ATAR Notes: Forum
General Discussion => General Discussion Boards => Other General Discussion => Topic started by: ninwa on November 19, 2011, 01:19:06 am
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Australians are being urged to roll up their sleeves as the nation's blood supplies reach dangerously low levels.
The Red Cross says it has less than three days' supply of blood left across Australia and is appealing for donations.
All states are in critical need of donations, but the situation is particularly dire in Western Australia, which has less than a day's worth of blood remaining.
Only Tasmania, the Northern Territory and the ACT have more than three days' supply available.
You are generally eligible to give blood if you:
- are fit, healthy and not suffering from a cold, flu or other illness at the time of donation or in the previous 7 days
- are aged between 16-70 years
- weigh more than 45kg
Further information here
Sign up to become a donor here
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Hey Ninwa, serious question. I'm overweight, will I still be able to donate?
I know it may sound stupid to you, but would like confirmation, if so, will donate on monday.
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Everyone should get behind this, we had a blood drive at uni a month ago :)
As long as you're not severely/morbidly obese, there's no issue
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Uhh, I'm 103kg and 186cm tall?
I'll ask a nurse and see.
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I doubt there will be an issue with you, it's one of practicalities rather than health when it comes to extremely overweight people.
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Are you sure its 45kg??
Because I thought it was if you're between 16 and 18 you have to be over 50kg and have parental consent, but if you're over 18 the minimum weight is 45kgs.
Because thats whats stopped me from giving blood so far- I dont weigh 50kgs
EDIT: I just checked the site, what I thought was correct.
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Uhh, I'm 103kg and 186cm tall?
I'll ask a nurse and see.
You should be okay, I'm 92 and a bit shorter than you and they were fine with me. I think it's moreso your health, ie if you can actually go out and are fine with cardio-vasc exercise, no diabetes etc.
Also calculating BMI off just height and weight isn't very accurate, you could be a very physically able person at 103 kgs with huge amounts of muscle and low bf%, or you could just be incredibly unfit, you'd be able to assess it yourself.
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I can run 5km no problem, guess I'm healthy.
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I can run 5km no problem, guess I'm healthy.
Should be fine then (Y)
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Thanks for the help,
Have always wanted to donate blood but freaked out by the prospect of it, but guess it's time to man up and put community's needs ahead of my unfounded anxiety.
Thanks
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I only donated blood because our school had some "blood bank" trip where we got out of class to go to Frankston and donate blood there. Plus some hot girls were going and I thought it was a perfect opportunity... Still, it turned out pretty good and they gave me free chocolate bars and everything. Definitely worth it :)
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. Plus some hot girls were going and I thought it was a perfect opportunity...
For them to draw blood from an alternate source?
dohoho
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I'm anaemic and unfortunately can't donate my crappy blood but to anyone who does it regularly, love you long time <3.
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If you give plasma they let you take home pretty much whatever food you like.
My dad rocks up with like 4 packets of those Zippy's chocolate milk in juice boxes and 4 packets of fruit cake slices.
Too bad they dont give those hard lollies anymore. Those blue ones were really really nice!!
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Considering it next time one is in town. Was always willing to help, but I never see the damn van in country Vic!
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If you give plasma they let you take home pretty much whatever food you like.
My dad rocks up with like 4 packets of those Zippy's chocolate milk in juice boxes and 4 packets of fruit cake slices.
Too bad they dont give those hard lollies anymore. Those blue ones were really really nice!!
They have someone standing in the kitchen at the centre I go to so you're pretty much shamed into not taking too much food :(
That said we still have those blue hard lollies at my centre. I'll sell them to you for $5 each
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you can't give if you're anaemic?
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If you give plasma they let you take home pretty much whatever food you like.
My dad rocks up with like 4 packets of those Zippy's chocolate milk in juice boxes and 4 packets of fruit cake slices.
Too bad they dont give those hard lollies anymore. Those blue ones were really really nice!!
They have someone standing in the kitchen at the centre I go to so you're pretty much shamed into not taking too much food :(
That said we still have those blue hard lollies at my centre. I'll sell them to you for $5 each
LOL I wouldnt be surprised if my dad uses the 'I have kids, they like this shit,' excuse for taking so much food.
Oh man, $5 bucks?? Nah, I'm a curry, I'm too cheap for that. How about I put on some weight, then I'll drive down to your centre and I'll give blood and then take home the whole basket of lollies :)
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you can't give if you're anaemic?
I've been told by my doctor that I can't. Makes sense, why would you take blood from a person lacking in proper blood?
It would be like a poor homeless guy donating his last remaining clothes to charity. /extreme
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bump
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I've heard you get a free muffin afterwards:)
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Just found out I can't donate blood, due to mad-cow disease restrictions :( Was born in England in '94, and stayed for 2 years.
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I cant donate blood due to my fear of noodles. Dam anxiety.
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@stephan: *needles??
I can't either, it turns out that I'm severely anaemic
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@stephan: *needles??
