Recommendations before and after donation

How to prepare for blood donation?

• On the eve and on the day of blood donation, it is forbidden to eat fatty, fried, spicy and smoked food, sausages, and meat, fish and dairy products, eggs and butter (including vegetable), chocolate, nuts and dates, avocados, beets , bananas. I do not need to give blood on an empty stomach!
• It is better to drink sweet tea with jam, juices, fruit drinks, compotes, mineral water and eat bread, crackers, drying, boiled cereals, macaroni on water without oil, vegetables and fruits, EXCEPT avocados, beets, bananas.
• 48 hours before the visit to the blood service, you can not drink alcohol, and for 72 hours - take medicine containing aspirin and analgesics.
• Also, one hour before the donation procedure, you should refrain from smoking.
• The doctors determined that the organism responds best to blood loss precisely in the morning hours. And the earlier donation takes place, the easier this procedure is tolerated. After 12:00 donating blood is recommended only to regular donors.
• Do not plan donation after night duty or just a sleepless night.
• Do not plan to donate blood directly before exams, competitions, delivery of the project, for a particularly busy period of work, etc.
• You must have the original passport with you.

Following these simple rules is especially important in the delivery of platelets or plasma, their violation will affect the quality of the harvested blood components

As for the well-being during the blood donation, some people experience mild dizziness. Malady can be a slight decrease in pressure. However, usually an organism of a healthy person can easily cope with this.

After giving blood

• Immediately after delivery of blood, sit relaxed for 10-15 minutes.
• If you feel dizzy or weak, consult a medical staff. The easiest way to help yourself: lie on your back and lift your legs above your head, or sit down and lower your head between your knees.
• Refrain from smoking within an hour after donation.
• Do not remove the dressing for 3-4 hours, try not to get wet.
• Avoid in this day of heavy physical and sports loads, lifting weights, incl. and shopping bags.
• Fully and regularly eat for two days after donation and drink at least two liters of liquid a day: juices, water, weak tea. Drinking alcohol is not recommended.
• There are no restrictions on driving a car on the day of the caravan. You can get behind the wheel of a motorcycle 2 hours after donation.

How often can I donate blood?

Minimum intervals between different types of donation (in days)

The blood service agency reserves the right to increase these intervals, depending on the needs of medical organizations in certain components of the donor blood. You can find out about the current need by contacting the blood service agency of interest to you or by using the donor's traffic light.