When we are about to donate blood, different doubts assail us and, sometimes, those questions are precisely what make us back down. One of the most frequent doubts is to know if you can donate having taken medication the previous days or even be taking them at the same time of the donation.
Medication and blood donation, are they compatible?
- Well, the answer depends on the medication and the reason for which it is being taken. In general, you need to be in good health to donate blood. However, anti-inflammatories and aspirin consumption do allow donations, leaving out people who have taken antibiotics within the last 15 days.
- Even so, if you have doubts about whether the medication you are taking may prevent you from donating or not, consult your doctor or go to the donation center so that they can resolve it immediately.
In what other cases can I NOT donate?
- There are a number of circumstances that do not authorize blood donation. For example, if you are pregnant, have just given birth, or are breastfeeding. Also if you are diabetic and you treat yourself with insulin, if you have uncontrolled blood pressure or if you suffer from some type of infectious disease.
- Recent piercings and tattoos can be a barrier to donating, as can weighing less than 50kg. Or be over 65 years of age (at first and unless specifically authorized by a doctor, donating blood from that age is not allowed).
The donation process
- The donation process can take up to an hour if it is the first time you donate blood. To begin with, you will complete a donor registration with your personal data. The health personnel will ask you some questions about your medical history, places you have traveled, tattoos, illnesses… They will take your blood pressure and measure your hemoglobin. After this, you will go to the donating area, where they will insert the line to draw your blood. People who have never donated but have had a test are often a little shocked by the needle. We tell you as an anecdote so that you take it into account and NOT to scare you. The line needs to draw a large volume of blood and with a small needle it would take a long time, so it is somewhat wider than those of the analytical ones.
- To finish, you’ll spend a few minutes replenishing fluids so your body gets used to the volume you just lost. Here, the professionals who have cared for you will be very attentive in case you get dizzy and will often ask you how you are feeling to make sure you are okay.
Possible side effects after donating blood
- The donation itself has no risk of adverse effects. You can only suffer two “complications”. First of all, make you dizzy. To avoid this, do not go fasting (this is not a blood test!). When donating, a greater volume of blood is taken from us than in a test and we need strength to face it, so if we have eaten something before we will reduce the risk of fainting.
- Don’t be in a hurry when you’re replenishing fluids when you’re done, either. It is possible that, sometimes, with our hectic pace of life, we think that we are fine and when we go outside just 5 minutes after donating, we realize that we are not. Wait patiently, take the snack they offer you, chat with the people there… And let your body acclimatize without putting too much rhythm at first.
- Secondly, as a possible consequence of donating, we can get a nice bruise on our arm. This depends a lot on the type of vein, the puncture and the pressure you apply afterwards. Don’t worry, it will go away in a few days.
- As you have seen, the risks to you or your health when donating blood are minimal. However, the donation can bring you many positive things. For example, blood donations help us keep iron levels under control and reduce cardiovascular diseases, they give us a hand when it comes to regenerating some values more quickly, to eliminate harmful substances and to have a general idea of our state of health only with the tests that are done at the beginning.
- And that’s not all! In addition, donating blood will bring you a lot on a psychological level: it will make you feel more empathic, it will help you strengthen ties with the people around you and improve your self-esteem. Believe us when we tell you that after donating you will experience an enormous feeling of fulfillment knowing that you are helping those in need. Remember that tomorrow can be you.
