Today is World Blood Donor's Day. How to prepare to donate blood

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A thousand fibers connect us with our fellow men. ~ Herman Melville

The availability of quality blood is a very important component of modern medicine. It cannot be created synthetically, so it must be collected from volunteer donors. Yet, many people are afraid to donate for reasons varying from worry about pain to worry about catching a disease. The reality is that donating blood is safe, as there are many precautions in place and there is no reason to fear a communicable disease. The most serious risks when donating blood are referred to as "adverse reactions" and these generally take two forms, namely fainting or bruising. If you follow these steps, you will reduce the potential for both types of adverse reactions.

Edit Steps1Determine if you are eligible to donate blood. Each country's blood service will have different requirements in place, some based on specific blood disease concerns (see the "Sources and Citations" below to locate different country requirements). In general, you will be able to give blood if:

You are healthy, fit, and not suffering from a current illness. Avoid donating blood if you have a cold, a cold sore, a cough, a virus, or an upset stomach.You weigh at least 110 pounds or 50 kg.You are of the right age (in many jurisdictions, you will require parental permission for the ages 16-17 to give blood; check your local requirements).[1]2Avoid donating blood after dental work. If you have had a minor dental procedure, wait 24 hours before donating blood. If you've had major dental work, wait for a month.[2]

Prior to donating blood1Drink plenty of water or fruit juice the night and morning before you donate. The leading cause of faintness and dizziness is a drop in blood pressure.[3] Getting lots of water or fruit juice into your body helps keep your blood pressure up. The Australian Red Cross Blood Service advises that you drink well in the 24 hours leading to the donation time, especially when it's warm, recommending four good sized glasses of water or juice in the three hours prior to donation.[4]

If you are donating plasma or platelets, drink at least 6 to 8 glasses.[5]Avoid drinking caffeinated drinks, as these will cause your body to expel water.2Eat three hours prior to the donation. It's not a good idea to come in with an empty stomach; eating will keep your blood sugar levels stable, helping you to feel better after you have donated blood.[6] Having food in your blood helps to ward off lightheadedness.

If you feel like eating breakfast first thing in the morning eat something light like (cereal, toast, etc.) or a light lunch, such as a sandwich and piece of fruit.If you think you might be nauseous during donation don't eat immediately before your appointment.Avoid fatty foods for twenty-four hours before you donate. Increased fat in your blood stream might make it impossible to get accurate readings on some of the mandatory screening tests conducted on samples of your blood after you donate. If they can't run all the tests, they have to discard your donation. You don't want all your effort wasted!Eat iron rich foods for two weeks before your appointment, for example, spinach, whole grains, eggs, and beef. Having good levels of vitamin C will help to increase iron absorption (consume citrus juice and citrus fruit, or take vitamin C pills with your doctor's advice).[7] Your iron level will be tested before you donate to protect you from donating blood--you really need to ensure that recipients receive a potent product.3Prepare all identification and blood donor cards you need to take the day before and put into something that you carry with you. That way you won't forget to take them if you're feeling nervous. Blood donor cards can help speed up the process as your personal donor number will let the blood bank or service find your details quickly.

Answer questions from the staff members or on forms and answer all interview questions honestly. Certain activities increase the chances of blood borne illnesses (i.e., those that can be transmitted through blood) and those who have recently engaged in those activities may be prevented from donating blood for a period of time. Some of the questions regarding sexual activity might be embarrassing, but the people working at blood centers are professionals. They have heard it all before.You might be deferred,[8] but no one will ever know why unless you tell them. If you need a less embarrassing excuse to tell your friends or coworkers, low iron is the most common cause for deferral. Low blood pressure, high blood pressure and high temperature are also good excuses that shouldn't cause embarrassment. Ask the registration personnel if you think you need exact numbers for your made-up excuse.

During the blood donation1At this time you will be given a mini-physical in which your temperature, pulse, and blood pressure are taken.

2Expect nurse to check your hemoglobin levels. This will involve a small prick on your finger. It will need to be within the healthy range before you can give blood, to ensure that giving blood won't leave you feeling nauseous. anemic.[9]

3Ask for a blanket if your hands or feet start to feel cold. This is a sign that your blood pressure is dropping. A nice warm blanket might help you to relax.

4Take a deep breath before the needle goes in, or pinch yourself to create a distraction. Don't hold your breath; if you do, you might pass out. Be reassured - most people report little or no pain, with comments such as it feeling like a "pinch".[10] The real issue is discomfort, so the less you tense up, the better. Naturally, know your own limitations - if you're hyper-sensitive, be sure to explain this to staff taking the blood in advance.

5Relax. Nervousness can also cause your blood pressure to drop and can lead to dizziness. Talk to the person taking your blood if it helps you to feel better, and ask him or her to explain everything that is being done. Find ways to distract yourself--chew gum, sing a song, recite something, contemplate the outcome of a book you're reading or a TV series you follow, listen to your MP3 or CD player, think about the worthy end result of your donation, and even ask the person taking your blood if they know of any cases where donated blood made the difference between life and death.

After the blood donation1Expect to be asked to rest sitting down for 10 to 20 minutes after giving blood. This lets the staff keep an eye on you to make sure that you're in good shape before you leave.

2Have a snack after the donation. Drink some water or juice and eat a light snack with a high sugar content to get that blood sugar back up. Rest for a few minutes enjoying your snack before leaving the donation site. Let your body adjust a bit before rushing off to the rest of your day. Plan to spend fifteen minutes in the canteen.

