they convinced me to donate 2 pints saying i was the perfect candidate. I'm sorry you had such a bad reaction and that your iron/ferritin levels were so low that you became anemic. When my doc finally tested for iron, I was at 11 ng/ml. This is a normal reaction and should go away by itself within 1 week. The nurses who monitor me are nurses, with medical training mostly coming out of hospitals seeking a more positive career - lots of people die in hospitals after all. I was just wondering if anyone else felt the same after donating blood. The blood bank where I work has extensive training for our already qualified employees. It occurs when the recipient develops antibodies against the platelets. I used to donate all the time in my 20's. (n.d.). ONE OF MY REASON,IS BECAUSE I HAVE NOT DONATED BLOOD OVER TWENTY YRS. If the problem continues, make an appointment with your doctor. it was like i was out cold.my roommates tried waking waking me up several times but i never once heard them. Chris, thanks for this. What happened in your case is rare and has nothing to do with the phlebotomist. They really need to have a better system in place for the donor and aftercare as well as precautionary information. Why? This helps your lungs expand and may make it easier to breathe. If someone experiences any long lasting or severe symptoms after giving blood, they can contact their doctor. 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). Mayo Clinic offers appointments in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota and at Mayo Clinic Health System locations. Feel faint, dizzy and/or nauseated; faint and/or have muscle spasms. Those effects above is highly because a dropping in your blood pressure. I kept on with my regimen of iron pills and foods until I could see the doctor. Erythrocytic disorders. Some other possible causes include: Carbon monoxide poisoning Heart attack Low blood pressure Asthma flare-up Pneumonia Pulmonary embolism (blood clot in the lungs) Emotional distress or a panic attack If your shortness of breath symptoms last for four weeks or longer they may be considered chronic. Blood banks are regulated by the FDA. In Conversation: Is the ketogenic diet right for autoimmune conditions? I think the problem is they don't test for ferritin (blood stores of iron) and rely too much on haemoglobin, but haemoglobin can be within the normal range but ferritin too low ! One thing I WON'T do is trust the blood collector to check my iron for me: I'll donate and see *my* Dr .afterward for the first year. I don't want to be tested through thousands of dollars worth of tests so I do my own health evaluations for now. Some bruise at the site where the blood was taken may occasionally exist. Just now checked on the app and it was 128g/L. 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. This is all so familiar. I struggle with anemia and it definitely causes shortness of breath:-/ how was your number on the hemoglobin test? even that makes me feel dizzy. According to a 2013 article in the British Journal of Haematology, reactions occur due to: Treatments for a mild allergic reaction include: Anaphylactic reactions occur in those with immunoglobulin A (IgA) deficiencies and have IgA antibodies in their plasma. Woozy, Normally, the cardiologist would prescribe a blood thinner when a patient has been diagnosed with AFIB. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. I was kind of peeved at my doc. Answers represent the opinions of our medical experts. 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. Yes, the simple solution is to donate whole blood. My state is almost entirely serviced by donors; I believe there are only 2 blood banks left who purchase blood. Your system just sounds, broken. When I realized what was happening, I laid on the horn and started moving across three lanes of traffic to the shoulder. People came up to me this week saying hi who I hadn't seen in a long time and I couldn't place them at first. If this happened very often, I'm sure they'd have some real litigation on their hands. I just donated this afternoon after a prior donation in late May. Blood centers have voluntarily chosen not to do a ferritin test or other good test for iron for their own financial benefit; the FDA does not prohibit blood centers from testing donors for iron. This could have easily ended my life. Management of the condition involves. Doesn't help. Yes, an increase in hemoglobin, red blood cells, and hematocrit leads to shortness of breath. (I felt great after!). I would also suggest keeping away from caffeine and alcohol as it inhibits iron absorption. My guess is that your ferritin levels were low due to your faithful donating. Your valued donation is a vital contribution to our community, and we sincerely hope that you have found it a worthwhile experience. Last medically reviewed on June 15, 2020, Learn how to help the body recover after donating blood. Learn more, Some people believe that they cannot donate blood after having a tattoo. A larger scale 2019 study looked at the effects on heart health in 159,934 people who were regular blood donors. CA as a law against buying blood; they're donor-supplied as well. or will it pass soon? As I woke, a ranger was knocking on my window, i felt lost and very weak, when i least expected it, fire rescue was there taking my vitals which were all fine. I was concerned about the pins and needles I had been experiencing in my hands and feet along with dizziness, itchy skin, shortness of breath and complete exhaustion that just made me want to cry, I feel so emotional and fuzzy headed ! Our training is extensive and we are forced to follow fda testing policies. shortness of breath after stopping pain killers. Thanks for all the comments. The DNA test wasn't a good means to determine if I should give blood. At the age of 24, I donate blood quite regularly. I had a pretty sizable migraine when I woke up, and it got worse as the morning wore on. Yeah, you do need to be careful. 