I can't either, it turns out that I'm severely anaemic
I didnt realize my typoo LOL.
Cant you like take alot of iron supplements then donate ?.
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I was banned from donating for 6 months because my haemoglobin (??) levels were too low. So I started taking multivitamins and making sure to eat before each donation. I dunno, worked for me
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There seems to be a lot of negativity regarding this topic (regardless of reason), so I'M GONNA PUT MY HAND UP FOR DONATING BLOOD! ;D
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Our school actually encourages us to donate blood, so the past few years a blood van has come to our school to collect it. Unfortunately, I have not been eligible for it yet (you need to be 16 at the time of the donation and I turned 16 a few days after our school's blood van visit), but it will be something I will do in the future. :)
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@stephan: *needles??
I can't either, it turns out that I'm severely anaemic
I didnt realize my typoo LOL.
Cant you like take alot of iron supplements then donate ?.
There's reasons other than iron deficiency for anaemia, although it is the most common one. Despite that, purely taking iron supplements won't immediately raise your haemoglobin - which is the measure by which they define anaemia. Haemoglobin has to still be made from the iron you take in, so binging on iron won't really do anything as the body still has to produce haemoglobin. Last problem is that the body actually has practically no method to excrete iron, and excess supplementation is incredibly dangerous as it damages several vital organs, particularly the liver. Best to see a doctor first to see if iron's needed, and then stick strictly to the dosage given.
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I've been donating regularly since I was 16.
This old dude opposite me once got baked a cake by the nurses there cause apparently it was his 500th donation or something?
Well that's gonna be me lol
But yeah anyway heaps of my friends I think are like 'offended' by some of the restrictions Red Cross apparently has on donors...
I think it's like if you're gay you can't or something like that? Potential risk of HIV or something?
I've heard that there's been petitions against it and everything.
Like "We WANT to help but nooo we're not allowed to."
Yeah idk...
:/
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@shinny: But if your iron levels are so low, why would your body need to get rid of it, or excrete it, since the large amount has a purpose..to compensate what you're lacking?
I always assumed that I can't overdose on iron since my HB level is 3 and I need all the iron I could get to be normal again..I think thats the way it goes.
I have been on pills for a very long time but they aren't helping so I have to have another blood test, and if my levels are still low, I'll be getting an iron infusion done.
@stephan actually that made me laugh so hard. noodles lmao.
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Question, how long should you wait to drive after donating blood?
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@shinny: But if your iron levels are so low, why would your body need to get rid of it, or excrete it, since the large amount has a purpose..to compensate what you're lacking?
I always assumed that I can't overdose on iron since my HB level is 3 and I need all the iron I could get to be normal again..I think thats the way it goes.
I have been on pills for a very long time but they aren't helping so I have to have another blood test, and if my levels are still low, I'll be getting an iron infusion done.
@stephan actually that made me laugh so hard. noodles lmao.
I was talking about overcompensation though. If you're lacking iron now and take an entire bottle of iron tablets in, clearly you're going to have too much and then your body can't excrete it. I was just replying to Stephan_'s comment which made it almost sound like you can just binge on iron and expect to be not anaemic anymore.
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Question, how long should you wait to drive after donating blood?
My dad drives straight after donating.
I don't think it would be too much of an issue though, I feel no different after donating.
Plus, if you donate plasma or platelets, I'd imagine it would be less of an issue compared to donating whole blood.
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Question, how long should you wait to drive after donating blood?
I drive straight afterwards, most people I've seen aren't really affected by it at all. Anyways there's places you can sit and rest and eat something before you leave
But yeah anyway heaps of my friends I think are like 'offended' by some of the restrictions Red Cross apparently has on donors...
I think it's like if you're gay you can't or something like that? Potential risk of HIV or something?
The form doesn't ask for your orientation though, you don't have to tell them if you're gay
There's a checkbox for if you've had sex with someone who has worked as a prostitute but that doesn't specify sexual orientation
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The form doesn't ask for your orientation though, you don't have to tell them if you're gay
There's a checkbox for if you've had sex with someone who has worked as a prostitute but that doesn't specify sexual orientation
I could swear I've seen a question that sort of implies male homosexuality. I've definitely seen one about anal sex (which is applicable either way), but I think I remember seeing something else.
I can't be sure though, because when I reach that lot of questions, I race through them ticking 'No'. If my dad saw me pausing while answering, I foresee a very awkward situation...
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Hmm that's odd, the only sex-related ones that I can remember are the sex worker ones and the "have you had sex with someone who might have one of the hepatitis infections"
Someone take a pic next time they donate :P (mine's in March)
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I tried to donate the other day but apparently I have 'bouncy veins' and the needle thing didn't go in right and bruised my arm pretty badly. After that I felt really light headed and they decided not to go through with the donation. I think I'll try again though when I'm able to, maybe with my other arm which has less bouncy veins. It was the first time I had tried donating and it wasn't the best experience ever. Still though, I think it's really important to donate if you can (or at least try :s).