective gay people represent a higher risk.

The blood donation guys are pretty desperate +- 365 days a year for donors. They wouldn't enforce a policy like this & piss people off if there wasn't a reason for it. Sure they screen blood for major risk factors, but this screening isn't perfect. Hence they rely on other factors to mitigate the risk...including questionnaires about sexual orientation.

idk why this is so difficult to see tbh. Sure equal rights for all, but ultimately you need to take any precaution you can to avoid unnecessarily putting lives at risk.

 

[ant_man]

Statistically they represent a higher risk - hence the rule. As I said - they need to manage risk. Sure there are undoubtedly many gay people out there who take better precautions than the average straight person & are less of a risk, but realistically how are you going to identify those? You can't, hence you're forced to average things out a bit - take a step back & from that perspective gay people represent a higher risk.

The blood donation guys are pretty desperate +- 365 days a year for donors. They wouldn't enforce a policy like this & piss people off if there wasn't a reason for it. Sure they screen blood for major risk factors, but this screening isn't perfect. Hence they rely on other factors to mitigate the risk...including questionnaires about sexual orientation.

idk why this is so difficult to see tbh. Sure equal rights for all, but ultimately you need to take any precaution you can to avoid unnecessarily putting lives at risk.

This is very strange as on the questionnaire, as far as I can remember, I stated that I had multiple partners, and they still Accepted me.

 

[koeksGHT]

Anyway, what happened to this new bio blood? Too expensive? Or do they just like sucking the nation dry in multiple ways

 

[StrontiumDog]

Only 2% of the western cape population donates blood!

Where can one donate? I would love to, but I don't think I am eligble

http://www.wpblood.org.za/?q=page/where-can-i-donate

<snip>
Lots of guidance on all kind of blood donating related things here:
http://www.sanbs.org.za/
<snip>

The Western Cape / Western Province Blood Transfusion Service stands apart from the SANBS. I skimmed through the 'position paper' and it made sense, the parts that I read: http://www.wpblood.org.za/sites/all/themes/wpblood/docs/PositionPaper-April2003.pdf

 

[StrontiumDog]

From http://www.wpblood.org.za/?q=page/when-shouldnt-i-donate

When shouldn't I donate?

Despite your best intentions, there are unfortunately certain circumstances that will prevent you from donating blood from time to time. Read through this list before heading off to the donor clinic, and make sure that you're fit to donate.

You won't be able to donate if you

• don’t meet our basic donor criteria
• haven’t eaten something three to four hours before giving blood
• have any infection (even a cold!) – you need to be symptom-free for at least 7 days
• are being treated with antibiotics – you must wait at least a week after finishing treatment
• have had major surgery within the past six months
• are expecting to have surgery within six weeks
• are pregnant, or gave birth in the past three months
• breastfed your baby within the past month
• returned from a malaria area within the past month
• have had sex with a new partner within the past six months
• have had more than one sexual partner in the past six months
• have had sexual contact in the past six months with someone whose sexual background is unknown to you
• suspect that there's a chance you may have contracted a sexually-transmitted disease such as HIV or syphilis
• are aware of the fact that you have contracted a sexually-transmitted disease such as HIV or syphilis
• are taking certain medication or have had any serious illness. Please discuss this with the sister on duty or call us and ask to speak to the Medical Officer or Head Sister.

Your honesty is vital
The Western Province Blood Transfusion Service has an obligation towards recipients to deliver safe, uncontaminated blood. It’s therefore vital that you be completely honest with us before donating blood. We have no intention of discriminating or offending you. We simply want what’s best for both our recipients and our donors.

If you have any doubts or queries, please discuss them with a member of our staff at your nearest facility, or contact the Medical Officer at our Pinelands head office.

 

[isie]

Statistically they represent a higher risk - hence the rule. As I said - they need to manage risk. Sure there are undoubtedly many gay people out there who take better precautions than the average straight person & are less of a risk, but realistically how are you going to identify those? You can't, hence you're forced to average things out a bit - take a step back & from that perspective gay people represent a higher risk.

The blood donation guys are pretty desperate +- 365 days a year for donors. They wouldn't enforce a policy like this & piss people off if there wasn't a reason for it. Sure they screen blood for major risk factors, but this screening isn't perfect. Hence they rely on other factors to mitigate the risk...including questionnaires about sexual orientation.

idk why this is so difficult to see tbh. Sure equal rights for all, but ultimately you need to take any precaution you can to avoid unnecessarily putting lives at risk.

I agree they have to balance the risk, and even for us heteros they supposed to reject for shall we say promiscuous lifestyle, just think it odd that me who in a relationship with my trusted partner I'm not rejected because i have sex with my wife, but a gay man who in exactly the same trusted relationship with his partner is expected to be celibate forever if he wants to be a consistent donor ?

Look I'm not going to stop donating because of this, just think it is discriminatory, as for the risk homo sexual men are the same risk as Heterosexual men, some guys are safe and some are not