Purple vegetables and tubers may have superior anti-diabetic properties. (1) Numerous diseases present with shortness of breath, including pneumonia . Or if your heart isn't working as well as it should, this could cause a build-up of fluid in the lungs, making it difficult to breathe. Answers represent the opinions of our medical experts. Sad but true. Thanks God nothing major happened to you. but as soon as i try to do something, its back to feeling dizzy again. If you have signs and symptoms of a low hemoglobin count, make an appointment with your doctor. Felt very dizzy and confused and dry tongued. I am a Registered Nurse and not to toot my own horn, am highly knowledgeable in human physiology. After I had an episode at work when I nearly passed out, my doctor tested my blood iron, found me to be severely anemic, and referred me to gastro-enterologist. This type of reaction occurs if a person has received the wrong blood type. Being turned down for blood donation isn't necessarily a cause for concern. Now I'm almost 70 and think i must have low iron or hemoglobin, B-12 deficiency, or something similar. There is never a need for a doctor to be present while someone is donating. It is really helpful to make a decision whether or not to donate. Shortness of breath can result from a range of problems, including an allergic reaction, an anxiety attack, or anemia. I, myself have experienced a traumatic experience from donating blood. Harewood, J., & Master, S. R. (2019). I seldom go to the Dr but if you donate--you do have to watch out for yourself regarding your iron because many blood banks won't. According to a 2019 article, symptoms of PTP can include: According to the authors of Transfusion Medicine for Pathologists: A Comprehensive Review for Board Preparation, Certification, and Clinical Practice, it is important to note that transfusion reactions are rarely fatal. In the early years i too could and would go for a run on the same day i donated just to test myself. How Viagra became a new 'tool' for young men, Ankylosing Spondylitis Pain: Fact or Fiction, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Transfusion Medicine for Pathologists: A Comprehensive Review for Board Preparation, Certification, and Clinical Practice, A person can learn more about the potential risks and complications here, https://www.cdc.gov/bloodsafety/basics.html, https://www.aamds.org/blood-transfusion-safety-and-risks, https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=z-JgDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA37&lpg=PA37&dq=Chapter+3+-+Transfusion+reactions+castillo&source=bl&ots=qIetYlpPsw&sig=ACfU3U2_OV-IbL3SnUEmomreBYauW74jIQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjcnu_4ycrqAhWStHEKHeTmBdEQ6AEwCnoECAcQAQ#v=onepage&q=Chapter%203%20-%20Transfusion%20reactions%20castillo&f=false, https://www.blood.gov.au/pubs/2015-haemovigilance/part-01-haemovigilance-data-2011-12-and-2012-13/febrile-non-haemolytic-transfusion-reactions-fnhtr.html, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK448158/, https://www.dovepress.com/post-transfusion-purpura-current-perspectives-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-JBM, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3594969/, https://www.redcrossblood.org/donate-blood/manage-my-donations/rapidpass/trali-information-sheet.html, https://www.redcrossblood.org/donate-blood/blood-donation-process/what-happens-to-donated-blood/blood-transfusions/risks-complications.html, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482202/, https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/thrombocytopenia, https://academic.oup.com/labmed/article/43/5/217/2657761, https://www.redcrossblood.org/donate-blood/blood-donation-process/what-happens-to-donated-blood/blood-transfusions.html, Skipping breakfast and fasting may compromise the immune system. information highlighted below and resubmit the form. The cause of the blockages is not known, but it is thought to be due to a lack of oxygen in the blood. Avoid heavy lifting and strenuous exercise for twelve hours. Learn more about how to recover after donating blood here. Shortness of breath after blood donation. Researchers noted they need further evidence with larger studies to confirm these findings. but as the day came to an end, i began to feel unusually sleepy. Is the ketogenic diet right for autoimmune conditions? One should never drive feeling dizzy. Use muscle tensing any time you feel anxious, dizzy, or faint. I had a pretty sizable migraine when I woke up, and it got worse as the morning wore on. Educate, dont belittle. This content is accurate and true to the best of the authors knowledge and does not substitute for diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, prescription, and/or dietary advice from a licensed health professional. The woman taking