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Q 1. How often can I give blood?
You can donate blood every 56 days, or six times per year.
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Q 2.Is donating blood painful?
No! When you donate blood, you will feel only a slight pinch when the needle is first inserted into your arm.
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Q 3. Will I feel faint after giving
blood?
Most people feel fine after their donation. It is important to eat heartily and drink plenty of fluids before and after your donation.
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Q 4.Is it safe to donate blood?
Absolutely! Donating blood is safe and simple. New, sterile, disposable equipment is used for each donor. You cannot contract any disease from donating blood.
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Q 5. I take prescription and non-prescription medications. Can I give blood?
Yes! Few medications prevent people from donating blood. You can donate blood if you take aspirin, receive allergy shots or take allergy, thyroid or high blood pressure medications. It is best to call the Blood to check and see if your medication is acceptable.
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Q 6. How long does it take to give a pint of blood?
The entire process takes approximately 30 to 45 minutes. The donation process itself takes five to seven minutes. Most of your time is spent giving your health history to a nurse, resting and enjoying refreshments afterward.
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Q 7. Who should donate blood?
It is the responsibility of every eligible and healthy adult to donate.
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Q 8. What are the qualifications to donate?
You must be at least 17 year’s old, weigh at least 45 kg’s and be in good health. There is no upper age limit.
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Q 9.Can I give blood?
Probably. Most people can give blood, but to keep the supply safe, certain qualifications do exist.
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Hepatitis: You cannot donate if the hepatitis occurred on or after age 11.
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Diabetes: You are not able to donate if you are currently taking insulin.
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Heart disease: Cardiac conditions must be evaluated by the Blood Center medical director to determine eligibility to give.
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Lung disease: Lung conditions must be evaluated by the Blood Center medical director to determine eligibility to give.
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Liver disease: Liver conditions must be evaluated by the Blood Center medical director to determine eligibility to give.
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Drug user: Persons who have injected drugs are ineligible to donate.
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Cancer: There is a waiting period of five years after treatment is concluded. Conditions must be evaluated by the Blood Center medical director to determine eligibility to give.
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Tattoo: There is a 12-month waiting period after receiving the tattoo.
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Piercing: Ear piercing, body
piercing, electrolysis or acupuncture done with sterile needles does not disqualify a potential donor.
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Colds or Infections: Persons with an active infection, such as a cold or the flu, cannot donate.
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Dental work: Persons who have an abscess or infection, or who have had oral surgery, must wait 72 hours before donating.
Blood transfusion: There is a 12-month waiting period unless a person has received his or her own blood. Each case must be evaluated by the Blood Center medical director to determine eligibility to give.
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Q 10. What happens during blood donation?
Prior to the donation process, the donor center staff will take each donor’s blood pressure, pulse and temperature, as well as test a small sample of blood to assure that giving blood will not make the donor anemic. A private verbal health questionnaire is also completed. Each donation utilizes a disposable sterile needle to take about a pint of blood from a vein in the donors arm. Each needle is discarded after donation. One cannot get AIDS or any infectious disease by donating blood. All blood donations are tested for blood type, antibodies, and for evidence of hepatitis B and C, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV 1 and 2, human T-lymphotropic viruses (HTLV) I and II and syphilis.
The donor’s body replenishes the fluid lost from donation in 24 hours. It may take up to two months to replace the lost red blood cells. Whole blood can be donated once every eight weeks.
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Q 11. What are the criteria for blood donation?
To be eligible to donate blood, a person must generally be at least 17 years of age, be in good health, and weigh at least
45 kg. . There is no upper age limit. All donors must pass the physical and health history examinations given prior to donation.
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Q 12. Why would my doctor recommend that I receive blood?
You may need to receive blood in order to stabilize your condition or to save your life. The amount of blood that is given to you is a decision your physician will make based on your particular needs. Details about why you may need blood, is best explained by your doctor.
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Q 13. What steps are taken to make sure that the blood patients receive is safe?
