A couple of months ago, I decided to give blood for the first time. I walked into the blood bank in Glasgow, filled out a questionnaire, got my iron tested on copper sulphate and then gave a pint of blood. A couple of minutes after the nurse took the needle out my arm I felt very light headed, and warm!
A couple of weeks after this I got my donor card through the mail which determined that I have A- blood which is quite rare. Even after having a negative experience the first time [after feeling a bit ill after it], I decided that it was worth giving it if I only experienced 15 minutes discomfort.
So on Saturday there, I gave blood for my second time. I had nothing to eat and nothing to drink apart from around 300ml of water. When the nurse asked me before I gave blood if I had anything to eat and drink today I lied and said yes. I gave blood and after the needle was taken out and your told to sit on the chair to rest for a few minutes, my head started feeling really heavy and it was an effort to keep it up. At the same time, I also began to feel really warm all over my body. I also felt dizzy and for a few seconds felt sick. I put my head right back in the chair but it didn't help much. All I realy wished for was to be unconcious so I wouldn't have to experience the horrible feeling I was experiencing! Anyway after about 15 minutes, I felt OK. But those 15 minutes were the worst I have ever felt in my life. Part of me thinks though that I should be selfless in trying to give back to the world by going through this horrible feeling everytime I give blood, and I like the idea of giving something back to society - helping out in a way. But I'm not damaging myself by doing this am I?
The whole reason I'm posting this is just to see who else gives blood. What blood group you are. Has anyone had any negative experiences? Does anyone here really want to give blood but they are afraid?
Funnily enough the first time I gave blood I was terrified I would get a letter through the mail telling me I had HIV or something. Not that I've been doing anything unsafe to warrant getting an infection, but it was just an underlying fear and it completely put me off giving blood for years!
Shaun
A couple of weeks after this I got my donor card through the mail which determined that I have A- blood which is quite rare. Even after having a negative experience the first time [after feeling a bit ill after it], I decided that it was worth giving it if I only experienced 15 minutes discomfort.
So on Saturday there, I gave blood for my second time. I had nothing to eat and nothing to drink apart from around 300ml of water. When the nurse asked me before I gave blood if I had anything to eat and drink today I lied and said yes. I gave blood and after the needle was taken out and your told to sit on the chair to rest for a few minutes, my head started feeling really heavy and it was an effort to keep it up. At the same time, I also began to feel really warm all over my body. I also felt dizzy and for a few seconds felt sick. I put my head right back in the chair but it didn't help much. All I realy wished for was to be unconcious so I wouldn't have to experience the horrible feeling I was experiencing! Anyway after about 15 minutes, I felt OK. But those 15 minutes were the worst I have ever felt in my life. Part of me thinks though that I should be selfless in trying to give back to the world by going through this horrible feeling everytime I give blood, and I like the idea of giving something back to society - helping out in a way. But I'm not damaging myself by doing this am I?
The whole reason I'm posting this is just to see who else gives blood. What blood group you are. Has anyone had any negative experiences? Does anyone here really want to give blood but they are afraid?
Funnily enough the first time I gave blood I was terrified I would get a letter through the mail telling me I had HIV or something. Not that I've been doing anything unsafe to warrant getting an infection, but it was just an underlying fear and it completely put me off giving blood for years!
Shaun