Blood Donors

Here is another (just found it) ashpublications.org/hematology/article/2013/1/651/20827/Fresh-versus-old-blood-are-there-differences-and

Elegran

Here is another (just found it) ashpublications.org/hematology/article/2013/1/651/20827/Fresh-versus-old-blood-are-there-differences-and

but those links are about blood storage AFTER donation....nothing about blood getting stale in the body of someone who hasn't donated and using donation to "refresh" blood. In France it used to be believed (might still be) that it was essential for women to menstruate as it "purified the body" and I belive that some medics in the UK believed this which is why the pill was prescribed in 3 week cycles with a week's break. This isn't a "real" period as there is no egg of course but withdrawal of the hormone causes the womb lining to shed.

Unfortunately with multiple chronic illnesses mine is not acceptable, and I’m sad I can no longer help, as I did donate blood for many years. When we lived in the UAE in the 70s/80s we were actually paid for donating blood, as it was much in demand, particularly due to many serious vehicle accidents, and because people of several religions cannot/will not donate blood.

greenlady Those were the closest links that Google threw up. Nothing about older people's blood being stale, only about blood getting stale if stored for too long.

growstuff me too. I donated regularly in the past but I ​have to wait to be called now. For anyone who is interested here's why!

Although the need for AB positive red blood cells is falling, the demand for AB positive plasma hasn’t changed.
Fresh frozen plasma is only produced from male donations.
This is because female donors (especially those who have been pregnant) can develop antibodies that, while no danger to themselves, can prove life threatening to patients transfused with their plasma.

We can generally meet the demand for frozen plasma and most red cells from our male donors, which is good news.
We encourage our male donors to donate as frequently as possible

There are occasions when demand for AB positive rises.
During these times we contact our female donors directly and rely on their support to ensure patients continue to receive the blood and blood products they need.

I think I've been contacted only twice in the last 10 years.

Elegran

greenlady Those were the closest links that Google threw up. Nothing about older people's blood being stale, only about blood getting stale if stored for too long.

yes but that is not what the OP said and it is their statement that I am challenging!

LadyStardust, thank you so much, thats really interesting, and very informative. Gransnet community is wonderful for giving and sharing information, i am really grateful, Thankyou

I’ve been a blood donor for nearly 50 years (B neg). I can’t say I enjoy it, but that’s not the main reason for going, is it? I must say I find it frustrating though when sessions are cancelled at short notice, local venues are no longer used, etc. This has been going on for a few years round here, so it’s not due to the pandemic. No doubt it’ll be cost cutting, but it must put donors off. I certainly used to grumble about it costing me a fiver in bus fares to get to my nearest centre, when there used to be a couple within walking distance that were always busy. I’ve got my bus pass now, of course, but not everyone’s so lucky.

As regards "Stale Blood" I'm not sure about this, but it was explained to me if you gave blood the body would make fresh blood to replace it improving the overall health of your blood. I'm just glad my bood (76 donations so far) is being used to help others. My blood group is B+ and they remind me that they need it. The shelf life of donated blood is not that long but it can be used for blood products if it is not needed for transfusions. There are many medical conditions which can make you unable to give blood.

Cindersdad

As regards "Stale Blood" I'm not sure about this, but it was explained to me if you gave blood the body would make fresh blood to replace it improving the overall health of your blood. I'm just glad my bood (76 donations so far) is being used to help others. My blood group is B+ and they remind me that they need it. The shelf life of donated blood is not that long but it can be used for blood products if it is not needed for transfusions. There are many medical conditions which can make you unable to give blood.

Whatever age you are, your body is continually making fresh blood, donor or not. Can i ask who told you about "stale blood"? I would suggest that whoever it was, you don't take medical advice from them?

I gave my 58th donation this week. It only comes out of my left arm (no one has ever managed to get any from my right arm. ) No one should be anxious about giving blood the staff are very gentle, there is just a moments scratch (like a injection,) when the needle goes in but if you relax it won't be a problem. Then it is plain sailing and at the end you will get a biscuit and drink and you will have done something very special. Please give blood if you are able.

