Blood Donation

[MKR&*42]

So Shar posted a thread last year about whether you would donate blood or not http://www.habboxforum.com/showthread.php?t=793417.

25 people said yes they would (24 not including myself), did anyone who didn't donate prior to seeing the thread and who can actually donate, donate any time within the last year and a bit? I donated in February last year and then at the end of May I think, and I have another appointment tomorrow (after much persuasion by the blood group to donate again).
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Some fun facts about donations:

- You can donate from age 17, there are other criteria here - http://www.blood.co.uk/giving-blood/who-can-give-blood/
- One blood donation can go to potentially 3 different people (or for medical research)
- Blood stocks located: http://www.blood.co.uk/about-blood/stock-levels-statistics/ (the days stock is more important, the total stock is different because for example AB- blood is only present in 1pcnt of the population, hence the low stock total overall but the fact the amount they currently have would suffice for several days... I think that's how it works.)

- Effectively, anyone who has O- blood is a "universal donor" because their blood can usually go to anyone in any blood group, hence if you're O- and you can donate you should.
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You can register and make an appointment on http://www.blood.co.uk , I'm sure you can telephone to make an appointment and you might be able to walk into blood donation session and register there and then, but I'm not 100pcnt sure. So yes pls if you can consider donating blood :) If you want to know anything about the experience I can answer qs!!

[Alkaz]

I would love to give blood but I can't because of my sexuality which is a shame but I can see why they don't let you.

[-:Undertaker:-]

I keep meaning to go and donate tbh, I probably will in the summer when I am back home.

Even if it's just for the experience.

[scottish]

Nope.

[Empired]

I'm O- but cannot donate blood to other people which is a real shame because it can go to anyone. I have a blood disease and do donate blood but it's to be tested on to find out more about the disease rather than going to people who need a blood transfusion. At the moment my haemotologist isn't sure if it's safe for me to donate blood to other people. Exciting stuff.

[AgnesIO]

I don't, and realistically won't. They'd have to knock me out, even typing this message is making me feel really, really ill.

I struggle with vaccinations, never mind having blood taken.

[Phil]

I would love to but I'm terrified of needles

[Zelda]

i would love to but even thinking about it makes me start to go light headed and feel nauseous, if they did it while i was out cold because of some operation and i wouldn't be able to tell afterwards though in any way then that'd be wonderful though! But my haemophobia is quite strong tbh :(

[David]

dont think i seen/replied to that thread. but no i haven't given blood since then because i'm not allowed. i would though if i could.

[Yupt]

I didn't do that poll, but I donate as frequently as I can. I've only done it twice so far but I don't intend to stop.

Probably worth saying for those who would like to but are a little nervous - I went on my own just out of a "screw it, lets go" attitude and was pretty nervous when I arrived. You feel the needle go in, it's like an injection yes. But you don't feel blood sucking out of you, in fact you don't really feel it at all. There's the presence of the needle but even that feel like you've just got something poking your skin, it's not uncomfortable or painful.

[-Nick]

I would love to give blood but I can't because of my sexuality which is a shame but I can see why they don't let you.
I don't get why this would effect donating blood:O?

If I was older enough, I would probably donate.

[Alkaz]

I don't get why this would effect donating blood:O?

If I was older enough, I would probably donate.
There was a thing years ago I think where a gay man donated blood and he had HIV and didn't know and they gave his blood to quite a lot of people who became infected with the HIV. If you've not had intercourse for 12+ months then you're fine.

[James]

I haven't looked into if I can, or even what blood type I am. Realistically I probably wouldn't donate blood, purely because of my major nausea when it comes to needles and blood.

[MKR&*42]

I don't get why this would effect donating blood:O?

If I was older enough, I would probably donate.

Pretty much what Alkaz said.

Gay men supposedly have a higher risk of catching HIV and there are apparently rare chances that it won't be detected in tests, so it's outright banned if you've had intercourse (m>m) in the past 12 months.

Though it used to be a total ban until a few years back. 12 months is very lax compared to previous lifetime ban.

I mean, at present the USA has a total ban if you've ever had male-male sex, though it's changing this year.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Men_who_have_sex_with_men_blood_donor_controversy shows all countries that allow it and dont allow it, a large number of them wont allow you to donate if you ever have m-m sex.

