Discussion
A few years ago I had a serious problem resulting in a long stay in hospital. During this time I received a couple of pints of blood.
I had to wait a long time for the blood and found that when you need blood and none is available, you really feel like s
t. I turned grey, felt like I was dying. Which I was apparently but hey.
Anyway, the blood arrived, they topped me up and I felt great in comparison. Resolved to return the favour, and I suspect a lot of people who receive blood feel the same way.
So why is it, that I AM NOT ALLOWED TO GIVE BLOOD? The radio adverts say my local NHS is desperate for blood. I want to help.
I've tried a few times and they just say "if you have received blood since 1st Jan 1980, you should not give blood". Surely if the blood I received was contaminated, then it would have become apparent by now. Should I just lie?
I had to wait a long time for the blood and found that when you need blood and none is available, you really feel like s
t. I turned grey, felt like I was dying. Which I was apparently but hey.Anyway, the blood arrived, they topped me up and I felt great in comparison. Resolved to return the favour, and I suspect a lot of people who receive blood feel the same way.
So why is it, that I AM NOT ALLOWED TO GIVE BLOOD? The radio adverts say my local NHS is desperate for blood. I want to help.
I've tried a few times and they just say "if you have received blood since 1st Jan 1980, you should not give blood". Surely if the blood I received was contaminated, then it would have become apparent by now. Should I just lie?
I received blood from the NHS and am not dead, have not actually been ill at all since. I have undergone a couple of blood tests since the event and I suspect they would check the blood before using it (hope so anyway!!)
I just need to know if there is any actual risk or if it's just a ridiculous rule preventing the most motivated people from donating.
ETA I didn't even know there was a medical forum on this site. Sure to get loads of responses now it's in the right place...
I just need to know if there is any actual risk or if it's just a ridiculous rule preventing the most motivated people from donating.
ETA I didn't even know there was a medical forum on this site. Sure to get loads of responses now it's in the right place...
Edited by matt0677 on Monday 6th July 20:18
Surely if blood is in such short supply, the restrictions should be a little more sensible than that!! I can understand some of the restrictions involving possible exposure to HIV etc but seriously. I understand that homosexuals are also excluded due to the possibility that they may carry HIV (it's not like the rest of us can carry it huh...)
Are there any doctors in this backwater of a subforum? I wouldn't want to endanger people if there is a risk, but as things stand I will simply omit the fact that I received blood, and hope the nurse doesn't ask about my motivations.
Are there any doctors in this backwater of a subforum? I wouldn't want to endanger people if there is a risk, but as things stand I will simply omit the fact that I received blood, and hope the nurse doesn't ask about my motivations.
Edited by matt0677 on Monday 6th July 21:56
Well how do you know where the blood came from? In times of crisis, it gets bought in and there are varying standards over the testing.
Aye, you might get something nasty, but if you're going to snuff it then you probably don't care too much about that.
AFAIK, it's not 100% possible for them to tell who got what and whether you might be contaminated with anything or not.
Hence banning everyone.
Maybe it's not fair, but it's an increased risk factor, as with all the questions they ask you like are you homosexual or an intravenous drug user etc.
Fair enough you may well not have anything (although have you been tested for HIV and and of the Hep viruses since?), but if everyone that's in a risk category goes "Naaaaaaaaaaaah, I'm fine me" then they might as well let anyone donate eh?
If you have caught something from the blood, then not only does the NHS have a dirty great liability claim from you, but then there's all the folk they've given your blood products to as well (and that may well be not just the one person).
Bully a few of your mates into it instead.
Aye, you might get something nasty, but if you're going to snuff it then you probably don't care too much about that.
AFAIK, it's not 100% possible for them to tell who got what and whether you might be contaminated with anything or not.
Hence banning everyone.
Maybe it's not fair, but it's an increased risk factor, as with all the questions they ask you like are you homosexual or an intravenous drug user etc.
Fair enough you may well not have anything (although have you been tested for HIV and and of the Hep viruses since?), but if everyone that's in a risk category goes "Naaaaaaaaaaaah, I'm fine me" then they might as well let anyone donate eh?
If you have caught something from the blood, then not only does the NHS have a dirty great liability claim from you, but then there's all the folk they've given your blood products to as well (and that may well be not just the one person).
Bully a few of your mates into it instead.
They were panicing about CJD and stuff like that at one point but not sure if they still are.
It does seem mad that they are so desperate but are so strict but equally they have to be careful for the donor and the recipient. I am only allowed to donate at the hospital, as the local bloodmobiles aren't kitted up for me having an SVT attack.
It does seem mad that they are so desperate but are so strict but equally they have to be careful for the donor and the recipient. I am only allowed to donate at the hospital, as the local bloodmobiles aren't kitted up for me having an SVT attack.
BigAlinEmbra said:
Well how do you know where the blood came from? In times of crisis, it gets bought in and there are varying standards over the testing.
Aye, you might get something nasty, but if you're going to snuff it then you probably don't care too much about that.
AFAIK, it's not 100% possible for them to tell who got what and whether you might be contaminated with anything or not.
Hence banning everyone.
Maybe it's not fair, but it's an increased risk factor, as with all the questions they ask you like are you homosexual or an intravenous drug user etc.
Fair enough you may well not have anything (although have you been tested for HIV and and of the Hep viruses since?), but if everyone that's in a risk category goes "Naaaaaaaaaaaah, I'm fine me" then they might as well let anyone donate eh?
If you have caught something from the blood, then not only does the NHS have a dirty great liability claim from you, but then there's all the folk they've given your blood products to as well (and that may well be not just the one person).
