Preface: In this post, I want to discuss about the few cons and precautions of donating blood (other than the unsafe needle and AIDS stuff that everyone knows), so that you can be properly educated before taking a step to help save someone else’s life.
Donation of blood is of course a very good thing for your soul, and since all the hospitals almost always have a shortage of blood, the government encourages us to donate blood, without telling us the shortcomings and sufferings a person may face during and after donating. Its because they do not want us to get scared and run away.
The standard volume of blood taken out in one single go is about 350ml. Assuming that you are 5 feet 8 inches tall, your body will have a little more than 5 litres of blood. So that amounts to about 7% reduction in your blood volume in one go.
1... Unlike fat, blood is an essential component of our body which carries Oxygen to the brain and the muscles. So if you lose 7% of your body fat, you will feel more healthy and active, but if you lose 7% of your blood in 3 minutes, there is a chance that your body may get a shock from the sudden shortage. Some people do lose their consciousness after donating blood.
What you can do is... finish your meal at least 3 hours before you donate, and try to be calm and tension free on the day of donation. Do not think about your next final exam or your office boss. Thinking (and worrying) needs a lot of blood in the brain, and due to the sudden shortage, there will be a strong urge to vomit and faint if your brain needs a lot of blood and your heart cannot supply it. It can also raise your blood pressure.
Do not sit or stand up suddenly from the lying position. Due to gravity, blood empties your brain and rushes to your feet when you stand up fast. This is a very common reason for collapsing among donors. Be very slow and careful when you get up and start walking, avoid heavy exercises and maintain this habit for a week.
Apart from these you may feel sleeping arm (a feeling of ants walking on the arm from which blood is drawn) and hear a noise of bees flying inside your ears, but these are not serious and goes away without affecting your lifestyle in any big way.
Water is an important part of blood. So when you lose blood, you lose body water too. 350 ml of water is not a very big deal, but if you are donating blood during summer, and you already sweated a lot while coming to the blood bank, there is a chance that you can get too dehydrated and sick. So, drink at least 600ml of water about 20 minutes before donating. You can mix a little salt and sugar to be extra safe, but avoid too much of both, and make sure you do not feel thirsty, sweat or pee after drinking.
Do not expect the nurses and doctors to be too kind and attentive to you because you are saving someone’s life. They will not lose their job if they are rude. So there you go. They may fill the necessary form up for you in a jiffy without even asking you.
Its (sort of) your job to firmly ask for the form and fill it up yourself........... You cannot donate blood if you have taken alcohol in the past 24 hours. There are many such things in the form that you have to read by yourself and clarify with the doctor. The doctor may get fed up and ask you to leave the blood bank. In such a case, I would advise you to leave that blood bank and find another one.
- The 7% fall in plasma level after donation is made up within 48 hours. But the reduction in Haemoglobin needs 56 days to return to the normal level. So if you have donated blood, you may feel a bit tired and weak and suffer from joint pains (the way we feel pain if we sleep too much in winter, due to lack of blood flow to the joints) for the next few days. You may not be able to think too hard or solve intense problems without feeling cranky. But it gets better within 2-7 days.
Its good to remember, if you are an athelete or a sportsman going to participate in an important event in the next few months, or you are a student getting ready for your big exam, its smarter not to donate blood, because it will surely affect your performance.
Always do some light exercise for the first few days after donating blood. Do not eat too much or take rest all day. For it will encourage your bone marrows to be less active also (Red Blood Cells are made in the bone marrow). Eat normal but selective food, I mean, you do not need to eat a lot of apricots or raw bananas... just eat less fat and do not overload. Fat makes the bowel movements slower and overeating accumulates too much blood around the intestines. Both can reduce flow of blood to other necessary organs. Also, feel relaxed, watch a lot of cartoons, and be a little careful when you are outside the house.
These days, you do not have to pump by yourself. A machine pulls the blood out from your body. So, always check how much blood is taken out. Some banks, even large hospitals can rob you of your blood without asking you (I cannot prove it, but people know these things happen in our country). Its better to have someone accompany you to check that the amount taken is not more than 350 ml.
Do not feel scared and get turned off about donating blood. Also, do not listen to people who say "you are a wimp if you worry too much about donating blood". Just be a bit ready and educated about what to expect. After all, donating even 100 bucks will affect you in a small way, and here you are donating life....!