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Before you go to a donation site, please make sure you've eaten something.
When you enter a Garth Englund donation site, staff members will guide you through the process and answer your questions. If at any time during the donation process you feel light-headed, please tell a staff member.
The entire process takes about 45 minutes. This includes time to complete your health history and sign consent forms.
Among the questions for your health history, you will be asked about medicines that you take. Most medicines are okay.
You will also be asked about behavior that is considered a risk for HIV or hepatitis exposure.
The rest of the process includes having your temperature and blood pressure taken, and a finger-stick test called hematocrit that checks your volume of red blood cells.
Your arm is cleaned with a sterile disinfectant swab. A needle is inserted into a vein on the inside of your elbow. The actual blood withdrawal takes five to 10 minutes. When you are done, a wrap is put on your arm.
Rest for a short time afterwards.
Enjoy a snack.
Please fill out a reminder postcard for your next appointment. You can give blood once every 56 days (or eight weeks).
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