I used to donate blood, but it has been quite a few years now since I have.

This type of donation gives twice as much, so less of your time that it takes.

Same, it’s been quite awhile since I have donated.

I sometimes have needed to push past the weight requirements— I’m completely healthy. I hope you’ve spurred me to drop by the red cross or blood bank.

I've given over 100 pts over the years, but haven't given in awhile due to health issues. But I know how the blood transfusions saved DH's life. It is a wonderful gift, and one you know will only be used for the purpose for which it was intended...unlike so many charities where you donations come back to you in the form of more dunning letters!

I've given for a surgery for myself, twice, because my doctor had hoped I could and by weighing down my pockets, dressing heavily both of those days. I had salt water fishing weights in the pockets of a vest that I did not remove when weighed.

There have been very few years I meet the weight requirement. I don't meet it now and have been trying consciously to put on a few pounds.

I was a regular donor for 40 years until I had a bad experience. It soured me on donating. I’ve thought about starting back up but I’m guessing I might have some disqualifying health issues now.

I appreciate what you said jrb

health issues, disqualifying or not

Check and find out! They've been changing things lately. You might be surprised

I used to all the time, then I came back from Germany and they wouldn't take my blood anymore. Mad Cow disease. That restriction has been lifted for the Red Cross, so when it was I went to donate. Then sometime after that I had a routine doctor's appointment and found out I was anemic. I haven't donated since and now I'm not sure I should. Next check up I'll ask.

No. I never have. No reason really. I hear its actually really good for your body to give blood, so that it replaces it with "fresh blood" or something like that. My employer holds a couple blood drives a year, but I have never participated.

I was on a forced hiatus, but now that I'll be 5 years past a cancer diagnosis, I'll be able to donate again. The "Power Red" donation is interesting - donating red blood cells, but not whole blood, so you aren't as volume depleted after the donation. It takes longer than donating a unit of whole blood, but they get two units of red blood cells.

I have but it’s been awhile. DH donates as often as possible. In his case, I think they told him his blood type (O negative) is needed for babies in the womb. There were a couple other factors but I can’t recall what they are. Some years ago I got on the bone marrow registry after being tested. I was never called to donate.

I do it 3 or 4 times a year. My mother required periodic transfusions later in her life, so I know how important it is to have a supply available.

Toronto,

Did you see how they put the rest of it back? Don't you think that's amazing? Am I wrong?

I hadn’t in quite some time but then started up again a while back. Not regularly but I try to when they start blowing up my phone, if only to shut them up. The last couple times I did the red blood cells. Doesn’t feel much longer than whole, and it takes longer until they hound me again. It’s weird seeing the yellowish liquid go back in.

" Did you see how they put the rest of it back? Don't you think that's amazing? Am I wrong? "

Separating the blood components is not new technology (apheresis https://www.yalemedicine.org/conditions/apheresis), but I'm surprised that they're returning it, rather than keeping it, because there is a need for plasma and platelets as well as for whole blood......I guess they've determined that the need for red blood cells is greater than their need for the other parts of the blood (plasma, platelets, white blood cells).

That is, interesting to know, both food and Toronto. Hmm

I do, quite regularly. I thimk it’s the right thing to do and don’t understand why so many people don’t. Everyone would be glad to have available blood if their loved ones or they needed it but still din’t donate to help others. What’s up with that?

I donated when we first moved here to the US, but was banned for years because of Mad Cow disease. After a while, I didn’t even bother to check if it changed. Just did, and it seems they lifted this restriction.

The only blood taken out of my body is 2-3 times a year to check on whatever Drs want to see.

I had 'health issues' and then spent 2 weeks in and out of hospital with anemia. I actually asked the oncologist 2 days ago about donating blood and he said absolutely not. Husband used to donate yearly when he worked for a company that brought the blood drive to the corporate campus.

I’ve never weighed enough to give blood. I once received four units and want to thank all of you who donate.

Good reminder, thank you.

I used to do it, at work, through our synagogue, etc but now that I'm retired I don't actually hear of blood drives. I will look into this. I think Covid also changed these "events" but maybe they are back to happening.

Gallons. and yes always power reds always.

I used to donate blood every couple of months until they nabbed me for platelets, which are in demand, too. I donate platelets once a month, although I am eligible to do so every 2 weeks. It takes up to 2.5 to even 3 hours sometimes, which at this point in my life, I cannot do every two weeks. A business in town - Biolife, they may be nation-wide - pays new platelet (or plasma?) donors $800. I'm tempted....

Wish I could but I can't anymore.

I tried to but I keeled over and caused more trouble than I was worth. They politely told me that maybe I shouldn't come back. It is illegal to pay donors here.

