Author Topic: Blood donation  (Read 88585 times)

Re: Blood donation
« Reply #300 on: 19 January, 2021, 04:47:31 pm »

thought: has anyone else wondered if they donate more slowly if the room is chillier?  I'm suspecting there's at least as much contribution to speed of donation from how well the needle was inserted tbh.

Yes, I definitely do. I used to donate platelets (too far from the donation centre now) and it was a massive factor. The staff will give you a heat pad if you are donating slowly. I used to take a blanket with me too.

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Blood donation
« Reply #301 on: 19 January, 2021, 08:28:17 pm »
gah! you have a better donation centre than I do.  :'(
limited to one snack I was, and only cold drinks, sob.  Having a leisurely chat & cuppa with multiple snacks makes it worthwhile/enjoyable, now banned.

thought: has anyone else wondered if they donate more slowly if the room is chillier?  I'm suspecting there's at least as much contribution to speed of donation from how well the needle was inserted tbh.

I am sure you are right, though cold donors won't have the nice big veins of warm folk if they have just come off the street, especially if they have not cycled or been running!

A warm waiting room, as well as donor hall, could improve 'flow'. I doubt this has been audited, though it should!

Paul

  • L'enfer, c'est les autos.
Re: Blood donation
« Reply #302 on: 10 May, 2021, 02:07:00 pm »
I'm due to donate again next week. I find the process a little uncomfortable these days. The 'slight scratch' (why do they say that? It's not like a scratch at all. It's much more like a needle being stuck into your arm, which isn't - to my mind - something that requires a simile, much less an inaccurate one) is now a painful* jab, which remains painful throughout the donation, including the removal and shortly thereafter.

One member of staff told me that this is likely due to scar tissue. Another (different occasion) suggested a duff (cheap) batch of needles.

Whatever it is, I'm going to ask them to use the other arm next time, to see if that improves things.

(*FSVO pain. It's more painful than it used to be, but still only, say, 1.5 where renal colic = 10)
What's so funny about peace, love and understanding?

Re: Blood donation
« Reply #303 on: 10 May, 2021, 02:31:18 pm »
I find painless donation give the biggest bruises, the ouchy ones never bruise? Not really pain as such but naggingly uncomfortable for half an hour. I've incidentally changed arms and it made no difference so I think it's the skill of the vampire.

Tim Hall

  • Victoria is my queen
Re: Blood donation
« Reply #304 on: 10 May, 2021, 02:53:05 pm »
We tried using my right arm once, but the veins there are weedy pipe cleaner jobs, compared to the drainpipes in my left. (They have trouble finding a pulse in my right wrist too, I think I must be part robot).

Giving platelets seems to be more time critical, so just hanging around a bit longer doesn't appear to be an option.
There are two ways you can get exercise out of a bicycle: you can
"overhaul" it, or you can ride it.  (Jerome K Jerome)

Re: Blood donation
« Reply #305 on: 10 May, 2021, 03:07:25 pm »
My left arm means using a vein on the outside of the arm, the vein in the middle dries up. When I started 1+1 donations as a student they changed to a vein on the inside of my right arm, but I have had nurses recently who didn't want to use that one*. The variation hasn't had any perceptible differences in pain, though the time that they nicked the far side of the vein on a 1+1 was uncomfortable when the return started and that donation was stopped early.

Anyway thank you for bringing this thread back up as it reminded me that I am overdue to give blood as my last appointment was between christmas and new year.



*I understand it is too close to some nerves so more risky.

Salvatore

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Re: Blood donation
« Reply #306 on: 19 June, 2021, 08:22:30 am »
I understand that this month a change in the 'rules' as to who can donate means that lots of people who previously couldn't give blood now can, such as this man and this one.

More details here (official blood.co.uk site)
Quote
et avec John, excellent lecteur de road-book, on s'en est sortis sans erreur

Kim

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Re: Blood donation
« Reply #307 on: 19 June, 2021, 11:11:47 am »
I understand that this month a change in the 'rules' as to who can donate means that lots of people who previously couldn't give blood now can, such as this man and this one.

