Riding after giving blood

iain_j

Does anyone ride after giving blood? Only talking about riding home from work by the way, not out to do a century. I've been going for a few years now and always gone to work by bus on the day, rather than risk keeling over in busy traffic on my way home, but then I've never had any trouble afterwards anyway - no dizziness, fainting, light-headedness or anything.

To be honest I dread the commuting by bus more so than the needle

iainment

I did once, I wouldn't do it again as I felt a bit light headed after a mile or so.

kaacp

I've done it lots of times. The blood bank used to be on my way home to where I previously lived so I cycled as usual. I never had any problems and always had something to eat and drink after donating, then took it very easy on the trip home.

Funnily enough, I gave blood this afternoon, but travelled by bus as both the blood bank and I have moved since! Relaxing now with a glass of red wine to get the iron back up!

If you don't have any problems after giving blood, and your ride home isn't entirely uphill, then I see no reason not to take the bike.

iain_j

There's one short steep hill on the way, I could just spin a low gear ... but I do struggle to "take it easy" on the commute - it's my own personal twice-daily time trial

Soreknees

I once spied another cyclist ahead of me on the way home from giving blood, and against all sense and my better judgement had to give chase. Caught and passed him just before getting home and didn't feel too bad for it either.
Gave blood ten days before the Bealach Mhor this year without any apparent ill effects either. +1 for the red wine cure.

geoff_ss

I used to donate blood at work and rode the 13 miles home afterwards as usual. IIRC (it was a few years ago) I was a bit down on power.

Geoff

Pross

Used to do a 15 mile / 45 minute commute home but had a couple of hours between. Wouldn't try riding within a week of giving bone marrow though!

bompington

Played rugby once less than an hour after giving blood, quite a weird and surreal experience, I don't think I was much use to the team, but at least it didn't hurt as much as usual.

Pross

Normally end up 'donating' a pint of blood in a rugby match anyway

iain_j

I wimped out and got the bus. I don't trust myself to ride sensibly tonight

jedster

Makes an interesting alternative to riding onced you've RECEIVED a pint of blood like the pros did/do (allegedly)

LorneC

Iain_j,

I can't comment on cycling after giving a full pint of blood, but I donate platelets once a month and always ride about 5 miles afterwards (2.5miles either end of a train journey) and have never had a problem with it.

However platelet donation is different to full blood donation, as the blood is taken out, passed through a centrifuge to separate the platelets and then mixed with anti-coagulant before being returned to your body - as a result the amount of red blood cells in your system is the same and your body recovers faster (if required you are able to donate again in a few days.

How far is your commute? The one thing I have found is that if I commute the full way to work (18miles) in the morning of donation, my blood levels are normally below the acceptable EU limits for iron levels...

Hope this helps

iain_j

Yep - tried giving platelets twice. Had trouble with my vein the first time, and passed out the second time :shock: so they said thanks for trying but stick to whole-blood donations.

My commute's only 3.5 miles. At least going home on the bus means I can finish my christmas shopping on the way!