Self-Righteous People That Give Blood

Wacker · 23-03-2009 11:45PM

delta_bravo wrote: »

The IBTS form does not ask if you are a homosexual, they ask if you have had anal sex with a man or a woman (protected or not). If you have, you are not allowed give blood.

Oral too.

MIN2511 · 23-03-2009 11:50PM

Wacker wrote: »

Oral too.

Really? What has oral got to do with things :S

monkeyfudge · 23-03-2009 11:55PM

There's a also a rule about not being allowed to have come in contact with monkey fluids...

ShaunC · 23-03-2009 11:57PM

monkeyfudge wrote: »

There's a also a rule about not being allowed to have come in contact with monkey fluids...

Your fecked so:D

Capt'n Midnight · 24-03-2009 12:00AM

delta_bravo wrote: »

In some cases that has changed and you may be allowed to donate. My father had jaundice and was able to begin donating about 2 years ago

+1 on that.

The rules do change from time to time.
Maybe they will relax the UK one later
can you donate in NI http://www.nibts.org ?

BTW you get two hours free parking in town when you donate

dresden8 · 24-03-2009 12:01AM

speedboatchase wrote: »

Being hassled by a mate about giving blood today, usually I get hassled every few months about this. I simply don’t like needles and don’t want to feel light-headed and faint from such an experience, is that such a problem? Some people get on such a huge self-righteous buzz about this, like they’re saving the world and you’re an inhuman monster. I was even subjected to the hypothetical “kid dying in hospital story”.

I JUST DON’T WANNA GIVE BLOOD – why do people act this way? I understand the percentage of people that do is disproportional to the need etc but I just don’t want to and that’s that – anyone feel the same or feel the same hassle?

Tell them you tried to donate but they wouldn't take any because of your homosexual past.

Sorted.

monkeyfudge · 24-03-2009 12:01AM

ShaunC wrote: »

Your fecked so:D

Play around with monkey fluids as much as I want or have my blood slosh about in some sick guys body... I know which I'd pick!

Piste · 24-03-2009 12:03AM

I really want to donate blood or platelets but I'm wondering what the recovery time is like? I'm in 6th year at the moment so need a lot of time to study, if I donated blood over Easter how long would I be out of action for? Would a good night's sleep have me fully recovered?

R.D. aka MR.D · 24-03-2009 12:03AM

Gazza22 wrote: »

Typically wider than standard IV's to protect the red blood cells. This ensures the cells aren't destoyed by being forced at pressure through a narrow IV needle.

Oh thanks!
I can't believe i've learned something from AH

I've given blood loads of times but stopped because I need special tiny needles because otherwise i end up in agony and not able to use my arm for a day or so. (not being a coward it's a serious problem)

I asked for them in the d'olier street place and they said it wouldn't be a problem and when i showed up they didn't have them and didn't give me a reason!

But I would if I could! Everyone should if they don't have a real reason because you get to say your in the most exclusive club in Ireland

seriously tho, karma people!

reggiethefirst · 24-03-2009 12:07AM

Piste wrote: »

I really want to donate blood or platelets but I'm wondering what the recovery time is like? I'm in 6th year at the moment so need a lot of time to study, if I donated blood over Easter how long would I be out of action for? Would a good night's sleep have me fully recovered?

Recovery time is about 8 seconds.

Gazza22 · 24-03-2009 12:10AM

Piste wrote: »

I really want to donate blood or platelets but I'm wondering what the recovery time is like? I'm in 6th year at the moment so need a lot of time to study, if I donated blood over Easter how long would I be out of action for? Would a good night's sleep have me fully recovered?

Do it! There is no recovery time! You will be asked to relax for about 15 minutes after the donation to ensure there is no risk of you fainting etc.

Some people may faint or feel light headed/tired for an hour or so after donation. If you drink plenty of cold fluids and have a decent meal before donation you will most likely walk out of the clinic 15 minutes after donation feeling the same as when you walked in!

24-03-2009 12:10AM

Degsy wrote: »

Did you know that the Blood transfusion service is not a charity?
Did you know that they sell your blood to the hospitals at up to 200 quid a pint?
Pure profit making organisation.

They dont just take your blood then throw it in the cupboard until it's needed you know. Each clinic has doctors and a good few nurses, and also has to be bought/rented. The blood has to be transported to a big center which has a helluva lot of expensive equipment for testing/separating the blood and again a lot of bio-chemists to do this work. Then you have to market and advertise to actually get people in and donate. The operation isn't actually owned by anyone so even if they were making some sort of massive profit (And I don't even think they do make much of a profit if any at all) it's not for the benefit of some evil billionaire vampire.

