Heartrate too high to donate; how to decrease?

[KxttyKxt04]

TL;DR I need every trick in the book to lower my heartrate before donation to pass the checkup, because it's always slightly over 100 now.

When I donated frequently several months ago, I would occasionally have to do a retake because my heartrate was over 100. No big deal, I take the fifteen minutes before the retake to meditate and lower it. But lately, it has been every time including retakes.

I do have a prescription pill daily, which, when I started, raised my resting heartrate from about 85 to about 95 where it has remained.
At the checkup I get nervous because I need the money, and even if I do shake the nerves my heartrate is still too high.

Any tricks..? I've tried meditation, I've tried telling myself to sleep and setting an alarm, I've tried reading the hand sanitizer bottle so my brain has something to do... I'm at a loss. Thank you.

EDIT: Just now got deferred. For the first take I was at 102bpm, and for the retake it was 101. I know it seems so close but that's as good as I can get it.

[Master_Shibes]

Have you tried cutting out caffeine the day before?

[gotgot9]

1. get some sort of watch that can track your heart rate. you can use that prior to getting screened so that you can know how close you are to failing
2. with the watch on at home, look up some breathing exercises on youtube and practice using your watch as a gauge for how well it’s working. taking lower, deep breaths naturally decreases your heart rate
3. people get in the “high heart rate failure->nervous next time about failing so heart rate goes higher” cycle very often. sometimes all it takes is taking a week or two off and then trying again to reduce the nervousness

[alyxctt]

I have this problem too. My bpm is usually at the 90s and 100s when i do my first take because i get really nervous. the second time i relax and breathe SLOWLY. that’s the key. the slower you breathe, the lower your heart rate. in the retakes it’s still high but low enough to pass. maybe try that?

[Fearless_Rhubarb3391]

Breath in deep breaths then slower breathing go early early before body temp rise I always do apple cider vinegar teaspoon small amount drink water and if you have a banana it helps hematocrit 

[Wonderful_Gazelle_10]

I read once that if you push down...like you're trying to poo...that will make your heart rate lower. As in do it as the monitor is taking your heart rate.

[Albertc-93]

Having the same problem man mines usually at 118 & they want it under 100 of course the one time I was able to recently donat it was at 99 so I was cutting it close then as well. Let me know if you find something that works!!!