Donating blood - anyone done it once then stopped?

[rajagra]

I gave blood for the first time today. But the experience was slightly negative. After it was completed I felt nauseous and did pass out for a moment. It was suggested that giving blood might not be for me because of the risks.
Also I felt a bit unwelcome because I hadn't made an appointment, and they were busy. (I had checked in advance that walk-ins were OK.) Their being busy may have been partly responsible for my fainting, I felt they rushed me a little at stages where a first-time donor should be given extra time. It felt like musical chairs going back and forth between the seating and lying-down areas.

I see that "only 8% of firsttime donors come back regularly for further blood donations" Quite a shocking figure, but I may be joining those who avoid returning.

I think I already took the right steps in the lead up to the donation (ate and drank well, boosted my iron content, avoided strenuous exercise). If my blood is the universal type I may donate again, otherwise probably not.

My wonderful government is also planning to close down the Accident & Emergency department at my local hospital. I know that shouldn't affect my choice, but it is asking a bit much for me to donate blood when my life is of so little value to them.

Overall, I'm feeling a bit let down, I was quite looking forward to doing this.

EDIT> Don't get me wrong. The staff were very friendly and noticed I was going to faint much sooner than I realised it myself. They took good care of me. But I believe in facing up to problems and dealing with them. If their system needs to be 'efficient' (minimum resources and rapid turnover of donors) and my presence interferes with the workflow, then the obvious fix is for me to stay away.

 

[Hunter]

I have been wanting to donate blood for a long time, the biggest reason why I haven't is because I keep making other plans or I think I'm going to get a tattoo before it happens and have been told you can't give if you had a tattoo within a certain time period.

 

[inspiringK]

Also I felt a bit unwelcome because I hadn't made an appointment, and they were busy.......[snip]

Overall, I'm feeling a bit let down, I was quite looking forward to doing this.

I have given blood a few times and also felt a bit put off by the process. On the one hand, you hear requests for blood often. On the other hand, during the process you feel like you are bothering the staff and that they are doing you a favour. The whole experience is unsatisfying.

On top of that, last time I had the opportunity to give blood, I wasn't allowed to because I had gotten a tattoo a few months prior. So, I feel a little unwanted.

It would probably be more productive to recognize that the procedure of giving blood has no bearing on how badly blood is needed, but I just don't enjoy the idea of donating again.

 

[Member357]

I gave blood maybe 25 times in the UK and never had an experience like yours. That said, I haven't lived in the UK for nearly 6 years and things have no doubt changed for the worse since then. I still think it's something that's very much worth doing if you can. It's an hour or two a couple of times a year, right? I would donate now but Brits are not allowed to donate in Japan (due to BSE crisis from what, 1996-ish?).

 

[Bigsurprise]

I gave blood once then stopped. It was at my college(that I still attend). We have bloodmobiles all the time. They weren't very busy, and the whole experience didn't seem bad at all to be honest. They were nothing but smiles and made sure I had an apple and a cookie before I left.

I only did it to impress a girl, then I moved on.

Edit: After thinking for a moment, I should probably do it again. It was actually a bit enjoyable.

 

[Patman27]

I used to donate, but then the red cross started calling my phone multiple times a day. Eventually, I changed numbers and have not been back to donate. If I went back (and I think about it from time to time) I may give them a fake phone number. I don't like the idea that their over-aggressive phone tag and my inconvenience have kept me from helping somebody out in the ED or OR.

If the OP decides to go back, hydration and breakfast before should help the lightheaded nausea kind of thing. And maybe check for a different donating center nearby if you didn't like the staff.

Cheers!

 

[ReAndyMator]

I typically go four times a year (as much as you're allowed in Scotland). No, it's not especially pleasant, but it's an easy way to lost enough calories to justify a decent lunch in town.

 

[Legion]

I've withdrawn more than my fair share from the blood bank. I should probably pay some back at some point.

 

[beginish]

Thank you for donating. You did a really great thing.

