Jwink3101

Hi Guys. This question could go in either Road Biking or Commuting since it applies to both.

Anyway, at my work, they are doing a blood drive. I am all for donating, etc however, I have a major concern. I am a daily commuter (3 miles each way) and a weekend distance rider (centuries are common). I was wondering what have been people's experience with giving blood given their physical demands?

I am a bit nervous about my ride home following donation but I am even more concerned if I had planned on doing any real distance that weekend. I do not mind going slowly, but I don't want to faint or (to be dramatic), die.

Obviously, I will not hold anyone to their advice and all that legal stuff. I just want to hear experiences or recommendations.

Thanks,
Justin

Sir Real

Although you may react differently than I do, but I donate regularly and have never had an issue. If you do decide to donate, make sure you drink more water than you normally would to replace the volume of lost fluid and eat a good meal before or after your donation. The 3 mile ride home shouldn't be a problem as long as you're feeling ok before you take off. You should also be fine for a longer ride this weekend, but you may not want to do a century or too hard an effort for at least a week.


Disclaimer - I'm not a physician nor do I play one on TV. I'm also not smart enough to stay at a Holiday Inn Express.

datlas 

Drink some extra fluid and don't push it on the way home....I suspect you will do fine. You may notice your maximium power is down 5-10% during the weekend but as long as you don't push it too hard you will be ok.

Jwink3101

Thanks guys. When I do a century, I tend to avoid going to my maximum power other than up hills so that shouldn't be a problem.

kv501

I am on the other end of the spectrum. I donate blood every 8 weeks at work (mobile blood bank) and for the next 3 days my ass is kicked.

I am in good, athletic condition with a resting pulse of 47 ish and no health issues. Don't know why I react that way but I guess everyone is different. I wouldn't think it'd be a problem for me since I'm 6', 220#. I don't get sick, just tire easily for those few days.

Also, I'm in no way trying to preach, but even if you do feel tired for a while after donating, you are helping people greatly. My mom was sick for about a year before she died at age 57, and she received just over 30 units of blood that whole time. I quit donating for a few months because of cycling, but after her experience I won't miss one.

bkj

I recover much faster when I do the double red cells donation than the regular whole blood donation. I think it's because you don't lose as much fluid or they replace it with saline, but what do I know. Works better for me though, maybe you could ask at the donation center.

svtmike

I give regularly. I have commuted home (10 mi) on the day that I donated. I did, however, really suffer one weekend this past summer when I donated on Friday and then did a fast 70 mile group ride on a hot morning. I was chewed up and spit out the back when I'm usually one of the horses. I was back to normal by the next weekend.

Homebrew01

Same here.

I would avoid giving blood several days before a significant event

zigmeister

I donate religiously every 4-6 months. I maybe take a few days off from the gym. After that, back to normal stuff. No problems. It's good for you!

But yea, I wouldn't be donating 3-4 days before a 50 mile road race. But a week before, no problems for me personally.

mwandaw

Add me to the list of donators who don't have any significant problems. For a day after donating I feel slightly tired. As long as I drink extra and eat a little extra I'm fine.

I remember riding the day after and noticing that although I wasn't going that fast, I was really huffing and puffing. Within a few days I'm back to my normal "half fast" pace.

I have ridden home after donating on several occasions. Spend a little extra time relaxing at the donation location. Snag some fruit juice and cookies. Then, as long as you take it easy on the way home, you'll be fine.

Doing something that literally may save someone's life is far more important than losing a couple of mph on your next ride.

dstrong 

Dang...I need to get in again to donate. It's been too long.

keithm0

I donate every 8 weeks. I've noticed over the past few years that donating a pint (whole blood) doesn't seem to reduce my overall endurance much, but it completely destroys my ability to climb hills. This seems to last for about a week or so. YMMV.

bbattle

If you donate in the morning, you'll be fine to ride home.
As other have said, drink lots of fluids.

I once donated on a Friday and did a group ride the next day. I was fine as there was no serious climbing.


Don't volunteer for the Alyxx machine. That will wipe you out.

caloso

Ask about hemapheresis. They take your platelets, a unit of plasma, and just a few RBCs.

Velo Dog

I don't mean to get all self-righteous here, but your performance doesn't matter against the chance to save a life. Three miles is a fairly insignificant ride to begin with, 15 minutes or so,and you'll do fine. Even if you didn't, though, give the blood. My father, my son and I are alive today because other people did.

Jwink3101

Your point is duly noted and I should clarify that I am not worried about performance per se. More, the ability to not pass out while doing a century and even more importantly be able to get home. If the responses were that I should be fine riding home but shouldn't ride that weekend, I would have just waited to donate until after. If the responses were that I shouldn't even bike home, then that is a different story, but far from my "performance"

I totally agree about giving blood, etc. Knowing that while riding, I am more at risk of the kind of injury that usually leads to donated organs, etc, I made it perfectly clear to those who would be in the legal position to make the decision, that I want to have everything donated. So, in that sense, you are preaching to the choir.

downtube42

Over the years I've passed out twice after donating, so I take extra precautions particularly when riding home. I'm sure to eat a short while before, eat/drink immediately after, and spend a bit more time hanging around before heading home. No problems since I've adopted that routine.

Last year I donated about a week before a brevet - 300k I think - and my speed was definitely impacted. But I finished, and all was well in the long run.

Unfortunately I'm on a 1-year deferral from donating due to overseas travel

a1penguin

Drink PLENTY of fluids and don't skip meals. I think the most serious issue is the drop in blood pressure from fluid loss, especially if you do a double red donation. I donate platelets (usually a double) every two weeks (130 donations and counting). I bike to work the next day and don't notice much. If you donate red blood, you'll probably notice a loss of power because you don't have those delicious red blood cells to hold that oxygen. It takes approximately 1/2 of the wait time between donations for your body to replenish lost products: 28 days for single unit RBC, 14 days for plasma, 7 days for platelets.