my blood took a long time to find a vein (she might have never found it) and to swap my arm with the antiseptic. why are the headaches only one sided, why so many things. I did go for a run which was a big mistake. It is odorless, colorless, and easily induces mortality in massive doses when it takes oxygen in the blood. The CDC state that PTP is rare. They may only bleed while you are digesting food, in which case, you can't see them during an endoscope. I support the author's decision to never donate blood again. He had put me on a slow release iron and told him all the food I was eating as well. The people running the Blood Centers in our country need to be motivated to collect enough blood to meet our needs, but it must be balanced with donor health as well. Eight weeks is the minimum time between donations for whole blood and they take a pint each time you donate. Everyday we have patients who need blood which only generous donors can provide. Read this article to learn about the different types of blood. I used to donate all the time in my 20's. We link primary sources including studies, scientific references, and statistics within each article and also list them in the resources section at the bottom of our articles. Complaints of respiratory distress, including shortness of breath, account for approximately 13% of all EMS calls. This results in pulmonary edema, or excess fluid in the lungs. Been donating on/off for at least 20 years, despite being anemic. Stoke is the major concern due to the normal pooling of the blood.= due to FIB. If a person feels faint, they can sit down and put their head between the knees so that it is lower than the heart. Reaction to exogenous test Reaction to carrier oil Overstimulation of neurons in the brain from exsessive androgens. This includes your lung tissue. This is important to know because there is no doctor or nurse at the driveno one with expert medical credentials. After being diagnosed, I researched and found that not only can frequent blood donation cause or contribute to iron deficiency or anemia, but that the FDA also allows blood centers to take blood from donors who are already anemic without informing donors. But its uncommon to vomit after the donation. Doc said I shouldn't be donating because of this, but I used to be able to go to the gym and be active even the same day after donating. Healthful nutrition and eating iron-rich foods can help to replenish iron stores. A compress may ease any tenderness until the pain goes away. Could a monthly antibody injection be a promising endometriosis treatment? Accessed March 6, 2020. I think the future of blood donation has more strict measures for donors, as the blood center nearest me hinted they're already considering. Hi, I had an unprovoked PE in August. The most common causes of short-term dyspnea are: Anxiety disorders. But he said he had never seen low iron in a guy before as healthy as I was!! Usually the amount of blood that be taken is about 250 to 500 cc. I wanted to do my part helping others not hurt myself. Key Points. There is a whole spectrum of things that can cause people to be short of breath, but it frequently stems from a problem that's pulmonary (related to the lungs) or cardiovascular (related to the heart). by the next week i was still feeling horrible. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. CA as a law against buying blood; they're donor-supplied as well. Chest pain that gets worse. Shortness of breath on exposure to allergens or provoking agents. Low energy and tire easily. they ran some tests and i was anemic. Here, we look at the positive effects of donating blood and some temporary physical side effects that can occur. You're absolutely right, they need to know. even that makes me feel dizzy. Going to try iron supplements and see if they correct my iron levels. Management of the condition involves. You should ask the paramedic and rest well. Did you ever find the specific cause of your anemia? a consultation of four specialists unanimously agreed I was merely anemic, and had given blood far too often over the years. If the reaction is significant, hydration is important. It should take you twice as long to breathe out as it did to breathe in. Chris, here's an odd question, have you been tested for Celiac disease? These checks may highlight any underlying conditions people are not aware of and help them seek treatment sooner. Long story short: I've been giving blood for years. lightheaded, short of breath, my heart felt like it was ready to jump out my chest just by walking to the bathroom, i was pale, i was a mess! I was a healthy female age 45 walking 9 miles a day to getting tired just doing yard work or filing at work. Dizziness or fainting Little or no urination Headaches, double vision, or seizures Yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes