NHS 111

[fisherofsouls]

Well, they say no good deed goes unpunished and so it proved today... having given blood first thing this morning, by early afternoon I had a painful, swollen and bruised arm...

So, I called 111 (the new NHS Direct) and the operator ran me through a bunch of questions, at the end of which she said a doctor should see me and on the spot offered me an appointment an hour hence at my local hospital.  I duly went down there, waltzed through a teeming A&E and was seen within 15 minutes.  My mind is blown - never had such good service from the NHS before :-)

As it turns out, I am just being a big girl's blouse and the pain and swelling should go away by tomorrow.  But at the end of the day it could have been a nicked artery, which would have been serious, so I am very grateful for how promptly I was seen... :-)

[gorge]

Are you sure you are on the correct forum?

[CoolTiger]

I was under the impression that if you see WGs, then you are not able to donate blood??

Were you asked to fill out any forms? If so, what questions were asked about your sex lifestyle?

[jcdmj12]

Yep - if you've had vaginal/anal/oral sex with a WG in the last 12 months you shouldn't be donating blood.

[GreyDave]

Yep - if you've had vaginal/anal/oral sex with a WG in the last 12 months you shouldn't be donating blood.

3rd Be honest to youself would you want blood from some of us.....

[Sienna_Bronze]

You must have lied on your form. I know wg's cant donate, and this goes for punters too.

[Pompoy123]

What a stupid system as surely they check your blood. What reason should they stop u from giving blood if it is clean.

[CatBBW]

Well, they say no good deed goes unpunished and so it proved today... having given blood first thing this morning, by early afternoon I had a painful, swollen and bruised arm...

So, I called 111 (the new NHS Direct) and the operator ran me through a bunch of questions, at the end of which she said a doctor should see me and on the spot offered me an appointment an hour hence at my local hospital.  I duly went down there, waltzed through a teeming A&E and was seen within 15 minutes.  My mind is blown - never had such good service from the NHS before :-)

As it turns out, I am just being a big girl's blouse and the pain and swelling should go away by tomorrow.  But at the end of the day it could have been a nicked artery, which would have been serious, so I am very grateful for how promptly I was seen... :-)

The needle may have punctured the other side of the vein, but it was most likely due to the vein leaking during/after the needle was in. It's often due to an incompetant phlebotomist. (PS: the pain and swelling may take longer to go down and turn into lovely colourful bruising, mine can last up to 2 weeks.)

If you go through NHS 111 BEFORE going to A&E, you get an appointment if you need to end up at A&E, which means you by-pass the walk-ins, as NHS 111 acts as a triage service.

As to whether you should have given blood? Meh, too many people don't know the rules, loads of people I know give blood regularly yet have previously had blood transfusions during operations/childbirth. WGs and punters are USUALLY more careful with having safe sex than the general public who pull & BB randoms every weekend.

[Pauluk1]

What a stupid system as surely they check your blood. What reason should they stop u from giving blood if it is clean.

Cost.  To take the blood, screen it and then have to bin it must cost loads.
Easier to exclude high risk groups.

[Aspen]

You must have lied on your form. I know wg's cant donate, and this goes for punters too.

Is that right?

[Gordo987]

You must have lied on your form. I know wg's cant donate, and this goes for punters too.

Some questions:

How to they define a "WG"?

How do they define a "punter"

Do they allow promiscuous people to donate blood?

Do they allow swingers and sex party frequenters to donate blood?

Is there a question on the form about how many sex partners the prospective blood donor has had?

Just curious 

[Strawberry]

Some questions:

How to they define a "WG"?

How do they define a "punter"

Do they allow promiscuous people to donate blood?

Do they allow swingers and sex party frequenters to donate blood?

Is there a question on the form about how many sex partners the prospective blood donor has had?

Just curious 

External Link/Members Only

"Easier to exclude high risk groups"?So are you suggesting they don't rigorously screen all donated blood?