[-:Undertaker:-]

There was a thing years ago I think where a gay man donated blood and he had HIV and didn't know and they gave his blood to quite a lot of people who became infected with the HIV. If you've not had intercourse for 12+ months then you're fine.

It was more than just one gay man, funnily enough I just watched 'And the band played on' (a 1993 movie about the HIV-Aids epidemic) and the number of people who caught HIV via blood transfusions ran into the tens of thousands, most of which the blood came from gay men who had donated blood. It mostly effected haemophiliacs as they require regular blood transfusions, and was essentially a death sentence for no fault of their own. Awful.

You can watch the entire film via YouTube, pretty interesting and based on real people: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UGLZXEJoyo


Gay men supposedly have a higher risk of catching HIV

A much much much higher risk. If gay sex were the norm throughout western countries, we'd literally have an HIV outbreak on a scale of parts of southern Africa.

I think of all new HIV transmissions today, something like 50% or just over are gay people. That's a hell of a lot considering they're 1% to 5% of the population.

[MKR&*42]

It was more than just one gay man, funnily enough I just watched 'And the band played on' (a 1993 movie about the HIV-Aids epidemic) and the number of people who caught HIV via blood transfusions ran into the tens of thousands, most of which the blood came from gay men who had donated blood. It mostly effected haemophiliacs as they require regular blood transfusions, and was essentially a death sentence for no fault of their own. Awful.

You can watch the entire film via YouTube, pretty interesting and based on real people: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UGLZXEJoyo



A much much much higher risk. If gay sex were the norm throughout western countries, we'd literally have an HIV outbreak on a scale of parts of southern Africa.

I think of all new HIV transmissions today, something like 50% or just over are gay people. That's a hell of a lot considering they're 1% to 5% of the population.

Yeah I thought for a second it was the risk that was disputed by LGBT groups (realise now it's not), but it's actually the fact that a promiscuous heterosexual male who has slept around a lot can donate but they can't :P

I find it odd that around 15 countries still don't ban them from donating if they've had sex despite all the HIV risk.

[-:Undertaker:-]

Yeah I thought for a second it was the risk that was disputed by LGBT groups (realise now it's not), but it's actually the fact that a promiscuous heterosexual male who has slept around a lot can donate but they can't :P

I find it odd that around 15 countries still don't ban them from donating if they've had sex despite all the HIV risk.

The reason for that though is not actually just the promiscuous behaviour, but the actual sex act itself. Far more riskier than normal vaginal sex.

[AgnesIO]

It was more than just one gay man, funnily enough I just watched 'And the band played on' (a 1993 movie about the HIV-Aids epidemic) and the number of people who caught HIV via blood transfusions ran into the tens of thousands, most of which the blood came from gay men who had donated blood. It mostly effected haemophiliacs as they require regular blood transfusions, and was essentially a death sentence for no fault of their own. Awful.

You can watch the entire film via YouTube, pretty interesting and based on real people: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UGLZXEJoyo



A much much much higher risk. If gay sex were the norm throughout western countries, we'd literally have an HIV outbreak on a scale of parts of southern Africa.

I think of all new HIV transmissions today, something like 50% or just over are gay people. That's a hell of a lot considering they're 1% to 5% of the population.

Whilst you are correct about the fact that most new infections are through homosexual (male) sex, the ratio between men and women (who contract HIV) has become MUCH closer, with it being somewhere near 2:1 now, whereas it was 6 male infections to 1 female infection.

[-:Undertaker:-]

Whilst you are correct about the fact that most new infections are through homosexual (male) sex, the ratio between men and women (who contract HIV) has become MUCH closer, with it being somewhere near 2:1 now, whereas it was 6 male infections to 1 female infection.

On a world or western country basis?

[AgnesIO]

On a world or western country basis?

Sorry, should have clarified - in the UK.

Source: Avert

[-:Undertaker:-]

Sorry, should have clarified - in the UK.

Source: Avert

Interesting, I wonder if that has anything to do with drug usage with shared needles rather than just sex alone.

[AgnesIO]

Interesting, I wonder if that has anything to do with drug usage with shared needles rather than just sex alone.

It says heterosexual sex, however you may well be right. There are still more men getting it, but the gap has closed significantly.

