Donating Blood

[Helanna]

Today was the first day I ever donated blood! Today was also the first day I ever rode in an ambulance!

There was a blood drive at my high school today. I was only slightly nervous before giving blood, since I've had it drawn before, and I figured it wouldn't be much different - and it wasn't. They had me drink some water before hand, made sure I had eaten breakfast, One quick pinch and the needle is in, then I just lay there squeezing a ball and listening to music. No problem! Okay - I'm done giving blood, I sit up. I feel fine. I go over to the table where they're serving juice and snacks, I eat some, I'm feeling great, so I head off to class.

Twenty minutes later, the world goes blurry. I wake up several seconds later on the floor of the auditorium (I was in band practice). It was a very bizarre and surreal experience. I scared the crap out of the girl sitting next to me, as I apparently fell on her when I fainted. The nurse is there a few seconds later, and I go into the back room . . . where I faint AGAIN. I wake up a few minutes later in the nurse's office, and long story short soon I was on my way to the hospital in an ambulance.

I was NOT happy, I didn't want to go in the ambulance. I caused a lockdown in my school so that kids didn't get in the way of the stretcher and whatnot, school on Monday will not be fun - I'll be fending off questions all day.

So . . . anyone else have similar stories? Other stories relating to blood donation? Amusing stories about blood?

Also, I encourage everyone to donate blood if they're eligible. If my doctor says it's okay, I certainly will again. You can save 3 lives every 8 weeks! All for about an hour of your time and one small sharp pain! It's a good price!

[bluewind95]

I never have been able to donate blood because I faint at the sight of it and I developed a pretty nasty phobia over that so now I go hysterical when someone tries to get a needle anywhere near me. So I wouldn't want to look to one side, see, like, LITERS of my own blood (or what would feel like liters of it to me) and so on because I'd go down in seconds. Not to mention that a person screaming in hysterics probably won't be very... helpful for people wondering whether to donate or not.

[Icewalker]

I just hate having a needle in my arm. It hurts, too...

I will likely donate blood at some point though.

[Sotextli]

Given blood every year since I've been old enough (16 I think?). While I've never had anything abnormal happen to me, Ive seen fainters and people who ended up with really nasty bruises. My highschool girlfriend always wanted to give blood with me, but she has an intense phobia of needles, so she only gave once. That was not a great experience...

[snoopy13a]

I've fainted after giving blood before. That's what can happen if you don't eat breakfast beforehand :smalltongue:

It happens and it shouldn't be a big idea. The lockdown was probably for your privacy.

As for the giving blood process, I find the fingerprick used for the iron test to be more painful than the actual procedure.

[Molant]

^ True dat. They designed the needles to not hurt, but forgot about the li'l pricker!

[Starscream]

I donate about twice a year, usually once around Christmas, and once shortly before Finals because I need the good karma :smallwink:

I can't say anything remotely interesting has ever happened to me while doing so. Just the standard "get dizzy, drink juice, feel mildly annoyed that my arm smells like iodine" routine.

[Janmorel]

I used to give blood until the powers that be decided that the year I spent in the UK means that I can't donate.

If they ever come up with a blood test for mad cow disease, I'll start donating again.

I don't miss the giant freakin needles, though.

[Canadian]

Do vampires count?

[purple gelatinous cube o' Doom]

I generally donate blood every time I can (60 days between givings), except for the next year when I can't due to the whole being an a Malaria area rule.

[THAC0]

I donate as frequently as I can, which is not as frequently as I attempt, due to my iron levels being chronically one or two points too low.

[Bonecrusher Doc]

I used to give blood pretty frequently. I don't have any problem as long as the person with the needle is quick and proficient. Same thing with immunizations. But if I get multiple shots in one arm, or somebody is "fishing around" a bit with a needle, my peripheral vision goes dark and the sound of blood rushing in my ears makes me go half-deaf and I have to sit still for a while (presumably so I don't faint, though I've never actually fainted yet). The funny thing is I don't feel afraid (at least not consciously), I'm more embarassed and annoyed at my body not cooperating.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasovagal_syncope

I have to say it was pretty funny for you to encourage everyone to donate blood right after telling us about how you were taken away in an ambulance :smalltongue:

[Syka]

I've never fainted, but I've definitely felt ill after donating.