[Gordo987]

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"Easier to exclude high risk groups"?So are you suggesting they don't rigorously screen all donated blood?

I see the questions about "money or drugs for sex" apply to WGs and punters. Some of the other "About your lifestyle" questions could be difficult, if not impossible, to answer honestly. But anyway, I would be shocked if all donated blood is not screened.

[Strawberry]

I see the questions about "money or drugs for sex" apply to WGs and punters. Some of the other "About your lifestyle" questions could be difficult, if not impossible, to answer honestly. But anyway, I would be shocked if all donated blood is not screened.

I'm pretty sure it's supposed to be confidential, so up to you what you wish to tick. I'd have no problems being honest but they'd turn me away on that basis!

[Rochdull lad]

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Thanks for posting this, Strawberry.  In the 1990s/2000s [before my punting career began], I used to be a fairly regular blood donor but once left it just over 2 years between appointments so was treated as a "new" donor and taken through the questionnaire that the NHS used at that time for new donors.  My congenital condition meant that I was excluded, even though it hadn't been a grounds for exclusion when I began.  If I'd only left it, say 21 months, I presumably wouldn't have been excluded.

Nowadays of course, they'd decline my offer of blood on two grounds!

[Gordo987]

I'm pretty sure it's supposed to be confidential, so up to you what you wish to tick. I'd have no problems being honest but they'd turn me away on that basis!

I'm also sure that the questionnaire is confidential, but if I met a woman and formed a relationship with her, and we decided to have sex, how would I know for sure about her "history"? and how could she know about her ex partners? According to what I have read on this forum, some married men punt; do any of their wives donate blood? My point is, can we ever be sure that we are answering these questions truthfully? Interesting. 

[fisherofsouls]

I was under the impression that if you see WGs, then you are not able to donate blood??

Were you asked to fill out any forms? If so, what questions were asked about your sex lifestyle?

This is true and a fair comment, however the things that prompted me to do it in the first place were:

(a) finding my blood donor card and realising that 10 years had passed since the last time, so feeling a bit guilty !!!
(b) getting my quarterly all-clear at the end of Feb from my local G.U. clinic and not having been naked with anyone since...

I did lie on the form, but in a good cause and tbh having only recently been tested, I was probably safer than a lot of other donors...

[Pauluk1]

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"Easier to exclude high risk groups"?So are you suggesting they don't rigorously screen all donated blood?

Not at all.  Screening was mentioned in the line above.

[hollysbeenabadgirl]

I actually asked about this and the lady I spoke to said that the questions were to rule out those who would be practicing unsafe sex. The time seeing the person donating, screening etc could go to someone who is clean. She advised me that if I was sticking to my 4-6 week at a GUM clinic that the risk of wasting their time and resources was low and they would prefer me to donate.

Strangely they do not screen for antiphospholipid antibodies at the NBS, but I was told by my specialist not to give blood now as blood with antiphospholipid antibodies will probably be more hindrance to the person receiving it, especially when using heparin injections.

[James999]

I actually asked about this and the lady I spoke to said that the questions were to rule out those who would be practicing unsafe sex. The time seeing the person donating, screening etc could go to someone who is clean. She advised me that if I was sticking to my 4-6 week at a GUM clinic that the risk of wasting their time and resources was low and they would prefer me to donate.

The reality is that's just worthless hearsay, they don't want blood from a pro$$ie EVER, not even if she's retired and spouts on about endless gum checks, pro$$ie = No thanks when it comes to giving blood Well thats what the doctors and scientists who run it say 

[GeeWiz]

As mentioned - if the phlebotomist misses, you can end up with the bruise and look like a junkie - especially if you have fair skin - for a week or two.  Perfectly harmless though.

Paying for sex should exclude you from donating, but I always ignored it since I practise safer sex than every non-punting friend I know.  Anal sex excludes too I think?  Only illness and exotic holidays would prevent me.