Blood Type

[C is for]

This will shortly devolve into irrelevancy (I love that) but I thought I'd express some mild astonishment at one portion of this question.

See, I've also had cancer (what else did you think the C was for? I mean really?) and that was how I found out my blood type. I'm surprised the questioner didn't have a similar experience, but maybe they were just luckier than I and never had to have any transfusions.

Irrelevantly, it's kind of a funny story. I'd thought my whole life I was A+. Because don't they blood type you when you're first born? That's why you can conceivably ask a parent what your blood type is. But when it came time for my first transfusion and I'd told them I was A+, they still used O+ blood. Since I knew that worked (you can use O blood for almost anything) I wasn't alarmed, but I was curious why they didn't have any A+ around. Shortage of willing donors, maybe?

But it turns out my blood type is actually O+ after all. Psych.

Even more irrelevantly, we're having a blood drive tomorrow. I can't donate either (like the questioner, hence the slight relevance) but I always want to stand up and say "Donate donate! You help out people like me, especially if you have O+ blood!" Even though I haven't had a transfusion in a blessedly long time. But I never get to conduct when we announce blood drives so I never get to add the personal touch. But hey. If you want to come visit me during the hours of 10-2:30, it turns out that I work at the place that's giving the drive, so you can stop by and save some lives while you're at it. Donate blood every chance you get, because it helps out sweet innocent children like me.

And, for a final bout of irrelevance, we'll open it to the class. What's your blood type? How did you find out?

[Defy V]

I've always assumed A+, but I've never had a transfusion so for all I know I could be O+ or O-. Probably not O-.
Did they test your blood before giving you transfusions? It could have gotten nasty if they had had A+ blood lying around which they gave you instead of the O+ you could actually handle.

[Dragon Lady]

I come from a family of alternative medicine (I come by it honestly! Promise!) and once my mom took me to an iridologist to figure out why I get sick so often. (For the record, I had seen several real doctors about it and none of them even tried to figure it out. They just told me to drink more water. This is part of why I hate going to real doctors.) She did some of their crazy tests and thought it was a nutrition thing and started talking about a blood type diet. She did some "tests" and then asked my mom and I what blood type I was. I had no idea. She was certain I was B. The lady looked really confused and said, "Are you sure? Because she's testing really strongly for an O." And the two of them bickered over it for ages. Finally she just showed me the blood type diets for both B and O and we talked about it and I ended doing a 21-day test to see if I had an intolerance to dairy. (I didn't.) But that's beside the point. Point is, a few months later my roommate talked me into donating blood for the first time and I got my card back and it told me my blood type and any guesses what type I am? O+. (So C4, if you ever need blood, give me a holler. So long as I'm not pregnant, I'll be happy to give you some. But they frown on donating while pregnant. Something about how my baby needs all that blood.)

Oh! And Yellow is also O+. Which is awesome. Because that means all our kids will be O+. Which means I never have to remember different blood types for each of our kids. I'm all about less remembering. (Which also means, C4, if I'm pregnant and can't give you blood, Yellow can. And he totally would, too. Or if my kids are old enough (so like, in 13 years or so) they might be willing.)

And just for your peace of mind, Yellow and I try to donate as often as we can. Though, Yellow is on his own for a few months until I finish pregnancy. (Can I donate while nursing? I don't remember.)

[NerdGirl]

I'm A+. My mom is AB-, my dad is O+, and my brother is B-. So my dad can give me blood, and my brother can give my mom blood, but that's it. My mom always thinks I'm A- and sometimes likes to argue about it, so I pull my blood donor cards (I have a Canadian one and an American one!) out of my purse and show her. Then she remembers how she had take drugs for Rh incompatibility before my brother was born. And now she's arguing with me because she says that AB- is the universal recipient, but it's not. So she said, "Shut up" and now she's playing light saber on her iPhone and I can hear her dueling music. It's fun to bug her about this stuff because she has a bachelor's degree in genetics and a master's degree in microbiology so she should know this kind of stuff. Anyway, I used to donate blood all the time, but then I was too anemic for years and after I finally got that under control I was on prednisone (prednisone eye drops, but I had to use them once an hour so I guess that can suppress your immune system quite a bit) for about 2 years and they wouldn't take my blood because I could have had an infection and not known about it or something. They told me to wait until a few months after I was off the eye drops, and it's been a few months so I need to call and see if I can donate yet.

[Laser Jock]

I've always known I was A+, because my mom told me so. The hospital I was born in blood typed me when I was a baby. Does this not happen everywhere, or do some parents just not pay attention to the results?

[C is for]

I've always assumed A+, but I've never had a transfusion so for all I know I could be O+ or O-. Probably not O-.
Did they test your blood before giving you transfusions? It could have gotten nasty if they had had A+ blood lying around which they gave you instead of the O+ you could actually handle.

You don't have to have a transfusion to know your blood type, you just have to donate blood. Or trust your mom when she says all the kids are A+ because that's what they tested at birth.

And yes, they do what is called a "type and cross" before they give any transfusion. Even if you've had 6 transfusions before they do another type and cross. Type to find out the blood type (in case it, you know, changed), and a cross to see what other blood proteins are compatible/incompatible with the donor and recipient. Well. I shouldn't say "they" do that before "any" action is taken. I only know what happened to me.

PS Dragon Lady: It's always possible your kids could be O-. Or have you drawn Punnett squares for your parents and you to see if you're heterozygous for Rh? (Am I the only one nerdy enough to do that?)

