Blood donation

[Salvatore]

Number 51 on Tuesday.

Blood drop test was odd - it sank then changed its mind and some or all of it went upwards (I didn't see it, that's what the carer said). The little gadget said 171 so it went ahead.
Donation itself was quick and easy.

Then I got home and must have slept for 12 hours.
On Wednesday I didn't do much.
Yesterday I felt fine and went for a long (but slow) walk, searching for insects to photograph, then went out on my bike to buy food (4 miles max). I got home and felt completely exhausted, and went to bed early.

I'm coming to the conclusion that recovery is taking too long for it to be worth it. Nevertheless I've booked for November and no doubt I'll go through the experience all over again and come to the same conclusion again.

[FifeingEejit]

Had to cancel on monday, nose decided to go nuts.
the good news is the booking system in use now makes it considerably easier to wander into work on a wednesday and decide on a post work vampire visit to ninewells.

[slowfen]

Currently now having to take a break from donation. Classed as anaemic, iron based.

[Salvatore]

Number 51 on Tuesday.

Blood drop test was odd - it sank then changed its mind and some or all of it went upwards (I didn't see it, that's what the carer said). The little gadget said 171 so it went ahead.
Donation itself was quick and easy.

Then I got home and must have slept for 12 hours.
On Wednesday I didn't do much.
Yesterday I felt fine and went for a long (but slow) walk, searching for insects to photograph, then went out on my bike to buy food (4 miles max). I got home and felt completely exhausted, and went to bed early.

I'm coming to the conclusion that recovery is taking too long for it to be worth it. Nevertheless I've booked for November and no doubt I'll go through the experience all over again and come to the same conclusion again.

Again the blood drop test 'failed', twice, but the gadget measured 154, so donation went ahead.

No sign of  fatigue this time.

[yoav]

Are they still using the blood drop method? I've had my blood measured using the gadget (Hemocue to give it's proper name) for at least the last 4 years. This is in Scotland.

[Tim Hall]

Are they still using the blood drop method? I've had my blood measured using the gadget (Hemocue to give it's proper name) for at least the last 4 years. This is in Scotland.

When I go to St George's in Tooting it's normally blood drop. They have a gadget too, which I've had a go on once(out of many many times)

[arabella]

It's the blood drop method unless it fails and then they do a proper test.  I'm guessing that the false-OKs by the drop method are low-to-nil.  I've had the bouncing drop on a number of occasions.

[arabella]

Well, today's first drop refused to exit the pipette thingy
The next one sat on the surface and eventually sunk, but by then another finger had been sacrificed (forefinger, more painful than the usual index/3rd fingers).
I got rejected as it was only 11.9   :-(
Try again in 3 months.  It's not as if I've particularly been doing anything since the last donation at the end of July.

[Wowbagger]

I'm still banned for life.

[slowfen]

I got rejected as it was only 11.9   :-(
Try again in 3 months.  It's not as if I've particularly been doing anything since the last donation at the end of July.

As a regular donor, it could be worth twisting your GPs arm to have FBC and ferritin levels done. I've had to have abreak from donation as I had become anaemic,  Following multiple blood tests, and poo stick, it was found to be iron based, with very low ferrin levels (20). Further discussion with the GP found the only possible cause was frequent regular donations (3+ per year over a decade) had depleted the iron stores, hence not able to make sufficient haemaglobin.

I've been on prescription iron for a couple of months, and am to continue to the end of the year, and then I'm allowed to start donating again.

When discussed with the transfusion service, they were not suprised.

[arabella]

I got rejected as it was only 11.9   :-(
Try again in 3 months.  It's not as if I've particularly been doing anything since the last donation at the end of July.

:
the only possible cause was frequent regular donations (3+ per year over a decade) had depleted the iron stores, hence not able to make sufficient haemaglobin.
:

there could be something in that, thanks.  I've been doing around 3 per year for the past couple of decades. 
The only other time I had low Hb was a fortnight or so after I did LEL.

[philip]

Me too. I gave bood three times a year for fifteen years and then started failing the test. I didn't feel ill and didn't notice any effect while exercising. My GP arranged a blood test which showed ferritin at 3, indicating practically no iron reserve. I took iron tablets for a month and didn't give blood for about a year. A second blood test showed ferritin levels had improved. I resumed giving blood about three years ago, and have been donating twice a year without a problem.

[arabella]

Apparently it's not unkonwn as a donor impact, though it's a US study: Iron Deficiency and Blood Donation: Links, Risks and Management
ho hum.  So I should probably find some iron tablets and not rush back, well I have to wait at least 3 months anyway. 

