Giving blood.

[Kirbs17]

Hey guys

I signed up recently to give blood (Im finally able to after over a year of eligibilty(tattoo and piercing)) and I was just wondering if anyone out there had given blood before, and could tell me what I should be expecting.. Thanks

[badseed]

My gf friend has given blood before, nice thing to do homes. Expect to feel fatigued and tired afterwards. The severity will depend on your size and how much blood you give. Come to think of it these effects would be the same for donating sperm.:rofl:

[Ben]

I gave a bunch for the corporate challenge, delt a bit dizzy afterwards, but it wasn't so bad.

[hockeybronx]

Originally posted by Kirbs17
Hey guys

I signed up recently to give blood (Im finally able to after over a year of eligibilty(tattoo and piercing)) and I was just wondering if anyone out there had given blood before, and could tell me what I should be expecting.. Thanks

Hey Playa...

I've been meaning to go down there for a while. It's definetely a great thing to do, and although you may feel weak right after the effects should leave your body within 24-36 hours.

It's a great thing to put on your resume for community involvement as well.

[import_illusion]

where can u sign up to give blood?
do they give you a card or something after you do it?

[hockeybronx]

Originally posted by import_illusion
where can u sign up to give blood?
do they give you a card or something after you do it?

Hey Playa...

You can go walk in to the Canadian Blood Services Location downtown on 13th Ave I think it is. They offer walk-ins between 10:00am- 4:00pm or something like that.

I'm pretty sure they'd give you some sort of proof that you donated but I'm not 100% sure.

[Zero102]

If you sign up, you get a little card that they write the dates of your donations on the back.

I've done it a few times, but I stopped going recently. Perhaps I'll start donating again.

[sexualbanana]

A friend of mine is organizing a bunch of us to give blood. Our appointments are Dec 11. With the lower quantity of blood in our system, we figure the best way to celebrate our goodwill by going drinking after. :D

[statick]

^i'm also going on the dec. 11, u goin to the varsity church for it?

[Kirbs17]

Hey guys

i signed up through the canadian blood services website, and they called me back within 48 hours to arrange an appointment. My appointment is for the 23rd at 4:50 out here in Airdrie. thanks for the feed back, i had no idea what to expect

[QuasarCav]

Expect a needle in your arm.

They dont want my british blood.

[Dave P]

Originally posted by QuasarCav
They dont want my british blood.
i dont blame them

hahah
jj

[sexualbanana]

Originally posted by statick
^i'm also going on the dec. 11, u goin to the varsity church for it?

Don't think so. I think I think it's at blood services.

[xkon]

I go every 50 days or whatever when im eligable... I usually go to the bar after and get drunk cheap!!!

[Ben]

Originally posted by xkon
I go every 50 days or whatever when im eligable... I usually go to the bar after and get drunk cheap!!!

hahahaha, lets do it! Any other day and I'm an expensive drunk.

[Jeevin]

Originally posted by sexualbanana
A friend of mine is organizing a bunch of us to give blood. Our appointments are Dec 11. With the lower quantity of blood in our system, we figure the best way to celebrate our goodwill by going drinking after. :D


Not a good idea to drink after...
drink some water.

You need a fluid reserve your body to rebuild blood it has lost. Drinking alcohol would dehydrate you. You could pass out....
:barf:

[xkon]

Originally posted by Jeevin



Not a good idea to drink after...
drink some water.

You need a fluid reserve your body to rebuild blood it has lost. Drinking alcohol would dehydrate you. You could pass out....
:barf:

(Y) hasnt happened yet, but usually i go and workout first, so im pretty hyper! i get funny looks with the 'i just gave blood' sticker on when im on the treadmill :)

[GTS Jeff]

one potential benefit of blood giving is that u get a free std check.

[hockeybronx]

Originally posted by GTS Jeff
one potential benefit of blood giving is that u get a free std check.

Hey Playa...

Hmm...

I have heard that some places in the states pay you to give blood, anybody know for sure?

[xrayvsn]

You don't get paid to give blood at Canadian Blood Services. Everyone gives the same amount of blood, about a litre (approximately 1/5 of most people's circulating volume). They'll do a quick sedimentation rate test to see if you aren't anemic.

Be prepared for a lot of questions about potentially risky behaviours - IV drug use, tattoos, new sexual partners, etc. The you get to lie back and get a needle in your arm, and wait while they fill the bag.

You get free cookies and juice after, and a free sticker. :thumbsup:

[Chim]

In marketing right now our group project is to increase retention rates.