Also, once when the bag was just over half full the blood stopped coming out. So the person decides to start shoving the needle around in the vein in a futile attempt to get the blood flowing again. It hurt, a lot. I have since never let someone move a needle around. But they weighed the bag and, not only did they have to throw out what I'd given, but they also couldn't take more since I was over the limit. :smallannoyed:

I had a beautiful purple/blue/green/yellow bruise over about 1/2-3/4 of the underside of my forearm.

That said, I still donate when possible. I don't think I can for a year, though, since I just got a tattoo.

I had to get some blood tests done and I saw their needles and go, "Yeah...that's not going to hurt... :smallcool:" since the blood drawing needles are about half the size it looks like of the donating needles.

[Seonor]

I donate probably every 6-9 months since I'm 18, but have fortunatly no storys to tell. But there is defenetly some good karma flowing around every time :biggrin:

[bluewind95]

I used to give blood pretty frequently. I don't have any problem as long as the person with the needle is quick and proficient. Same thing with immunizations. But if I get multiple shots in one arm, or somebody is "fishing around" a bit with a needle, my peripheral vision goes dark and the sound of blood rushing in my ears makes me go half-deaf and I have to sit still for a while (presumably so I don't faint, though I've never actually fainted yet). The funny thing is I don't feel afraid (at least not consciously), I'm more embarassed and annoyed at my body not cooperating.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasovagal_syncope



That's exactly the condition I have and the reason I don't do blood donations. Unlike you, I feel horrible anxiety attacks if the syncope episodes hit. Until recently, though, I thought it was just plain phobia. But nope. It's that.

[Mordokai]

Also, I encourage everyone to donate blood if they're eligible. If my doctor says it's okay, I certainly will again. You can save 3 lives every 8 weeks! All for about an hour of your time and one small sharp pain! It's a good price!

Two months? Full blood donating or plasmapheresis? If it former, damn, you must have the stamina of a horse. If it's latter, yeah, that makes sense.

Donating blood regulary ever since I'm 18, two or three times a year. Never head a problem in that time, only the first time I did it. I took the bandage off too soon(an hour or so, when you're supposed to keep in on at least two hours) and had lovely hematoma, the size of Europe. I think it even looked vaguely alike...

[Berserk Monk]

Hey, I've done this. I felt like I was going to vomit after I did it, but I didn't pass out. That's how hardcore I am (no offense to anyone that did). I also got a green bandage to cover up the vein, which was awesome! Green is the best power ranger, and I'm apparently six years old.

[adanedhel9]

In my college days I tried to give as often as I could. After college I kinda forgot about it, but I just started giving again this winter. I just reached 2 gallons of lifetime donations. :smallsmile:

The only problem I've ever had giving blood was the first time I did it - I got a big yellow-green bruise over half my arm. Other than that, I haven't had a single problem. I've seen plenty of other people faint or stay in the chair/bed things for extended periods of time, but I've never even felt dizzy.

[billtodamax]

I'd donate blood, but apparently they don't want my blood because I was in england when mad cow disease was a problem.

[Exeson]

Why do I hear this story so many times? Don't people realize they have to make sure they have enough blood for themselves first?

Basic biology people, less blood means the blood pressure is going to be very low, resulting in the blood not traveling around the body very well, so if you naturally have a low blood pressure anyway make sure you are not going to be doing anything strenuous for a few days at least. (for example sport or playing a wind instrument or something or even standing up for extended periods of time.)

