As someone who has received a blood transfusion, thank you random stranger whose blood is now inside me!
I want to "give back" somehow, but I obviously can't donate blood (yet?).
this post was submitted on 24 Feb 2025
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I tried and found a cheat code! It turns out that if you pass out during the draw and then pass out again while recovering they'll call and pay for a cab to take you home! They did imply that I shouldn't come back for a while though...
On a more serious note I had donated blood twice before that with less dramatic results. I like helping people and they give me free snacks afterward. I'd been going every three months because I was in university and had a lot of time for such things. I seem to feel quite tired for the rest of the day following a donation, which I found nice and relaxing. Needle anxiety (and my weak-ass hemoglobin level) aside, it was a positive experience and I'd recommend it!
Yes. I try to catch the blood mobile when it comes to town.
I think it's helpful to someone and I like to think of it as an "oil change" for myself. Generating a fresh pint.
I would but they don't want it.
Started last year and donated twice so far. The first time I got dizzy, so I did a half bag the next time and felt better. Felt better the second time, even after a long day at work.
No specific reason other than feeling good about yourself and reap any health benefit to it, if at all. Surely it must be good somehow to stimulate blood creation ? I'm happy to do it, I feel a better person for it.
You are weak the day and the next day, so better not plan any long hike or strenuous activities. But it's okay for another long day in office.
In college we would donate then go get drunk off one beer at the campus pub then go to class
I've tried three times and passed out twice. I pass out with simple blood draws, so they don't like me at the Red Cross.
Yes. I used to donate the maximum amount of 4 times a year, but due to my inability to reasonably eat the required iron supplements, I'm now only allowed to donate once a year.
I do it for a mix of reasons - it makes me feel good about myself, I get a gift and a little bit of food, and I've told myself that it's probably not a bad thing to do health-wise, although the last one is completely unfounded.
After having donated, I feel noticeably weaker when trying to do things like bike or walk fast. Usually nothing major, though.
no. im a needlephobe.
Can't, iron levels are always too low because I have to get blood drawn for medicine every 3 months
I tried once and got a horrible headache and generally felt like crap the next day. That's dissuaded my from trying again.
I tried once. But they said they couldn't take it in a bucket and wouldn't stop asking where I got it from.
Bender: I'm very generous! What about that time I gave blood?
Fry: Whose blood?
Bender: Some guy's.
Bureaucracy ruins everything.
The only thing I can tell you is that based on how much blood is in this bucket, you are in desperate need of blood.
I do. I donate as often as I'm allowed, which is about 4 times a year. The only effect I've felt is that exercise, especially cardio, is a bit harder. My time on a 5k run dropped noticeably.
Donated 60 times in total so far, which means there's more of my blood in other people, than in me. By quite a lot.
I donate 2-3 times a year. I take a break every few years, things like tattoos and such. I’m O- and they don’t let me forget to donate for too long.
My dad was shot in high school (hunting incident) and received donations. He became a regular donor after, and i guess just set a good example of donating for us to see as kids.
Donation also reduces plastic in your blood so there is a health benefits to you as well as to others
Is that so? Is there evidence that supports this? Sounds interesting
That's about PFAS not plastics. I'm sure the same logic applies but I haven't seen a similar study but for micro plastics yet.
Unfortunately I was rejected as a donor, the nurse had too much trouble hitting a vein (mine are difficult to spot and tend to roll when sticking a needle in them) for drawing blood for the pre-donation bloodwork. So that meant an automatic rejection as they prefer not turning the donors into living pincushions. ☹️
I would, but I can't. I am medicated for my ADHD and depression. Both disqualify me in that regard
Huh, in the US, they allow donors with antidepressants and ADHD meds. Source, im a regular donor who has been on both.
Only your depression would because I too am on ADHD meds and donate regularly.
You cannot throw that as a blanket statement. Rules vary by country and medication. Judging by their profile the person you are responding to lives in Denmark, which actually seems to have fairly strict rules in this regard. Some of the ADHD medications I've been on in the past would have actually have disqualified me as a full blood donor there, had I still used them. Although the rules for plasma donation are less strict, so that might still be an option.
Valid point. I retract my statement.
Ive donated about a dozen times, mostly when its convienent like when they call our local donation bus out to where ever im working.
For the feeling, almost no effect. I mostly spend my time there cracking jokes about how this is a good way to lose weight, or how im only really there because I want a juice box and a cookie. Its more of an excuse to not have to be 100% mentally there for the rest of the work day.
As for the why, Ill sign up and donate when I can, but I dont seek it out. I know its important, but it is a donation, which because of the US insurance and medical industries will be sold to the person who needs it most. (Someone who knows more about this please correct me on it if that assumption is wrong).
Yeah same here, just whenever work brings a bus out. I feel a little icky that they’re just gonna turn around and sell it into the system at exorbitant prices, but I at least feel better that someone who needs it will get it.
I’ve never experienced any side effects either, other than just taking the bandage off too soon and having a leaky arm.
O+ over here so I know I am able to help a lot of people. When I donate, I do a "power red" which gives more than a standard pull. Using the American red cross app makes it a bit more fun since I collect badges and can track all my visits. Also, since I read it can reduce plastic in your system, I see that as a double win.
