The advantage of blood being that you don't have to take anti-rejection medication for the rest of your life. The cells die off fairly quickly and are replaced by your own body. It's a very temporary patch that saves life when your body doesn't have sufficient reserves. Eight pints isn't much when you're leaking like a sieve.
NHS stuff about blood
by PoppyR 16 Replies latest watchtower medical
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Scully
PoppyR
Checking the date on the so-called "update" page, right at the top of the webpage you linked to, you'll see that it's
September 2001
or, over 4 years since its publication.
Standard testing for things like Hepatitis A, B and C, known HIV strains, West Nile Virus, and a host of other blood-borne pathogens are routine in Canada, and most likely in other parts of the world that rely on donor blood for transfusion purposes and fractionation products.
Liability for administering tainted blood is something these agencies want to avoid at all cost, and testing is constantly being upgraded to improve the quality and safety of the blood supply to ensure that people receive the safest blood possible.
As Lady Lee said, no medical procedure, including receiving blood transfusions or blood products, is without risk. This is why you are required to give your informed consent to these procedures. Whenever I administer blood or blood products to a patient, I am required by law to double check with another nurse to ensure that the right patient is receiving appropriate product. I am also required by law to inform the patient of possible adverse effects and make them aware that if they experience adverse effects during the course of a transfusion, or following the administration of blood products, they must notify their caregiver immediately. Each recipient of a blood product is given an identification card that they should keep filed with their important documents that would trace the source of the blood product(s) they received.
Donors are screened for general health (Are you feeling well today? Have you been to the dentist in the past 3 days? Have you had a vaccination within the last 3 months? Have you been under a physician's care in the past 6 months? Have you taken any medication, including vitamins, in the last week? Have you ever had fainting spells, dizziness, or lost consciousness? etc.) and are also screened for high risk behaviours (Have you ever had HIV or AIDS? Have you ever had sex with someone whose sexual history you do not know? Have you ever had sex with someone who has lived in [countries in Africa where AIDS and HIV is prevalent]? Have you ever lived in those places? Have you ever had blood or blood products? Are you pregnant?, etc.) Even if someone chooses to lie about their answers during the interview with the nurse screener, these questions are designed to elicit a person's conscience sufficiently so that the third step allows the donor themselves to decide whether their blood is safe to use or not - by placing a YES or NO sticker on the form in a closed and private room with nobody else watching - after having signed a legal document assuring that they have answered the questions truthfully.
If any results of the testing conclude that the person's blood should not be used, for example if they have an STD, the blood will not enter the system, the donor will be notified and excluded from donating, the donor's physician will be notified, and the Public Health Department will also be notified (in the case of STDs like HIV, Hepatitis B or C, gonorrhea, syphillis, etc.)
As LittleToe said, the blood that is received during a transfusion is more than likely NOT whole blood, and has a definite lifespan. Red blood cells have an average lifespan of 180 days, so by the time 6 months have passed after a transfusion, the patient's blood is wholly "theirs" again. Donor blood is separated into its four major components: red blood cells, white blood cells (leukocytes), plasma, and platelets.
Donors cannot catch diseases from donating blood. So if you know you have good health and are not engaging in any high risk behaviours, you can make the blood supply even safer by becoming a donor. If you are healthy, you should be able to donate every 8 weeks.
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Lady Lee
Scully
You mentioned the screening process. A couple of months ago I decided to donate some blood. But I called first to find out if the place to go was accessible. They did a phone screening so that if I wasn't eligible I wouldn't have to go only to find out they couldn't use my blood.
Well I was eligible for all the questions except. I have a vitamin deficiency B12. They refused me on that basis. I was sure surprised. So if they even ask for things like that I know I would feel pretty safe about the screening for more serious things
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skyman
I read the link but admit I have not read any of the post above. Yes I agree with what is said, but fractions that the JW's use have the more risks involved than with transfusions the. JW that sent you the link should be made aware of this fact. With fractions the possibilty increase many folds. Every person that a fraction comes from increases the chance of getting a blood disease by 1 X or 100% so if it takes 100 different donations to make one dosage of fractions the chance of getting an blood disease is increased by 100 TIMES. All JW that I know do not even think about this when they are spouting off about the dangers of Blood transfusions. So a blood transfussion is safer than the JW's use for fractions.
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Thegoodgirl
And Poppy, a thought from an ICU nurse:
Can't tell you how many blood transfusions we give. It's very routine, and saves many lives. If you're hesitant, tell your doc, but let them know that you'll definetly accept if needed. Maybe theyll let your hemoglobin drop a liittle more before giving blood. Some doctors give blood before others would. When your body is in need of blood, you are at risk for, among other things, a heart attack. The lower your hemoglobin gets (sort of like the lower your blood level is) the more at risk for a heart attack you are.
I have seen a man have a heart attack, right there on the monitor before my eyes. (This is different from funny heart rhythms or no heart rate at all. It was just so unusual for me to see the actual heart attack, and the only time. They call them tombstone rhythms, or something, because the wave looks like the shape of a tombstone.) We were frantically giving blood, but he needed the blood, like three days ago, and had refused to go to the hospital. I'm just saying, yeah, yeah you can get diseases from blood, but it's really used as a lifesaving technique. I wouldn't worry too much about it unless you're someone who gets sick all the time. If you're in some kind of sudden car accident or such thing, just accept the blood, you probably really need it.
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kiddotan
Thanks The good girl.
I've been a donor, all through high school and into my late 20's. Australia now has a policy of not excepting blood from anyone who was in the UK and other countries in Europe before the 1994. Which is when the ban on feeding livestock products back to the livestock.
I now give blood to hold for myself as will do this. I have had transfusions when I heamorraghe during a late miscarriage.
Good luck Poppy with your choice in this. My other half will not except a blood transfusion, nor make a decision regarding me. I have a living will to cover this. My life, My decision.
Tan
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DannyHaszard
The RC screening process is very strict
What gets me is Jehovah's Witnesses DO use many blood products they just don't donate a drop themselves and demonize the process.
Danny Haszard is a 'poster boy' for the RC so is my mate and 'blood buddy' we donate together every 6 weeks like clockwork.
Why am i the perfect blood donor?Largely due to my boring life as a former life-long Jehovah's Witnesses