Basic biology people! Your body is crucial to your life, make sure you know a bit about how it works!
[/annoyed rant]

Anyway, yeh, give blood. It saves lives people, seriously it is a great thing to do, just make sure you have enough to go around. Happy you are ok though, One of my friends fainted and cracked his head open on the corner of a table, not a pretty sight. :smalleek:

But he is fine, although we do joke that it got rid of any remaining brain cells. :smallbiggrin:

[SMEE]

Usually, tomorrow I'd be going to donate blood first thing in the morning, to celebrate the passage of another year for me...

But I'm forbidden to donate blood because I'm transgendered... :smallfrown:
Found this last year... v.v

[Felixaar]

...I scared the crap out of the girl sitting next to me, as I apparently fell on her when I fainted...

Awww... you fell on top of a chick and don't even remember it? What a waste... :smalltongue:

I should definitely give blood, though I think I have to wait a while since I've been in Malaria and Yellow Fever zones within the past few months - I need to find out the rules in Australia.

And I haven't plenty enough for my own. Look, I'll prove it! Jenkins! Fetch me my stapler!

...

Oh, I'm just kidding, y'all.

The stapler-gun, Jenkins.

[Adlan]

Well, that sucks, but I guess they are worried about hormone imbalances, when you are using blood to save lives, best not to take chances, but some of the rules just piss me off, very prejudiced (though, good for the NHS, new rules on tattoo's is 6months instead of a year. Just in time for me to donate :D).

I've been donating for 2 years now, nearly 3.

[dish]

I used to give blood until the powers that be decided that the year I spent in the UK means that I can't donate.

That's funny, because I'm not allowed to donate in the UK due to being in China. Every country has its own set of rules...

[Helanna]

I have to say it was pretty funny for you to encourage everyone to donate blood right after telling us about how you were taken away in an ambulance

Well, the ambulance was completely unnecessary . . . I was very unhappy about the ambulance.

And I have to say some of the rules about donating blood seem odd, like whether you've spent time in Europe. Is there some reason that you're more likely to catch something blood-related in Europe rather than America?

[Quincunx]

Prions. Evil virus-like buggers, lives in the proteins of carnivores who ate infected proteins, years-long incubation, neither screening procedure nor vaccine nor cure exists. While the U.S. is no longer free of vCJ (mad cow disease), it's had few enough cases that it likes to pretend it is, and so doesn't screen for prions in the blood. A quick eyeballing of that chart for travel restrictions on U.S. blood donation makes me think it's out of date. The ten-year anniversary of those restrictions will soon occur and I don't believe cases have been asymptomatic for that long.

I'd be eligible to donate blood in the U.S., although rapidly approaching the time limit for European residence, but not here in the Republic of Ireland. Interestingly, a recipient here cannot become a donor:

"Never give blood if:

* You have received a blood transfusion (other than an autologous transfusion) in the Republic of Ireland on or after the 1st January 1980
* You received a blood transfusion (other than an autologous transfusion) outside the Republic of Ireland at anytime . . ."

[Bonecrusher Doc]

That's exactly the condition I have and the reason I don't do blood donations. Unlike you, I feel horrible anxiety attacks if the syncope episodes hit. Until recently, though, I thought it was just plain phobia. But nope. It's that.

I think it has something to do with adrenaline overstimulating the vagus nerve. It would really freak me out too if I didn't know why I was getting those symptoms. So, it may still happen to you but perhaps it won't be so distressing because, you know, knowing is the half the battle. :smalltongue: I comfort myself by saying that I must have a great adrenaline delivery system, so if I ever need to lift a car off of somebody trapped underneath I'll be able to do it.:smallcool:

Not to turn this into a tattoo thread (I think we've already had several of those), but I'm curious because I've never gotten a tattoo: How would you compare the pain/sensation of getting a tattoo to giving blood or getting an immunization?

[Jack Squat]

I haven't donated, not because I'm squeamish or am frightened of having a needle put in me.

I'm afraid of having a needle put in me 4 or 5 times, then wiggled around until they find the vain. Now, I can see the vain on the inside of my elbow, it's pretty big. It even pops out a bit when I make a fist. You wouldn't expect them to be able to miss it, especially after putting on a tourniquet to make it pop out even more. However, two other people I know with large, visible veins (my twin brother and my girlfriend's dad) have had to be jabbed multiple times for them to get the vein. Doesn't happen every time, so I question how well they train their new people.

