Giving Blood

[Elizabeth]

I was just wondering how many teens give blood. My school is doing a blood drive next week. I'm not able to give blood because I got a tattoo, but I was wondering how maybe people plan to give blood. Why do you decide to not give blood, or what makes you decide that you should?

[Justin Bieber]

I think I am old enough, but I will never give blood most likely.... why? Because I usually pass out when I have to give blood... I get really freaked out. So unless it's really important.... I probably won't.

[l0stCause]

im only 17 and ive already donated 3 times. if it can suve sum1's life i dont see how any1 could say no to donating its nuthing but maybe 30 min of ur time and sum1 can live

[Pelios]

I donated once and almost ended up passing out, and havn't donated since.

[losing touch.]

i'm not able to give blood.

i've had 8 blood transfusions in the last year because of chemotherapy/various surgeries. i'd be dead right now if it wasn't for blood donors. i don't think people realise what a difference them giving 10 minutes of their time can do.. it saves lives. also platelet donors.. kept me living :]

[l0stCause]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^


this is y i donate im blood type O neg(universal donor) so i donate as aften as i can

[sw33t&sourcandii]

ive tried the last time they were at my school
but they rejected me because i didnt have my tattoo for over 6months yet.. so they recommended that i came next year... which really blows.

[Gymnophoria]

I'm not old enough I don't think, I'm not sure what the age limit is.
I'm just waaay too not-okay with needles and lots of blood to be able to deal with it.
If I ever get over that, I will gladly give blood

[Bean]

I can't, although I am old enough, and I'd really like to. Since I've lived in the UK before 1996, it apparently puts me at risk of having BSE, even though I can prove that I don't.

[firecracker]

I gave blood earlier this year and I've been trying to find another oppotunity to do so again. The reason why? It took about an hour and I might've saved someone's life by doing so. I think it was worth it.

[.Brittany.]

I'm old enough, but terrified of needles.. I would only do it if my mom or dad needs it.

[The Morrigan]

One of my biggest fears when I go to the doctors is them taking my blood. I wouldn't put myself in a situation where someone was taking my blood unless I physically had to e.g I had to be tested for something.

[Arie.]

Originally Posted by xxEllexx

i don't think people realise what a difference them giving 10 minutes of their time can do.. it saves lives.

In my High school when we have blood donation drive, I do urge my friends to donate although sometimes they;re not completely aware and instead i'm hearing them complain about needles and seeing blood makes them want to faint and honestly i'm like just shut up already, one pint of blood can save up to 3 people.

As for me, I am indeed old enough to donate blood however i'm not eligible because of the minimum weight requirement however I would def. consider donating blood in the near future.

[Speechless]

I am old enough and I would love to but I'm terrified of needles.
And I passed out the last time I got a blood test done so..
My parents have advised me against it for now.

[Algernon]

I got rejected to give blood. I think It was because of my heart rate or something. I'm also afraid of needles.

[Total Light Storm]

I'm not old enough to give blood yet, you have to be sixteen with a parent's consent to give blood and i'm only fifteen. I'll be old enough in a few months and gladly will donate. If the blood saved me (I was born four and a half months prematurely and had to get skin grafts) it surely can save someone else.

[LeapOfFayth]

I do it when I can, the first time I was able to (even though I'm almost 20) was a week ago (because of being on medication, being sick, and getting a piercing) and I did it then.

[Skeleton]

I'm old enough to give blood but I've had a tattoo so I can't at the moment but when I finally can, I will.

[Magical Forest.]

I would like to in the future, but right now i'm too terrified of needles to be able to donate. I always faint and vomit when having a blood test, even looking at them makes me feel dizzy. I know how great it would be to know that i'm saving lives because of it; I just need to get over this phobia.

[fallen fairy]

I donated blood as soon as i was old enough and eligible (I had been to Vietnam/Chine the summer before i turned 18 and you have to wait a year after returning from a malaria zone / high HIV area zone)

Since then I have donated the maximum number of times you can a year (3) I am also on the organ donnor list and the bone marrow donnor list unfortunately I have the wrong blood type to donate platelets or I would do that as well

The way I see it it's like so many people dontate to charity but this helps so much more and is free I can't see a reason not to do it. I find it a painful and regularly pass out but still do it lol

[LeapOfFayth]

Originally Posted by fallen fairy

Since then I have donated the maximum number of times you can a year (3) I am also on the organ donnor list and the bone marrow donnor list unfortunately I have the wrong blood type to donate platelets or I would do that as well

The way I see it it's like so many people dontate to charity but this helps so much more and is free I can't see a reason not to do it. I find it a painful and regularly pass out but still do it lol

You can only donate blood 3 times a year in Scotland? Here in Canada you can donate every 56 days, which works out to a bit over 6 times a year I think.
Why would it be different?

[Bibliophile]

I would LOVE to, but because of health conditions and being under the minimum weight I can't.
Blood transfusions have saved so many lives. :] Giving blood is one of the most thoughtful things that you could do!

[udontno]

I have donated blood before and I plan to do so again soon. I have the parental consent packet for next week's blood drive sitting on my desk right now. Needles don't bother me and I had an enjoyable experience giving blood last time.

[Briana]

Last time I checked, a couple years ago, I wasn't allowed to because of heart issues...but I know I can't this year for sure because of how many blood transfusions I have had in the past year from surgeries. Other than that, I would love to donate.

