Giving blood

[lauraw1983]

Why are we not allowed? I was gutted to learn this recently, and cannot fathom why not? I can't find much useful on google - it seems some countries accept Type 1's and some don't.......I don't understand.

They'd have much more blood stocks if they didn't exclude so many groups of people from it!!

 

[Hazel]

they are afraid you hypo.

I was going for my gold award, but no.

A bit of pain I agree

 

[Northerner]

Yes, I was sad to learn that I could no longer give blood, after 20 years of doing so I always remember reading the exclusions every time I donated and they did seem to exclude an awful lot of people!

 

[Ellie Jones]

It's not just that we might hypo, it's also the insulin we have in our blood stream, plus our blood glucose levels, and any other medication we might have be taking..

I'm also excluded because I had a blood transfusion in 1990, so the blood I received hadn't been screened for something I can't remember...

My mum was never allowed to give blood because she had scarlet fever has a child.

 

[Northerner]

Interestingly, my Mum was a blood donor for decades yet she never gave blood! Why? Because she is AB negative and it's so rare (0.5% of population I believe) that they told her they would call on her at short notice if they had a need for her particular type. They didn't weant her to give blood at the normal sessions in case there was an emergency soon after and she wasn't ready to donate again 🙂 She never actually got the call!

 

[trophywench]

I was told - in 1972 LOL - it was because being diabetic, it might take us longer to regain/re-make our own full complement of blood.

I've always thouight it was complete twaddle and still do.

T2's can go and give platelets - we can't (for the same reason)

I'm not quite AB-, but I'm AB+ and I feel really hard done by this! Have borne them a resentment for 40 years LOL.

Plus they have really good coffee now, and much nicer biscuits, LOL

 

[macabee]

I have been a regular donor for years, but have not been since diagnosed last November.

I just contacted the 'Blood' people, after answering a series of questions, I was advised that I can, providing my medication dosage is the same, I want to do at least one more to reach my 70th donation.

Contact them on 0300 1232323.

 

[redrevis]

Just to clarify, it's only if you're on insulin that you can't donate in this country, if you're not on insulin you should be able to donate (barring other reasons in the long list).

In America being on insulin doesn't mean you can't donate though.