I learned yesterday at 52 years old that I am A-
I listed the blood type and the percentage of people with that blood type.
O+. I initially went to the blood donors just to find out 😂 Now just did my 6th donation.
AB+ I give every couple of months- such an easy way to help others!
Ragu
A- I used to donate all the time. But I had a false positive show up for Hepatitis and I can no longer give.
A- which Red Cross is apparently always running low on supply and I get messages asking me to donate a lot. I just hit 1 gallon donated on Wednesday! Woot!
Blood types and Donations: O- is the universal donor & can donate to anyone but can only recieve O-. O+, A- & B- can donate to 4 blood types but can only recieve 2 (their own or O-). A+, B+, & AB- can donate to 2 (their own and AB+) but recieve 4. AB+ is the universal recipient that can receive blood from anyone but can only donate to their own.
So by this...I would say the most needed blood types: O-, O+, A-, & B- since one is the universal donor and they are all limited on who they can recieve blood from.
If you are willing and able, donate blood. Since covid and all the bad weather we've had off and on again that caused emergencies and cancelled blood drives, they have been running low on blood and on donors. They have even revised the rules in the last few years so some people who were previously ineligible, can possibly donate now.
Perks of donating beyond saving lives: I usually get $10 - 20 in gift cards (by email), free shirts, snacks, and chances to win big prizes when I donate.
I really should find out what my bloodtypeis, I've never thought to ask, but clearly it can't be that special lol
I used to give blood regularly, but then I travelled to too many high risk areas and they didn't want it any more, just to be on the safe side. Used to know my group but can't remember.
I'm not falling for this. You're actually a vampire (or maybe vampire's assistant) looking for that next fix. I'm onto you!
Well, hmph. It's not on any of my important documents, or in my lab results. But I'm swinging by my doctor's today anyway, so maybe they have it on file from my last blood draw.
@LadyVel As a visual person, I love that chart, thanks! Definitely puts it in perspective.
~ Sunset Snuggles
🫂 Enthusiast 🌄 Travel Fiend 🐄 Animal Lover
wow--a topic I can reply to without the risk of dying----unless O+ means I am on my death bed
@SunsetSnuggles Good luck. My doctor couldn't tell me / said it didn't matter when I asked. I only found out when I went to donate. And no problem!
I don’t know if they note it unless it’s specifically needed. For example, mine was needed in case I needed a blood transfusion during my surgery.
I love donating. I’ve hit the three gallon mark. That’s years of going.
@Morpheus @SunsetSnuggles I've had 5 surgeries but it was never notated on my chart. I asked and was told to donate blood to find out as that's not in traditional bloodwork. @TeddyCuddle45 you can buy a kit online for about $10. Or find a vampire and ask them what flavor you are.
@happyhour Dang! Interesting.
As a blood recipient I appreciate everyone who donates blood. You truly are saving lives ❤️
I recently restarted donating after a 18 years hiatus!
I was about to correct @Morpheus that the four types (according to this classification) are A, B, AB and 0 (zero), not O, but then I went on en.wikipedia.org to ensure that the word antigene was correct and discovered that even there it is different than here. In Italy we use the 0 because it denotes that the blood lacks both A and B antigenes (it has 0 of them). Now I wonder if the difference comes from a typo becoming the standard, from ignorance spreading or what (but I am too tired now to do my own research).
And thanks to blood donation results, I've discovered that the different classifications are 38! I initially believed there was only one (erroneously thinking Rh factor was in the same one as A/B).
Another curiosity that could be interesting for someone is that in Italy people don't get paid for donations, to discourage drug addicted people and people with (sexual but not only) diseases to lie in the survey (debatable? Do they really need to add this extra safety to the tests?). You still gain something: free blood tests results, a breakfast after the donation and you can avoid working that day and get paid the whole day anyway, so it's a win/win.
@D89 Ditto. Even tho I have never needed blood donation so far, I am a sickly person and think highly of people who make the time, effort and sometimes commute to donate. You are special, a cut above.
I do remember something about it used to be AB0 (zero). But whether through laziness in saying oh instead of zero or because old typewriters tended not to have a 0 key (people used O instead), it ended up being ABO. So the ABO system pretty much is the result of a blood typo.
Orginally Bloodtypes were A, B, and C. C was later changed to O. The O stands for the German "Ohne" meaning "without", "zero", or "null".
I'm O negative and CMV negative so they hit me up for new borns.
I’m A+. It’s common but that makes it in high demand for transfusions and transplants.
I donate platelets now when my schedule allows to the Red Cross because you can donate platelets more often than blood and it benefits more people each time. They usually spin out 3 units of platelets per visit.
I didn’t know it was an option until I was looking for a new location to donate Blood during Covid and stumbled across it. It takes longer but you can do it up to 24 times a year.
I have a close friend who had a heart transplant a few years ago and a few who have had bone marrow transplants over years and another who has regular transfusions for lupus.
It something I can do and don’t do as often as I’d like to.
@genuwinecuddles I know from talking to someone who donates platelets that it takes a couple of hours. I respect and appreciate you donating platelets. A special gift.
I am O+ . It was a little bit controversial when it came out, but I also would follow the eat right for your type diet. Which was basically kind of similar to Atkins or keto. With lots of exercise. It helped me a lot back then.
@Bear I've always wondered if eating for your blood type would be beneficial. I'm glad you mentioned it had worked for you. I once read that type O could lose weight eating beef and vegetables (apparently avoiding chicken). That seems to good to be true, lol. I've also heard that it's hard to lose weight if you eat red meat more than once a week. Of course small portions of most things works for many people. Sadly type O should avoid wheat and I love wheat bread.
@achetocuddle it similar to atkins and south beach and keto. More protein.
Everytime I see this post in the discussions I keep misreading it as "what's your body type" wtf lol
@TeddyCuddle45
what's your body type
Is that why you said, Ragu? 🤣