Donation of blood and its components in a modern clinic is an absolutely safe procedure for healthy people. Yet, it requires adherence to a number of simple, but very important rules. By keeping them, you will be able to avoid unwanted complications after blood donation.
Before donating blood:
- Do not donate blood, if you feel unwell (chill, dizziness, headache, weakness)
- Do not smoke an hour before donation.
- Do not use alcohol 48 hours before donation
- Do not use painkillers and aspirin as well as medicals containing them (these substances worsen blood-clotting ability).
- It is forbidden to use fat, fried, spicy and smoked food, sausage goods, as well as meat, fish and milk products, eggs and butter (including vegetable oil), chocolate, nuts and date on the eve and on the day of donation.
- You need to have a good night’s sleep and have light breakfast (sweet tea with jam, juices, fruit-drinks, stewed fruit drinks, mineral water, bread, cracker, dried biscuits, boiled grit, pasta without oil, vegetables and fruits, except bananas). Never donate blood on an empty stomach!
- You should give honest answers to a doctor during medical checkup, do not conceal information about the taken medicines and previous diseases.
After donation of blood:
- Seat comfortably for 10-15minutes and take sweet tea if you feel yourself well (not feeling weakness and dizziness)
- In case you feel dizziness, seek assistance of medical staff. The simplest way to help yourself is to lie down and raise legs above your head or sit down and lower your head between your knees. Never try to walk or drive a car, if you feel dizzy!
- Do not take off bandage for 3-4 hours and try not to wet it. This will keep you out of bruise emergence (in case of bruise emergence, put on a bandage with heparin ointment and/or troxevasin before going to bed).
- Avoid heavy physical and sport activities, lifting weights and shopping bags on this day.
- Take regular and adequate nutrition over the next 48 hours after donating blood. Drink no less than 2 liters of liquids a day: juices, water, weak tea (alcohol not recommended).