Cycling UK Forum

Gave blood last thurs,fri. ride-mediocre,sun ride-same,tues ride-same.I,m 68 and have been doning for 10yrs and not had this reaction,i.e.3 poorish rides on the trot,if ,that is,it is a reaction to doning.No other symptoms.Anybody have a similar experience?

Did you have your biscuit afterwards?

They don't call it don-ate-ing blood for nothing.

I'm male, 67 yrs old, and have given blood many times. I've been lucky and have never had a problem after giving blood. Last visit, I had a biscuit, but no hot drinks. Apparently hot drinks are a victim of the virus! Maybe it'll ease up after lockdown.
I'd give their Help Line a call. Good luck!

Yes,that could explain it,no tea after.I googled it and was surprised that it can take weeks to get blood back to normal.When I say poorish ride,I didn,t fall off a cliff,just more effort needed,particularly on hills,not exactly a problem,just curious.

I thought that apart from giving you something to do while recovering for a few minutes, I thought that the drink just got your body fluid back up.

I was a blood donor for many years including several years of plasma donations (every eight weeks.) In those days a chaotic organisation.

I have been donating for years. The only time I have had a problem was when I did a 5k run the next morning. After about 1.5k I felt nauseous and wobbly. That passed, but the rest of the run was much slower than usual.

I tried donating blood back in my thirties. I gave it three attempts but was always feeling weak for the next 24 hours. Worst of all as I laid there giving my armful, and squeezing as hard as I could, three people would come and go on the other beds.
Certainly earned my tea and biscuit but it was like getting blood out of the proverbial stone.

I used to work as a techician in an ICU and so was used to all sorts of sights and sounds, but have slowly become uncomfortable with the notion of blood and needles to the extent that now I often conk out when stuck, so no more blood donation for me! Funny how things change.

When getting injections as a kid I was always more interested in what they were doing than feeling scared of the needles. Led to a big, bruiser of a sister slapping my face away from looking at them putting a needle thing in my wrist prior to my tonsil removal at the age of 3 or 4. Apparently I was kit allowed to look and had to be scared so they could comfort me as they were trained to. I don't play ball that much even at 4yo.

Then as an adult I had 5 stitches in my broken hand under local anaesthetic which did not work even one bit. I could feel the thread of the stitch being pulled through my flesh to pull it together. Feeling that will change your views on needles.

It did make blood donation a stressful time but I kept it up because it's important. My blood is supposedly good for 83% of the population with rhesus positive. I only stopped when they changed the system to make it very restrictive at my local board. Even booking an appointment never guaranteed I'd get to give blood. With regret I realised there was no longer much point of me waiting several hours to be told they couldn't fit me in even two hours after my donation appointment. So I made a fresh appointment for the next local session only for the same to happen.

I was a perfect donor I reckon. I drank before going there so my blood positively flooded out. Before I learnt that trick it took 15 minutes or more after needle being put in. After I could be on and off the bed in 5 or 6 minutes including all kit / ID checks and putting the line in too.

Paulatic wrote:I tried donating blood back in my thirties. I gave it three attempts but was always feeling weak for the next 24 hours. Worst of all as I laid there giving my armful, and squeezing as hard as I could, three people would come and go on the other beds.
Certainly earned my tea and biscuit but it was like getting blood out of the proverbial stone.

I'm the same.

I have to give a blood sample annually for my cholesterol issue, and even a couple of phials give me problems.
I gave blood some years ago, and unless there's an emergency, I wouldn't even consider it again.

Mick F wrote:

Paulatic wrote:I tried donating blood back in my thirties. I gave it three attempts but was always feeling weak for the next 24 hours. Worst of all as I laid there giving my armful, and squeezing as hard as I could, three people would come and go on the other beds.
Certainly earned my tea and biscuit but it was like getting blood out of the proverbial stone.

I'm the same.

I have to give a blood sample annually for my cholesterol issue, and even a couple of phials give me problems.
I gave blood some years ago, and unless there's an emergency, I wouldn't even consider it again.

To coin a phrase, Me too. This year because of various medical issues I have had about 20 samples taken.

How much is taken each time? What happens to the space thus created, does it fill with water or air, do the blood vessels contract? How long does the body need to make new blood to replace the blood taken?

You can't donate above 70 so for most of you guys it's not an issue anymore!

Just realised it could be more of an issue if you're having blood tests a lot. Although they take less blood in one hit with that N and you should have more than enough time to replenish between vampire sessions.

They won't have my blood, it's full of drugs.

Tangled Metal wrote:When getting injections as a kid I was always more interested in what they were doing than feeling scared of the needles. Led to a big, bruiser of a sister slapping my face away from looking at them putting a needle thing in my wrist prior to my tonsil removal at the age of 3 or 4. Apparently I was kit allowed to look and had to be scared so they could comfort me as they were trained to. I don't play ball that much even at 4yo.

Then as an adult I had 5 stitches in my broken hand under local anaesthetic which did not work even one bit. I could feel the thread of the stitch being pulled through my flesh to pull it together. Feeling that will change your views on needles.

I never used to have any problem at all with needles up until about 10 years ago when a nurse stuck the needle into a nerve. I nearly passed out, and it took about a month for the pain to go.

They also have difficulty getting needles and cannulas in my veins when they never used to, usually muttering something about the valves in the veins blocking the way. They gouge at one vein after another until there aren't any left, then switch to the other arm and start on that one. An anaesthetist had to fetch the surgeon to grasp both his hands round my arm to try and raise a vein once. Paramedics give up saying that the hospital will have to do it. Nurses give up and leave it to doctors. One nurse said "I can't go and tell the doctor this, he'll never believe me!"

A paramedic once saw both my arms black and blue from elbow to wrist:
"What's all this!?"
So I told him, and he said "Who did it, Stevie Wonder?"

One nurse eyed my bulging blue veins with delight:
"Ooh, lovely, nice easy veins!"
"Yes, that's what they all say"
"What do you mean"
So I told him.
"Nonsense! Veins like that are no trouble!"
After he'd had the same pantomime as everyone else he said:
"You're not wrong, are you"

Hi,
Her indoors has passed 100 donations.
I had transfusions in the 80s so I can't give at all.