Who's a blood donor?

[Kilby]

I never imagined you as a piercings and tattoos man, Rob, for some reason.

Ha

Only 1 tattoo, but a reasionable number of subtle piercings (I decided to confront a few fears a while back and both needles & pain where a the list, it worked too)

Hence I'm happy enough about blood donation these days (if I can actually manage to make it happen)

[indysmith]

I don't think I'm heavy enough, :lol:

[dave_mc]

You don't even have to see the needles!  :)

yeah, but i can feel them... all the complications which have been mentioned thus far in the thread arn't exactly encouraging me either... o_O :o

[PhilKing]

In the US you can't give blood if you lived anywhere in Europe in the  1980's and 1990's!  That's stopped me doing it.

[_tom_]

yeah, but i can feel them... all the complications which have been mentioned thus far in the thread arn't exactly encouraging me either... o_O :o

To be honest its not even that bad, its just a little pinch on the inside of your elbow and it aches a bit afterwards for about an hour.

[mikeluke]

As regularly as I can make it - we have a mobile unit that comes to our office every 4 months or so.

If it does someone somewhere some good then I feel that it is worth it.

I've never had any adverse reactions or bruises but maybe I am lucky there.

[Ted 'N' Leo]

I'd like to, but i have a fairly substantial fear of both needles and large amounts of blood.

[FELINEGUITARS]

I'm not a donor  :(

Sometimes i feel like I'm Tony Hanc--k
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjKO3wp5VyY

[Sifu Ben]

Why do people think it's entirely original to quote that sketch evry time they have blood sampled? I swear some days I hear it 5 times  :x

[Philly Q]

Why do people think it's entirely original to quote that sketch evry time they have blood sampled? I swear some days I hear it 5 times  :x

I don't know if they think it's original, it's just "part of the language" now.  :lol:

For those who say they don't like needles or the sight of blood, or are worried about side effects, I'd say give it a go, just once - you don't ever have to go again if it's as bad as you expected.

(Strange to be writing that - I'm normally the person who has to be pushed into doing the tiniest thing which involves any degree of self-confidence  :oops: )

[dave_mc]

not doing it. sorry. i know it would be that bad, i'm scared of blood too.

[Kilby]

I gained a dislike of needles mainly due to the nurse using a blunt needle when I got my BCG in school (it didn't help that she walked off and had a conversation while it was still sticking out of my arm).

It also didn't help that my dentist managed to stick a needle through the roof of my mouth (wasn't sore but made the most horrible popping noise)

Thankfully I have managed to lose most of the discomfort I felt around the bloody things, now all I have to do is try and stay healthy for the next session I sign up for.

[FELINEGUITARS]

yeah - I'm very phobic about needles as well - other than ones full of glue  that I use for doing repair work
I could never imagine being a junkie

Sorry about quoting the Hanc*ck (funny how they censor even that name) - guess it's just a frame of reference for people over a certain age in this country. Think people who quote it in surgeries are trying to deal with their own discomfort/fear in that situation.

[dave_mc]

actually i don't think it's the needles i'm scared of, as we used to use them all the time in chemistry for transferring solvents and i didn't have a problem. it's more the blood thing, i think... i'm not too keen on injections, but i can take it without too much bother... it's giving blood which is the problem... :(

[38thBeatle]

You don't see the blood(unless you want to). You lie on a gurney and the bag is below eye level. I know a few people who have the needles fear but still go and some are not keen on blood. I think the staff are sensitive to this ( at least where I go).