BEFORE YOU DONATE
- Always maintain a healthy iron level in your diet by eating iron rich foods, such as red meat, fish, poultry, beans, spinach, iron-fortified cereals and raisins.
- Get a good night’s sleep.
- Drink an extra 16 oz. of water or nonalcoholic fluids before the donation.
- Eat a healthy meal before your donation. Avoid fatty foods, such as hamburgers, fries or ice cream before donating. (Fatty foods can affect the tests we do on your blood. If there is too much fat in your blood, your donation will not be of good quality.)
- Remember to bring your driver’s license or two other forms of ID.
AFTER YOUR DONATION
- Drink four extra (8 ounce) glasses of liquids.
- Remove the wrap bandage (if you had one put on your arm) within the next hour.
- Keep the strip bandage on for the next several hours.
- To avoid a skin rash, clean the area around the strip bandage with soap and water.
- Do not do any heavy lifting or vigorous exercise for the rest of the day.
- If the needle site starts to bleed, apply pressure to it and raise your arm straight up for about 5-10 minutes or until bleeding stops.
- If you experience dizziness or lightheadedness after donation, stop what you are doing and sit down or lie down until you feel better. Avoid performing any activity where fainting may lead to injury for at least 24 hours.
For more information on how you can set up an appointment to donate blood or plasma, Call (786) 633-6565 or email info@itmblood.org
Important: You must be at least 17 years old to donate blood.