Low energy is not linked to blood donation

August 28, 2011 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: My mother is 82. When she was 80, she gave blood and immediately afterward felt weak and dizzy, even though she had regularly given blood. She now feels this is the cause of her lack of energy. She is concerned that too much blood was taken, and the experience has drained her of energy. She asked me to post this question to you because she knows I’m not a doctor, and she hasn’t gotten any useful advice as to how to increase her level of energy from her regular doctor. She likes to work in her yard but tires easily. (Much more so than before the above episode.) What can she do to increase her energy level?

DEAR READER: Your mother’s lack of energy is not directly related to her giving blood two years ago. Her initial symptoms of weakness and dizziness can occur following donation as the body adjusts to the decreased volume of blood, but those should abate within a few hours.
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Donating plasma a noble commitment

February 23, 2011 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: I am a 58-year-old male who donates plasma twice a week. I’ve been doing this for four or five years. I get paid $50 a week, which helps in today’s times. Should I be worried about long-term effects? For example, will my vein at some point possibly collapse, since I use my left arm all the time? Should I worry about scar-tissue buildup or anything else?

DEAR READER: There are three types of cells in our blood — red cells, white cells and platelets. Red blood cells are most prominent, giving blood its characteristic red color. Their purpose is to carry oxygen from the lungs throughout the body. White blood cells help fight infection. Platelets aid clotting. Plasma, on the other hand, is a watery, yellowish fluid in which blood cells are suspended. It makes up about 55 percent of our total blood volume.
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