I have never given blood. Before everyone jumps all over me (much as I like to be jumped once in a while) I haven’t been able to for very long. For most of my younger years I was too underweight. 5’9" and about 115-120lbs, I modelled but couldn’t give blood, hmm something to think about there. My dad however is a loyal donaor despite the fact that once after giving blood he passed out doen a flight of steps. Not cool. I intend to try again real soon though, hopefully I’m fat enough now 
I’ve donated three times. the first time I didn’t have any bad exprience. I bopped out feeling great. The second time was a few months later. I Felt sort of weak and clammy, but not too bad. The ird time I got up from the chair and whoa!! I nearly lost it right there. Cold, clammy, nauseous. Paler than my normal pale. The nurse took one look at me, pushed me back down and stuck my head between my knees. I hate to wait for two hours before I could leave. That was unpleasant enough that I didn’t give again, although I was willing to donate when my sister (who is my same A+ blood type) was having surgery. They wouldn’t take me because I’d had my ears pierced in the previous 12 months.
StG
I’m working on my 7 gallon pin now, and have never had trouble donating. The worst that ever happens is the occasional painful stick.
I’ve never fainted or felt nauseous afterwards. Sorry.
If they haven’t done this for you already, have them raise your feet during the process, and let you stay on the cot for a few minutes aftewards; this should help the faintness. I’m not sure about the nausea.
You do well to eat and drink prior to donating. Try bringing an interesting book to read during the process, which will take your mind off of it and supress any psychological component.
By all means, keep donating if possible; there’re too few of us.
BTW, I wear my gallon pins on my motorcycle jacket; I figure if I ever end up in the ER, the docs will see my pins and be less reluctant to top me off
VB
I could never eat a mouse raw…their little feet are probably real cold going down. :rolleyes:
I’ve given blood often and never had a major problem. I’ve been bruised once or twice (a LOT depends on the skill of the technician weilding the needle!) and once I felt nauseous and lightheaded and needed to sit in the bus for an extra 15 minutes and have an extra juice and packet of cookies before I felt well enough to drive. I had skipped breakfast that day. It DOES hurt a little and donating IS kind of a bother – waiting in line is never much fun, and I hate the needle stick that they do to check for anemia… That said, the payoff for the small inconvenience is HUGE. I never feel as golden-good as I do after I donate. Also, like voting, it’s a very good thing for my kids to see me do. They always fuss over me a little when I’m wearing my ‘blood-drop’ sticker. My dad always donated (still does) and he took me in for my first stick after I was old enough – that was a nice feeling – “My family does the right thing.” I’ll take my kids with me when they’re old enough and introduce them to the doing-the-right-thing rush.
Jess
Full of 'satiable curtiosity
Wimps!
I’ve donated at least 3 gallons of whole blood. Never had the least problem with a whole blood donation.
For the past 6 - 7 years, I’ve been a platelet donor. This involves a process called apheresis. Here’s how it works: Whole blood is removed from a vein in one arm, processed through a machine which removes the platelets and a little plasma, then the rest of the blood is returned through a vein in the other arm. The whole process takes about 2 to 2.5 hours. You get to sit with needles in both arms for the better part of 3 hours.
Nowadays, I’m on a one arm machine. The blood is taken from and returned to the same vein. Here’s why:
Back when I was still a two armer, they used to have trouble finding the vein in my left arm. They would have to search around with the needle, and take several “stabs” at it before they found it. This was plenty fun in itself. But wait.
On not one but TWO occasions, they missed the vein (or didn’t get a tight fit) on the blood return line. Now, to get things started, they pump a little saline solution through the lines.
If you’ve never had the unique sensation of salt water being pumped under your skin – boy, what can I tell you. Look up “excruciating” in the dictionary – it’ll be there. The fact that you have to remain perfectly still throughout this torture because you have a large bore needle in each arm only makes it better.
Of course, the purple and green bruise that extends 4 inches in either direction from your elbow on your inner arm is a bonus. Kind of a badge of bravery, I suppose.
