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Giving Blood On Low Carb

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CoinOperatedKitten
CoinOperatedKitten Posts: 32 Member
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So I decided to give blood yesterday, no big deal right? I felt fine the entire time and when I was done they told me if I felt ok I could leave and have some cookies on my way out (weird, because in the past I've always been made to wait about 20 minutes and eat snacks). So I did feel fine so I left and took some peanut butter Ritz just in case. I left the "Big Red Bus" and headed toward the parking garage while eating my crackers. The garage really isn't very far but in the Florida heat and carrying all of my work crap I was about to pass out by the time I reached my floor. I sat on the floor for awhile sweating bullets and wondering if I was really going to have to call 911 from a parking garage right next to a hospital but I eventually felt well enough to go to my car and go home.

Then this morning I got up and had every intention of doing my upper body weight training but I just didn't feel like I could do it....so I didn't. Now I'm having a Ginger Ale.

So should you give blood on low carb? I say probably not!

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  • Liftin4food
    Liftin4food Posts: 175 Member
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    It could have been the heat, the carrying things, the not resting for 20 minutes or a combination of all these things. Or you could be coming down with something. Or a whole host of other reasons.

    If it keeps happening then maybe it isn't good for you to give blood while eating low carb. But it's been fine for me when I've done it.
  • nurserobin37087
    nurserobin37087 Posts: 12 Member
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    Did you increase your water intake after giving blood yesterday?
    I'm guessing it was probably the heat mixed with slight dehydration that made you sick yesterday and some dehydration this morning during your workout. Summer heat can really dehydrate you quickly and you just took 500mls out of your system.
    Water! Water! Water and you should be good in no time!
  • Dragonwolf
    Dragonwolf Posts: 5,600 Member
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    I agree with both of the responses.

    Giving blood while low carbing is no different than giving blood on any other diet, especially in the summer (and especially in a Florida summer) -- you need to rest for a few minutes before going anywhere, and you need to make sure you drink plenty of water before and after.

    Next time, at the very, very least, take a bottle (or two) of water with you when you leave and drink it as you leave.
  • CoinOperatedKitten
    CoinOperatedKitten Posts: 32 Member
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    Oh yeah I drink tons of water. I drank a lot before and after. Obviously I didn't get very much down between leaving the bus and getting to the garage though haha.
  • FIT_Goat
    FIT_Goat Posts: 4,224 Member
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    I've given blood several times even while eating zero carb. I've never had any issue with it. I don't take any of the snacks and just grab a water. You aren't supposed to do any heavy lifting or upper body workouts for 24 hours after donation, so you should have planned on skipping the workout the day after anyway.

    The only thing that is different, for me, after donation is a slight increase in the amount I eat over the next couple days. I wouldn't want to mix giving blood with low calories.
  • KnitOrMiss
    KnitOrMiss Posts: 10,104 Member
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    I'm sure the high carb snack of peanut butter Ritz really didn't help you either...
  • CoinOperatedKitten
    CoinOperatedKitten Posts: 32 Member
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    KnitOrMiss wrote: »
    I'm sure the high carb snack of peanut butter Ritz really didn't help you either...

    I actually think I would have really passed out if I hadn't eaten them. But I guess I'll never know.
  • KnitOrMiss
    KnitOrMiss Posts: 10,104 Member
    edited July 2015
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    CoinOperatedKitten wrote: »
    KnitOrMiss wrote: »
    I'm sure the high carb snack of peanut butter Ritz really didn't help you either...

    I actually think I would have really passed out if I hadn't eaten them. But I guess I'll never know.

    Entirely possible and likely.

    EDITED TO ADD: Thankfully we'll never need to know!!

    I meant more in the decreased capacity ongoing. I always get lightheaded when giving blood anyway, and heaven help me if they hit both arms (it triggers massive blood pressure drops in most people - when they do one side only it shifts pressures, but if they do both, it has to drop to prevent you from bleeding to death as your body sees it)... Though I imagine my blood everything is improving, as the last time my doctor order labs, they took between 12-15 tubes of blood and I had no side effects. I'm not in any huge hurry to go donate, though, but if the opportunity arises, I'd do so.
  • CoinOperatedKitten
    CoinOperatedKitten Posts: 32 Member
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    Yeah I have given before and never felt weird at all. I'll be more careful next time for sure!
  • nicsflyingcircus
    nicsflyingcircus Posts: 2,491 Member
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    I give blood like clockwork. Last time I donated double red cells, no problem. Just water on the way out. Was fine.
  • GaleHawkins
    GaleHawkins Posts: 8,160 Member
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    It is different for different people. I had issues giving blood 45 years ago and gave up trying to give due to long term health issues. It is a good thing to do if one can do it without complications.

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