Just HOW did you get through nursing school?

[Dasota]

I hear ya Mikkel. I've got C and can't donate either. : /

[Dilorenzo]

Give it for me, because I can't.

You know, I'm going to toss my hat in there. There's no medical or illness history stopping me from giving - all that does is the fact that I was in Ireland during a certain period of time where Foot and Mouth disease was prevalent among livestock, and there is no good way to test for any human carrying it. A few years prevents me from doing what I would, gladly, so if you can? Please do.

[JPD]

I have an appt to donate tomorrow; I'm just hoping my iron is high enough. I've noticed about a 50/50 chance of my iron being high enough to donate.

[Cia]

I donate for the pop and cookies. And now since I've started taking iron supplements my iron is high enough each time I go in. \0/ So if anyone is B- and gets this sudden urge to start meowing/barking at friends and family for the hell of it....bwahahahahaha!

[Sapphire Silk]

I've had trouble donating myself. My hemoglobin and hematocrit have been borderline anemic at times (not really sure why; when I go to the doc everything comes out fine).

I also have had access problems; my left AC isn't a good site due to my anatomy, and the right is scarring up. I'll probably get to a point soon where I won't be able to donate anymore

[Seshat]

Sapph,

At least you've been donating, and doing what you can. Thank you.

And thank you to JPD and Cia and everyone else who donates; or who donated until something stopped them.

[kpzra]

I've only been able to donate a few times as they usually say they are well stocked on my blood type. Only the veins in my left arm can be used due to burn scars so they only take if they need it.

[pitmonkey]

Hubby and I are do to give just before Christmas. Hubby is at the 10 gal level.

[lupo pazzesco]

I donate as regularly as I can, and when my iron permits me. Seriously, I once went in and they tested my iron. 29%. The woman doing my intake blinked, stared at me, and asked how I was still STANDING, let alone awake and coherent. She then ordered me to go slaughter a cow, and eat the whole thing.

I'm O-, so I try to get in every 8 weeks like clockwork, or 16 weeks when I do a donation through apheresis. Sadly, that doesn't always work because my veins are hard to stick. I mean, really hard. Last time was on Black Friday. My personal tradition is rather than go take and take and take at the stores, I go to a donation center and give of myself. Literally. I HAD scheduled an automated donation using the apheresis machine, either a double red OR a platelet, RBC and plasma, but the tech couldn't get a vein to pop up for long enough OR sit still. I had a slight bruise on my arm from how tight she had the BP cuff on trying to get my veins to cooperate. She didn't want to risk getting me hooked up, and having the needle fall out, so we just did a whole blood donation instead.

I'm happy to say my iron was at 42%. I took my multiV with OJ and had a good hearty breakfast and it helped, but I was lightheaded for the rest of the day.

I just want to echo Seshat and everyone else. If you can donate, then go. My family has a lot of military, and so does my boyfriend's. His grandfather, father, and he all told me to go in there for them, too. They've served overseas, and are permanently exempt, so I do what I can for them, since they want to, but can't.

[SongsOfDragons]

You know, I'm going to toss my hat in there. There's no medical or illness history stopping me from giving - all that does is the fact that I was in Ireland during a certain period of time where Foot and Mouth disease was prevalent among livestock, and there is no good way to test for any human carrying it. A few years prevents me from doing what I would, gladly, so if you can? Please do.

Oh yes! I keep meaning to tell a mate of mine who might be planning to move to the US that she can never, ever donate blood there if she does. If you spent six months or more in GB and I or the Channel Islands during...1989 - 1996 I believe nowhere else in the world will let you donate blood. vCJD and brain melty and all that.

I can't donate blood because I take sodium valproate - I'm contaminated! At least I get to silence the wenches who like nagging you to do it

[Seshat]

At least I get to silence the wenches who like nagging you to do it

I hope I didn't come across as naggy.

[PandaHat]

Oh yes! I keep meaning to tell a mate of mine who might be planning to move to the US that she can never, ever donate blood there if she does. If you spent six months or more in GB and I or the Channel Islands during...1989 - 1996 I believe nowhere else in the world will let you donate blood. vCJD and brain melty and all that.

How weird! That's not a reason to prevent British people from donating in Britain. Or at least I assume not, as I was born in 1989 and have given blood (obs since the age of 18. They weren't so desperate for blood they took it from me as a baby!).

Still, we have other ridiculous rules re giving blood that make very little sense.

[Kheldarson]

How weird! That's not a reason to prevent British people from donating in Britain. Or at least I assume not, as I was born in 1989 and have given blood (obs since the age of 18. They weren't so desperate for blood they took it from me as a baby!).

Still, we have other ridiculous rules re giving blood that make very little sense.

In the case of the US, it's an FDA ruling, from what I understand from talking to Red Cross workers. Since we can't test for the human version of mad cow, they'd rather not take the risk.

Which means my parents, both O-, can never donate again.

I'm also O- and try to donate, although it's been several years since my last time. The time before the last the nurse punctured the vein as best I can tell, which left me in severe pain. Then I completely freaked the next time I tried because all I could remember was the previous time. Add in a problem with needles anyway...it might be a while.

[SongsOfDragons]

I hope I didn't come across as naggy.

*flails madly* Nonononono!!

You're awesome and lovely and I've never even seen you attempt to persuade people to donate!! Let alone nag

I'm referring more to the chuggers and the internet, esp. on Facebook; there's adverts and individuals there who seem dying to say 'donate blood or you're a hearless selfish bitch!!'

I'm certain people don't want my antispazz drugs hissing their way through their bloodstreams!

How weird! That's not a reason to prevent British people from donating in Britain. Or at least I assume not, as I was born in 1989 and have given blood (obs since the age of 18. They weren't so desperate for blood they took it from me as a baby!).

I think they reckon it wouldn't matter in the UK because we're all in with a similar chance for mad cow. If we started banning folk who were living here during those years that's a massive chunk of donors - maybe even all of them!! - they've lost. Other countries wouldn't have the same chance of vCJD rolling around, so they wouldn't want to introduce any more. It is a fuckin' scary disease after all