Please understand: I would encourage anybody to give blood and to find out more about giving platelets. I’ve been doing it for years. Once I learned about my difficult to find vein in one arm, I’ve insisted upon the one-arm procedure and have had no problems. Donating blood products is a simple and cheap way to be a true humanitarian.
But “Oooh, I got a little bruise” or “Ooooo, I was a little dizzy afterwards”. Hmpf. Wimps!
Plunging like stones from a slingshot on Mars.
Well, this is MPSIMS:
[ARMY STORY]
Before being issued a dogtag, the (in this case, Danish) Army needs to know your blood type - they screen for a couple of other things as well, AFAIK. Unfortunately, the Army also has a need to teach otherwise non-medical personnel (medics/corpsmen) to give shots, start IVs and such.
Yep, you guessed it: My entire company in basic training were used as guinea pigs for medics who obviously needed all the practice they could get. Those damn medics-to-be (18-20 year old privates, just like we were) wore white lab coats over their camos and seemed to have the time of their lives. About one in five of the “patients” passed out, either from pain or from the sight of (altogether too much) blood. I was lucky enough to get the attention of the one (1) real physician present, after the medic had failed three times in his little game of “Chase mr. Vein”.
This being the Army, the passed-out soldiers were carried out and placed in a neat row on the lawn by the infirmary. And at this moment somebody decided to hand out leaflets about blood donation.
[/ARMY STORY]
Two years after the military scare, I gave blood and I have done it ever since. The nurses in the blood banks are generally speaking very professional when it comes to the actual needle insertion, and the good conscience is worth it. Just don’t donate at four and try to run 13 km cross-country at six…
Norman
I have never donated, partly because I hate needles and partly because the only time I worked up the nerve to do it in high school, I was on prescription drugs and couldn’t. But, my dad makes up for me…62 years old, and he’s donated close to 20 gallons in his lifetime.
Anyway, horror story: although I didn’t see this one, I heard it from more than one person. A guy I knew named Esteban donated during the blood drive at our high school. Just as the needle went in, his arm jerked and snapped the needle off near the base. With a tiny hollow metal cylinder piercing his vein, Esteban became a human fountain. A fine, thin, arc of blood projected out of his arm and onto the floor. Esteban thought it was cool, although another kid supposedly passed out.
I donate 2-3 times per year, but I never donate bad blood. No, I keep that tucked safely between me and my enemies.
The overwhelming majority of people have more than the average (mean) number of legs. – E. Grebenik
I’ve only donated three or four times in my life. The last time I donated was the only time I ever had any problems. The nurse sat me up on the gurney and gave me a cookie and a glass of juice. She asked me if I was okay and I said I was fine. She helped me stand up, although I still felt fine. She watched me walk across the room, looking and feeling just fine, then wished me a good day. I walked out the door and got about six steps into the parking lot when all of a sudden, it was like someone had turned off all the lights. My husband said that I stopped walking and then stood there for at least five seconds before actually falling, but it was very disconcerting standing there and not being able to see anything. I had just enough time to register the fact that I was going to faint and there was nothing I could do to stop it. He apparently helped me to the ground, then ran into the building and grabbed the nurse and dragged her back out. They apparently bundled me up in a wheelchair and dragged me back in (I was still out, so I don’t remember this). He told me later that I was unconscious for at least five minutes, maybe more. The weird part was that I didn’t feel dizzy or weak at all before this fainting episode, it literally hit me that quickly. One second I was fine, the next I was on the ground.
I have gone in a couple of times since then, but when I tell them this story, they won’t allow me to donate. I’ve always had naturally low blood pressure (usually in the 85-90 systolic over 40-50 diastolic range) and I think it is probably the cause of these weird fainting spells (I’ve had five fainting spells just like the one above).
Shadowfox
“Distinguished” Sexy assistant to Head Honcho,
Self-Righteous Clique