Your experience is pretty common. Everyone's body reacts differently to donating. I've donated dozens of times and seen everyone from big guys to small women faint. There is no apparent rhyme or reason for it. A busy, hectic blood drive could contribute to it, as it can get hot and stuffy in there, and feel pretty rushed. Donating blood is very worthwhile to do, especially if you have a common blood type (common means that more people will need it) or O negative blood (the universal donor). Even if you have a relatively uncommon type like me and there is rarely a shortage, your blood can be used to extract white cells that can be used to help cancer patients or platelets that help people whose blood has clotting problems. You have to wait at least 56 days to donate again, so I would relax and when the time comes, find a smaller drive that is relatively low key. Pick a time that will be slow like late morning or mid afternoon, make an appointment and try again. Blood drives are busiest right when they open, at lunch time, and at the end of the day.

 

[oc_in_fw]

The first few time I gave blood, I got dizzy. It got better after that. They warn you not to drink after, but I now disregard this. Less blood equals cheap buzz

 

[galopede]

The first few time I gave blood, I got dizzy. It got better after that. They warn you not to drink after, but I now disregard this. Less blood equals cheap buzz

Ha! I started giving blood in my first job back in the early 70's and all us lads made sure we went just before the lunch break and then shot off to the pub straight after for a coupe of beers!

I managed around 76 donations. They can't take me now as I am on a long course of drugs for an illness.

I am in the UK and have not had an experience like the OP's. They have always been considerate and helpful. Of course, over the years they have cut back on staff which must make it much more hectic for the nurses so I have no doubt that tempers could be frayed at particularly busy times.

There were no appointments when I fist started donating and the paperwork was always done by two little old ladies from the WRVS, as was the tea and biscuits afterwards. They seemed to run the sessions like clockwork. Then several years ago, it was decided that it wasn't professional to use these old volunteer ladies and it went computerised with hospital staff doing it. It went rapidly downhill from there!

Personally I have never fainted or even felt that way after donating but I'm quite a big bloke. Not that size is an indication as someone above said. I used to live in the South Wales valleys when all the coal mines were working. A friend of mine was a pit electrician, a tough, hard man. I coaxed him into donating for the first time and he passed out! He said he felt the blood draining from his body! The nurse said it was the slight pulling of the needle in the arm! I called him a wimp of course!

Gareth

 

[joamo]

I've donated over 5 gallons of whole blood before switching to donating platelets. In that time, I have had good, bad and indifferent experiences. I've kept going back because I believe it is important to give of myself.
I honestly don't remember my first whole blood other than being nervous and thinking afterward that it wasn't so bad.
When I began donating platelets I got a T-shirt They did take the time to explain many things because the process is so different from whole and can take up to 2 hours per donation, with the possibility of process complications. You are also eligible to donate every 2 weeks and can quickly become friends with the staff.

 

[Dave in the basement]

I used to donate, but then the red cross started calling my phone multiple times a day. Eventually, I changed numbers and have not been back to donate. If I went back (and I think about it from time to time) I may give them a fake phone number. I don't like the idea that their over-aggressive phone tag and my inconvenience have kept me from helping somebody out in the ED or OR.

If the OP decides to go back, hydration and breakfast before should help the lightheaded nausea kind of thing. And maybe check for a different donating center nearby if you didn't like the staff.

Cheers!

Most (if not all) places around here now follow-up with you via email, if at all. I only receive the occasional message from the red cross, and a reminder email from my local bloodletting place. The ol' bloodmobile is coming to my place of employment next week, and I believe this will push me over 3 gallons.

Make sure you have a big meal before you donate, and really drink the water before and after you donate. I have found the more water I drink beforehand, the shorter amount of time I spend under the needle. YMMV of course, and I have no science to back me up.

If you are healthy and able, I'd encourage all people to make a point to donate blood on a regular basis. It is a really quick way to make a positive contribution to your community. Some may even say it's the gentlemanly thing to do.

 

[rearviewmirror]

i've donated gallons of blood and red blood cells.

had to stop about 4 months ago though as my red blood cells shrunk and my body stopped absorbing iron. hopefully with these treatments i've been getting I can go back to donating again.

 

[dpittman70]

I gave blood for the first time at my work's annual blood drive and got a false positive for a certain disease. I returned to give blood the next year and I was black listed. I can no longer give blood due to the false positive. FYI: I know for a fact that I do not have that disease.

 

[Wendy]

I used to give blood many years ago and stopped, not for any other reason than parenthood and the craziness of everyday life.