There are many safeguards for our national blood supply in order to ensure safe blood for patients. First, blood is donated by volunteer donors. Before giving blood, donors must answer questions about their health and risk factors for disease and only a person with a clean bill of health can give blood. Blood from each accepted donor goes through extensive testing. In addition to tests for blood type, seven separate screening tests are run for evidence of infection with hepatitis, AIDS, HTLV and syphilis. Finally, a carefully identified blood sample is tested against blood from the patient who will receive it, a process called cross-match.
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Q 14. What are the risks of receiving blood?
If a blood transfusion is indicated during a surgical procedure or other medical treatment, the risks of NOT receiving blood far outweigh the risks of transfusion. Some patients may experience minor changes in the body’s immune system after a transfusion, causing mild symptoms, such as fever, chills or hives, which typically require little or no treatment. A small number of patients may also react to donated blood by developing antibodies (immune reactions).
The transmission of disease and the destruction of red blood cells occur only very rarely, and seldom threaten life. The potential risk of contracting AIDS from a blood transfusion has received a great deal of attention. But it is important to know that all donated blood in the United States is tested for the AIDS virus, reducing the risk to a negligible level. When you consider the risks of transfusion, it may be helpful to know that many common activities carry far greater risks — for example, smoking cigarettes, driving a car or being pregnant.
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Q 15. Do I have choices other than receiving blood from the community blood supply?
Yes, you may have other choices. Autologous blood transfusion refers to procedures in which you may serve as your own blood donor. In preoperative autologous donation, your blood may be collected and stored before a scheduled surgery if blood use may be required. Directed donations can also be arranged in some cases from a person (usually a friend or relative) whom you select.
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Q 16. Is there a charge for receiving blood?
All blood centers and hospitals charge a processing fee to cover service costs such as donor recruitment; collecting, testing, packaging, storing and distributing the blood; and administrative and staff costs. In the hospital, there are charges for matching and administering a blood transfusion. Most health insurance policies cover these fees.
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Q 17.Do I lose my strength if I donate blood?
No, you will not lose your strength by giving blood. After donating blood, you replace these red blood cells and the iron lost in 4 weeks and 8 weeks respectively. Your body has around 5 - 5.5
L of blood .You will not lose much by donating one unit of blood which is less than 500 ml.
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Q 18.How often can I donate blood?
You can donate blood once every 56 days as this is the time required for the blood to recoup its iron loss.
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Q
19.Will I get HIV or any other diseases by donating blood?
No You will not get any diseases including HIV because of blood donation. Be sure to check that the needles used for blood collections are sterile.
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Q 20. Can I donate blood during the menstrual period?
You can definitely donate blood during the menstrual period provided you are not anemic.
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Q 21. Is donating blood safe?
Donating blood is a safe process. Needles and bags used to collect blood are used only once and then discarded, making spread of infection to the donor not possible.
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Q 22. Can I give if I have been turned down before?
Most reasons, for which donors are turned away from donating blood are temporary, not permanent. For example, one common reason for a deferral is low iron level in the blood, but iron levels fluctuate daily and are affected by what you eat. Check the eligibility requirements to see if you may be eligible to donate. A "mini-physical" is given to all potential donors to ensure they are healthy enough to donate.
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Q 23.How do I know if I am eligible to donate blood?
You must be in good health, be at least 17 years old, and weigh at least 110 pounds. You will also need to pass physical and health history reviews prior to donating. There is no upper age limit on your ability to donate. Conditions that require a temporary deferral are pregnancy, travel to certain parts of the world, inoculations, some health conditions and certain medications.
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Q 24. Are the health history questions and my test results confidential?
Yes.
The health history will be conducted by a trained professional
in an individual booth arranged to preserve confidentiality.
Your answers will be kept confidential, except where required by
law. If your blood tests positive to any of the administered
standard tests, you will receive confidential notification. The
Red Cross maintains strict confidentiality of all blood donor
records.
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Q 25. What can I do if I am not eligible to donate?
While you may be unable to donate blood, there are other ways you can help. You can help organize a blood drive, recruit other suitable donors, or volunteer at fixed sites or mobile blood drives to help make donors' experience a positive one. Monetary donations are another way to help ensure that safe blood can be provided to those who are in need. Learn more about how you can help.