I've had blood taken for tests, no problems, I just don't like volunteers doing it.

[snoopy13a]

Prions. Evil virus-like buggers, lives in the proteins of carnivores who ate infected proteins, years-long incubation, neither screening procedure nor vaccine nor cure exists. While the U.S. is no longer free of vCJ (mad cow disease), it's had few enough cases that it likes to pretend it is, and so doesn't screen for prions in the blood. A quick eyeballing of that chart for travel restrictions on U.S. blood donation makes me think it's out of date. The ten-year anniversary of those restrictions will soon occur and I don't believe cases have been asymptomatic for that long.

I'd be eligible to donate blood in the U.S., although rapidly approaching the time limit for European residence, but not here in the Republic of Ireland. Interestingly, a recipient here cannot become a donor:

"Never give blood if:

* You have received a blood transfusion (other than an autologous transfusion) in the Republic of Ireland on or after the 1st January 1980
* You received a blood transfusion (other than an autologous transfusion) outside the Republic of Ireland at anytime . . ."

Yes, it is fears over mad-cow.

The American Red Cross (which handles a lot of blood donations over here) is strict. If you have done what they consider "high risk" behavior then you cannot donate. Some of these behaviors are a temporary banning such visiting some countries (fear of malaria) while others are a permenant banning (usually behaviors that have a high chance of spreading HIV) or spending quite a bit of time or being from certain countries (could be mad-cow or HIV) . If you've suffered from some diseases such as hepatisis, then you cannot donate blood. Additionally, some drugs keep you off the list. Finally, some health conditions such as high blood pressure, a current cold or recoving from a flu, low blood iron and if you weigh under 105 pounds keep you off the list.

[thubby]

i don't donate nearly as much as i should, I've had nothing but bad experiences.

[Bonecrusher Doc]

Pizza and t-shirts were pretty good bribes for me to give blood. However, nothing like my friend who regularly sold his plasma for cash.

[Fawkes]

I donated via apheresis machine last time we had a blood drive. Now that's an experience.

[bluewind95]

I think it has something to do with adrenaline overstimulating the vagus nerve. It would really freak me out too if I didn't know why I was getting those symptoms. So, it may still happen to you but perhaps it won't be so distressing because, you know, knowing is the half the battle. :smalltongue: I comfort myself by saying that I must have a great adrenaline delivery system, so if I ever need to lift a car off of somebody trapped underneath I'll be able to do it.:smallcool:


Adrenaline is the one that stimulates that nerve too? Huh. I didn't know that. In my case, apparently mine is in a perpetual state of over-stimulation, and it's got several triggers that make it worse. So I feel like fainting from a variety of things, from seeing blood (probably the surest way to make me go chalk-white), heights (oddly enough, never from seeing a precipice, so I have no phobia to heights, but if I travel somewhere where it's much higher than here, I'll be feeling sick), some meds, pain, standing up without moving long enough, places that are crowded enough, a strong enough emotion... so on. I never knew exactly what caused this until recently when I got it diagnosed.

It still annoys me when people look at you weird and say you're just weak when you faint from things like seeing blood. :smallannoyed: Thank you, my heart is perfectly healthy and quite strong. But if my nerve dilates every artery in my body... it really doesn't matter how strong I am, I am going to get my world go black. :smallannoyed:

[paddyfool]

Congrats for giving blood to all those that do, although I'm sorry you had such a bad experience. Could I also suggest that when you next go to give blood, you register for bone marrow donation if you haven't already (especially if you're a man or of non-European ethnicity). Also, registration as a willing post-humous organ donor is always good, and can be done quickly online after googling "Organ donor registration" plus your country.