[slowfen]

My GP was very disparaging about the standard over the counter iron tablets (16 - 20mg iron), the prescription ones start at 200mg, and can be got without prescription by talking with a pharmacist, but they do look for symptomatic anaemia, or direction from gap

[Jasmine]

I had a text this morning from the Welsh blood service about low stocks, inviting me to a session today. A quick look in my diary told me it's just been 16 weeks, so I booked in for this evening. Quite a few people must have had the same, as it was quite a busy session, despite the appearance of a lot of slots when I booked. I'm always a little bit annoyed if when I arrive the person with the appointment after me (or several after mine) has turned up early and been slotted in, making me late. It's appointment only, so I do feel that allowing people to rock up and be seen early (last time one bloke was 50 min early), you might as well just have walk-ins.

[Salvatore]

Number 53 yesterday.

I'd checked on the blood.co.uk website and the helpline that I was OK to donate after a biopsy had revealed only benign changes. At the screening blood drop was fine and the carer referred me to nurse Tereza. I showed her the letter from the urologist, and she noted the final sentence which mentioned that they would keep monitoring me  and I should have a blood test in 6 month's time. In other words I hadn't been completely signed off, and if I hadn't been signed off I couldn't donate. Anyway, she decided to consult someone higher up by phone, and after a lengthy discussion she was given the go-ahead. You have to wait 4 months after a flexible colonoscopy or endoscopy, so I had to assure them that there's nothing flexible involved in a transperineal biopsy - just complete removal of one's dignity.

Everything then went smoothly, the bag was filled very quickly and I was soon into the squash and biscuits, and despite the lengthy consultation I was in and out in about 50 minutes total (it was one of the first slots after lunch, so no sitting about before starting).

I cycled home OK (12 km or so) but was very tired when I got home and had an early night.

[offcumden]

I was due to make donation no. 157 earlier this week but, having had a totally unexpected DVT a fortnight ago (no long haul flights, decent diet, plenty of exercise etc) I am now on Apixaban for life. So I'm now an ancien donneur de sang, which is sad. I did get a nice letter from the Blood Service, but I had rather hoped to go on and on ...

Where that DVT came from I really don't know, nor do the docs. Some talk of Protein S deficiency (either inherited or acquired, apparently). Anyway, out on the bike today for the longest ride for some months. Life goes on.

[Sergeant Pluck]

I donated plasma for the first time a few weeks ago. I’m somewhat uncertain about doing it again, as I am fairly sure I had a mild citrate reaction. In any case, as I am 0+, I wonder if my blood is more useful than my plasma.

[Tim Hall]

Currently in Tooting, hooked up to a machine that goes ping. Units 188 and 189 almost done. And I've just finished reading my book.

[arabella]

I passed the HB test last night.  Though I will probably drop down to every 6 months or so anyway.  I may or may not make it to 100 donations.  I'm thinking I might reduce the frequency due to above mentioned low HB and I don't weigh enough for plasma nor platelets.

Yesterday's session included a long wait during which I read the latest arrivée cover to cover.

[matthew]

Donation no. 80 last friday. The nurse didn't like my veins, after checking both arms, so they called a colleague to stab me. After that all proceeded as normal. Next appointment booked for the location I can walk to.

[The Family Cyclist]

Bugger, just failed the iron test. Its odd as always hsd really good iron levels and once had to be retested as the nurse was noting something and my sample had dropped to bottom of liquid before she looked back, however last couple of times that hasn't worked so needed to go on the machine for an accurate result. This time they went to that and came in at 127. Said nothing to worry about but as always been good am a little. I eat well etc. Did do a 2 hour ride today so don't know if that affected

[arabella]

If you're a regular donor see my post from Nov (they do actually mention it in the donor blurb, I just never noticed until now)

Meanwhile - I found myself wondering where the private sector gets its blood from.  Does anyone know?  I can't imagine the providers of private medical care don't need to do any blood transfusions.  If it's 'my' blood then presumably there is at least an admin/collection cost?

[Sergeant Pluck]

I found this response to a FOI request from a few years ago that is relevant:

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/do_private_hospitals_use_nhs_blo?

[barakta]

TLDR: Blood service supplies blood to both NHS and private hospitals at "cost recovery" basis but private can only use the blood to treat patients, they may not sell it on (and presumably the NHS can't either).

That kind of makes sense from a public health and blood quality standards perspective given the tainted blood scandal which still hasn't compensated the thousands of families and people harmed by buying blood from the USA!