The availability of quality blood is very important to modern medicine. Blood cannot be created synthetically, so it is taken from voluntary donors. However, many people are afraid to donate blood for various reasons, ranging from fear of pain to fear of contracting something. Donating blood is safe due to the measures taken, so your concerns are not justified. The most serious risks when donating blood are minor side effects such as dizziness, weakness, or bruising. If you follow a few simple rules, you can best prepare for your blood donation.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Preparing to Donate
Step 1. Find out if you are suitable
Each country has different requirements for blood donors. It takes into account previous illnesses, countries you have recently traveled to, as well as age and weight. In general, you will be able to donate blood if you meet certain criteria.
- You must be healthy, fit, and free of disease. Do not donate blood if you have a cold, cold sore, cough, virus, or digestive upset.
- You must weigh at least 50 kg.
- You must be old enough. In many countries, parental permission is required between the ages of 16 and 17 to donate blood. Check your country's laws regarding age restrictions.
- You can donate blood once every 56 days. If you donated blood recently, less than 56 days ago, you will not be allowed to donate yet.
- Do not donate blood if you have visited the dentist in the last 24 hours with minor intervention or in the last month with significant intervention.
Step 2. Make an appointment
There are many blood donation centers in many countries. Since these centers take time to prepare for your blood donation, you should make an appointment in advance. It will also give you time to make sure you have met all the blood donor requirements by a specific date.
You can also wait until the day of the donor if you don't want to make an appointment in advance. See local ads so you don't miss donor day
Step 3. Eat foods rich in iron
Since iron is needed to make blood, you should eat iron-rich foods for two weeks before donating blood. This will help you improve the quality of blood for donation and recover from donation. Iron-rich foods include spinach, whole grains, fish, poultry, beans, eggs, and beef.
A high intake of vitamin C helps to increase the absorption of iron. Eat citrus fruits, drink juices, or take vitamin C supplements
Step 4. Drink plenty of water
To prepare your body for blood loss, you need to drink enough water or fruit juice in the evening and morning before donating blood. The most common cause of dizziness and weakness when donating blood is a drop in blood sugar and blood pressure. The risk of this is much lower if your body is not dehydrated when you donate blood.
- It is recommended to drink a lot within 24 hours before donating blood, especially in the hot season. It is also worth drinking 4 large glasses of water or juice 3 hours before donating blood.
- If you donate plasma or platelets, drink 6 to 8 glasses of fluid before donating.
Step 5. Get a good night's sleep
You will need to get a good night's sleep before donating blood. This will help you feel better and more alert while donating blood, and will also help you avoid the risk of any side effects associated with this process.
That is, you need to sleep at least 5-7 hours before donating blood
Step 6. Eat 3 hours before your procedure
Never donate blood on an empty stomach. Food stabilizes blood sugar levels, which will help you feel better after donating blood. Food will also help you avoid dizziness and weakness. You should eat something healthy that you can fill up without overeating.
- Do not overeat before the procedure. If you donate blood in the morning, eat something light like oatmeal or toast. If the blood draw is in the afternoon, eat something light for lunch, such as a sandwich and fruit.
- Do not eat immediately before your doctor's appointment to avoid nausea while donating blood.
- Avoid fatty foods for 24 hours before giving. Elevated blood fat can make it difficult or impossible for your blood to pass the mandatory screening tests after donation. If the center cannot test your blood, it will have to destroy it.
Step 7. Bring the required documents
The requirements of different donation centers may differ, but you will always need at least one document. Usually this is either a right or a donor card; two more options for documents - passport or social security card. Make sure you do not forget the required documents on the day of your appointment at the center.
A blood donor card is a card that you usually receive from a blood donation center and that registers you in their system. You can order such a card online or at the center, or ask for it at the first blood donation for your subsequent visits
Step 8. Avoid certain activities
Several hours before your procedure, you should avoid certain activities that reduce your chances of donating blood. You should not smoke an hour before your appointment. Also, do not drink alcohol 24 hours before donating blood. Also, refrain from chewing gum, mints, and candy before surrendering.