I find a certain degree of reassurance in ordinary human decency in the millions of people that give blood each year, and the millions more who have registered themselves as potential bone marrow donors (you can find a nice breakdown of these by country for all countries participating in the international registry here: http://www.bmdw.org/index.php?id=number_donors&no_cache=1). Equally, though, I find the number of people who don't do these things for what seem frankly like rather silly reasons a little dispiriting. For instance, in the UK, 90% of people polled report that they're in favour of organ donation, but only 26% have registered. Of those that haven't registered, "the most common reason for not wanting to register is to avoid thinking about dying" (https://www.uktransplant.org.uk/ukt/newsroom/news_releases/article.jsp?releaseId=226).... feeble, imho. Why should someone else have to die because you don't want to think about it enough to take a decision that costs you diddly-squat? But I fear I'm digressing...


On the exclusion of UK blood in the US: 3/167 cases of vCJD ever to occur in the UK occured in people who had received a blood transfusion from an infected patient (http://www.cjd.ed.ac.uk/cjdq60.pdf). With vCJD now thoroughly on the wane, and never having grown to as big a threat as was initially feared, perhaps those restrictions will be loosened at some point.

On the exclusion of transexuals: it might be that you're barred from giving blood because you're viewed as high-risk for HIV, along with everyone from people who've recently had a tattoo to sex workers & injecting drug users. Unfair, even offensive, and the subject of campaigns to reverse it, but following the thousands of infections through blood transfusions in the 1980s, blood donor agencies do like to play it hyper-safe these days. They probably factor in that transexuals are a pretty small proportion of the population so they don't lose out on much blood through this anyway, and that HIV screening tests sometimes give false negative results.

EDIT: IMHO, if they want to make blood products safer, the first thing that the US should do is to stop paying the apheresis donors. It produces a perverse incentive for people to go ahead and donate while lying about things like their sexual &/or medical history.

[dish]

...

On the exclusion of UK blood in the US: 3/167 cases of vCJD ever to occur in the UK occured in people who had received a blood transfusion from an infected patient (http://www.cjd.ed.ac.uk/cjdq60.pdf). With vCJD now thoroughly on the wane, and never having grown to as big a threat as was initially feared, perhaps those restrictions will be loosened at some point.

....

I thought they were worried that there could be at least one more wave (http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/aug/03/bse.medicalresearch) of vCJD out there incubating itself in the community.

[Narmoth]

....Okay - I'm done giving blood, I sit up. I feel fine. I go over to the table where they're serving juice and snacks, I eat some, I'm feeling great, so I head off to class.

That's where you went wrong. Most people should lay down for 10-15 minutes after giving blood, and drink about as much water as you've donated blood in that time. Then you can leave.

I prefer to just drink a lot of caffeine beforehand, and then drink the mentioned amount of water, and I'm fine to rise up and walk away straight away. But I sit down somewhere the next 30 minutes and do something easy, like read or take my lunch break

[Helanna]

It still annoys me when people look at you weird and say you're just weak when you faint from things like seeing blood. Thank you, my heart is perfectly healthy and quite strong. But if my nerve dilates every artery in my body... it really doesn't matter how strong I am, I am going to get my world go black.

Wow, people actually say that to you? That sucks, how could anyone actually think that? I get similar reactions on telling people that I'm afraid of spiders, though. Stupid people, it's not exactly a choice. :smallmad:


That's where you went wrong. Most people should lay down for 10-15 minutes after giving blood, and drink about as much water as you've donated blood in that time. Then you can leave.

Yep. So I've been told . . . I won't donate at school anymore, I think I'll do days where I won't have any obligations afterward so I can lie down longer and relax the rest of the day. Also, I think a few other people fainted. I'm not entirely sure they were running the entire thing right, actually.

And I'll check out the bone marrow thing, too. That sounds interesting.

[Anuan]

Usually, tomorrow I'd be going to donate blood first thing in the morning, to celebrate the passage of another year for me...