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Q 26. How can I ensure a pleasant donation experience?
You'll want a good night's sleep the night before, and a good breakfast or lunch before your donation. Drink fluids like juice, milk, or soda ahead of time. Take your normal medications as prescribed. Ensure you have adequate iron level by making iron-rich foods part of your daily diet. These include red meat, poultry, fish, green leafy vegetables, iron-fortified cereals, nuts, raisins and prunes. During your donation, relax. After your donation, have some juice and cookies in the canteen. Then you can go about your daily activities, but avoid heavy lifting or strenuous exercise for the remainder of the day. See the tips for a good donation experience.
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Q 27. Should I give blood now or wait until I am called?
Under normal circumstances eligible donors are encouraged to donate as often as possible. During emergency circumstances please listen to media reports in your area and donate as requested.
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Q
28. How long does it take to donate blood?
The whole process takes about an hour. It starts with registration, a health history and a mini-physical. Then comes the actual donation, which usually takes less than 10-12 minutes. Afterward, you will be asked to spend a few minutes in the "canteen" where you can have a light refreshment before returning to your normal activities.
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Q
29. How much blood is taken — won't it make me weak?
A blood donation equals approximately one pint of blood. The average adult body has 10-12 pints. The vast majority of people will not feel any different because of the donation. A very small percentage may experience temporary dizziness, but some rest and fluids will help you feel better quickly. Your body will replace the lost fluid within 24 hours.
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Q 30. Can I direct my blood donation to an individual?
Patients scheduled for surgery may be eligible to donate blood for themselves in the weeks before non-emergency surgery in a process known as autologous donation. If an autologous donation is not used, it is discarded. Family members and friends can also make directed donations. Directed donations are fully tested, so if they are not used by the intended patient, they can be released for use by other patients.
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Q 31. Can I direct my blood donation to the military?
The Red Cross has created a strong operations network that helps us direct your blood donation to the areas of the country — or the world — where they are most needed. While you can't direct your donation to be specifically routed to military personnel, you can be sure that it will be sent to the areas of most critical need.
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Q 32. What tests are performed on donated blood?
After blood has been drawn, it is tested for A, B, O group (blood type) and Rh type (positive or negative), as well as for any unexpected red blood cell antibodies that may cause problems in a recipient. Screening tests also are performed for evidence of donor infection with hepatitis B and C viruses, human immunodeficiency viruses HIV-1 and HIV-2, human T-lymphotropic viruses HTLV-I and HTLV-II, and syphilis. The FDA is allowing national deployment of investigational nucleic acid amplification tests (NAT) to screen blood for West Nile virus (WNV) genetic material -- an approach similar to that taken for NAT to detect HIV and HCV.
The specific tests currently performed are listed below:
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Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)
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Hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc)
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Hepatitis C virus antibody (anti-HCV)
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HIV-1 and HIV-2 antibody (anti-HIV-1 and anti-HIV-2)
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HTLV-I and HTLV-II antibody (anti-HTLV-I and anti-HTLV-II)
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Serologic test for syphilis
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Nucleic acid amplification testing (NAT) for HIV-1 and HCV
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NAT for WNV
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Q 33. How is blood stored and used?
Each unit of whole blood normally is separated into several components. Red blood cells may be stored under refrigeration for a maximum of 42 days, or they may be frozen for up to 10 years. Red cells carry oxygen and are used to treat anemia. Platelets are important in the control of bleeding and are generally used in patients with leukemia and other forms of cancer. Platelets are stored at room temperature and may be kept for a maximum of five days. Fresh frozen plasma, used to control bleeding due to low levels of some clotting factors, is kept in a frozen state for usually up to one year. Cryoprecipitated AHF, which contains only a few specific clotting factors, is made from fresh frozen plasma and may be stored frozen for up to one year. Granulocytes are sometimes used to fight infections, although their efficacy is not well established. They must be transfused within 24 hours of donation.
Other products manufactured from blood include albumin, immune globulin, specific immune globulins, and clotting factor concentrates. Commercial manufacturers commonly produce these blood products.
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