- Eating gum, mints, or candy raises the temperature in your mouth, which can falsely indicate a high temperature and prevent you from donating blood.
- If you donate platelets, you should not take aspirin or other NSAIDs for a few days before donating blood.
Part 2 of 2: Donating blood
Step 1. Fill out the form
When you arrive at your appointment, you will first have to answer many questions about your general health and, most likely, complete a confidential medical questionnaire. The types of questions will differ depending on where you live, but you will need to at least indicate the drugs you have been taking recently and the places you have been in the last 3 years.
- Certain activities increase the risk of blood diseases and will be asked about. These include intravenous drug use, certain sexual relationships, taking certain medications, and living in certain countries. If the answer to any question is yes, you will not be allowed to donate blood.
- There are also some diseases, such as hepatitis, HIV, AIDS and Chagas disease, for which you cannot donate blood.
- Answer all questions honestly. Sometimes they are about quite personal things, but you have to be honest so that the center understands if your blood can be used.
Step 2. Get a physical examination
When you fill out the questionnaire, you will have to undergo a short physical examination. It usually includes measuring blood pressure, heart rate, and body temperature. The nurse will also take blood from a fingertip to check hemoglobin and iron levels.
Your heart rate, blood pressure, temperature, hemoglobin, and iron levels must be within the normal range for you to donate blood. All this is a guarantee of the quality of your blood and the fact that after donation you will not have anemia and nausea
Step 3. Prepare mentally
Many people who donate blood are afraid of needles and do not want to be injected with one of them. You can distract yourself or prepare yourself before this happens to make your task easier. Inhale deeply before entering the needle. You can also pinch yourself with your other hand to shift your focus.
- Don't hold your breath. Otherwise, you may pass out.
- Reassure yourself that most people do not feel pain at all or experience little pain, like a small injection. The main problem is discomfort, so the less you strain, the better.
Step 4. Go through the blood collection process
When you are done with your exam, the nurse will ask you to lean back in a reclining chair or lie down completely. A tourniquet will be wrapped around your arm so that your veins are more visible and your blood circulates faster. The nurse will wipe the inside of the elbow where the needle will be inserted. The nurse will then insert a needle into your vein, which is attached to a long tube. You will be asked to clench and unclench your fist several times, after which the blood will begin to move through the tube.
- First, the nurse will take several vials of blood for testing, then a special bag will be filled with your blood. At one time, they usually donate about 0.5 liters of blood.
- The whole process takes about 10-15 minutes.
Step 5. Relax
Feeling nervous can cause your blood pressure to drop and lead to dizziness. Talk to the person who draws your blood if it helps you relax. Ask him to explain everything that is happening.
Find ways to distract yourself, such as singing a song, reading something by heart, contemplating the contents of a book you’ve read or the program you normally watch, listen to a player, or think about how much the blood you donate will benefit people
Step 6. Relax and replenish your strength
When the blood draw is complete and your arm is bandaged, you will be asked to sit for another 15 minutes to make sure you are not dizzy or faint. You will also be given snacks and juice to replenish body fluids and raise your blood sugar. In addition, you will be advised to avoid certain things for the rest of the day and replenish fluid for the next 48 hours.
- You shouldn't be lifting heavy or heavy lifting for the rest of the day.
- If you feel dizzy, lie down with your legs raised.
- Do not remove the bandage for 4-5 hours after donating blood. If bruising occurs, apply a cold compress. If pain occurs, take a pain reliever.
- If you feel unwell for a long time, see your doctor to make sure everything is okay.
Advice
- Take a large bottle of orange juice with you. This will be a good way to replenish lost nutrients after donating blood.
- Lie on your back while donating blood. This will help prevent a drop in blood pressure and dizziness, especially if you donate blood for the first time.
- When you get used to the procedure for donating blood, you can ask about the procedure for donating platelets. It takes longer to donate platelets, but you can keep your red blood cells. Platelets are a vital product that is used to treat seriously ill people.
- If you feel that you are losing consciousness, tell the medical staff. The nurses will help you position yourself correctly in the chair. If you are already outside the donation center, place your head between your knees to allow blood flow to your brain, or lie down and raise your legs if possible.