But I'm forbidden to donate blood because I'm transgendered... :smallfrown:
Found this last year... v.v

Brazil is quickly finding its way down my list of favoured countries... 'wahwahwah, transgender, wahwahwah, keep your dirty blood from pervading others, wahwahwah i'm insecure about my own sexuality'

EDIT: Okay someone mentioned bone-marrow donation already >.>

[Occasional Sage]

That said, I still donate when possible. I don't think I can for a year, though, since I just got a tattoo.


The rule for body piercings is that the work needs to be done by a professional using single-use equipment (ie, they can't pierce Joe, wash the needle, and then use it ot pierce me too). I'd be surprised if tattoo rules are much different.

[Groundhog]

I'm not allowed to donate blood either, because I have ADD and take Adderall. I suppose it's a good thing for them not to have methylamphetamines in the blood that they're giving to people...

[snoopy13a]

The rule for body piercings is that the work needs to be done by a professional using single-use equipment (ie, they can't pierce Joe, wash the needle, and then use it ot pierce me too). I'd be surprised if tattoo rules are much different.

I got this from the American Red Cross website:


Tattoo
Wait 12 months after a tattoo if the tattoo was applied in a state that does not regulate tattoo facilities. This requirement is related to concerns about hepatitis. Learn more about hepatitis and blood donation.

Acceptable if the tattoo was applied by a state-regulated entity using sterile needles and ink that is not reused. There are 32 states that currently regulate tattoo facilities. You should discuss your particular situation with the health historian at the time of donation.



Go to this site and click under Eligibility Guidelines:

http://www.redcross.org/donate/give/

[paddyfool]

I thought they were worried that there could be at least one more wave (http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/aug/03/bse.medicalresearch) of vCJD out there incubating itself in the community.

I'm unconvinced that that's a serious threat, although I agree that it's a possibility.


One note to the OP that might make you feel better: at least you were smarter than me. I once was daft enough to go and give blood after a day at work that was sufficiently full as to make me have to skip lunch. Midway through giving my pint, I had the following conversation:

Me: "My eyes are losing focus"
Phlebotomist: "What?"
[I pass out]

So yeah, don't do that. Also, be aware that tall, thin people are more prone to fainting. This was only the second time in my life I've ever fainted - the other time involved a rather more accidental blood spillage on my part - so even if you've never fainted before, it's probably still a good idea to make sure you've plenty of food and drink in you before you go, and that you take time to sit down and bring your fluids & blood sugar back up afterwards.

[sktarq]

This is a post eating thread.
anyways

I used to give blood regularly. My father had enough donated blood pumped into him that I figured I should give back. Now when I was still on formula my mother took me to the UK for a couple months....This put me over the 6 month in the UK limit. Silly if you ask me. Even sillier is my friend who is and was a vegan during her year there, apparently they are worried about Airbourne transavioli protien fragments now.

Funny story from years ago about what NOT to do

Go to crew practice from 5am-8am
Classes etc
Go to Rugby Practice
Homework homework
stay up all night doing project involving dangerous fumes
skip breakfast
class
head to lunch about 2pm/1400
get diverted by the blood drive
give 1 pint of B+
skip the sit down/snack in favor of the dinning hall 100 yards/meters away
get diverted by friend hanging new marquee over theatre
Spend 1-1.5 hrs hanging 100lb/45kg signs on 3 story building-on ladders
eat lunch
walk 3 miles/5kms to dorm/apartment
realize above may not have been wise
nap
do HW
get dinner
more HW
sleep
CREW PRACTICE AT 5AM

it was the last one that felt REALLY dumb. Never fainted but was close most of the time we were out on the river.

[Syka]

Bonecrusher- donating is worse. For me anyway. The tattoo was a light prickling, donating blood I can feel it pulsing out and it's really uncomfortable. Plus when the needle goes in and comes back out it hurts too. Not long, but I'd rather get tattoo'ed then donate blood if we're going on a pain factor. (For reference, my tattoo is on my hip and took about 20 minutes from beginning to end).

Jacksquat- those instances are rare and they probably just had a crappy technician. With a well trained tech I've never heard of someone being pricked more than once.

