Drink an extra four glasses (8 ounces each) of non-alcoholic liquids.
Keep your bandage on and dry for the next five hours, and do not do heavy exercise or lifting.
If the needle site starts to bleed, raise your arm straight up, and press on the site until the bleeding stops.
If you get dizzy, lie down and raise your feet.
Because you could experience dizziness or loss of strength, use caution if you plan to do anything that could put you or others at risk of harm. For any hazardous occupation or hobby, follow applicable safety recommendations regarding your return to these activities following a blood donation.
If you get a bruise:
apply ice to the area intermittently for 10-15 minutes during the first 24 hours.
Thereafter, apply intermittent warm moist heat for 10-15 minutes to the area, a rainbow of colors may occur for about 10 days.
If you get bruising larger than a 2-3 inch diameter, redness, swelling, or pain where the needle was, or tingling in your fingers or arm, contact the American Red Cross at:
After you leave the blood collection site, call us if you remember important health information that you may not have given us, or decide that your blood may not be safe to give to another person.
Our telephone number is 1-800-272-7257 Ext. 401
You will be asked to give your whole blood number. This information can be found on the papers given to you after your blood donation.
Thank you again... Thank you again for donating whole blood to the American Red Cross. We hope you will donate in the future, after 8 weeks when you are eligible again.