I used to. "Why not?" would be the reason. I never felt anything at all afterwards. I would schedule my donations so I don't have any hard exercise later the same day, but otherwise it wouldn't impact my life at all.
I stopped after going to my GP for an entirely unrelated reason and being told that I had severely low iron levels. I don't believe it was related to donating, but it does mean they couldn't use my blood.
You lose quite a lot of iron when donating blood:
Each time you donate blood, you lose between 220-250 mg of iron. It may take up to 24-30 weeks for your body to replace the iron lost through a blood donation. That time may vary, depending on what your iron level was before donating and if you take iron supplements or multivitamins with iron.
AFAIK many people are fine (no symptoms) with having low iron levels.
Fun fact. People from the UK who lived there while BSE was a thing cannot donate blood in the US, pretty much ever.
It's a question that comes up in the pre-donation examination at my facility too. Germany here
Ah yes, that's also a thing here in the Netherlands. If you've lived in the UK for 6 months or longer between Jan 1980 and Dec 1996 you cannot donate.
I donate plasma once a week but right now have to take a break for a bit cause I got a tattoo. Only real Side effect is a craving for snacks and some additional cash in my wallet.
The cash part is quite nice. The donation facility I go to always has some kind of bonus programme going on too, so you usually get even more money than for a regular donation (800ml=25€ here - which is quite low, actually, as I've heard from US donors lol - plus a couple euros here and there).
Back when I was still working at GameStop and could barely afford rent, I'd go donate plasma 1-2x a week (2 times really is pushing it - your body needs to be fit for that) and tutor kids for some video game money. Or sometimes I'd just pay rent with the plasma money... Man, having no money sucks.
Financial incentive plus I have a blood group that's beneficial to patients
Once around every 2ish to 3 months - essentially however often I'm allowed to
Usually good. Don't feel dizzy or sick afterwards since I eat and drink well before donating.
I do donate plasma quite regularly too - around once a week - but have not four a couple months now since I got a new tattoo in November. For similar reasons as with blood donations
I donated three times. The first was through a campaign at my workplace. Absolutely nothing worth noting happened. The second was through a campaign at my university. I fainted and my blood pressure went way down. The third time, a friend needed transfusion, so, the hospital asks for friends and family to replenish it. Since I fainted the second time, they took less blood. I was still a little dizzy but ok.
Just to add to the conversation I'm in school to be a med tech and transfusion is one of the proficiencies! Its pretty cool how it works, basically after the donation we spin it down into packed red cells and plasma. Plasma gets pooled and treated and can be fractionated out into specific coagulation products or used as a suspension for platelets. Packed red cells are filtered (leukocyte reduced), sometimes treated or irradiated and have SAGM added (saline, adenine, glucose, mannitol) to stabilize the cells for storage.
In the lab we test and crossmatch to make sure everything is compatible before giving the ok! Sometimes it is just ABO and Rh grouping but there are a bunch of other antigens on red cells that recipients can develop antibodies to with repeat transfusion so sometimes we need to identify if that antibody is present and match with units that don't have it so it won't react.
There are also a bunch of complications with testing like nonspecific antibodies, cold reacting antibodies, subgroups of antigens, Its really interesting!
Hello fellow med tech. The science is the best part of the job. Just wanted to pop in and wish you good luck with school.
Thanks! I graduate next year, hoping to land a job in a path core. Can't wait to get working!
I haven't been able to for the last few years due to low blood pressure. So when they do blood drives at work or in my local community, I look for chances to volunteer in lieu of donating myself.
I do. As often as I can. But sometimes the demand is so high for blood type that they call me up and email me even though I do donate regularly. My grandfather was a lifelong donor also.
I feel fine, the only discomfort is when the needle goes in but it’s fine once it’s done.
I have done in the past, donated 26 times, then got ill and couldn't do it for while, then the blood drive moved, and I gotta get my arse back at it.
I used to, but since I have contracted Long Covid, I've stopped, as both would sap my energy too much.
But in the past I have donated about 20-25 times. (once every 3-4 or so months)
How I felt afterwards depended a little bit on the nurse administering the needle, some are really careful and it's a painfree experience, others are a little less careful and then it can hurt like a motherfucker. (but for first timers they're always extra careful is my experience)
And for me, I just get a bit tired afterwards. Never really gotten woozy, but do take your time to recover in the waiting area after donating, and ask for something to drink (I recommend tea or fruit juice)
But it's also very important to drink and eat enough during the day before donating.
And the meme in The Netherlands is that you do it for the "pink cookie", which is a small cake-like cookie with pink icing on top. We don't get any financial benefits (other than reimbursement for any parking costs at the hospital)
And the meme in The Netherlands is that you do it for the "pink cookie", which is a small cake-like cookie with pink icing on top. We don't get any financial benefits
Ah yes, the infamous and delicious 'roze koek'. 😄
To put the latter part a bit more strongly: it is legally not allowed to pay for blood donations in the Netherlands.
I recently found out the blood bank has an office near my favourite bar. So I'm going to give blood before a few beers and see how I go. Should be a cheap night.
If you can you should. If you're healthy giving a pint of blood is not going to be much of a bother. Eat a good meal before hand and then have some of the snacks provided afterwards. Even if your blood isn't suitable for transfusion it can be used for research.
I always felt good after I donated.
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