Training after giving blood?

Swim class isn't until next week...thank God.

HTFU.... The pool will have lifeguards if you start to drown...



Edited by Contradoublebassman 2010-10-11 7:11 PM

Good your class isn't 'til next week.  General advice after giving blood is to rehydrate well & avoid high intensity workouts for a few days.  Within a week most everyone feels GTG again.

I'm a regular donator(sp?) and the last time I gave I was fine that day but felt rough for an extended period of time in the days that followed. Did some googling and learned that full recovery can take as long as 8 weeks. To your question though, I would think twice anytime you could pass out in water.

I did an olympic tri 2 weeks after giving blood and blew up on the run like a claymore. I didnt know any better and sat there baffled. Googled it and realized what had happened. You should be fine to swim, its just that what was once aerobic may now be quite anaerobic. Sounds like missing that meal was lowering your blood sugar when you needed it more than usual.

I have 12 to 16 week courses of biweekly therapeutic blood withdrawals every four months or so and train through them.  I try to work with my hematologist to schedule them away from marathons or IMs and I typically will have them at the end of a day and not train again for 24 hours, but I've never had any issues after the first three phlebotomies when I started treatment last fall--I experienced some occasional elevated HR at first.  They do, however, replace a half a unit of fluid with me, so I'm not as dehydrated as I would be if they just took the unit of blood.

I donate blood regularly, so that's every month and a half. I try to do my work out before having to donate so I don't miss a day. Usually I'm good to go after a day or two, but you really just have to play it by ear as far as intensity goes. 

Considering that a blood donation can save lives (they say up to eight), I'd say missing a workout two is worth it. For me this is a no-brainer.

Congratulations to all those who prioritize blood donations, IMHO.

Personally I don't have any issues after donating. Yes, they caution you about "no strenuous activity" for the rest of the day, but I believe this is on the cautious side. They take the same amount from a tiny, dehydrated/unfed woman as a larger, fully hydrated/well fed male.

However, when in doubt, there is no doubt. Take it easy. There's always tomorrow.

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Start increasing your fluids at least one day before, continue pushing extra fluids for a day or two afterwards, and don't skip any meals. As long as you do all that, I don't think you need to miss any workouts.

Transfusions saved the life of a girlfriend in college and extended my father's life. Don't let training get in the way of giving blood.

Edited by mrheathen 2014-02-21 6:32 AM