[Lottie]

I love giving blood! See, i've not got a fear of needles so I'm fine with it all. The first time I gave blood the woman let me hold the bag of blood once I had completed the donation. It was still warm xD I've donated 4 times now and I need to wait another 3 months before I can start again because of my new tattoo.

[moyshi239]

I'm old enough, and I plan to donate sometime soon. I'm terrified of needles, but it's not going to stop me. :]

My high school had a grad blood drive but I wasn't able to donate. I had to wait six months or something after coming back from a trip, but it had only been five months so I missed out. I plan on bringing friends with me to donate when I go as well.

[OohLaLa]

I'm absolutly terrified of needles; I passed out when I got my ears pierced.
I am able to donate blood, and I have once already.
But then I got a tattoo so I have to wait a few more months before I can donate again. But I will continue to donate as much as I can, because, even though I hate needles, It is worth it if it will save someone's life.
The first and only time I have donated blood, I also passed out.
But I don't care, I'll still donate when I can.

[l0stCause]

if ur scared of needles id say deff give blood. itl help u get over it

[Grizabella]

I have blood/injection/injury phobia. Considering that I routinely skip out on blood tests ordered by my doctor because I'm too frightened, it's unlikely I'll ever go into a blood clinic. The nurses being at my school have been enough to trigger panic attacks in the past.

[Markteenhelp]

Hey Elizabeth

I give blood once a month. Been doing so for 6 months now. Decided that i wanted to donate blood since i was 15. Not really sure why i decided to i guess just because i wanted to help people

[twk.]

I gave blood for almost 2 years.

It's very fufilling and i fully encourage anyone here reading this to do it, realistically, its only 5 mins of being uncomfortable when you could be saving someones life.

The time between donations depends on which country you're from and how much they take (here in australia i think it was once every 10 weeks? or 2-3 months) but each time you donate you could be saving up to 3 peoples lives.

Fair enough if you pass out at the sight of blood it's probably not for you but the needles arent that big, and it doesn't hurt when they go in (everyone says this but it's true) its just a little weird when it is in your arm. It's best not to look/think about it if you are worried.

I currently don't donate atm , i made some mistakes recently and one of the questions on the questionairre was "have you ever used drugs by injection , even just once?" so i assume that i'm no longer able to donate, despite the fact that everything was clean and i didn't get HIV/Hep C etc. Does anyone know any more about this? or..

[KoKoEm]

I donate whenever I can and, so far, have not been rejected. I was very close one of the last times because the blood test almost said I didn't have enough Iron, but I had just barely enough so I could.
The last time was the first time I've ever had trouble with the needle because they did the arm where my vein is hard to find (not smart) and I think he put it through a muscle because I had trouble for days moving my arms and usually I can move my arms fine a few hours after donating blood.

[eaty]

I am old enough that i could give blood if i wanted too.

But i don't plan to, due to being scared of needles and i also pass out at blood, and other things it seems (I have a passing out problem). So it wouldn't be the best idea for me to give blood, though i wish i could. My brother gives blood as much as he can, it is pretty amazing.

[LeapOfFayth]

Originally Posted by twk.

I currently don't donate atm , i made some mistakes recently and one of the questions on the questionairre was "have you ever used drugs by injection , even just once?" so i assume that i'm no longer able to donate, despite the fact that everything was clean and i didn't get HIV/Hep C etc. Does anyone know any more about this? or..

I think you'll have to talk to a doctor about that. I'm pretty sure that the worry here in terms of giving blood would be the risk of Hepatitis or HIV. I don't know if that'd mean you could never give blood again or not, you'd think that after a certain amount of time of showing no symptoms they'd let you.

[losing touch.]

Originally Posted by Briana

Last time I checked, a couple years ago, I wasn't allowed to because of heart issues...but I know I can't this year for sure because of how many blood transfusions I have had in the past year from surgeries. Other than that, I would love to donate.

in the UK you can't give blood at all if you've had blood transfusions. it's annoying :[ i don't know about the US though.

on the UK website it says you can't if..

You have received blood or think you may have received blood during the course of any medical treatment or procedure anywhere in the world since 1st January 1980.

[Kate*]

My biggest set backs were always age and weight (I'm 4'9" and therefore it took me awhile to get to the minimum weight) now that I can my biggest problem is time and needles, they always seem to hold the drives when I'm in class so I can't go and I'm terified of needles.

[Banana_choc]

I decided not to give blood because i have not very visible hidden some what rolling/moving veins so just giving a vial or 2 for testing is hard enough. On top of that i get brusing and have had a lot of pain from just medical procedures with blood. I also for awhile had an unknown health problem and my skin reacts to medical tape-- so overall its more hassle than worth-- instead I continue to do locks of love and donate my hair since I can help others that way.

[Kate*]

Originally Posted by choc_aid

instead I continue to do locks of love and donate my hair since I can help others that way.

I considered doing that until I realized how annoying it was to grow my hair out.

[Lullaby :)]

I've never donated, i dont think i'm old enough yet tbh but i'd probs struggle with having to give anyway. I freak when we have to have injections at school, and when it comes to taking blood away for testing from me at the hospital, i almost faint because of the feeling.
I'd like to give blood in the future though, when i can and providing i dont feel like total rubbish or about to pass out.

[cutiepiex3]

i would donate, but i'm anemic.. so i can't.