Occasional, I've already checked. Since I got my cartilage done at a professional shop, I was allowed to donate only a few weeks after I got it done. With tattoo parlors there are very few states that actually regulate them, unlike piercing parlors, so they don't do that. Don't ask me why, but piercers are much more heavily regulated by the health department then tattooing is. So even though I went to a very reputable parlor with excellent cleanliness practices (they don't have a piercer anymore only because the one they had recently moved away), I won't be able to donate unless I lie. Which, I'm not going to lie.

Heck, when I hit the six month mark (incubation period for HIV) I might stop by the health department for an STD screening and see if the blood people will accept that. :)

[Egiam]

Do vampires count?

That is an ongoing joke in my Vampire: The Requiem group.

Yeah, I'm a fainter too. I once got a flu shot, sat down for a few moments, and fainted. At first I thought that it was the sight of the needle that did it. I found out later that I actually was having an allergic reaction, but still.

I also fainted after I lost my first tooth. My mom got a mirror to show me, and the sight of the blood and a hole in my gums was to much. It runs in the family.

Just lie down and breath slowly. That is probably the most simple way to avoid fainting.

[GAThraawn]

Never donated in my life, and unlike some people I've heard of I've never been asked or encouraged to by anyone, no blood drives, nothing. It's always seemed a respectable enough practice that I'm occasionally peturbed that I never seem to see any advertising or calls for donors.

Of course, even if I wanted to those pesky spongiform bovines would exclude me too, having only recently moved over from Scotland.

[Felixaar]

Brazil is quickly finding its way down my list of favoured countries... 'wahwahwah, transgender, wahwahwah, keep your dirty blood from pervading others, wahwahwah i'm insecure about my own sexuality'

I don't actually know the scientifics of it, but there may infact be a quality to transgender blood that actually makes it medically unviable to donate. I don't know, just putting it out there.

Also, I'll take SMEE's blood :smallamused:

[Kaelaroth]

Brazil is quickly finding its way down my list of favoured countries... 'wahwahwah, transgender, wahwahwah, keep your dirty blood from pervading others, wahwahwah i'm insecure about my own sexuality'

Ain't that because the hormones that TG people take are potentially bad news for those who aren't TG?

[phoerix]

I just started giving blood, and I'm due up about now to do so again. Last time (new years eve) I passed out twice on my girlfriend while I was taking her out to dinner. Eat the food they tell you to do so before and after, don't wait.

Also, I've got really low blood pressure, so I pass out everytime a needle is taken out of me, so I just plan accordingly and let the respective party know :)

[Zaggab]

I tried giving blood a couple of months ago, but the doctor/nurse didn't want to draw blood from me, as the veins in the crook of my arm were too tiny.
Apparently, that can happen if you are too lazy (= don't exercise enough).

Burn.

[snoopy13a]

Ain't that because the hormones that TG people take are potentially bad news for those who aren't TG?

I thought they just took testosterone or estrogen.

If they are taking hormones to suppress secretion of testosterone or estrogen then I suppose there could be issues. Some of the drugs banned by the American Red Cross (finasteride and dutasteride) block the transition of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone. These drugs can cause birth defects (basically they prevent formation of sex traits in genectically male fetuses).

[Anuan]

Snoopy understands more than me there >_>
You'd have to ask SMEE or someone else that had been rejected for their Transgenderism if it had to do with their medication or their TGism in itself. I know SMEE had her breastmilk knocked back because of medication.

[tashiun]

I actually tried to donate blood yesterday! (Strange coincedence.)

They pricked my right middle finger and couldn't count the iron because it was too low. They tried the other finger, and it was too low. So I bought iron supplements and plan to try again soon! XD

Also, like a few months ago, my school had a blood drive, and I couldn't fill the blood bag because I didn't have a high enough blood pressure, and then when I got up, I blacked out and had a little seizure! Fun times!

Freaked out some of my friends, too.

I guess for the rest of the day I was pretty loopy, but I really can't recall much. XD