I did a good thing and donated blood yesterday (you should do it!)

This is by far my most favourite question on the pre-donation survey. Especially the fact that “maybe”is an answer…

I know that pretty much anyone over 18 can donate blood, I’m pretty sure that the vast majority are white & 50+.

I had to google what chemsex was so I can only imagine what Doris and Albert think when they get this question!!

by phy6rjs

34 comments

  1. The BMJ don’t like it:

    >”**It needs to become a public health priority**”
    >
    >“Chemsex” is used in the United Kingdom to describe intentional sex under the influence of psychoactive drugs, mostly among men who have sex with men. It refers particularly to the use of mephedrone, γ-hydroxybutyrate (GHB), γ-butyrolactone (GBL), and crystallised methamphetamine. These drugs are often used in combination to facilitate sexual sessions lasting several hours or days with multiple sexual partners.”

    I guess it’s something that carries a greater risk of STI or other communicable disease risks, so may preclude your chance to donate this time.

    Maybe wait a bit before donating after getting freaky.

  3. I once got a bit frisky after a nice cup of tea, does that count?

  4. It’s weirder when you click ‘no’ and the nurse asks you if you’d like to.

  6. Where is your donation centre? One I go to is very diverse. Lots of 20-40s having a crash diet of losing a pint

    Everyone who can should do it

  7. Maybe? How much of a legend are you if you can’t remember you had chemsex?

    Oh, I don’t remember really, I might’ve been involved in an orgy, or maybe just had a cup of tea. It’s hard to tell.

  8. Nah, the worst two questions are “who’s blood is this?” and “why is it in a jar?”. Just trying to do a good thing here, gawd.

  9. The stats I can find from 2020 says that 44% of repeat donors were male, 56% female. Just over 59% of new donors were aged 17-34. Repeat donors were around 70% 34+.

  10. The question itself is pretty eyebrow-raising, but who the fuck is clicking ‘maybe’?

  13. This is the most cyberpunk question the NHS has ever asked

  16. I live in Malaysia and Brits can’t donate because of Mad Cow Disease. 

    I mentioned this to my Malaysian mates once and then had to explain what “Mad Cow Disease” is. They thought I was taking the piss.

  17. If it doesn’t occur in groups isn’t it more of a chemwank

  18. The white, 50+ demographic you refer to are also involved in chemsex so I’m not sure what you meant by that?

  19. You can’t donate blood in the Netherlands if you lived in Britain during the 90s for fear you might be tainted with mad cow disease.

  22. This reminds me of the “Are you British?” screeners you get when donating blood abroad. That was confusing the first time.

  23. The definition is in the question. Why would you need to google that?……..

    Oh wait, (*opens google, types ‘chemsex’, selects video)

  24. Does pot noodle and a wank count? There’s crazy preservative chemicals and stuff in those.

  25. Whenever I give blood I go through the whole question set and sigh sadly at how dull my
    life is …

  26. I was giving blood the other day and was so into the flow of tapping “no” on the left for everything that on this question I accidentally tapped “maybe” 🫣 lol

  27. “had to Google it”

    Yeah, sure, had to. Despite it telling you in the question what it is.

  28. This is mental, I understand asking if you’ve taken drugs, but what does the sex part have to do with anything? I’d understand if it was two separate questions, one for if you’ve had drugs recently and another if you’ve had unprotected sex, but this is an oddly specific question haha!

    Unfortunately, I can no longer donate blood 🙁 – long story short, I was given a blood transfusion and had a bad reaction to it, and instead of putting the blood back in the fridge like they were meant to, they left it out and then gave me the rest of it later, so now I have bacteria in my blood and can’t donate anymore

  29. In Finland non-injectable illegal drugs cause 2 week ban from donating blood. Injectable illegal drugs cause forever ban.

    A new sexual partner causes ban to donate blood for 4 months. Same applies for group sex, 4 month ban.

    Also anyone who has lived in UK between 1980-1996 is forever banned from donating blood due to mad-cow disease.

    [https://www.veripalvelu.fi/en/faq/?category=eligibility](https://www.veripalvelu.fi/en/faq/?category=eligibility)

    There also used to be a ban for homosexual males to donate blood if they had had sex recently with another male (even permanent partner), but that ban stopped in 2023.

  30. I donated a week ago today, no questions like that at all on my form

    Also, where do you do ate where you have screens to answer questions on. Thats the future!

  31. Everytime I fill this form in it makes me realise how boring my life is

  32. I guarantee a lot of Doris and Albert types are having way weirder sex than their grandkids.

  33. We had a blood donation drive at my work, my wife died from cancer last year and I thought – stop being a prick, you already avoid the cancer charities, just donate blood.

    I’m not a particularly squeamish person, I’m a relatively tall, somewhat young guy. I don’t think anybody’s looking at me going ‘I bet that guy’s hella nervous to donate blood’ – and I wasn’t.

    The guy who took my blood was a big bloke, he wasn’t some nice old lady. He had a very thick Cockney accent (I’m in Scotland) and asked me all the questions, fine.

    What I wasn’t expecting, was him to just hold my hand and lightly stroke my arm for the whole procedure. I don’t know if he thought I was nervous? If he thought I was going to pass out? I’m 34 and 6’2, I’ve fainted once in my life. I have no idea what happened that day.

  34. I’m a regular blood donor here in Scotland (50th pint milestone in a few weeks 🥳) and the questionnaire is regularly updated with questions like above, as well as and including COVID and international travel.

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