[Rifka]

I'm AB+. I found out because I finally got over my fear of needles and started donating blood this year. I do it as often as I can. I love the red cross place in Orem because I can never remember how many weeks/months I'm supposed to wait before donating again, so I just wait for them to call me and they always do. Like clockwork, as soon as I'm eligible to donate again. It's very convenient.
Oh, and as long as we're encouraging donations, let me put in a plug for bone marrow donation. It's pretty easy to sign up and can help save lives, too! I just found out how to sign up this week. If you're in the U.S. you can go here to sign up: http://www.dkmsamericas.org/. Let's save lives!

[Katya]

PS Dragon Lady: It's always possible your kids could be O-. Or have you drawn Punnett squares for your parents and you to see if you're heterozygous for Rh? (Am I the only one nerdy enough to do that?)

No, you're not.

As far as I know, I'm A+ (overachiever's blood type).

[Imogen]

i'm B+, which is appropriate for me (nice reminder). I can't donate blood because it is WAY TOO TRAUMATIC! i have very small, deep set veins that like to roll. it usually takes up to 4 sticks to find a good one, which generally leaves me bruised. the last time i donated, my vein rolled MID-DONATION, which was incredibly painful and meant they had to go searching for another vein. it's no good. even giving blood to get it tested really sucks for me. i try to avoid it at all costs. and let's not even get into how much it hurts when someone tries to give me an IV. my veins are hopeless.

[Emiliana]

I'm also B+, which I found out when I donated blood for the first time at 17. It's entirely possible I was typed at birth, as well, but my dad can barely remember my birthday; asking him to remember my blood type would be pretty much out of the question.

I haven't been able to donate for the past six years because I have a tendency to run off to malaria-endemic areas. I was actually eligible for a couple of weeks two years ago, but I was dehydrated and they couldn't get my vein, and then I went overseas again. Assuming I don't come down with malaria in the next year (it can lie dormant for a really long time), I'll try to give next summer.

[Digit]

Looks like synthetic blood is a reality and saved an Australian woman's life. source

[Dragon Lady]

C4, I suppose that's possible. But then I just have to remember which of my kids are pessimistic and which are optimistic.

[Indefinite Integral]

And yes, they do what is called a "type and cross" before they give any transfusion. Even if you've had 6 transfusions before they do another type and cross. Type to find out the blood type (in case it, you know, changed), and a cross to see what other blood proteins are compatible/incompatible with the donor and recipient. Well. I shouldn't say "they" do that before "any" action is taken. I only know what happened to me.

You are correct. My mom is one of those lovely people who works with blood all day long. They have to type/match you every time you are transfused. the first time because they need to know your full type (there are more antigens than just a/b and +/-). However, not every antigen you are negative for may show up immediately, since your body hasn't created antibodies against them yet. Once you have been transfused, your body could develop antibodies against other antigens which most people have but you don't. If they didn't test you again, and they gave you blood with one of those "rare to not have" antigens, you could have a potentially fatal transfusion reaction.

That's what my mom does most of the day, patient cross-matches, type work-ups, and finding rare donor units for those particularly difficult to transfuse people.

Thats part of the reason why it's so expensive, though basic A/B, +/- is pretty much all computerized by now. They just put the tubes in a machine and it gives the results. Transfusion typing is much more complicated and can sometimes take a person multiple hours to finish, so you have to pay their salary and for the use of all the fancy equipment they use as well.

Sorry if that was a bit long. I've spent a lot of time listening to people talk about blood. (my sis also works with blood, she did the same major as steen. Feel free to correct me if I said anything inaccurate, if you happen to be lurking.)

[Unit of Energy]

I don't remember if I'm A or O, because my mom doesn't remember. I do know that I'm +, because my mom is O- and was very happy that all her daughters were + and wouldn't have to deal with the issues that she did giving birth.

[Genuine Article]

I've never known my blood type and I don't plan on ever donating blood, so I guess I'm just going to have to wait until I'm randomly hospitalized to find out. I am horribly curious though.

[Indefinite Integral]

Almost forgot about the type. I'm A+.

Also, can I put in another plug for donating. Summer is the hardest time to get donations. They are critically needed. Seriously. And I know ARUP specifically advertises that all their blood stays in Utah as opposed to Red Cross, but we have such an awesome donor base here that we are able to help out other places that don't have as many eligible donors. So, PLEASE do ate if you can. Even if you aren't in Utah.

Imogen, don't feel guilty not donating, I know how horrible it can be with those sorts if problems. That's why I stuck to whole blood even though I'm a good candidate blood-wise for platelets. They really struggle with the return needle on me.

[Emiliana]

Looks like synthetic blood is a reality and saved an Australian woman's life. source

That's awesome. I hope that becomes a more widely available option, because let's face it, who really likes donating blood ... ?

[Sky Bones]

My blood type is O negative, and I only know that from when I was pregnant. If anyone has some awesome suggestions for overcoming a serious fear of needles, then I'd love to donate blood at some point... my heart rate has always been too high in the past because I get so freaked out.

[Whistler]

I practiced getting over my feeling faint at blood by watching <i>House</i>. Not sure if it would help, but maybe?

[Wisteria]

Emiliana, I love donating blood! I happen to work at ARUP and on slow days, I can go down to the blood donation center and donate on the clock. On reeeally slow days, I can go donate platelets, which is even better because I can save a life *and* watch a movie at minimal discomfort to myself.
I wish I had great suggestions, but all I know is that I've never had issues with needles. I'm the opposite of Imogen, I have beautiful veins (I get complimented on them almost every time they get punctured), and I can fill a bag in under 10 minutes. I've only had a tech miss on the first stick once.