3Avoid driving if you feel the least bit faint. Donating blood is not dangerous, but driving is, and you could be seriously injured if you faint while driving. If you are not well after your donation, call someone to come pick you up.

4Eat a meal high in protein after your donation: beef, chicken or legumes are excellent choices. You should also eat some vegetables and be sure to drink plenty of water. All these things will help your body make more blood for you soon.

5Refrain from drinking alcohol for at least 8 hours after giving blood.[11]

6Excuse yourself from heavy lifting for the rest of the day. This includes weightlifting at the gym, of course as well as working at any job that requires heavy lifting. If you have such a job, you should schedule your blood donations for Fridays. Heavy lifting will almost certainly cause the vein to reopen and bleed into your arm causing a large, painful bruise. If you give it 16-24 hours to heal properly, you shouldn't have any trouble.

Avoid strenuous exercise for the rest of the day. Don't go running or dancing or bicycling until tomorrow. You've done enough for today. You helped save three lives!7If you feel unwell at any stage after giving blood, call the blood service or see your doctor.

8Sign up for another time. Getting into a regular habit of donating blood is a generous and potentially life-saving gift.

Edit TipsIf you fail the iron test with one hand, try the other hand. If you repeatedly fail, try eating oatmeal (any kind will do) for breakfast for at least a week before you donate.Lie down flat when you donate. This helps with the drop in blood pressure and the lightheadedness, especially when it is your first time.Offer to donate for someone who's ineligible - someone who's on strong drugs, in bad health, or who has traveled to a country that disqualifies them.Spread the word! Tell friends and family how you overcame your fear of donating and encourage them to donate as well.You should donate to help someone in need because you will feel proud after donating when you know that you saved a life!Bring a large bottle of orange juice. It will give you a fast boost of sustenance after giving blood.Once you are okay with the process, ask about platelet donations. It takes longer to donate platelets but you get to keep your red blood cells. Platelets are a vital product used to treat seriously ill patients.If you feel faint, tell the medical staff, and they will assist you into a reclining position on the chair. If you've already left the donation center, put your head between your knees to increase blood flow to your brain, or lay down and elevate your legs if you can.If you are donating platelets, be sure to drink milk or take a calcium supplement before your donation. This will prevent any tingling when your blood is returned to you.Offer to donate for your kids - get them excited about donating, so that they'll continue in your footsteps when they're old enough.

Edit WarningsEligibility criteria change frequently. The travel criteria are a bit complicated. It might be helpful to make a list of every place you've visited outside the country in the past year. Include city, country and date.Don't donate blood if you weigh less than the minimum weight for donating (110 lbs/50 kg). You are very likely to react badly.Don't call for your test results. If you want your blood tested, go see your doctor. Blood donation centers will notify you if you test positive for anything dangerous, but if you call to ask, they must assume you believe yourself to be at risk. They will discard your donation and flag you as ineligible to donate in the future.Don't have sex with your partner until your body recovers.Don't donate blood if you are under the age of 18 (in some states 16 with permission from a parent or adult guardian). It varies depending on the country as well, so check your local requirements.

Edit Things You'll NeedPhoto ID (regulations in the United States as of 2007 require a photo ID when registering to donate blood). Many other jurisdictions require photo ID and various other pieces of ID as well, so be sure to find out before attendingParent Consent form if 16 years old (check your local requirements for age, however)

Edit Related wikiHowsHow to Increase Iron AbsorptionHow to Become an Organ Donor in WisconsinHow to Prepare for Blood TestHow to Draw BloodHow to Determine Your Blood TypeHow to Donate Your Hair to a Good CauseHow to Check Your Blood Pressure With a SphygmomanometerHow to Make a Blood Sguar Stabilising BreakfastHow to Get Donations for Your Cause

Edit Sources and CitationsBlood donor sites for updates:USA - American Red Cross, http://www.redcross.org/How to Donate Blood, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzAAqqpbDF8Canada - Canadian Blood Services, http://www.bloodservices.ca/UK - Give Blood, England and North Wales, http://www.blood.co.uk/Australia - Australia Red Cross Blood Service, http://www.donateblood.com.au/index.aspxIreland - Irish Blood Transfusion Service, http://www.giveblood.ie/South Africa - South African National Blood Service, http://www.sanbs.org.za/Denmark - http://bloddonor.dk/? http://www.redcrossblood.org/donating-blood/eligibility-requirements? NZ Blood, Blood donor eligibility criteria, http://www.nzblood.co.nz/?t=41? NZ Blood, Before donating blood..., http://www.nzblood.co.nz/?t=50? Australian Red Cross Blood Service, Am I eligible to give blood?, http://www.donateblood.com.au/page.aspx?IDDataTreeMenu=39? Australian Red Cross, Am I eligible to give blood?, http://www.donateblood.com.au/page.aspx?IDDataTreeMenu=39? Australian Red Cross Blood Service, Before donating blood, http://www.donateblood.com.au/page.aspx?IDDataTreeMenu=45? Family Doctor, Anemia: When low iron is the cause, http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/blood/009.html? NZ Blood, Common reasons for deferral, http://www.nzblood.co.nz/?t=49? Give Blood England and North Wales, http://www.blood.co.uk/giving-blood/what-happens/? Blood Bank of Hawaii, Does it hurt to give blood?, http://www.bbh.org/donating/faq.htm? Australian Red Cross Blood Service, After donating, http://www.donateblood.com.au/page.aspx?IDDataTreeMenu=45Article Info Featured Article

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