I give blood every 16 weeks. (Men can give blood every 12 weeks) When I share the experience on my social media, I get lots of questions in my DM’s. Does it hurt? Is it scary? Will I feel rubbish, ill or weak afterwards? Am I eligible? I was incredibly nervous and intimidated the first time I did it. Quickly realising how simple the process was. Here’s what giving blood is really like.
Booking your appointment
My experience is with the Welsh Blood Service. However, I believe it is similar in other parts of the UK. After getting a reminder, I log onto their website and pop my postcode in the ‘Where can I donate box’? You can even put your work address in if you prefer to do it on your lunch break. Or some employers will give time off work to give blood UK.
A list of the nearest venues will come up. You can select the best one for you, the dates and the time. If you are unsure, you can do a quick ‘Check Eligibility’ quiz. You can choose to have an email or text reminder, or both if you prefer. Closer to the date, if your eligibility changes, you can cancel. The more time you give, the more likely they are to re-fill your slot.
What happens on the day
On the day, you should eat properly, drink lots of water and avoid exertion. (Confession time, I have given blood after a body pump or spin class, but much later on in the day). When you arrive for your appointment, you will be given a factsheet to read, a more in-depth eligibility quiz on an iPad, and a pint of water to drink.
Answer the quiz honestly, so the medical team can run through this with you. At my last session, one of the questions was: Have you been bitten by a primate or an animal from another country? The first day I had my rescue dog, Ivan, he bit me. He is not an aggressive dog; it was out of pure fear. A long journey here from Bosnia in a van, being in a home for the first time, and new people handling him. He was terrified. I had to answer yes but was given the ok to donate as he had his vaccines, and I had a tetanus.
Time to give blood
Next is the check to see if you have enough haemoglobin (iron) in your blood. This is a finger prick, and a few drops of blood are put into a fluid in a test tube. This is the worst bit of the visit, as it does sting a little bit. But, this only lasts seconds, and you’ll very quickly forget about it.
Then you are taken to a donation chair. A blood pressure cuff is placed on your arm. A suitable vein will be found, and your arm sterilised. You will be given a bandage to hold. The needle is inserted, and some sample tubes and a pint of blood will be taken. This takes about 5-minutes, and you will need to squeeze the bandage during this time. The team are nearby if you do feel discomfort or have any concerns.
After giving blood
Time for the best bit! Refreshments and a snack. I never buy treats for the house as I’ll inhale them all in one go. Typically, I go for an orange Club and a glass of squash. There is an excellent selection of chocolates and biscuits, and other drinks like tea or coffee.
When at home, you can carry on as usual, avoid a hot bath, and try not to use the donation arm to push or pull anything heavy. Iron rich foods are encouraged to be part of your healthy diet such as spinach and other green leafy vegetables, red meat, quinoa, and dried fruit like raisins.
The whole process takes about 30-45 minutes.
What are you scared of?
One of the biggest obstacles to donating blood is a fear of needles. (I’m not a big fan either, but I just look away) 81% of 18-24-year-olds have never donated blood, and most blood donors are over 45.
The Welsh Blood Service needs at least 350 donations every day to keep up with the demand from hospitals in Wales. This is 6,000 people in England. So regardless of your apprehensions, people need your help. The staff are ordinary, friendly people. On many occasions, I have shared a joke and laughed with them. They’ll even hold your hand if you ask nicely. Honestly, there’s nothing to be nervous about.
Myths about who can and can’t give blood
Believe it or not, most people can give blood. You need to be;
- Fit and healthy
- Weigh between 7 stone 12lbs and 25 stone (50kg-158kg)
- Aged between 17-66 (over 70 if you have given blood before)
- All blood types can be taken, but especially if you have a rare blood type such as O negative and B negative
How often can you give blood?
- Women can give blood every 16 weeks (about 3 times a year)
- Men can give blood every 12 weeks (about 4 times a year)
Other things to consider;
YES
- If you have had your COVID-19 vaccine, you need to wait 7 days before giving blood
- Taken paracetamol in the last few days
- It is also possible to give blood if you taking medication; just check your eligibility
- Travelling outside the UK (though some destinations will mean you have to wait)
- If you are gay, it does not stop you from giving blood. (Men must wait 3 months after having unprotected oral or anal sex with another man. However, from 14th June 2021, if you have had the same partner for more than 3 months, you can.)
- You can give blood when on your period
- If you have low blood pressure or high blood pressure, it could be possible
- Some heart conditions can also give blood
NO
- You can not give blood if you have a cold
- If you have a cold sore
- Taking antibiotics
- If you are pregnant or given birth in the last 6 months
- Ever been the recipient of a blood transfusion
- Had dental treatment. Simple fillings and check-ups are usually ok after 24 hours
- If you recently had a tattoo or piercing, you will need to wait before donating
More black and ethnic minorities are needed
Sickle cell is most common in the Black community and affects between 13,000 and 15,000 people in the UK. But only 1% of people who donate blood are of Black heritage.
Please consider giving blood
Once you’ve experienced what giving blood is really like, you’ll realise that there was nothing to have worried about. Giving blood is something we should all try to do if we can. Trust me, blood donation is a simple procedure and rewarding process. There are so many benefits to giving blood.
Contact and Clinic Information
* Please note, I haven’t had any medical training, and if you have any questions about the guidance or would like to do further research, please speak to your local blood service or doctor. This is blog post based on my personal experience of giving blood.
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