I used to donate several times a year, but in the 1980s I started having to take enough medications that the blood banks didn't really want my blood any more, so I stopped. I'd donated about 3 gallons by that time, so when I needed some in 1989 (motorcycle accident) I was in good status.

I'm not fond of needles, so I always looked away when the put the needle in. After that I was OK. Never really had any serious effects afterward--ate the crackers and peanut butter and drank the orange juice and rested the 10 minutes they insisted upon. Never fainted.

flashguy

I believe I will hit the 8-gallon mark at my scheduled appointment in March. I’ve done platelets twice but only get one day off off work per week so I find it hard to commit ~3 hours of my day and not be able to do anything strenuous the rest of it.

Thanks for all the information and the thumbs up's. Great to see how many of you do donate. This will become a regular thing for me, dont know why I waited so long. But never too late to start.

It's always good when you kids are better then you are and push you to be better!

My favorite time was in college, circa mid-80s as the AIDS scare was in full force.

One of the questions was along the lines of have you had unprotected sex with a man in the past 3 or 6 months. I paused, looked up at the ceiling as I was counting off on my fingers, then declared "NOPE!"

The poor lady didn't know what to do with that. My soon-to-be wife was sitting next to me, telling her to just ignore me.

I donate double reds twice a year. The only time I felt a negative effect was last month. I donated Friday morning at around 10:00 AM. At 8:00 PM I felt exhausted to the point that I could not keep my eyes open. Went to bed at 8:30 and woke up at 9:00 AM the next morning! I slept over a 12 hr shift!

Felt fine the next day.

31 times here (and counting). It gets easier every time.

I am O negative and CMV negative. They put a special tag on my blood called BABY BLOOD. I stopped going shortly after receiving my 5 gallon pin with Bonfills Blood Center. The centers have removed the receptionists who took care of all of the paperwork. Now the phlebologist have to take care of the check-in and the blood draw. I used to be able to get in and out in about 30 minutes. It now takes an hour.

I don't have that much time to devote to them, so i no longer go. If they don't respect my time, I don't respect them.

quote:

Originally posted by TomV:
Well past the 10 gallon mark. Like an oil change for the body.

Great job, Tom! I'm hoping (planning) to hit 10 gallons this fall. Currently three units to go.

For those donating through the American Red Cross and who have a smart phone, check out their blood donor app for your phone. I resisted for a while but finally signed up for it and am actually glad I did.

The app allows you to schedule an appointment, do the RapidPass to get through the paperwork faster on the the day of donation, and keeps up with your donation history (overall number and detailed history for the most recent 30 donations).

I've only donated 'double' or 'power red' the past 3 or 4 years and I feel fine afterward. I prefer it to donating whole blood. It takes longer but I go fewer times per year. I'm O positive, the Red Cross constantly calls me. No matter what type of donation I wouldn't exercise or do anything strenuous at all the day of the donation or the next day if the donation is in the afternoon.

Bloodwork this afternoon. Needles give me the creeps. My wife is a multi gallon donor. She challenges me to give. I cannot do it.

I did the double red blood cells for the first time earlier this month (I've always just given whole blood every 9 weeks or so)...I thought it was pretty interesting to watch red whole blood go into the machine to be separated and bagged, then watch the straw colored plasma return into my arm through the same line as the donation repeatedly cycled through...I felt no ill effects. It just took longer and I have to wait 4 months to give again.

Good for you. I used to donate, but I developed high BP, so they would send me away. BP is under control with meds now, but I never went back. Now I have low heart output since my heart attack almost a year ago. I have to pass on donating. I was a universal donor type, O+.

Thanks for the reminder, time for me to do the same.

i was so scared the first time, i was for my father in law... i don't exercise much so getting a vein was tricky at first...but after some forearm exercise everything went well no issue and i have no issue seeing blood. was kinda cool seeing my blood.

Sadly, they won’t take mine due to extensive travels to USAF bases in Europe during the 80s and 90s.

quote:

Originally posted by Wayniac:
Sadly, they won’t take mine due to extensive travels to USAF bases in Europe during the 80s and 90s.

Same here, they say Mad Cow possibilities.

quote:

Originally posted by Wayniac:
Sadly, they won’t take mine due to extensive travels to USAF bases in Europe during the 80s and 90s.

For some reason in my 20 years in the USAF, the furthest east I went was a 1 week TDY at NAS Patuxent River, MD. Went to Australia for three weeks, several TDY's to Guam, and one year in Korea. For 16 years, I was stationed in the CONUS midwest. 1 year in Korea, 3 years in California.
My wife spent 25 years split between Active Duty, ANG, and USAF Reserves. She's been to places I've never even heard of (C-130 crew will do that).

O- here and started donating mid 80's and have no idea how much I've donated since then, but it's a bit. Doing the "Power Red" now too and the Red Cross hits me up the minute I am eligible to give again.
The RC has an app where you can verify all your info and the fact you haven't had sex with a primate on the day of donation so when you show up its verify who you are, BP, iron, and off to the table.
They even send me emails on where my blood went.

I have never been really affected by it. Haven't donated in a few years. All the regulations on donating after traveling to certain countries/places have prevented me from giving in awhile.

The 1st time I donated was in college & I passed out, but also found out about the same time that I had blood sugar issues. At some point I randomly started donating here & there. I am O- so I take it as a sign that I should donate. This past year I made myself a goal to donate as many times as I could & I did. I always make sure to eat wholesome food before I go. I feel fine after I donate. The only thing I think I notice & it is just what I believe is that this is the first winter that I have become a huge baby about being cold. I am usually always hot, will even wear shorts year round & I live in a place with cold winters. I've been buying some really warm clothes lately.

My husband donates very rarely but it makes his energy levels really low.