Giving Blood - Advice Please

[faylolo]

I'm due to give blood next month and wondered if anyone can give me any advice or suggestions to prepare.
I've only done it twice before and felt OK but was aware that I needed to sit a while and eat several biscuits afterwards.
I go in the evening straight from work and have usually just made sure I had a good lunch and then had a hearty snack like bananas and/or big sugary muffins in the afternoon. And drink plenty of water of course!
Will definitely make sure I'm on a PV day and remember to take multi vit&min tablets few days beforehand, but wondered if I should PV for a couple of days before and after, or if anyone can suggest anything else.

 

[alottolose]

shouldn't be any problems

tips:

(for aftercare)

diet pop/coke
small bottle of milk
sip water
boiled eggs
cheesestrings
sliced cooked meats
individual quiche or custards
cherry toms, carrot sticks

don't overexert yourself the day before or after giving blood exercise-wise

you don't mention what time you're giving blood but try to make sure you don't go too long without eating before

hope this helps hun xx

 

[alottolose]

and the pv day eitherside and including the donation day is a good idea

 

[Maintainer]

Anyone who's lived in the UK between <I forget> and <I forget> isn't allowed to give blood over here! So I can't cos I did!

 

[robinhood]

Ditto Jo, but you can still give for research purposes (so they told me). I never went back though...

 

[jaqys]

Yes we're all madcows outside the uk

 

[Bubblemum]

I last gave blood in July, Ive never felt dizzy though after, so not sure, I think the advice given is what I would do myself.
I'm very patriotic, I wouldnt give blood in France anyway

 

[jet1968]

im unfortually unabe to give blood with being a diabetic but i have given blood once !!!


so good luck rona !!

 

[LVLLM]

i cant give blood either Jo twinnies again!

 

[faylolo]

Thanks for replies. I guess it comes down to common sense but just wanted to check. I shall make sure I have a Dukan friendly snack just before and shall probably keep my pancake ration for afterwards.

 

[Pink_Fluff]

I can't give blood as my blood pressure is too low, done it twice and almost fainted both times. I reckon that cup of tea they give you afterwards is a must!

As I'm prone to fainting here is my advice if you start to feel faint/dizzy: take a cold bottle to put against your forehead to cool you down. Afterwards sit and slowly sip some water (lay down with your legs in the air if you need to).

They tend to record if you faint and then get funny about letting you give blood but those two things aren't massively obvious and do help.

Also make sure you eat plenty of iron rich foods in the days following donation

 

[aliebum]

Hi,

I've been dukanning for just over a month and gave blood last weeks with no problems, I've been a regular blood doner for a few years and don't normally have problems.

Just made sure I ate about an hour before hand, took a big bottle of water with me - they reckon a pint out and a pint in, also took some not strictly dukan pumpkin seeds to munch on after as are high in protien and low in carbs.

On an aside, weirdly the donation was really quick, wonder if it has anything to do with less glucose to make the blood sticky and slow, who know?

good luck, if your normally fine you should be fine this time.

 

[faylolo]

I've only donated twice before but both times it was under 5 mins which they thought was right quick. I feel fitter now than I did in the first few days of the diet so I'm sure it will be alright

 

[aliebum]

I'm sure you'll be fine. Mine are normally around the 5min/5 1/2min mark but this time it was 4mins 24. also found that i didn't get any effects from drop in blood sugar so felt great after not tired as blood sugar is pretty stable on a no sugar diet like this

Good luck