More details here (official blood.co.uk site)

Yup.  About bloody time (pun intended).

I'm banned on account of receiving a transfusion of a dodgy vintage, which doesn't seem likely to change.

Paul

  • L'enfer, c'est les autos.
Re: Blood donation
« Reply #308 on: 19 June, 2021, 10:07:48 pm »
I'm due to donate again next week. I find the process a little uncomfortable these days. The 'slight scratch' (why do they say that? It's not like a scratch at all. It's much more like a needle being stuck into your arm, which isn't - to my mind - something that requires a simile, much less an inaccurate one) is now a painful* jab, which remains painful throughout the donation, including the removal and shortly thereafter.

One member of staff told me that this is likely due to scar tissue. Another (different occasion) suggested a duff (cheap) batch of needles.

Whatever it is, I'm going to ask them to use the other arm next time, to see if that improves things.

(*FSVO pain. It's more painful than it used to be, but still only, say, 1.5 where renal cholic = 10)
Success! Right arm and Almost pain-free! The guy I had was so lovely, though, that I think he could have stuck it in my neck and I’d have been okay.
What's so funny about peace, love and understanding?

Paul

  • L'enfer, c'est les autos.
Re: Blood donation
« Reply #309 on: 28 June, 2021, 04:03:16 pm »
These days they tell you where your blood ended up too. Mine went local: Royal Derby Hospital. That's about 11 crow miles. However, it went via Sheffield, Manchester and Stoke-on-Trent, so travelled 160 miles!
What's so funny about peace, love and understanding?

Re: Blood donation
« Reply #310 on: 16 July, 2021, 03:06:59 pm »
36th yesterday. First this year as March appointment cancelled and despite being o negative and neo natal blood it takes an age to be booked in.

Mildly embarrassed myself saying hello to a friend who when I saw take her mask off for a drink wasn't anyone I knew


Also a young lady in a fairly short shirt dress who hadn't considered she'd be laid back on a reclining chair. One of the staff pointed this out to her. She hadn't made it to donate by the time I left but think they were looking for something to spare her dignity

Salvatore

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Re: Blood donation
« Reply #311 on: 16 July, 2021, 05:37:59 pm »
These days they tell you where your blood ended up too. Mine went local: Royal Derby Hospital. That's about 11 crow miles. However, it went via Sheffield, Manchester and Stoke-on-Trent, so travelled 160 miles!

These are the destinations of my last 8 donations. I think mine go via FIlton nr. Bristol.
Quote
et avec John, excellent lecteur de road-book, on s'en est sortis sans erreur

arabella

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Re: Blood donation
« Reply #312 on: 14 September, 2021, 02:56:47 pm »
Don't think I've ever heard where my donation has gone. 
Though I did get no fewer than 4 texts to remind me to attend.  And a 5th to thank me for having done so.

We are now allowed to sit round a table afterwards.  But still water/squash only, no tea.  :'(
And a revolting/disgusting isotonic drink in advance.

Edit: and a 2nd thank-you and finally: apparently this one went to Barts.  That's 7 texts for a single donation.  I'd rather have a cup of tea.
Any fool can admire a mountain.  It takes real discernment to appreciate the fens.

Kim

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    • Fediverse
Re: Blood donation
« Reply #313 on: 15 September, 2021, 07:55:51 pm »
Thanks-by-proxy to all contributors to this thread (along with whoever the steely-eyed biomedical engineer was who came up with the cell saver), as barakta recently made good use of a couple of pints of O+...

Re: Blood donation
« Reply #314 on: 15 September, 2021, 09:38:55 pm »
Don't think I've ever heard where my donation has gone. 
Though I did get no fewer than 4 texts to remind me to attend.  And a 5th to thank me for having done so.
I get a text telling me which hospital got my blood, usually 2-3 weeks after donation. I donate in Hampshire and my last donations went to London, Birmingham and Dudley.