I'll be honest though, HIV in the UK isn't a strong topic - I know more about it in other countries.

[Circadia]

I've always wanted to donate blood but I've been too small for most of my life and I have iron deficiency anemia which doesn't seem to want to go away. I've had it for 10 years and I wish the doctors would tell me why I have it because usually it goes away after a while.. I assume it's something to do with my bodies ability to take in iron properly. But yeah that stops me from donating as I've already got a lower amount of red blood cells in my body which are less oxygenated than normal blood cells so it would probably do me a significant amount of damage to donate :')
It's a shame really because I have AB- blood which is the rarest type of blood and I can't donate

[Samantha]

Sorry, your estimate blood volume is less than 3500ml, unfortunately you are unable to donate until after your 20th birthday.

I'm 20 years old already, but I'm guessing I'm too short or weigh too little to donate?

[Ekelektra]

In the last thread I said yes I would like to donate, but now I'm likely not eligible

But if I found out I could then I would still like to

[Empired]

I'm 20 years old already, but I'm guessing I'm too short or weigh too little to donate?
Height or weight on their own doesn't matter; it's about blood volume. So if you don't weigh much but are still very short, you might be able to donate. There's a link in the OP to find out if you can.

[Narnat,]

I enjoy getting my blood taken but I haven't donated yet. It is something that I have thought about and is no doubt something i'd do in the future!

[Richie]

I registered and was willing to give blood but they wouldn't let me as I had only recovered from swine flue two weeks prior :P Scares the crap out of me but if I ever remember I will more than likely. Not sure on my blood type.

[dbgtz]

This thread just wishes I could give it, even if I have a common type. Unfortunately I've had a transfusion which is kind of bollocks, but oh well.

[MKR&*42]

Yo Empired; or Shar; you might know.

What's the average amount of time it takes to actually give blood (from when it comes out your arm > pint full). I'm sure I found it online ages ago but googling didn't help me.

I only ask cause today it took me 4 minutes which I thought was quite quick, especially considering it took me 9 minutes last time :P

[David]

Yo @Empired (http://www.habboxforum.com/member.php?u=80588); or @Shar (http://www.habboxforum.com/member.php?u=67533); you might know.

What's the average amount of time it takes to actually give blood (from when it comes out your arm > pint full). I'm sure I found it online ages ago but googling didn't help me.

I only ask cause today it took me 4 minutes which I thought was quite quick, especially considering it took me 9 minutes last time :P


The actual blood donation typically takes less than 10-12 minutes. The entire process, from the time you arrive to the time you leave, takes about an hour and 15 min.

http://www.redcrossblood.org/learn-about-blood/blood-facts-and-statistics#donation-process

[MKR&*42]

http://www.redcrossblood.org/learn-about-blood/blood-facts-and-statistics#donation-process

Oh what, I was at the entire place for literally 25 minutes and it could have been 20 minutes if I didn't just want to wait for it to stop snowinggg.

And every other time ive been it never more than 45 min

[David]

sounds like you went to a dodgy place lol, did they slip you a cheque on the way out?

[MKR&*42]

No I went to a registered blood centre :llllllll adnd they did not slip me a cheque :lllllllll
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Ofgs, David the redcrossblood is American's blood service hence why ://.

[David]

well how should i know im not a donor am i, i just googled your question (A)
who's the uk one

[MKR&*42]

blood.co.uk is the UK one and I'm sure I found the info on their site before but i cant nowwww

[David]

gotta up your google game tbh


A full donation is 470ml and will usually take between 5 and 10 minutes

http://www.blood.co.uk/giving-blood/what-happens/#Your donation

[MKR&*42]

cry tbh all i googled was blood donation how long and gave up after 1 link LOL

Thankk youuu David :love:

[Jssy]

I made an appointment today and this thread reminded me so i forgot oops

tbh i need a blood test from doctor first because i did have anaemia then they said it went away but my medical record still states i have neutropenia so i might not be able to donate yet but i want to

[welshcake]

I'm the same boat as Tom. I would love to donate but I'm had a transfusion so I can't.
Well, I went to donate and I forgot I went to Africa the same year. I didn't forget, I just didn't really think about it. Then I realised that you can't donate if you've had a transfusion so there we are. :/