If someone experiences any long lasting or severe symptoms after giving blood, they can contact their doctor. Today, I still don't know if their equipment was faulty, or if the blood center employee screening me was paying more attention to the conversation among her coworkers than the results, but I shouldn't have been allowed to donate. I often tested at the low end of normal for iron when I went to give blood, and was turned away twice. However, TRALI can be fatal and has a mortality rate of between 525%. i didnt feel much tiredness right after then. i kept zoning out from time to time. Same as last time, I feel pretty tired doing simple things right now. Leung LLK. Transfusion reactions. All they cared about were hemoglobin levels so youre made to think thats all that matters. Today i woke up still very dizzy, weak and with a horrible headache. They now give me dextran which is a strong form of iron that last longer in my system. There must have been a pre-existing medical condition, genetic anomaly or illness behind this. Some people learn that their hemoglobin is low when they try to donate blood. According to the American Red Cross, people can drink an additional 16 ounces (oz) of water before they donate blood, and an extra 8 oz of fluids afterward. Shortness of breathwhat doctors call dyspneais the unpleasant sensation of having difficulty breathing. If your blood center did take you and your iron level were below this minimum, the FDA should be notified as this is cause to be fined. Elsevier Inc.; 2017. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Perhaps doing it every 8 weeks was the problem? BIG MISTAKE! I had decided to start giving more blood after I learned my DNA results showed Hemochromatosis, that I could have a build up of iron in my system. I find your very premises uninformed and unimaginitive. One lesson for others reading this is definitely ask what your hemoglobin is after they test it through the machine. ECG, TMT, Pulmonary test all came normal and endoscopy says I have gastritis. (We thought it was asthma at first.) I will see what happens in the next 24 hours but for now i know I will never again give blood. MNT is the registered trade mark of Healthline Media. It took me about three months to recover from that ordeal. After tens of thousands of dollars of tests (CT scans, MRIs, MRAs, X-rays, invasive scopes, blood tests, biopsies, etc.) Celiac prevents absorption of nutrients such as vitamin B and iron and contributes to anemia in otherwise-healthy men. I dont know how i switched 3-4 lanes to the right to find a space to stop and i dont even know how i ended stopping without hitting the highway wall but i did and as i put my car on park i blacked out comepletely. If you experience any of these symptoms after donating blood: Sudden chest or stomach pain. Difficulty Breathing After Blood Donation -Doctors Lounge (TM) Medical Specialty >> Hematology Doctors Lounge - Hematology Answers Back to Hematology Answers List If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately. An indication of low ferritin levels is low hemoglobin. I guess what I'm getting at is that if you want to donate blood you should have a blood panel run every 6 months (if you can). Eight weeks is the minimum time between donations for whole blood and they take a pint each time you donate. If an individual experiences any severe symptoms, they should contact their doctor, or call 911 in an emergency. "There's no way you could have been in a healthy iron range four days ago, and lost only a pint of blood!" Breathe in through your nose and then slowly breathe out through your mouth with your lips slightly puckered. That's my two cents on the matter. This includes your lung tissue. I was tired all the time and had blood work done by my family doctor. A summary of the blood transfusion reactions are as follows: The outlook depends on which reaction a person is experiencing. I would never lie about a test to pass someone to hurry and leave a. I like my job and b. Certain medical conditions such as COPD, asthma, and heart failure can also contribute to difficulties with breathing after eating. The FDA needs to require all blood centers to also do a test for iron levels such as ferritin, inform donors they are iron deficient or anemic, and stop allowing blood centers to take blood from anemic donors and make them even more anemic. Press J to jump to the feed. Answers represent the opinions of our medical experts. They came back less than 5 minutes later, tested my other hand, and said my iron levels were "good enough for a donation". Average adult has 4.5 5-5 liters blood in their body. To read your story was a little scary, my thoughts have been in a haze and I feel like a disoriented vegetable at times. regulations might even require it soon. If the reaction is significant, hydration is important. This will help prevent bruising, help the needle site heal, and allow your body to readjust to the blood loss. This helps your lungs expand and may make it easier to breathe. Have you received answers? The shortness of breath is in this case an illusion. Blood clots in your lungs (pulmonary embolism). You can lie down and rest if you feel dizzy. Then you will be offered refreshment to help you stop the dizziness. I bike to and from blood drives and run the next day. The Red Cross is out there to help people, but I have to question if they get as many donors as they can to get some type of kickback from the government by showing that they can keep the blood flowing. The study found that regular, long-term blood donation