Chest pain or shortness of breath Bruises, fatigue, or weakness How is a blood transfusion reaction diagnosed and treated? It's like my life has stopped since I haven't been able to go back to my daily routine. Everyone in my family gets them though. Shortness of breath Dizziness or lightheadedness Chest pain Cold hands and feet Headaches At first, anemia can be so mild that you don't notice it. Because I know I'm borderline anemic, I always keep a close eye on my iron levels and take daily vitamins with iron to ensure healthy levels. Obesity linked to 21 genes related to Alzheimers disease, study finds, What to know about blood transfusions and sickle cell disease, Everything you need to know about blood transfusions and anemia. I wanted to share my opinion and my story about frequent blood donating. By themselves, any one sign of heart failure may not be cause for alarm. Healthcare providers, blood banks, and hospitals take many precautions to help reduce the chance of a transfusion reaction from occurring. Make sure that you consult a doctor; this is crucial. I did some yard work over the weekend however and noticed losing my wind while doing heavy lifting. The hemoglobin or hematocrit test that blood centers are required to do to determine if a donor is eligible to donate blood is a test for anemia and is NOT an iron test, though blood center staff often erroneously tell donors that it is an iron test. Can diet help improve depression symptoms? Based on the experience he shares, I know he is telling the truth. Okay assuming that you were not experiencing consistent breathing problems when you were still smoking and this has only started to happen on your quit then yeah this can be a symptom when quitting. If you worry about your bruises you can treat it by compression on the bruises, rest, avoid heavy lifting, and rise your arm above the level of your heat while resting. A blood clot. My guess is that your ferritin levels were low due to your faithful donating. Broken ribs . If you have symptoms like a cold or flu (fever, headache, or sore throat) within four days after you donated your blood you must call the center immediately. https://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatments-and-side-effects/physical-side-effects/low-blood-counts/anemia.html. It may be a severe complicated effect. Press J to jump to the feed. Wondering if there's a cutoff age? Febrile nonhaemolytic transfusion reactions (FNHTR). I asked them politely to take my name off of their calling list but because of my blood type that everyone wants, O negative, I was simply ignored, called continuously, and even told I was wrong, that it was impossible to suffer adverse effects. my legs feel restless. People may feel fatigued or experience some dizziness, lightheadedness, or nausea after donating blood. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Dont worry, theyll come back. or will it pass soon? We link primary sources including studies, scientific references, and statistics within each article and also list them in the resources section at the bottom of our articles. Spot on, Andrew. The patient tolerated the first unit without difficulty. Faint is frequently as side effects of blood donation, This effect can be occur if you stand up abruptly of if you have been standing for a long time after donating your blood. Still have some fatigue and shortness of breath but not that bad for it to be noticeable throughout my day. I just went to the donation clinic which didnt inform me that hemoglobin and iron were two different aspects of blood donation that can be affected. It is incorrect for someone to tell you that you have too little or too much iron from a finger stick hemoglobin. But does blood donation have side effect? Early symptoms might include: sweating sudden warmness weakness paleness nausea or vomiting blurry or tunnel vision, dizziness My blood specialist told me neither has enough iron to help me, I need quite a bit more, either pills or IV. Before i jump to the main topic i want to recall that not everybody can donate her/his blood. Other symptoms people may experience include: 4. They now give me dextran which is a strong form of iron that last longer in my system. 