IBTS - does anyone on AAM qualify to give blood?

I'm O neg too and they are always looking for us to donate as it can be given to everyone. A half an hour or so every 3 months isn't a lot of time to put by. I use the clinic in Stillorgan which is quiet nice - you can make an apt and the whole process has always gone quiet smoothly.
 
I was always a regular donor - however can no longer do so as I lived in England. However, I could donote in the UK. Of course the bood transfusion board should be extremely careful about reducing any risk. But are the Irish authorities being too cautious or are the UK authorities taking risks?
 
greenfield said:
I was always a regular donor - however can no longer do so as I lived in England. However, I could donote in the UK. Of course the bood transfusion board should be extremely careful about reducing any risk. But are the Irish authorities being too cautious or are the UK authorities taking risks?
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I don't think the UK (England, Scotland, Wales, and NI) authorities have any choice, as otherwise they would have no blood supply.

What gets my goat is the implication that only British beef was bad (do we not still have BSE in Ireland?), that it was only eaten in Britain (did we not import any?) and that there is no way of checking it (is there no screening test for BSE prions?). As for expense of screening, once you have been checked once, you should be fine? I mean beef is safe now everywhere, isn't it? :rolleyes:
 
I started giving blood in the nineties. Gave well over ten units and few years later I received a letter saying I was not allowed donate anymore. This was due to the fact that I had received Three Units following the birth of my son (1995). Their website states:
Never give blood if:
  • You have received a blood transfusion (other than an autologous transfusion) in the Republic of Ireland on or after the 1st January 1980
I don't know what an autologous transfusion is. I did donate after I received transfusion so think they clamped down on rule due to mess up's they made.
 
I would love to donate but I can't - had hepatitis as a child - got it from drinking untreated water in the wilds of Kerry in the 70's - I went yellow for weeks !!
 
An aoutologous transfusion is where they collect your own blood ahead of time, and then use that.

I'm not allowed to donate. Too much time in malarial areas, and the fact that I lived in sub-Saharan Africa - it makes me an automatic AIDS risk.
 
I am not saying the Irish authorities should not be cautious - but if the Irish service is right in not taking donations from people who lived in the Uk, is the Uk blood service exposing their blood product receipients to some risk? Or maybe they are able to screen or test to eliminate the risk in the UK? Don;t know, just curious as I was always a donor and would like to resume if possible.
 
Yeah, I give blood every 3 months also. I'm also hate needles but I just turn the other way and talk 90 to the dozen to the nurse to forget about the needle. Maybe it is only me but the feeling of helping someone far out-weighs any fear I have of needles.
 
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