Any of you guys have some good reasons of NOT going back to donate again?

[xrayvsn]

^^^^ Oh yeah, forgot to add that once they have your contact info, you will have a new stalker calling you every few months. The CBS phone volunteers are more persistent than telemarketers. They really really want your blood - at least that's been my experience.

[Weapon_R]

Originally posted by Chim

Any of you guys have some good reasons of NOT going back to donate again?

I've never been lucky when donating blood. For some reason, in both times i've tried to give, the bag only fills up half way. Maybe my blood count is low :D

I just hate the fact that they call you at home and at work to give blood. It's kind of annoying having a person call you at work to ask if you can come to a clinic that they are having several months down the road.

[FiveFreshFish]

They should send out reminders by email instead. Getting persistent phone calls can turn donors against giving blood again.

[Z_Fan]

I had to 'give' my blood today.

And something strange happened.

I've got to say I've had blood taken from me many many many times. Never had any wierd things happen.

Today, however, was a different story. About 30 seconds after the blood was taken, and I am putting pressure on the needle hole, I started to feel woozy. Then got very cold. The lady told me I was very pale. Then I got light headed, and I needed to lie down. After I got on my back to lie down, I started to sweat! (Real sweat in like 20 seconds after this started and yet I felt as though I was freezing!) Then, apparently I started to get some color in me again. Now, go figure. Anyone know what this is called or why it happened? It has never happened before...after a couple minutes, I was fine. Like nothing had happened...

I have heard of people fainting when blood is taken...I guess I must have been 'close' to that stage...not sure...anyone got a medical background that KNOWS why this happens?

[xrayvsn]

Sounds like you had a vasovagal episode. It actually happens quite frequently, and not only when blood is taken, but when there has been a venipuncture. Basically, your vagus nerve is a major nerve that controls your parasympathetic system in your thorax and upper abdomen. It controls (among other things) your heart rate, and is counteracted by your sympathetic system.

If the tone (amount of activity) of your vagus nerve increases, then your heart rate drops, you decrease your cardiac output, and your brain doesn't get as much blood. As a result, you feel woozy. Your body doesn't want this to happen, so it needs to recruit the blood in your periphery to perfuse your main organs - peripheral sympathetic tone increases, and you fell cold, and clammy.

I have personally seen it happen a number of times, and it most often happens to males 18 - 35 years. Maybe young males have already higher intrinsic vagal tone, I'm not too sure. As it relates to venipuncture (having a needle in your vein), I think is because vessels have a very rich nervous supply, and can cause very quick feedback on the autonomic nervous system. Having a needle in there may activate your vagus nerve. (Incidentally, sweating is also controlled by your autonomic system)

[Z_Fan]

Yeah, I looked it up and that's exactly what happened I guess. I was sitting when it started...and almost immediately I was slumped over. If I didn't lie down immediately, I'm sure I would have passed out...

For the record, the only thing that may have been 'different' about this time having blood taken over any other time, was that I may have been dehydrated - I hadn't eaten or drank anything for about 14 hours.

They also say: First, there is a period of sympathetic tone, with increased pulse and blood pressure, in anticipation of some stressful incident, such as bad news, an upsetting sight, or a painful procedure.

This is absolutely true. For me, the 'stressful' incident was simply feeling/knowing I was in some kind of trouble. But I felt extremely stressed immediately.

Wild Experience! :eek:

[xkon]

Originally posted by xrayvsn
^^^^ Oh yeah, forgot to add that once they have your contact info, you will have a new stalker calling you every few months. The CBS phone volunteers are more persistent than telemarketers. They really really want your blood - at least that's been my experience.

I have the same thing... it got so bad i started going again just so they'd quit calling me!

[hockeybronx]

Originally posted by xkon


I have the same thing... it got so bad i started going again just so they'd quit calling me!

Hey Playa...

It sounds as if they are extremely desperate.

I guess that's the way things go though, you go and give it once and then they hound you to do more and more and more.

It's like door-to-door canvasers, don't think they don't know which houses are more likely to give.

[teg_racer]

Blood its in you 2 give.

[hockeybronx]

Originally posted by teg_racer
Blood its in you 2 give.

Hey Playa...

Thanks man, where did you get that saying from? I've never heard that before.


Actually I do agree though, I definetely want to give as much as possible while I'm still young and can handle it easy.

[Kirbs17]

So I finally went and did it on last thursday. It wasnt nearly what I thought it was going to be. I guess apprehension got the best of me. Ive got another appointment for jan.26th.