Bully a few of your mates into it instead.
That's a good understandable post for those of us with little medical knowledge. I haven't been specifically tested for things like HIV, although I would think that if I had been infected by that blood then there would likely be symptoms by now.Aye, you might get something nasty, but if you're going to snuff it then you probably don't care too much about that.
AFAIK, it's not 100% possible for them to tell who got what and whether you might be contaminated with anything or not.
Hence banning everyone.
Maybe it's not fair, but it's an increased risk factor, as with all the questions they ask you like are you homosexual or an intravenous drug user etc.
Fair enough you may well not have anything (although have you been tested for HIV and and of the Hep viruses since?), but if everyone that's in a risk category goes "Naaaaaaaaaaaah, I'm fine me" then they might as well let anyone donate eh?
If you have caught something from the blood, then not only does the NHS have a dirty great liability claim from you, but then there's all the folk they've given your blood products to as well (and that may well be not just the one person).
Bully a few of your mates into it instead.
I think your comments re compensation culture are probably closer to the mark - NHS is also home to some serious know-how and I'm sure the restrictions have some basis (hence why I'm not just charging in!)
BigAlinEmbra, you mean they buy it in from other countries which may have lower standards than ours?? That would be really weird.
Mrsxllifts I'm glad to see you donate even though it may cause you problems (quick google on SVT attacks!!) I hope you never need those services - it looks frightening.
Mr Ninja I am guessing that you've donated your time in the form of voluntary work of some such? In which case I applaud you. This has been on my mind for some years now and seems to be an itch which cannot be scratched.
I have some exposure (but not much experience of, yet) the National Blood Service. I'm not fully aware of the specifics, but the quality control side of blood processing, storage, screening etc is of the very highest standard. Every bit of kit is tested to massively rigerous standards, and maintained / replaced regularly to ensure that the amount of use per donation remains as high as physicaly possible, whilst screening for potentially contaminated / bad blood (I know "bad" isn't scientific, but you get the gist).
I know the NHS gets stick on here (although not from me), but the blood guys deffo don't deserve any of it IMO.
I know the NHS gets stick on here (although not from me), but the blood guys deffo don't deserve any of it IMO.
matt0677 said:
Mr Ninja I am guessing that you've donated your time in the form of voluntary work of some such? In which case I applaud you. This has been on my mind for some years now and seems to be an itch which cannot be scratched.
Yep, thanks. Half a day a week dedicated to helping cancer patients at a local hospice plus extra support for related events. I teach them stress management techniques (and treat the patients like they are paying clients, IYSWIM). A proper, authentic charity where you see the money raised actually providing the facilities that make cancer patients' lives better; not a chugger in sight and no directors with Ferraris. 
PS if anyone wants to donate, you can donate to your own cancer support centre: use http://www.macmillan.org.uk/ to find your local one. They're finding it more difficult to raise money in the recession as you can imagine. *rattles tin*
PPS http://www.do-it.org.uk/ Find something of interest to you.
Edited by ShadownINja on Tuesday 7th July 02:01
Edited by ShadownINja on Tuesday 7th July 09:47
Matt, AFAIK when the stocks get really low, then it does get bought in. It's rare, and generally from places with the same or higher standards (not necessarily the same though) as us (France/Holland), but even so there are risks.
The HIV test isn't a one off test in the early stages. Fair enough if someone is riddled then the tests will ping it straight away, but early doors they test you, then test again, and it's the movement in the markers (CD4 I think) that shows this up. If you've only got the one sample to test from, then you don't know what is going on. You'd get an indication if it is an abnormal reading, but if it's in normal parameters then the blood could be infected and you wouldn't know.
In the same way that men that like men may well not be infected, the risk is heightened.
Prostitutes, junkies etc don't necessarily have blood borne viruses, but because they are higher risk they too get KB'd.
In short, if there's something that has significantly raised your risk for whatever reason, then you're a no go.
Mr Ninja is setting a good example, and there's all sorts of things you can do to help out.
1) Get yer wallet oot for charity.
2) Do something for charity and make everyone you know get their wallets oot.
3) Donate time, that's free to you, but just as valuable to charities. Or you can go visit patients that have nobody to visit them, there are charities that sort that out too.
If you're having contact with children and vulnerable adults then you'd need security checked, but most places will sort that for you, and if you wanted to you could pay your own way for that. A full disclosure isn't all that pricey.
The HIV test isn't a one off test in the early stages. Fair enough if someone is riddled then the tests will ping it straight away, but early doors they test you, then test again, and it's the movement in the markers (CD4 I think) that shows this up. If you've only got the one sample to test from, then you don't know what is going on. You'd get an indication if it is an abnormal reading, but if it's in normal parameters then the blood could be infected and you wouldn't know.
In the same way that men that like men may well not be infected, the risk is heightened.
Prostitutes, junkies etc don't necessarily have blood borne viruses, but because they are higher risk they too get KB'd.
In short, if there's something that has significantly raised your risk for whatever reason, then you're a no go.
Mr Ninja is setting a good example, and there's all sorts of things you can do to help out.
1) Get yer wallet oot for charity.
2) Do something for charity and make everyone you know get their wallets oot.
3) Donate time, that's free to you, but just as valuable to charities. Or you can go visit patients that have nobody to visit them, there are charities that sort that out too.
If you're having contact with children and vulnerable adults then you'd need security checked, but most places will sort that for you, and if you wanted to you could pay your own way for that. A full disclosure isn't all that pricey.
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