Paul

  • L'enfer, c'est les autos.
Re: Blood donation
« Reply #315 on: 28 September, 2021, 01:19:22 pm »
Sunday’s attempt failed. My vampire missed. He jiggled it around a bit and then stopped. It was odd because he located the vein easily enough visually, and seemed very capable.
Then he said they aren’t allowed two stabs at it, even when I offered my other arm, but told me that I could book myself in again straight away (I have an appointment this evening).
It’s frustrating.
What's so funny about peace, love and understanding?

Paul

  • L'enfer, c'est les autos.
Re: Blood donation
« Reply #316 on: 28 September, 2021, 11:04:28 pm »
Nice. 6 mins 9 secs!
Uncomfortable skin where the plaster was though. I had to take it off after an hour because it was driving me potty. Raised red lumps. I wonder if I’ve become sensitive to the plasters, or if they are using different ones?
The one I had after Sunday’s aborted attempt was fine.
What's so funny about peace, love and understanding?

Paul

  • L'enfer, c'est les autos.
Re: Blood donation
« Reply #317 on: 08 October, 2021, 05:02:37 pm »
Arrowe Park hospital in Birkenhead got that last unit. Sip it, people, don’t swig!
What's so funny about peace, love and understanding?

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Blood donation
« Reply #318 on: 09 October, 2021, 01:30:50 pm »
Nice. 6 mins 9 secs!
Uncomfortable skin where the plaster was though. I had to take it off after an hour because it was driving me potty. Raised red lumps. I wonder if I’ve become sensitive to the plasters, or if they are using different ones?
The one I had after Sunday’s aborted attempt was fine.

I'm beginning to wonder if blood donation made me allergic to Elastoplast, as I seldom used stickies other than for blood donation.
It started with Elastoplast but I'm now having grief with Micropore.
Had a blood test yesterday. Removed Micropore about 90 minutes later. Still had rash by bedtime.

Hydrocortisone cream is your friend!

Paul

  • L'enfer, c'est les autos.
Re: Blood donation
« Reply #319 on: 10 October, 2021, 08:27:32 pm »
Hydrocortisone cream is your friend!
Me and hydrocortisone have been close for many years.
What's so funny about peace, love and understanding?

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Blood donation
« Reply #320 on: 11 October, 2021, 02:50:26 pm »
Hydrocortisone cream is your friend!
Me and hydrocortisone have been close for many years.

I am VERY sparing with my steroid use, having seen the paper-thin skin of 'steroid wrecks' as a junior doc.

I started using it in March 2019 and am not quite halfway through my second 15g tube of 1% hydrocortisone cream...

Re: Blood donation
« Reply #321 on: 18 November, 2021, 02:17:02 pm »
Have made it to 90 :)

Re: Blood donation
« Reply #322 on: 24 November, 2021, 08:05:14 am »
I managed 50+ donations before I had to give up due to a brush with cancer in my 40s almost a decade ago.  I used to enjoy doing my bit and hope it was of some use as it was all prior to this modern ability to see where donations have been used.

Paul

  • L'enfer, c'est les autos.
Re: Blood donation
« Reply #323 on: 24 November, 2021, 09:01:24 am »
I am awed by such numbers. I started late and then had a period off due to health. If I stick with my current rate I might manage 50 by my 65th birthday.
What's so funny about peace, love and understanding?

Paul

  • L'enfer, c'est les autos.
Re: Blood donation
« Reply #324 on: 24 November, 2021, 09:12:08 am »
Hydrocortisone cream is your friend!
Me and hydrocortisone have been close for many years.

I am VERY sparing with my steroid use, having seen the paper-thin skin of 'steroid wrecks' as a junior doc.

I started using it in March 2019 and am not quite halfway through my second 15g tube of 1% hydrocortisone cream...
Similarly. My 30gm tube of canesten HC was prescribed in 2016 and has some applications left. It’s still efficacious too: just dispatched an outbreak of (I think) angular cheilitis.
What's so funny about peace, love and understanding?