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Blood Transfusions

S

Snowcrystal

New Member
I was listening to LBC as per usual today and they were talking about donating blood...It would seem that if you had to have had a blood transfusion up to 25 years ago or a bone graft, you can't give blood.

This raised the question of whether or not if you were going into hospital for an operation would you donate your own blood for yourself?

I think this is a brilliant idea and I think I will ask about it when I go for my appointment.

How many of you guys donated your own blood for yourselves?
Where you asked?

(((hugs)))
 
I think the logistics of storing blood for individuals would be a bit of a problem - having said that, the hospital told me that they'd matched my blood but had found antibodies in it and needed to match those too. The nurse said 'we can't give you any old A neg - you would react to it - we need to match the antibodies as well'. I had no idea. If there was a way of storing your own blood it would be fantastic. Zxx
 
zetacatty said:
I think the logistics of storing blood for individuals would be a bit of a problem - having said that, the hospital told me that they'd matched my blood but had found antibodies in it and needed to match that too. The nurse said 'we can't give you any old A neg - you would react to it - we need to match the antibodies as well'. I had no idea. If there was a way of storing your own blood it would be fantastic. Zxx
Click to expand...

By the sound of the nurse that rang in on LBC, some hospitals do bring you in to give your own blood if you are scheduled to have an operation...of course they could never do this is it was not a scheduled op.

My sister in law has A neg and she had to have blood when she gave birth...

(((hugs)))
 
Interesting thread snow, also a good idea giving your own blood in preparation for surgery.
I had a transfusion of several bags after I had my gall bladder out 30yrs ago. It was in that year that the aids thing started with blood and it was a bit scary for a while, but I was allright thank the Lord.
However donating your own blood would cut down on any extra risks.
Good idea
I know when I was working in special units they would often match patients blood for themselves especially the rare types, like A-, but it wasnt done that often.

Jay xx
 
fairyringuk said:
Interesting thread snow, also a good idea giving your own blood in preparation for surgery.
I had a transfusion of several bags after I had my gall bladder out 30yrs ago. It was in that year that the aids thing started with blood and it was a bit scary for a while, but I was allright thank the Lord.
However donating your own blood would cut down on any extra risks.
Good idea
I know when I was working in special units they would often match patients blood for themselves especially the rare types, like A-, but it wasnt done that often.

Jay xx
Click to expand...


If you go through the usual screening and they don't need your blood they could give it to someone else too.

(((hugs)))
 
Is that a new rule they have bought in about if you had a transfusion in last 25 years you cant be a donor?

I had a transfusion after the birth of my eldest daughter 12 years ago, and was allowed to donate blood 6 years ago. I must admit I have been too busy to be a regular donor but have been thinking about it recently due to my own op coming up.
 
I totally didnt knwo that if you had tranfusions after 1980 you couldnt donate!!! Surely thats counter productive?
 
We considered this exact issue when I was pregnant. Due to problems with the pregnancy, the doctors warned us that I would definitely need a transfusion after delivery and might even need one before then. As it happens, my husband has the same blood type as me.

We talked about this and thought it would be good if I could have his blood as that would reduce the risks as even the best screening programs can miss things or there are sometimes new unknown diseases that aren't tested for yet. So I asked my obstetrician if it would be possible for me to have OH's blood and he agreed.

I think it was only really possible because this is a small place. Somewhere like the UK can't really do that. But I was happy we could have it done that way. Fortunately I only needed 2 pints, had it been much more they would have had to use other donors.
 
Sambucca said:
Is that a new rule they have bought in about if you had a transfusion in last 25 years you cant be a donor?

I had a transfusion after the birth of my eldest daughter 12 years ago, and was allowed to donate blood 6 years ago. I must admit I have been too busy to be a regular donor but have been thinking about it recently due to my own op coming up.
Click to expand...

Hi Sam

I was not aware of this ruling either...but this is what they said this morning on LBC.

If you had to have a transfusion 25 plus years ago or a bone graft 25 years plus years ago you cannot donate your blood to anyone other than yourself...

The nurse stated that because it was harder to screen for things like CJD and other diseases back then, some of it got through and infected or affected people who received transfusions.

The way I understand it now is that if you had to have had a transfusion in the last 20 years it would be ok as the screening process became far better than it used to be.

Hope that makes a bit more sense......

(((hugs)))
 
Sulleyp said:
I totally didnt knwo that if you had tranfusions after 1980 you couldnt donate!!! Surely thats counter productive?
Click to expand...

lol...I must have wrote this all wrong....If you had a transfusion or bone graft 25 years ago or more when the screening was not so good they (apparently) won't accept your donations now.

(((hugs)))
 
IslandBreeze said:
We considered this exact issue when I was pregnant. Due to problems with the pregnancy, the doctors warned us that I would definitely need a transfusion after delivery and might even need one before then. As it happens, my husband has the same blood type as me.

We talked about this and thought it would be good if I could have his blood as that would reduce the risks as even the best screening programs can miss things or there are sometimes new unknown diseases that aren't tested for yet. So I asked my obstetrician if it would be possible for me to have OH's blood and he agreed.

I think it was only really possible because this is a small place. Somewhere like the UK can't really do that. But I was happy we could have it done that way. Fortunately I only needed 2 pints, had it been much more they would have had to use other donors.
Click to expand...

This was definitely a good idea where you live...and if an operation is well scheduled and planned for it's got to work.

(((hugs)))
 
I understand it but i don't get it! I mean first time you donate they check your blood anyway right? Surely all donations are screened as anything can happen between one donation and the next?

Oh well, another controversy.....
 
phatmomma said:
I understand it but i don't get it! I mean first time you donate they check your blood anyway right? Surely all donations are screened as anything can happen between one donation and the next?

Oh well, another controversy.....
Click to expand...

Yes, they do screen all donations but they have some automatic criteria to exclude donors. This happened to my friend recently who'd been giving blood for 20 years and recently had a transfusion during an emergency operation. She was understandably livid when she found out she could no longer donate.

I think they have 2 reasons, the first is that having received blood is considered high-risk behaviour (not a nice thought that! Implies a lack of faith in their own system) so you're barred for a fixed period - out here it's one year.

The second worry is that donated blood can contain things they don't yet know about - for example all the people who got HIV, Hep C or CJD from blood transfusions before they knew those diseases existed or how to test for them. So some countries like to ban people who've received blood from donating in case you've got the next new thing..... that's really the reason I chose to have my hubby's blood. I have a friend who got Hep C from a transfusion years ago before it was known about.

It's also the reason most countries have cut back on unnecessary transfusions, just in case. They used to do far more transfusions after birth than they generally do now.

I think the system is good and will work most of the time for most things but yes, some day a new disease crops up and it takes them a while to work out what it is and how it transmits. But ultimately, giving blood is a very worthwhile thing to do and saves lives - there are so many people all over the country who are grateful to the stranger who's saved them.
 
I used to give blood for years, went last year and they wouldnt have mine cos I had a transfusion when I had a hysterectomy 10 years ago!
 
So I was born in 1984. Never had a transfusion so I donate. But if I was to receive a transfusion tomorrow, I would no longer be able to donate?
 
Sulleyp said:
So I was born in 1984. Never had a transfusion so I donate. But if I was to receive a transfusion tomorrow, I would no longer be able to donate?
Click to expand...

Nooooo....You are reading it wrong!...lol

It's only if you had a transfusion or bone graft 25 years ago when screening was not up to scratch as it is now.

If you had a transfusion tomorrow and went to donate your blood in a year or two, providing the screening you receive comes back good to go...you'll be fine.

(((hugs)))
 
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