giving blood
 

anyone ever done it or want to do it?
i have signed up for the 7th nov its a huge thing for me to do one cos i am petrified of needles and 2 cos my dad had a lot of blood after his accident that in no doubt kept him alive i have the same negative (rarer apparently) blood group as him
every other time i have thought i would do it i have always too recently had a tattoo or piercing done but will be ok this time

I've always meant to.
But I think you have to be 18 ?

I would give blood but tattoos are stopping me and also the fact that I have had sex with a guy who has had sex with a man. So I will never be able to do it. :pat:

Wow. So are gay people not aloud to do it incase of STDs or something?

Nope

I've give blood before, just don't look at the tube :tongue:

Not even if the person has been tested for HIV and other STD's?

You can't do it at all, even if you've only had a gay experience ...

You have to fill in a questionnaire first then you have to fit a certain criteria to be able to donate

That sounds ridiculous, if you've been tested for HIV and STD's and the tests come back fine then surely there's nothing wrong with your blood??

Its really really strict. The regulations are here

https://secure.blood.co.uk/c11_cant.asp

I know what you are saying Matt where you think they should able to do it. But they cant. Its a joke. But then its like what if a girl has taken anal? doesnt that risk her of being HIV positive. That should be in the question too. And if you are going to discriminate gay men you should be discriminated gay women too. Its a joke and they ask why people dont want to give blood.

You should definetly not give blood if;

You've ever worked as a prostitute.

:laugh3:

OMG. You can not give blood if you have had sex with someone who has had sex with someone who has had sex in Africa!!!!!!!

I see their point and I kind of agree but they should change it. If you haven't done those kind of 'acts' for at least 4 months and you have been tested. It takes 3 months to show up so 4 months is plenty of time and nothing else can't have happened in that time.

I would be too scared to ever give blood
I think some of the rules are abit ridiculous though, if someone has been tested and cleared then does it really matter if they have had gay sex?
They should get all the blood they can, they are putting lives in danger by not accepting good blood

im never gonna give blood... sounds horrible but, I faint when I give bloody and its a horrible feeling. I only give blood when im getting tested!

Exactly. They should drop it and change the questions. They test all the blood anyway so what is the problem?
The NHS is crying out for people to donate blood and then turning away blood which could be 100% fine and save someones life just because of the way they choose to live their lives. Its a disgrace.

Those rules are a bit ridiculous,I need to change the gay sex one,like hello it's 2008!

I want to give blood,and I think I'm alright to give it.

i do agree the rules are a bit mad and do need changing
yep they are crying out for people esp those with neg blood groups i heard a ad on my local radio station saying just that

I will when i'm 18:thumbs:

I think I will donate blood, i'm not to bothered about needles.

Also I don't even know my blood type so I could find out if I do it. lol

I heard an advert on the radio this morning abuot this.

I'd be completely happy to do it as I have no fear of needles and I'd feel really good about it. But I don't know if i'm too young or not. My mum's looking into it.

i didnt know my blood group til i was pregnant

I think you have to be 18 or over.

I couldn't do it, needles don't bother me but the idea of it makes me giddy.

just thought i would bump this up i gave blood for the first time this afternoon i very nearly wimped out but i am glad i didnt
i felt a bit light headed just as they were gonna take needle out but i think it was more the emotional side (i gave blood kinda as a thank you for all the blood that kept my dad alive after his accident) and apparently its quite common for first timers to feel like that but after a lay down and some squash and biscuit i was fine
have some serious warm and fuzzy good feelings going on at the mo i have booked in for next time its in my town and i think it has got me past my needle phobia

so if anyone thinks they may do it please do