After giving blood, it is important to follow the post-donation guidelines including to avoid drinking for at least 12 hours following your donation. Taking care of your body while it works to replenish nutrients and blood cells is essential to the blood donation process.
Burning calories.However, researchers at the University of California, San Diego have found that you can lose up to 650 calories per pint of blood donated.
Donors should have a healthy meal and drink fluids within four hours before donating. It is best to avoid coffee and caffeinated beverages before donating.
After your blood donation:
- Drink extra fluids for the next day or two.
- Avoid strenuous physical activity or heavy lifting for the next five hours.
- If you feel lightheaded, lie down with your feet up until the feeling passes.
- Keep the bandage on your arm and dry for five hours.
Some people may feel nauseous, lightheaded, or dizzy after donating blood. If this happens, it should only last a few minutes. You can lie down with your feet up at the until you feel better. You may also experience some bleeding at the site of the needle.
After donation, your body goes to work regenerating the lost blood. Your plasma recovers the quickest, in about 24 hours (9). The Red Cross recommends no strenuous exercise during this period until your “fluid” or plasma normalizes (9). Platelets restore next, within a 72-hour period (13).
Exercise. Avoid doing any vigorous exercise or heavy lifting the day of your donation – both before and after you've given blood. Keeping your body in a rested state is important to give it a chance to replenish the fluids lost during donation, which will help you avoid feeling dizzy or lightheaded and keep you well.
Some people experience dizziness or lightheadedness after donating blood. This is because the lower volume of blood in the body leads to a temporary reduction in blood pressure. Certain preventive measures may help, such as drinking extra water before donating.
Most whole blood donations are spun in centrifuges to separate it into transfusable components: red cells, platelets, and plasma. Plasma may be processed into components such as cryoprecipitate, which helps control the risk of bleeding by helping blood to clot.
Not resting after blood donationAfter donating blood, make sure you take sufficient rest. Lie down for at least 10 minutes after donating blood. This will ensure that the blood flow gets normal in the body and the brain. Make sure there is band aid in the donation area.
Additional tips for after your donation:Keep the strip bandage on for the next several hours; to avoid a skin rash, clean the area around the bandage with soap and water. Don't do any heavy lifting or vigorous exercise for the rest of the day.
If you meet certain criteria, Power Red allows you to safely donate two units of red cells during one appointment as an automated donation process. It is as safe as whole blood donation.
This will help prevent a fainting spell, and keep you safe while you give blood. After you donate, you may feel a little lightheaded or dizzy. These side effects usually go away after a few minutes. Be sure to drink extra fluids during the 24 hours after you donate.
The most likely reason you felt sick to your stomach when you had your blood drawn is that your body was having a vasovagal reaction. This is a physical response from your nervous system. It can be triggered by seeing the needle, seeing your own blood, or just feeling anxious about the whole thing.
Frequent blood donation can contribute to anemia because a “whole blood donation” results in a drop of hemoglobin levels by approximately 10 g/L. Healthy donors produce new red blood cells to replace donated cells.
