Feeling dreadful day after blood donation

[100Bees]

I gave blood yesterday afternoon for the first time in ages (iron usually too low). The two previous times I've managed to donated I've fainted pretty much straight after. Yesterday I got super hot but didn't pass out.

I was soo tired last night and fell asleep really early then woke late feeling absolutely dreadful. Banging headache, super fatigued and really nauseous. Just dreadful. Fell asleep and am only just awake again. Could that jist be from giving blood?!

Eat a steak and apricots! Get some greens too.

Eat and hydrate. More water/squash than you think you need.

I'm trying to drink a lot. Only just starting to feel hungry, felt too sick earlier.

It absolutely could be, which is why you're not allowed to do certain things after donating (like drive heavy machinery etc...)

Drink about double the liquid you normally would and aim for some iron rich foods to help replenish what you've given.

Did you eat and drink yesterday after your donation? Had you followed the guidelines about eating and drinking before you gave as well?

I ate a big lunch yesterday but I may not have drunk as much as I should have. Maybe 2 big cups of tea before I went in and drank the pre donation pint. I ate loads after donation (for me, I'm not a big eater) - 2 snacks then came home and snacked then a reasonable dinner (salmon, chips and green veg). Again it's possible I didn't drink enough extra liquid. I'm still in bed now and have had to take more paracetamol but at least I don't feel as sick and have managed to eat something. I'm pounding the water today.

Yeah I'd hazard that you were dehydrated and maybe just a bit bleurgh from the donation process if you've previously had bad experiences with fainting. The feeling hot and bothered is you on the pathway to fainting, you were still having that physiological response to the needle/donation/whatever it is that you react to. So being out of sorts afterwards, not unexpected.

The pre-donation pint of water/squash is basically the liquid they have removed from you via the donation of approx a pint of blood. So once you've cancelled that out, if you only had two cups of tea all day that isn't a lot of hydration.

I'm now much recovered (and have just eaten a big steak) so I think it was just the donation rather than anything else. I'll be better hydrated next time! I only persist because I'm O negative otherwise I would have given up a while ago.

Thank you for persevering! I'm A neg and they'd like me for plasma donations but my veins aren't appropriate, but I'm also suitable for neonates for my whole blood donations so it's always nice to think how my blood may be being used. I've been giving for over 20 years now, it's such an important thing to do if you can.

You need to hit that delicate balance of drinking as much as you can without having to abandon the donation half-way through to get to the loo before you wet yourself...