Do you donate blood or platelets

[Square Wheels]

Is yes, Thank You!

 

If no, WTF not?

[Chopped Liver]

They don't like blood from people who have had Hepatitis.

[Square Wheels]

They don't like blood from people who have had Hepatitis.

 

OK, you get a pass, so long as it was hepatitis after your 11th birthday.  If it was prior, you're in.

[Indy]

Nope, I have this thing about needles after spending time being a pin cushion as a kid.

[Chopped Liver]

OK, you get a pass, so long as it was hepatitis after your 11th birthday.  If it was prior, you're in.

12

[Parsnip Totin Jack]

I used to donate both, a lot.  Whole blood every eight weeks for probably sixteen to eighteen years.  Periodically, they'd ask for platelets and I would, but the experience for me was much more painful than whole blood donations.  Haven't donated in two years.  I feel like I should but the desire to go just isn't there anymore.

[jsharr]

Not on purpose.

[JerrySTL]

Why not:

Hepatitis A as a kid -  about 10 YO.

Plus I lived in the UK during the Mad Cow Disease scare and they won't take blood from anyone in my family.

[jsharr]

Is yes, Thank You!

 

If no, WTF not?

I have in the past.  Not recently.  And ask yourself, would you really want some of me inside of you?  

[Square Wheels]

OK, so I guess by why not, I wasn't asking for details.

 

Hep A before 11 is cool (no idea why).

More than 3 cumulative years in the UK between 1980 and 1996 is not (stupid rule).

[Olas Nah]

No. Because I don't believe in giving up blood that my body needs willingly. I've done it before, yes, but given that I don't want to be involved in an accident and suddenly need that blood, and not have it, I'm not tempting fate. It's great that other people donate, but I just don't. I donated probably 3 times when I was in the service, and once during HS. I had enough of the needles and loopy feeling anyways. Plus I actually do ride a bike, and I've read the following from the Red Cross on the subject: "The plasma from your donation is replaced within about 24 hours. Red cells need about four to six weeks for complete replacement. That’s why at least eight weeks are required between whole blood donations."

 

Yeah, I'm not putting myself at risk for 4-6 weeks, or even 1 week. Not just for fitness sakes, but simply because I could wreck on the bike and need every drop.

[Randomguy]

I have tiger blood, me and Charlie Sheen.

[Indy]

Hep A before 11 is cool (no idea why).

 

You've got a really twisted sense of what's cool.  Must be the Boston thing.

[Square Wheels]

All false logic Olas.

 

A single red cell lasts approximately 120 days.  Your bone marrow constantly produces new red cells.

During a donation you will lose about 1 pint of blood, you have 10 - 12.  You will replace the volume almost immediately, but exercise is frowned upon until your fluids equilibrate and you get used to the lower red cell volume - usually the next day.

 

The reason for not letting you donate more frequently that every 8 weeks is partly for the red cells, but mostly for the iron.  You body can't make that and it is very difficult to absorb.

 

You mentioned you may need blood, it can't be manufactured, cultured or created in any way yet, and likely not in our lifetime.  It can only come from generous donors.

[Square Wheels]

You've got a really twisted sense of what's cool.  Must be the Boston thing.

 

Nah, I meant cool with the regulations, not with the person.

[Indy]

Nah, I meant cool with the regulations, not with the person.

 

Sure you did.  You're sick.

[Randomguy]

Nah, I meant cool with the regulations, not with the person.

 

I don't believe this, I think you think it is cool to spread Hep A to 11 year-olds.  That is really wrong, didn't anyone ever tell you this?  You should really change your ways.

[Parsnip Totin Jack]

Olas, if you really believe what you typed about not donating blood based on "I might need it tomorrow", you ain't right.

[Olas Nah]

Eh..Sue me. I don't feel the pressure to donate blood anyway. If I were required to I would. .but until then.

[Reverend_Maynard]

 If I were required to I would. .but until then.

I'm sure Obama is working on it.

[KrAzY]

I used to, but then again anytime I try I get turned down. Either I have been overseas too recently, or my tattoos are too fresh. 

They just tell me that because my blood smells of big mac's and nicotine  

[tybeegb]

I've been donating platelets since the early 80's.  Before that I was up to 14+ gallons of whole blood.  I'm deferred now until February for the afib I had which I now have to take a beta blocker, but as soon as that is over I will continue.  I think I have something like 200+ platelet donations.  I catch up on movies since they take a triple and I have to sit there for two hours.  

[Square Wheels]

See you slackers. Tybee showed us how it's done!

[SuzieQ]

I haven't because of trips back to SA which is a malaria zone.... can't remember now how many years after visits is required

[Road Runner]

I have years ago when the blood mobile used to come to our office building on a regular basis.  Not lately though, but I would if there was a need and the opportunity presented itself.

 

Is there really a need for old guy blood?  

[Longjohn]

_{I have donated gallons over the years, up until a year ago when I was diagnosed with CLL.  I don't think it's a good idea for someone with leukemia to donate blood.  I had good stuff too, A- my wife says that's why I have a negative attitude.}

[Olas Nah]

Olas, if you really believe what you typed about not donating blood based on "I might need it tomorrow", you ain't right.

 

Just one of many small reasons really. I'm not crazy about many things, but I don't play around with my body, even if it's a piddling of blood that gets replenished. Not exactly something I'm inclined to go around donating.

[Square Wheels]

I haven't because of trips back to SA which is a malaria zone.... can't remember now how many years after visits is required

 

Depends on how long you were in "SA" (not sure where there is).  If it was only for a visit and you weren't a resident, then it's one year after you leave.

 

I have years ago when the blood mobile used to come to our office building on a regular basis.  Not lately though, but I would if there was a need and the opportunity presented itself.

 

Is there really a need for old guy blood?  

 

There is no mandated upper limit for the age of the donor, the individual center may impose one.  We don't.  There is always a need for blood.

 

Just one of many small reasons really. I'm not crazy about many things, but I don't play around with my body, even if it's a piddling of blood that gets replenished. Not exactly something I'm inclined to go around donating.

 

There used to be a theory that since men don't menstruate, donating blood helped in decreasing the risk of heart attack by keeping your iron more in balance.   That theory has since been debunked, but it's likely to still have positive benefits.

 

_{I have donated gallons over the years, up until a year ago when I was diagnosed with CLL.  I don't think it's a good idea for someone with leukemia to donate blood.  I had good stuff too, A- my wife says that's why I have a negative attitude.}

 

Thanks for the donations, and sorry about the CLL.

[Olas Nah]

 

There used to be a theory that since men don't menstruate, donating blood helped in decreasing the risk of heart attack by keeping your iron more in balance.   That theory has since been debunked, but it's likely to still have positive benefits.

 

Aspirin thins your blood, doesn't it...wouldn't donating have had a similar effect?  That's why back in the day they 'bled' patients I believe, because of the euphoria from reduced blood volume. Need to read up on that. I used to have one of those bleeding devices...probably was worth something, but it got tossed by accident.

[Square Wheels]

Aspirin prevents platelets from clumping together.  Your volume remains the same.

 

When you donate you lose mostly red cells, some white cells, platelets and plasma.  That volume is replaced partially by fluids shifting in your body and partially by what you drink, so in theory your blood does become "thinner".  This is completely different that taking aspirin.

 

People with hemochromatosis have too much stored iron and are bled therapeutically.  There are other therapeutic "bleedings", but those don't happen in a hospital.