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. Usually its just temporary until your blood pressure is back to normal condition. The phlebotomists/medical assistants have nothing to do with what is acceptable or not to donate. Common causes include: asthma a chest infection being overweight smoking a panic attack But sometimes shortness of breath could be a sign of something more serious, such as: a lung condition called chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. But, it's an especially alarming symptom for my patients who previously had a blood clot in their lungs, called a pulmonary embolism (PE).For these patients, shortness of breath can be a symptom of a serious condition called chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension, or CTEPH for short. ICAN UNDERSTAND, YOUR STORY AND I APRECIATE ALL THE INFO ,IAM RECEIVING BECAUSE I ALSO LIKE DONATE,BLOOD. It's a bit unusual for a man to have low stored iron (or serum iron) short of an occult bleed, so I hope they're investigating what the cause of that is. i took a leave for the day. People may experience some minor bruising due to blood under the surface of the skin. : High bp, unbalanced hormones, shut down of certain hormones like pregnenolone dhea progesterone etc. Speaking of which, this happened nearly a year agoI need to make an apt :D. Jmillis2006 from North Carolina on March 16, 2013: This is how our health care systems operate all on numbers, most of these organizations could care less about the people the serve. I was so low they almost gave me emergency IV. Many researches, studies, and observations tell about a lot of benefits donating your blood. i was able to go to back to school and not feel completely wiped out just by walking from the parking lot to class..but i still just didnt feel the same. So far, I have donated 7 times in 2016 alone (like I said, not all of it has been whole blood). Lesson hereget your iron levels checked before you donate. You can lie down and rest if you feel dizzy. It's pretty easy to test BP. The first time they had to check my haemoglobin levels after I failed the drop test but it was ok and I gave blood. "There's no way you could have been in a healthy iron range four days ago, and lost only a pint of blood!" Last medically reviewed on June 15, 2020, Learn how to help the body recover after donating blood. The causes of shortness of breath range from very strenuous exercise and extreme temperatures to obesity and higher altitude. Im waiting to see the doctor to discus my results. (n.d.). Can decrease the carbon dioxide in your blood. A hemoglobin test measures hemoglobin levels and can only detect iron deficiency so severe that it has become anemia. If symptoms continue or worsen, lower yourself to the floor, prop feet at a level higher than heart, and summon help. 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 ! Now before I donate, I get my iron levels checked first by my doctor. I couldn't give her a meaningful response. These side effects can include: Feeling faint or dizzy The loss of fluid can lead to dehydration and cause some people to feel lightheaded during and after the donation. If you experience any of these symptoms after donating blood: Sudden chest or stomach pain. I actually was so debilitated today I forgot a client appointment I missed, so it's a very serious issue. being a college student in the middle of finals i couldn't believe this was happening to me. my friend says it might be symptoms of iron deficieny. Im 48 and its been maybe like 4-5 years I dont donate so idecided to donate yesterday afternoon. I hadn't experienced any real systems for nearly two weeks. If pregnant or nursing, consult with a qualified provider on an individual basis. (n.d.). I WAS SHOCKED! Hematoma is a bruise caused by the inserted needle slips through the vein and cause local bleeding. I finally got some answers back from the blood center where I used to donate, they told me they're looking at raising their min requirements to donate, and federal (FDA? Eight weeks is the minimum time between donations for whole blood and they take a pint each time you donate. Don't be an idiot and you should be fine. It is normal for bruises to spread before fading even if it may look dramatic. I decided to go to one more meeting and see if I felt better. Next thing I know, Im at the transit terminal being woken up. (n.d.). Anemia (low number of red blood cells in your body). Using irradiation can help prevent the chance of a person developing TAGVHD. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Find out in this article. The sight of blood or the collection needle, pain from the needle insertion, or anxiousness about the donation process can trigger this reaction. My wife called 911, and an ambulance soon found me. This means I've been donating almost a gallon of my blood each year. Donors beware. There is a medical doctor, sometimes several, that over sees the organization. You may need medical care. They came back less than 5 minutes later, tested my other hand, and said my iron levels were "good enough for a donation". I hope one recovers fast from that.. But most often, the underlying cause is a heart or lung condition. Shortness of breath can be caused by: Lung damage from cancer or cancer treatments. If obesity or poor health is the cause, you will need to make lifestyle changes to manage your shortness of breath. 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