Floral,

I'm sorry to hear that. For a long time I was too small to donate, and that was my biggest obstacle. Then I had a debilitating illness (incredibly rare, and I didn't want to do anything other than what I had to do)... and now I'm just lazy

Blood donations do not have payment here.

Plasma donations, which cannot be reproduced synthetically, are paid here.

When I donated the last time, I noticed that all of the other donors were older people. I started donating very young, so I thought this was odd. We used to have drives at work but of course, I wasn't eligible to donate then. I'm sure a lot of the younger workers went but then I worked in healthcare.

“When I donated the last time, I noticed that all of the other donors were older people.”

Could that have had to do with where/when you went? When I go to the blood center it’s intentionally during regular business hours so yeah, most there are older. When I spontaneously go to a blood drive at say the shopping mall, the demographic trends much younger.

Yes, I have given off and on for years. When I was premenopausal, I sometimes got deferred due to low hemoglobin but that hasn't happened for years. I give the double reds as they are called here.

Several years ago I was notified that I was a rare blood donor and my blood would receive special treatment and that I may be called to donate in times of need. My blood lacks antibodies that most blood contains. I have never been asked to donate above and beyond the ordinary requests. I have had a transfusion during cancer treatment since this notification. I did not need special blood.

I do quite often, and I gave platlets after I had Covid a few times, but I was very uncomfortable doing that and so I just give whole blood now. They do call alot and I always say I will make an appt on the computer.

https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/login

I remember trying in the 90's. I did give, and then I got a letter saying that they can't use it. There's something in there or something.

Fast-forward a couple of decades when Tom had his cancer. I wanted to donate again. She looked on her computer and said that I'm unable to.

Maybe I have Superpowers?? Who knows.

I don't understand jasdip. Do you have a limiting condition that stops you from donating? Or is it something else?

I've never given blood. You have to weigh at least 110, so I don't qualify. It's too bad, because I understand my O+ is pretty useful.

O- is the universal donor. And O+ is the most common type. So both those are pretty helpful

I used to give but discovered they could only use my plasma. I have rh negative blood but was mistyped when expecting my first baby. I never got the RhoGam injection. He is rh positive so i have antibodies in my blood now. The error was discovered when expecting my second. Poor kid was born with jaundice and had to stay under the bilirubin lights for a few days.

Anyway, if they can’t use all my blood, Ill just keep it.

I am signing in for today's donation. I think some here had questions about refusal of blood. It sounds like this is what some of you wondered about (from Red Cross site):

Related Acute Lung Injury (TRALI)

TRALI is an acute complication following blood transfusion that is characterized by severe shortness of breath, often associated with fever and low blood pressure. Although rare, it is one of the most common causes of transfusion-related death. TRALI can occur rapidly after a blood transfusion and is often associated with the receipt of plasma or platelet products.

In order to maintain the safest possible blood supply for our patients, we need to reduce the risk of TRALI in the plasma and platelets we collect.

There is no specific test to identify blood products that will cause TRALI in a transfusion recipient. However, we do know that units of plasma or platelets that have caused a TRALI reaction in a transfusion recipient often contain antibodies to human leukocyte antigens (HLA). These antibodies are known as HLA antibodies and are on the white blood cell (leukocyte) surfaces. When women are exposed to their baby’s blood during pregnancy and delivery, they may develop HLA antibodies. There is a direct relationship between pregnancy history and having a positive test for HLA antibodies.

The presence of these HLA antibodies in a healthy individual’s blood does not cause health problems, and generally does not cause harm when transfused to patients. However, in rare cases, HLA antibodies may contribute to a TRALI reaction in a transfusion recipient.

We can reduce the chance that blood products—particularly plasma or platelet products—contain these HLA antibodies, and reduce the risk of a TRALI reaction in transfusion recipients by expanding the screening process for all female donors.

If you are a female donor, we will ask you how many pregnancies you have had. If you are donating apheresis, we will test a sample of your blood for HLA antibodies. This screening will be performed each time the number of pregnancies you have had changes.

If your test for HLA antibodies is negative

• You can continue to donate platelets and or plasma.

If your test for HLA antibodies is positive

• You will be notified by mail; the notification letter will not say anything about your pregnancy history. You will be asked to stop donating plasma or platelets by apheresis.
• You will be encouraged to help us in the future by donating red blood cells or by helping the Red Cross as a volunteer.

A positive test result does not affect your health. TRALI is a condition that only affects some blood recipients. It does not affect blood donors.

If you have any questions about this information, please ask the supervisor at your collection site.

If you are a regular donor and you have been pregnant in the past, please continue to donate on a regular schedule at this time. Not all individuals who have been pregnant develop HLA antibodies, and your help is needed to supply life-giving blood products to the patients who depend on us.