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. The amount of iron reserves can be estimated by measuring ferritin levels. when i donated they checked my hemoglobin and it was 14.8 a week later at the emergency room is was around 10.2 or something like that. For donors there are reactions of bodys tolerance during and after donating procedure. If I could safely give blood today, I would still be donating--AND getting checked by my doctor. Have to stop donating blood for the time being while I rebuild my iron stores. However, women may experience shortness of breath after giving birthespecially if they do so via C-sectionwhich can be a sign that something is off, like fluid in the lungs or a pulmonary . Donating blood didn't nearly kill you. The doctor told me in the mean time not to even think about donating any blood until my stores come back. If a person develops an acute hemolytic transfusion reaction, the doctor or nurse will stop the transfusion. This effect is commonly occur to donors after donating their blood. Suddock, J. T., & Crookston, K. P. (2020). Blood donation is the most common cause of transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI). For more severe cases, a person may require artificial ventilation. DreamerMeg from Northern Ireland on April 29, 2012: Amazing! Can lead to faintness, nausea, numbness or tingling, and . I made my next appointment and went home. Was immediately taken to the ER where they ran various tests but apparently everything came out normal. The time I went to donate blood they turn me down because my iron was a little bit low. Up to now I am still poorly, bed bound most of the time due to the same headaches, dizzy, high pulse rate and just feeling weak in general. If the reaction is significant, hydration is important. Dizziness Dizziness is one most popular blood donation effects, this effect occurs because of loosing some blood. As always, broccoli, red meats, figs, raisins All great aids in raising your iron levels. (I do, in fact know what I was talking about. Everyday we have patients who need blood which only generous donors can provide. i only had donated once in my life and that was many years ago. Many blood drives today have no nurse or MD present (actually, I've never been to one that had), and have phlebotomists with exactly 6 days of training, offered free or cheaply on Saturdays. It's also one of the most common reasons people phone 999 for an ambulance. I wish I did my research before donationg. Yellow, green, or rusty colored sputum or phlegm or blood in the sputum. Which type you have affects how you, There are some things to consider before giving blood. This is all speculation but. Hyperventilation: Can intensify feelings of panic, stress, and anxiety. Shortness of breath, clinically known as dyspnea, is sometimes described as difficulty catching your breath, wheezing, or breathlessness. I wonder if that had anything to do with my iron levels as I try to stay clear from heavy red meats and eat more fish and vegetables. I'm pretty sure all the blood banks are staffed by nurses, and while they call endlessly to get you in there, when you're there they're very strict about you proving you're healthy enough to donate. Some people will experience minor side effects of donating blood, such as lightheadedness, bruising, or light bleeding. I can also say that the Red Cross allowed me to donate blood even when my blood pressure was a little high once or twice. Read on to discover how they can help treat different types of anemia and what to expect during the, When a person has lost blood or it is not functioning effectively, a transfusion can be lifesaving. 1998-2023 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). I thought this was odd because I'd experienced migraines before and never got dizzy during one. I only need someone to try to explain to me what this could be. During this particular blood drive, the phlebotomists were instead engaged in a heated discussion over whom among them was the laziest employee, citing many recent examples of each other's poor work at the blood drive that day. Thanks for sharing. Due to the risks that may occur to the receivers, the donors will be given some confidential medical history paper to fill out. Shortness of breath after blood donation. I thought I was the only one. Also, you should let your doctor and healthcare team know if you have had previous transfusions so they can look out for any reactions. I wanted to share my opinion and my story about frequent blood donating. If your test reveals that you have a low hemoglobin count, you'll likely need more testing to determine the cause. Excuse the "all-caps rage" there, I really wanted that info to stand out :D, that link didn't come out so here's a tiny url one to the same. 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