Just last month my daughters school was having a blood drive and I thought it would be a good time to start donating again. With the blood drive being immediately after school my 7 yr old was with me. I guess it was silly of me to assume my daughter would be welcome to come along. I had no intentions of waiting for her to get home from school and leaving her with a sitter.

The gentleman who asked me all of the eligibility questions was very pleasant. The woman who actually took my blood was rude to say the least. When my daughter is in public she is an absolute angel, especially at school. (She saves her craziness and naughtiness for me at home) : ) The woman taking my blood yelled across the room to Sara "YOU HAVE TO GET AWAY!" I know my head spun. Sara was sitting on the floor about 3ft away from me, reading a book. The woman clearly saw the confusion in my face then said "she has to be away from the table in case you pass out." Quickly she followed it up by, "there are rules and she has to be a certain distance away from the tables". Sara quickly started moving back, she thought she was in trouble for something. I thought it could have been handled different considering there were other children in the room running around and being obnoxious like kids normally do.

I was not letting that lady off so easy. I had to inquire "what is the required distance that Red Cross requires?" Of coarse she then said my daughter was fine where she was at since she moved back. I again said, "what is the distance that Red Cross requires?" She again said my daughter was fine since she moved back. I said well I cannot tell exactly how far back she is, is it 6ft or 7ft? She appears to be about that far from me, what is the exact required distance? I need to know for future reference since I have never donated through your organization before. She stumbled all over herself trying to retract what she said. I made sure to repeat back to her the exact words that came out of her mouth several times trying to get an answer, really just giving her a bit of crap back is all I was doing. She was just having a bad day and should have saved her nastiness for someone a little more passive than me. : ) Needless to say, she was just being nasty for no reason and probably realized how ignorant she had been.

I guess I think of all the different jobs available today. I would think even though a redundant job, it would be somewhat rewarding. They are a piece of the pie, without all of those people drawing our blood, we would be in big trouble. I think they should be honored to be helping in such a way. I guess they do not see it that way.

I was half dead on the table when my youngest was born, bp was down to 47/20, I had lost a massive amount of blood, the room was spinning and I was fading quick. They called for 3 units of blood, fortunately my platelets did their work fast and I rebounded, many people do not, without donors many people wold not survive these conditions.

Thanks to everyone who donates!

 

[legrandfromage]

Going back to what someone wrote earlier; my son tried to give blood for me (before I had some heavy duty surgery) back in 2002 and was turned away. He had been a student in England during the late '80's; evidently anyone that spent time in England during the '80's was, and maybe still is, banned from donating in the US because of Mad Cow Disease.

 

[Haggises]

I was half dead on the table when my youngest was born, bp was down to 47/20, I had lost a massive amount of blood, the room was spinning and I was fading quick. They called for 3 units of blood, fortunately my platelets did their work fast and I rebounded, many people do not, without donors many people wold not survive these conditions.

Thanks to everyone who donates!

If this doesn't get the people who don't donate off their lazy butts, or help motivate those who did it once but it was a wee bit negative so they wont do it again....nothing will.

Donate, people! It costs you very little other than time. Probably about the length of time of a decent luxurious shave. God forbid, one day it might be you on that operating table.

(Disclaimer - I used to donate a lot. I'd love to now but I can't since there is still a stupid *** rule about Brits eating beef in the 90s )

 

[Wendy]

(Disclaimer - I used to donate a lot. I'd love to now but I can't since there is still a stupid *** rule about Brits eating beef in the 90s )

I did not ever remember that question years ago when I donated, is this new? There were 5 or more questions pertaining to the UK the last time I donated, and it covered a large time frame. This sure takes a lot of possible donors out of the picture. I was shocked about the tattoo issue too. I could understand a new one but over 10 years ago seems harsh.

When I had blood drawn for my father and I prior to surgery in 2004, they did not ask me anything that I can remember, maybe because it was for myself or father in case of emergency????? It could have just been that they knew from other tissue and blood tests I had taken prior, but considering it was a lab that did it, I would think they would ask everything again.

 

[macleod319]

Went religiously from 2002-2007, when I was told to stop and get my high cholestorol in check before donating again. I've been good for my last 2 physicals, thanks for reminding me to get back out there and bleed the good bleed!