I don't really know everything they test for (other than any diseases that could be transmitted through blood), but I think many of them still offer the cholesterol screening. I don't believe high cholesterol would make your blood undesirable, however, since I constantly receive cards encouraging me to come back in.

Donating blood is actually how I discovered I had high cholesterol. Mine was high enough to cause me some concern and after a few visits with my physician, I'm now taking medication which has it under control.

I can't imagine that I would have ever gone in to have a cholesterol screening at my age. So...I guess you could say donating blood at least lengthened my life (since my doctor told me that my arteries were aging twice as fast as they should!). http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttr...orum/smile.gif


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Where are we going? And why am I in this handbasket?

I have very low blood pressure normally - usually like 85/55, sometimes lower. The last time I gave blood, they had to put the bag on the floor and me on a very high table and it just kind of oozed out..it takes forever and then I'm all swimmy-headed when it's over (more donuts! more Orange Juice!). But I still give at my local hospital every chance I get.

Don't hold your breath. The Salvation Army, which is terribly concerned about everyone's health (sarcasm), continually votes against allowing gays to donate essentially because it doesn't mesh with their religious agenda.

Unfortunately, they'd prefer to see people die for lack of blood rather than have anything to do with gays.

There are some campaigns out there to boycott blood drives for this reason. That's a whole separate discussion, but the basic idea is that bringing the issue to the forefront now and getting the rule changed will save more lives in the future than waiting another 50 years for the Red Cross and others to stop being so bigoted. If these people were really concerned about screening out bad blood, they'd look at the statistics and make some serious changes.

Sorry for the rant, but I think it's an important topic.

d

(edited for typo)

[This message has been edited by Doppy (edited 02-09-2003).]

I saw the "are you afraid of needles" thread and was reminded that the needle they use to draw blood is very small. http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttr...orum/smile.gif

It's a slow time of the year for blood donations. Please consider giving.

Dan

Shamless bump. Give blood. The supplies are in short supply.

They're especially in need of blood type FT.
http://www.flyertalk.com/airports/ft...forum/wink.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/airports/ft...um/biggrin.gif

I wouldn't get too carried away with the ocnspiracy theories that the Red Cross is letting people die because they are anti-gay. I lived in England for six months, and now I am permanently banned from ever donating blood, even though I donated blood every 8 weeks for about FIVE YEARS after the six months in England. If I was a Mad Cow, or if I was turning other people into Mad Cows, don't you think five years' worth of blood units would have already done it? All of a sudden, my 21st Century blood is BAD, whereas my 20th Century blood was GOOD.

What I'm saying is that the Red Cross is probably just overly paranoid about the blood they get. I don't know enough about their testing processes, and how 100% certain they are that their blood is safe. (If the tests are only, say 99.9999% accurate, then maybe the paranoia is justified. I just don't know.)

However, I don't think the Red Cross is engaging in an anti-gay conspiracy, or an anti-people-who-lived-in-England conspiracy for that matter, or an anti-people-who-exchange-drugs-for-sex conspiracy, etc.

You're right, it's the Salvation Army. That was a typo. I'll update my post.

d

I don't think they ask about this, but if you've ever had unexplained nerological symptoms then blood donation is contra-indicated.

It seems there once was someone diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis who was killed in a car crash. His corneas were dontacted and transplanted into two different recipients.

Both recipiients later came down with rabies(!)

Since you mentioned the Red Cross, they're the last people I would give blood to.

Why? It seems they sell their blood to hospitals. http://www.flyertalk.com/airports/ft..._forum/eek.gif

When I heard that, I started donating blood directly to a local hospital. Local hospitals save a small fortune by NOT buying blood from the Red Cross and other similiar agencies.

Dan

Time for L1011 and Gaucho to give blood.

Wish they would change the ridiculous rules about not giving blood if you were in Europe for six months or more.

I used to give every two months, than was told, "no thanks, you lived in Germany in 1982."

Bad, bad science.

The exact wording of the restriction is:

I'm not too sure if this is cumulative or not. However, in Canada the rules are more restrictive - not only is it a cumulative total, but it's 3 months for both UK and France, and 5 months for other western Europe countries.

It's that time again. Time to donate a pint.

Remember, by giving blood, you can check to see if your iron level is high.

Some of you new folks may want to read this thread from the beginning for a better understanding on why you should give blood.

Dan

Shameless bump.

Give blood. It's important.

I am astounded at the restrictions on giving blood if you lived in Europe. Total denial of BSE in the US ! Sorry then folks, that makes two reasons why your not getting my blood.