Giving blood (LFGSS blood drive?!)

First session was Tuesday, and all good.
Booked in for my next one in October. Got a tattoo booked for 13 May so for to leave it 4 months before they will take my tainted blood.

I'm supposed to donate later today but I've got a banging headache. I know not to take ibuprofen etc but should I cancel in case I have a virus?

I know not to take ibuprofen etc

Really? I've taken it for a headache the morning of a blood donation and they were still happy to take my blood after I told them I'd taken 400mg of Vitamin I (and some mebendazole, bloody children...).

If you tell them up front you can leave it to them to decide. They'll probably get a random walk-in who can end up taking your place anyway.

I was told by a nurse that recipients can be allergic so not to take 24 hrs before. I feel like shit though so probably going to reschedule. Bah

Unlucky #13? Not for me, all went fine.

Next one will have to wait a bit as the appointment they tried to give me was two weeks before IM Wales.

Bloke in there just before me, in his late 60s or early 70s, had just done his 5th or 6th Marathon des Sables. Finished the donation, had his cup of tea, put his bike jacket on, crossed the road and unlocked his fixed wheel bike and rode off back to work.

Booked in for first one 26th Oct, does it hurt?

A sharp scratch, a relatively small bit of pain that lasts for only a few seconds, then it's just a bit of a mild dull ache.

Nah, not at all.
You psych yourself out a Bit but it's all good

They look after you too if it's your 1st go (well they did at my 1st a few weeks back)
@KarlMarx

odd bit of blood stuff. recently moved back to SW London, so near enough to the permanent donor centre at St George's in Tooting. I got in contact to donate platelets again. Since I last did platelets, they've started testing for new subtypes, and turns out I'm type "Ro" and that it's more valuable for me to donate regular, whole blood to be specifically used to help those with sickle-cell anaemia, as opposed to platelets.

#csb?

Ooh get you FancyBlood! @chief_scrutter

Got my donor card through the other day, O Rh Positive.
Good old fashion common red stuff.

I'm O Rh Positive too. this Ro business is a further sub type.

Oh right, how do they test for it? Just when you normally donate?

Yep, i've been donating for about 15 years and then one of the supervising nurses mentioned it to me a couple of months ago. It's either that they've only just worked out a financially viable or accurate method of testing for this particular sub-type, or that knowledge of it's uses in sickle cell anaemia has increased.

"Have you been in contact with anyone recently vaccinated against smallpox?"

U wot m8? I hope to fuck that smallpox is still eradicated, and nobody needs vaccinating against it.

Also - is there always such a long wait? Why bother with appointments at all...

the long wait has put me off going back for my second go. I missed way more work than i anticipated

Awesome thread. Always nice to see other people giving blood.
Gave my 10th donation yesterday, pleasingly small bruise and a very trip to the pub. Looking forward to a shiny new donor card!

Don't give up - blood is always needed. Just try to plan to do it after work and aim to get an appointment if you can- you are usually only 20mins to an hour then :)

You can go after work at the West End donor centre (just by Oxford Circus), it's much nicer than a pop-up venue and they're very quick.

Looking forward to a shiny new donor card!

Well done.

The certificates (I got two slightly different ones for #10 for some reason) you get are a bit OTT, wonder if there's a way to opt out of that kind of stuff in the future.

I always make an appointment, minimises the time (and work are paying for me to do it anyway). I've taken work with me to read whilst there before.

Thanks. It's been easier fitting it in since I moved to London as there are so many sessions.

I've been wondering if donating platelets doesn't get in the way too much, it would be awesome to do. Anyone on here have experience?

I think i need to book in much further in advance. Hard to get an appointment late enough. I will persevere though. This thread had prompted me to book in again.

I tend to book my next appointment while eating my biscuit(s) after my donation. That way I can have the day and time of my choosing as they're (almost) always empty. I really do suggest the permanent donation places as they're much faster and open later.

Booking online is excellent. In the past (when life was a bit less unpredictable) I had up to 4 appointments in the future booked.

My local (to work) donation place is a mobile van, and they tend not to have their dates more than 6 months in advance, but checking online every week means I get the appointment I want.

Just booked in for a session at Sainsbury's in New Cross in July. Handy for some refueling.