well, stick me with a needle and drain me dry

[fox]

appointment to donate blood on wednesday.  they always ask if you're on medication of any kind, so i had a note in my diary to stop taking medication (apart from birth control pills) seven days ahead of time -- don't want to get bounced for a decongestant, after all.  only i can't remember what medications they do bounce you for -- antibiotics, surely, but what else.  i think aspirin and acetaminophen are is okay, but aspirin and ibuprofen isn't aren't?  and i just didn't know about this asthma stuff.  so i've put it on pause, because i'm pretty zealous about donating blood, as you may know if you've been here a while.

but i'll tell you what, i'm noticing it.  my sinuses are sinusy in the morning, which they haven't been for a while, and i'm coughing a bit wheezily again, which i think i hadn't been.  and there's a bit of pressure in my ears.  i don't mind so much -- it's not like when i was so sick, it's just uncomfortable -- and while i wouldn't want to live this way permanently, and don't, so i'll quite happily resume my medication wednesday evening, this level of discomfort is nothing i can't handle compared to needing a blood transfusion.

i mean sometimes i feel guilty (in a way) that i'm not O-, y'all.  that's how zealous i get about donating blood.  [sheepish smile]

Comments

[reginagiraffe]

No, aspirin's not okay (at least in the US). They want you to have no apsirin at least 24 hours before donating or it could potentially cause lack-of-clotting problems in the recipient. I think they generally don't like ibuprofen for the same reason but tylenol's okay.

[darthfox.livejournal.com]

something like that. i try not to take anything, like i said, just in case.

[osymandias.livejournal.com]

I give blood when I'm at home, but have been absolutely awful about getting around to it whilst I'm in Oxford. Where's it done?

[darthfox.livejournal.com]

town hall, st aldate's, this wednesday, walk-ins okay! :-) also see , where you can find schedules, make appointments, etc. (http://www.blood.co.uk)

[impyvixen.livejournal.com]

the site does list a number to call if you have questions about medications:

Do tell us if you're on any kind of medication. Medicines, pills, injections, anything. Some of these may affect your blood and mean we can't take your donation for now. For more information please call 0845 7 711 711

[darthfox.livejournal.com]

yeah, but i can also ask them when i get there, and write it down so i won't have to call them next time i forget. :-)

[impyvixen.livejournal.com]

or you could call and stop the wondering? especially with your sinuses acting up. :)

[the-emu.livejournal.com]

Australian blood centres don't have a problem with ibuprofen in the week before. But different countries all have different policies.

It's been so long since I donated, and now the few hours of work I am getting are exactly through blood centre hours. RaR.

8^-