I've worked summers for the blood bank and I have to say the VAST majority of people that come in and give blood are the nicest, most polite people you'll ever meet. Sometimes the quotas aren't reached though and blood has to be imported from abroad at great expense. Usually America I think.

The whole anal sex thing is purely just to remove the chance of something nasty slipping past the tests. Some of the rules may seem stupid, but you can't fúck around with things like this or else you'll end up with your balls sued off you a la the HepC scandal.

SeekUp · 24-03-2009 12:28AM

yoshytoshy wrote: »

If someone has high cholesterol and donates ,then some poor kid is at risk of high cholesterol:eek:

I'd rather high cholesterol than bleed out after getting in a car accident or something.

Wacker wrote: »

Platelet donations are no joy either.

Hear hear . . . I've been donating blood for more than a decade (ugh, that makes me feel old) but I've only starting donating platelets in the past year or so. They only have a shelf life of three days or something ridiculous, so they're needed quite often. Donating blood I can get in and out quite quickly (even after having my cookies and juice!), but platelets actually take quite a while, as they take the blood out, separate the platelets, and return the blood back to you. It's an interesting process, really . . . unfortunately, I've had a number of instances where my blood pressure dropped, making it impossible to get anything from me (apparently that's the way your body is supposed to work -- who knew?!). And when I have donated platelets, I have felt a little woozy for a bit afterward; taking in a lot of extra calcium in the day or two prior to the donation helps.

Anyway, if there's no reason why you can't donate, you should try -- it costs nothing and you get free food. Happy days . . .

Uncle Arthur · 24-03-2009 12:28AM

i give blood at every opportunity simply to avail of the free guinness afterwards.:D

Capt'n Midnight · 24-03-2009 12:31AM

yoshytoshy wrote: »

If someone has high cholesterol and donates ,then some poor kid is at risk of high cholesterol:eek:

If your body is already making too much cholesterol then getting more is bad.

SeekUp · 24-03-2009 12:34AM

speedboatchase wrote: »

Being hassled by a mate about giving blood today, usually I get hassled every few months about this. I simply don’t like needles and don’t want to feel light-headed and faint from such an experience, is that such a problem? Some people get on such a huge self-righteous buzz about this, like they’re saving the world and you’re an inhuman monster. I was even subjected to the hypothetical “kid dying in hospital story”.

I JUST DON’T WANNA GIVE BLOOD – why do people act this way? I understand the percentage of people that do is disproportional to the need etc but I just don’t want to and that’s that – anyone feel the same or feel the same hassle?

In my experience, when people actually sign up for an appointment and see how simple it is to set aside 30 minutes to donate blood/see how bearable the needle is for such a short period of time a few times a year, they're more likely to return. If you don't want to, no one's going to force you . . . it's just that unlike so much of the sh*t that's going on in the world, we can actually understand the problem and do something real and immediate to help. Wouldn't should we want to try to get as many people onboard as we can?

doctor evil · 24-03-2009 01:11AM

I donate blood!

I'm O Negative so get the red carpet treatment.

LD 50 · 24-03-2009 01:35AM

eoin wrote: »

I'm not allowed to donate because I lived in the UK for 11 years. I'd like to say that I would donate if I was allowed to, but it's pretty easy to say that when you can't.

same here. We had a blood drive in my 2ndary school, years back. I was going in to donate but read on a poster they had up with who could and who couldn't and thats where I found out I couldn't. So it not for not wanting to that I cant. I also have piercings now, which exclude me.

delta_bravo wrote: »

Gay people are allowed give blood if they are celibate. The IBTS form does not ask if you are a homosexual, they ask if you have had anal sex with a man or a woman (protected or not). If you have, you are not allowed give blood. Its really just a case of a precaution as the risk of HIV is higher amongst those who have had anal sex. Your sexuality is irrelevant.

That would exclude most of the guys, and probably girls too, that I know. And they're all straight.

SeekUp · 24-03-2009 01:47AM

LD 50 wrote: »

I also have piercings now, which exclude me.

You can donate if you haven't gotten a piercing within the past 12 months.

Not getting self-righteous, just sharing information . . .

Gazza22 · 24-03-2009 01:52AM

LD 50 wrote:

That would exclude most of the guys, and probably girls too, that I know. And they're all straight.