had a protective effect against cardiovascular disease, although only in females. You're absolutely right, they need to know. but as the day came to an end, i began to feel unusually sleepy. information and will only use or disclose that information as set forth in our notice of I now will need to do IV iron probably for the rest of my life. If I could safely give blood today, I would still be donating--AND getting checked by my doctor. However, it is a very rare occurrence, and it has become less prevalent since the introduction of the irradiation of blood products. Did you actually suffer a stroke and obtain permanent neurological damage or was that just reversible anemia? Shortness of breath, fatigue, constant headaches and muscle pain. Blood-borne infection is infections that are transmitted through the blood. Prevention is the best form of treatment. safe to say im never donating again. This effect is commonly occur to donors after donating their blood. Treatment depends on the severity of the reaction and may include: According to a 2012 article, septic transfusion reactions typically occur due to bacterial contamination of the donor blood components, most commonly from the platelet products. it was like i was out cold.my roommates tried waking waking me up several times but i never once heard them. When I asked them if it's going to be okay for me to go for a run the next day after donation they said yes, no problem. Essentially, it is caused by an inability of the body to deliver adequate oxygen to the blood while breathing at a normal and restful rate. It's disturbing to know you were so low in iron and got accepted for donation. Asthma or emphysema. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. If the problem continues, make an appointment with your doctor. The sad thing about it is I was continually harassed by the donation site to give even MORE blood when I explained to them, very politely, of the adverse effects I had from donating. Signs that indicate a more severe reaction include: Examples of acute transfusion reactions include the following: Even when a person receives the correct blood type, allergic reactions can occur. Please don't dismiss and put down blood bank workers. Feel faint, dizzy and/or nauseated; faint and/or have muscle spasms. If symptoms continue or worsen, lower yourself to the floor, prop feet at a level higher than heart, and summon help. I believe the blood drive centers have no real regard to my health. How long does a blood transfusion take, and how long does it last? Another possibility is that you are actually suffering from asthma - specifically, exercise-induced asthma. It can makes you feel chills and sweating beside dizzy and weak. Purple vegetables and tubers may have superior anti-diabetic properties. Lung infection (pneumonia). a PNEUMOTHORAX, a condition in which air gets between the lungs and the chest wall, or a PULMONARY EMBOLISM, in which a blood clot may have moved from a leg to the lungs. A person may feel faint or dizzy after donating plasma. This can occur as a result of a heart attack, a stroke, or other heart problems. Bruising, or discoloration of the skin, is normal following blood donation. According to Bloodworks Northwest, a nonprofit organization, applying a compress can help to relieve pain and swelling. Can a person do anything to help reduce the chance of a blood transfusion reaction from occurring? (I do, in fact know what I was talking about. If you will be driving after your donation, ensure you feel well before starting your vehicle. A few years ago, I became anemic and my doctor told me I should check in to the hospital it was so bad. ICAN UNDERSTAND, YOUR STORY AND I APRECIATE ALL THE INFO ,IAM RECEIVING BECAUSE I ALSO LIKE DONATE,BLOOD. 1998-2023 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). i cant even enjoy eating my favourite food. These side effects can include: Feeling faint or dizzy The loss of fluid can lead to dehydration and cause some people to feel lightheaded during and after the donation. i called the donor hotline which wasnt much help. Any use of this site constitutes your agreement to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy linked below. Been feeling very tired every morning this week when getting up for work, thinking it's the blood donation hangover since it's only been 5 days since I donated. They just merely follow procedures or if they don't, they get fined (like the American Red Cross) or they can ultimately be shut down. Check that your iron is ok by asking questions after the test. This is all so familiar. I am a very active person who used to do a lot of cleaning after workday, but now all I want to do after I get home is lay on the couch. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our. I'm now 45 and had not donated for about 15 years until this past May. I have been told, though I am not positive, buckwheat has higher iron content. Asthma. My daughter gave blood in August 2016 being a migraine suffer on Oct the 5th she had a stroke to find her iron levels were 6 and 9 way to low then Wednesday gone Nov 2016 we find at 17 she also has a hole in her heart , be wise get check before giving blood we still today have no end to this they are still testing her for more we are seeing the heart surgeon on tge 7th Dec. Heart problems lasting or severe symptoms, they should contact their doctor, or discoloration of the irradiation of products! Told me i should check in to the blood difficulty breathing so bad expand and may it... 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