About 2 1/2 months ago, I gave blood and did not partake of the juice and 
cookies. Felt fine. Walked to the car, sat down, and suddenly became short 
of breath and started seeing "snow" at the periphery of my field of vision. 
Luckily, my wife was driving. Unfortunately, it got worse before it got 
better. My field of vision was almost completely white after a few minutes. 
I could hardly see anything. I thought it was going into anaphylactic shock. 
My wife turned around and took me back and the technicians insisted that I 
drink a lot of high fructose corn syrup "juice" and eat Nutter Butter 
cookies. I did and quickly felt much better. Apparently, I'd come very close 
to passing out.

I'd had my typical breakfast of bacon and eggs and coffee that morning. I'm 
a 42-year-old male, very fit and healthy. I usually eat very low 
carbohydrate. I just gave blood again last week. Afterwards, I sat down and 
ate a couple bananas, an apple, and washed it all down with a sugar-free 
fruit smoothie.

I won't try to give blood again without being carbohydrate prepared.

Anyway, that was my experience.

Mike



>I went to the Red Cross website today, and apparently they give you juice 
>and cookies after you donate.  Is it important at all to eat sugar after 
>donating blood?
>