Going to give blood today

[butzie]

Originally Posted by tierre0

Right up until two years ago I use to give blood twice a year. I have A- blood so they use to alway notify me when the Blood Donor Clinic were.
However now because of my medication and the issue's I have with my hemoglobin I have had to stop donating.
Not sure whether I will ever be able to donate again time will tell. I hope so though because it is a very important gift to give.

That is what our daughter is, so I told her to be nice to her mother because I can give blood to her.

(DH is A+)

Anyway, it went just about how I expected it to go. I used to get nauseous and dizzy when I gave blood. The technicians worked out a way to minimize this. I start with my feet up just a little bit, with cold towels around my neck, and I make sure they watch me. The cold towels really help and I can make it through the whole donation process okay now. I just need a longer time to recover in the chair. They brought me the juice and goodies in the chair. I figure it is worth it, though, and I am happy to give.

And yes, it is hotter where Jacky lives. It is going to be nice and 84 today. The heat wave arrives this weekend, when we are supposed to be about 100. (I know that one - 38C). Jacky will have hotter temps. I think that it is going to be a bit cooler for her surgery Mon. - only 90 here.

 

[strange_wings]

Originally Posted by butzie

And yes, it is hotter where Jacky lives. It is going to be nice and 84 today. The heat wave arrives this weekend, when we are supposed to be about 100. (I know that one - 38C). Jacky will have hotter temps. I think that it is going to be a bit cooler for her surgery Mon. - only 90 here.

84F is still fairly warm! I can't really safely be outside for any length time once it hits 80F because I'm heat intolerant. I risk pitching right over and always get a bad headache. (I have to live with that nauseous dizzy feeling every single day whenever I'm standing up -if that puts it in perspective for anyone)

Be careful in the heat (everyone) and I'm glad your donation went well.

 

[yosemite]

Originally Posted by NorthernGlow

I'd like to donate but I'm not allowed 'coz I'm too small...

(The weight limit is 50 kg = approx. 110 lbs?)

Here in Canada we had to be over 100 lbs. I was 104 at the time that I usually gave blood and they always asked me if I was sure I was over 100 lbs.

 

[esrgirl]

When I gave a couple weeks ago, just before I was finished- the blood stopped flowing! I have never had that happen before. They kept poking around for six minutes and I ended up getting nauseated and had to stop. Almost finishing stinks! I will try again when I'm eligible though. Any ideas on how to prevent that from happening again?

 

[tara g]

I never have been able to give blood. The company I work for has bi-annual blood drives, they give out coupons for free food, shirts, etc.

First off, I don't weigh enough to give blood. I'm bordering the 110 minimum now that I've been working out a lot and building muscle, but really don't want to pass it

Second reason is because I'm always ending up getting another piercing or tattoo. They needed blood so badly here once that they waived the piercing restriction as long as it had been performed in a SC studio certified by DHEC.

I think its wonderful though when people donate blood. When I've had my blood taken before it never bothered me, and if I met their requirements I would. Rob no longer gives because the last time he did, they kept missing the vein and half his forearm turned into a nasty bruise and hurt for a week.

 

[libby74]

When I gave a couple weeks ago, just before I was finished- the blood stopped flowing! I have never had that happen before. They kept poking around for six minutes and I ended up getting nauseated and had to stop. Almost finishing stinks! I will try again when I'm eligible though. Any ideas on how to prevent that from happening again?

I had that happen a couple of years ago, and I almost swore off donating! My flow stopped just before the small tubes could be filled, and without the tubes they can't use the bag. I ended up with 3 phlebotomists trying to "re-arrange" the needle in my vein for 20 minutes! Finally, the flow started again and they were able to finish.
One of them told me this is something that doesn't happen very often, but that this was the problem: when they poke that needle into your vein, the tiniest bit of skin goes with it at the tip of the needle. Usually, when the blood starts to flow the skiin is dislodged and doesn't cause a problem. Once in a while, tho, the skin slips back so that it covers the tip of the needle and obstructs the flow. Moving the needle around will (hopefully) dislodge the skin and let the blood flow again. There's nothing you can do to prevent it, apparently; it's just "one of those things".

 

[ut0pia]

Originally Posted by libby74

Really? How did you end up in the US? (not trying to hijack this thread, just curious)

Moved here with my parents when I was really young

 

[lsulover]

Originally Posted by Trillcat

Also look into platlet donating, and plasma. They take a bit more time as your blood is spun around and bits put back into you. Plasmaherisis (I so did not spell that right). Well worth the time, and with plasma, they pay you, though your plasma will be used for research and making drugs that help people with clotting disorders and such, not for down and dirty "Gimme a bag of plasma, stat!"

ETA: please give blood in any form you wish. 4th of July is a big bad holiday for ER teams, lots of people blowing bits of themselves off.

The only bad thing with that is you have to be a certain height, and a certain weight, where I live they call that double double, cause you actually give two pints but then they put one back in.

Originally Posted by libby74

Good for you, Rosemary! (geez, I hope I got your first name right!

)

I've been a donor for quite some time; I just checked my card and I've
donated 52 times. Of course, I've been turned away at least 25 times because of low iron. I eat my spinach and sunflower seeds, take a vitamin with iron, and sometimes it still doesn't help. It seem to get worse the older I get.

My DD can never be a donor because she was born in Bulgaria---go figure.

Hope everythng goes ok for you today; remember to take it easy afterwards.

You can always eat raisins to help with your iron, but you need to eat the raisins right before you donate, the blood people told me this cause I am usually low with my iron. I am currently working on donating my third gallon.

Originally Posted by NorthernGlow

I'd like to donate but I'm not allowed 'coz I'm too small...

(The weight limit is 50 kg = approx. 110 lbs?)

Yeah, that is the weight limit here, and they keep changing it too, now they want you to weigh 110 (naked) so I usually can't donate because of that too