I'm pretty sure Delta Bravo made a mistake, it is sexuality specific. I'm sure the question states anal and oral sex male - male, it doesn't include females.

SeekUp wrote: »

You can donate if you haven't gotten a piercing within the past 12 months.

Not getting self-righteous, just sharing information . . .

It's only 6 months now.

LD 50 · 24-03-2009 02:16AM

Gazza22 wrote: »

I'm pretty sure Delta Bravo made a mistake, it is sexuality specific. I'm sure the question states anal and oral sex male - male, it doesn't include females.

That still excludes most of the guys I know. But if its not sexuality specific, why are only guys who have anal sex excluded?

It's only 6 months now.

I knew it was about that lenght of time. But as I just got 1 the other week..... moot.

Gazza22 · 24-03-2009 02:23AM

LD 50 wrote: »

That still excludes most of the guys I know. But if its not sexuality specific, why are only guys who have anal sex excluded?

Delta Bravo said it wasn't sexuality specific i.e generally if you have had anal sex male or female. This is incorrect. I said it was sexuality specific, as in the male gay/bi community. Only guy's are excluded because they are members of a designated high risk group. Lesbians are not a risk group.

The_Minister · 24-03-2009 02:29AM

reggiethefirst wrote: »

Recovery time is about 8 seconds.

Thats not true for everyone.

LD 50 · 24-03-2009 02:57AM

Gazza22 wrote: »

Delta Bravo said it wasn't sexuality specific i.e generally if you have had anal sex male or female. This is incorrect. I said it was sexuality specific, as in the male gay/bi community. Only guy's are excluded because they are members of a designated high risk group. Lesbians are not a risk group.

Ah, gotchya. My heads not working right. Need sleep.

orestes · 24-03-2009 03:22AM

I recieved loads of blood when I was a kid (full transfusion kinda stuff) so I went to try and donate blood a while ago to give something back and all that.

Apparently I'm inelligible to give blood because people who recieved blood at the time that I did are ineligable due to a heppititis scare in contaminated blood donations or something.

Ain't irony a bitch?

Paige Turner · 24-03-2009 04:20AM

EMLA numbing cream - put on a bit a few minutes before the needle is inserted - it makes the area go numb so you don't have to worry about feeling the pinch of the needle. Only costs €5 in any chemist, for a tube, which lasts ages. Works for me!

Bottle_of_Smoke · 24-03-2009 05:05AM

scottledeuce wrote: »

Its after hours FFS....

I should have thrown in how easy it is to get pissed after you donate as well...I got hammered on about 4 pints.

Link to article on other health benefits
http://edition.cnn.com/2000/HEALTH/04/26/give.blood.wmd/

Fair enough, it looked like a serious post! Smilies are there for a reason :pac:

Bottle_of_Smoke · 24-03-2009 05:10AM

The_Minister wrote: »

The rule isn't there because "only gay people spread HIV". The rule was instituted back when AIDs was more of an unknown factor, and was adopted by countries worldwide. At the time, it was rife throughout the gay community, and was hard to test for.

The reason its kept today is that screening tests can often fail, so the risk is reduced as much as possible, by blocking out high-risk groups such as drug users and sexually active gay men. Even though gay men only account for about 3-4% of the population, they harbor about 30% of AIDs cases (AFAIR). By excluding them, the risk of accidentally infecting someone is greatly reduced.

I'm all for the men who have sex with men ban but something just occured to me. My mum had to go for Hep C tests as she received a transfusion around the time of the scandals, it was negative but a man whos had sex with a man whos had a negative HIV/Hep B test can't donate, surely my mum/myself should also be banned for the same reason, do you know if we are?

chasm · 24-03-2009 05:24AM

As regards bone marrow register, i have just read this on their site:

Eligibility Criteria

Donors must:

* be aged between 18 and 45 years
* be willing to remain on the panel until they are 55 years of age
* be in good general health
* meet certain eligibility criteria which are assessed prior to placing donors on the panel

Does anyone know what the "certain eligibility criteria" is?
Cannot give blood as i lived in the uk, and I am under the weight for platelet donation, will this exclude me from registering for the bone marrow register?

amacachi · 24-03-2009 05:59AM

Was just checking the IBTS site and I don't see anything about jaundice as a baby precluding me from giving blood, or drugs, both mentioned earlier in the thread, can anyone confirm one way or the other if they're things that would stop me donating?

Self-Righteous People That Give Blood

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