BridgetPark

Growstuff, I am the same blood type, didn't realise it's not needed. Any reason for this? Just curious as I haven't read this anywhere, thanks

This explains better than I would:

www.blood.co.uk/why-give-blood/blood-types/ab-positive-blood-type/

Although there's quite a high need for AB plasma, it's only used from male donors. There isn't a high demand for AB platelets because only people with AB blood can receive it.

Ooops! Just seen that Ladystardust has already given the reason.

Nonogran

Bridgetpark , why not ask the donor service if they will accept your blood group? Things / science might have moved on since Growstuff tried to donate? (No offence Growstuff).
Could they use yr plasma?

My information is the latest from the National Blood Donor site. I wouldn't have mentioned it if I didn't know it to be accurate.

I have donated 63 times. I have O neg blood that can be given to anyone in an emergency. Now called ‘First Responders blood ‘ by the National Blood Service. I did ask a couple of years ago if there is an age limit- apparently not and I’m still donating, usually 3 or 4 times a year. It doesn’t affect me at all.
DH and our daughters have B neg blood, which is rare and in demand. Unfortunately they also have the family trait of very low blood pressure so don’t donate as they could faint.
Our son in law had a stem cell transplant recently so I asked if I could donate stem cells, which are much needed. Apparently you have to be under 60, so that rules me out by over 12 years!

They never used to take my blood so I gave up trying. Then, a few years ago the team I work with all decided we’d go and give blood. I couldn’t actually get booked in for it! So I’m afraid I’ve given up! However my sibling is currently giving a pint a week so they’re contributing for all the family at the mo!

I always used to feel really healthy after giving blood. I only stopped when you could no longer have it done locally and I was having to travel further and further to do it. My mum ( and also a friend of mine who was a nurse) used to say that a nose bleed every now and again never did any harm. Has anyone else ever heard that said?

my sibling is currently giving a pint a week

Surely you aren’t allowed to donate weekly? Is it for a special reason, and for a limited time?

I understood males can donate every 12 weeks, and females every 16 weeks?

growstuff

As a female with AB positive blood, I'm afraid mine isn't needed.

wow, a rare twin

Kali2

growstuff

As a female with AB positive blood, I'm afraid mine isn't needed.

wow, a rare twin

Indeed! By coincidence, my ex-husband is AB positive too, but he donated blood because, as a male, his plasma was used.

I give about every 6 months, but DH goes about every 3/4 months. He is O negative which can be given to anyone, so he's always in demand.
I consider it part of our civic duty, which sounds terribly old fashioned, but when I hear of friends getting regular transfusions for various reasons, it makes me realise how important blood is. As far as I know we can't manufacture it, so it can only come from one source - ourselves.

When I was a young mum in the 1980s, I used to donate my O Rh negative blood every 6 weeks in a process called plasmapheresis ( ??spelling).

Basically they would take a pint of my blood, separate the cells from the plasma, then return my red cells, so I didn't become anaemic.

A car from the Scottish Blood Transfusion Service would pick me up from my workplace ( I wasn't driving then) then take me home after the procedure.

I had given blood six monthly before that, "repaying" the many donated pints my brother had received before he died of leukaemia aged 12.

However, after I had the rubella vaccine when I started teaching, and also caught chicken pox, I developed antibodies which were very useful for treating sick babies. This was picked up from a regular donation, then I was invited to come 6 weekly. I did this until I was expecting DS2.

I didn't now that you could still donate in your 60s, I will look into that, happy to do it again.

I'm not sure if I've remembered all the details correctly, it was a long time ago. Maybe Ladystardust knows about this, but I was definitely a female donating plasma in the 70s/ early 80s.

The NHS Blood Service site states that female plasma isn't used:

www.blood.co.uk/why-give-blood/how-blood-is-used/blood-components/plasma/

growstuff

Kali2

growstuff

As a female with AB positive blood, I'm afraid mine isn't needed.

wow, a rare twin

Indeed! By coincidence, my ex-husband is AB positive too, but he donated blood because, as a male, his plasma was used.

I've always given blood ... until I moved to Europe where Brits who lived in the UK during the CJD crisis are not allowed to give blood as we are considered high risk.

I gave blood once - years ago, but the demand for AB platelets isn't high and there's usually a much bigger stock than there is of other types. As I expect you know, AB platelets can only be used for people with AB blood - about 1 in 50 I think.

Since then, I've always been told that my blood isn't needed.