Facts Every Diabetic Person Should Know Before Donating Blood

While blood donation is helpful for both donors and recipients, everyone should be mindful of certain aspects related to the entire process. For instance, there is a common question among individuals - can diabetics donate blood? Yes, they can. However, there are certain things that diabetics should take note of before donating blood.

Scroll through if you have the same query to find out all the different aspects related to this.

It is generally safe for someone with diabetes to donate blood. To be precise, individuals with type 1 and type 2 diabetes are eligible for donating blood. Having mentioned that, individuals wondering ‘can a diabetic patient donate blood?’ should note that donors need to have their medical condition under control and stay in good health before the donation.

Having diabetes under control implies that individuals must maintain a healthy blood sugar level. This requires diabetics to stay vigilant about their condition on a day to day basis. Living a healthy lifestyle with a properly balanced diet and regular exercise contributes towards keeping blood sugar levels in a healthy range.

Now you know that you can donate blood even if you have diabetes, move on to the next section to learn how to prepare for it.

Before donating blood, it is imperative to prepare for the donation so that the entire process goes smoothly. Individuals wondering whether a diabetic patient can donate blood in India, must:

• Ensure to get eight or more hours of sleep on the night before the donation.
• Avoid fasting for blood donation. Some individuals can feel giddy, so it is imperative to have a proper meal and avoid going for the donation on an empty stomach.
• Bring a list of all medications they are currently taking.
• Limit caffeine consumption on the day of blood donation.
• Consume balanced meals leading up to the donation and afterwards. This keeps the blood glucose levels low and helps control the condition.
• Drink adequate amounts of water while leading up to the donation. They must increase their water intake a few days before the scheduled donation.
• Consume iron-rich foods or take an iron supplement one to two weeks before donating blood.

Diabetics searching for “can you donate blood if you have diabetes” must monitor their blood sugar level and continue to consume a healthy diet after blood donation.

Some individuals with Type 1 diabetes report mildly elevated blood glucose levels 3 to 5 days after blood donation. The immediate blood glucose levels do not spike or drop because of donation but donating blood may cause A1C or HbA1c to get lowered falsely. This happens because of accelerated RBC turnover and blood loss.

Diabetic patients must ensure to add food or supplements rich in iron to their diet for 24 weeks following the donation.

Besides this, individuals with the search query “can diabetics donate blood” must do the following things in general after blood donation:

• Take acetaminophen if the arm feels sore.
• Keep the bandage on for a minimum of four hours so as to prevent bruising.
• Rest if they feel lightheaded.
• Avoid strenuous activity, including exercise and other rigorous tasks, for 24 hours after donating blood.
• Increase the fluid intake for some days following the blood donation.

Apart from all these, donors must ensure to get in touch with a doctor if they feel sick after donating blood.

Illustrated below are some factors that can prevent a diabetic from donating blood:

• Blood Sugar Level: Diabetic individuals can donate their blood only if they are in good health and their blood glucose level is within the target range or the range set by the medical provider. Blood containing excessive amounts of sugar does not store well. Diabetics must get a recommendation from their doctor if they want to donate blood.
• Prediabetes: Individuals wondering whether a diabetic person can donate blood in India must note that they are eligible for blood donation if diagnosed with prediabetes, given they have not had any heart problems before.
• Insulin: The majority of individuals with type 1 and type 2 diabetes are insulin-dependent and ineligible for blood donation.   Insulin-dependent diabetics are not allowed to donate blood as they may face health risks. This is applicable for both regular insulin injection and insulin pump therapy users.
• Source of Insulin: Individuals searching “can diabetics donate blood” must note that they are not eligible for blood donation if they have used bovine-derived insulin at any time since 1980. This is mainly related to concerns regarding variant CJD or mad cow disease. There is a slight possibility that the mad cow disease can pass through blood transfusions.
• Diabetes Medication: A diabetic can donate blood if the diabetes medications have not changed in the last four weeks, both in terms of dosage and type of medication. Recent medication changes will affect the blood glucose levels of individuals, which, in turn, will put them at a health risk. Individuals searching “can diabetics donate blood” must note that diabetic medications don’t generally prevent one from blood donation though there is a list of medications that can cause a deferral. One should check this deferral list for themselves.
• Heart Problems: Diabetics who have had heart problems before are not eligible for blood donation. This also includes individuals who had surgery for blocked or narrowed arteries, including amputation, and experienced faintness and dizziness due to heart problems.

Individuals wondering ‘can diabetics donate blood?’ now know all the details regarding this matter. Having said that, they should always consult a doctor if they experience unusual symptoms after blood donation