Poll: What's your blood type?

[Zontar]

So this is a random question but I went to donate blood today (and unfortunately it was botched) and I figured this is a question that is someone's asked here before it's been a long, long time.

I'm A negative, which means I can donate to a lot of people, but can't take blood from about 85% of people, but also can't give blood to more then 40% of people. But hey, every bit helps right?

 

[DefunctTheory]

A Positive, yet another weird fact drilled into my skull by the Army that most people only find out when they need it and forget it soon after, like their Social Security Number.

Second most common blood type, too, but can only give to about 39% of the people. If I could give blood anyway. Last time I went, I checked off so many of the risk factors (Korea, Afghanistan, so on and so forth) that they told me it simply wasn't worth the effort to take my blood. It's a wonderful feeling when you realize the stuff keeping you upright and breathing is completely worthless.

 

[tippy2k2]

Awesome! I was looking up my blood type since I just donated. I didn't find my on the email like I thought I would but evidently The Red Cross gave me $5 on Amazon for donating. So now I have $5! Yah!

I found my donor card though and I'm B+

(and unfortunately it was botched)

How did that happen? I've donated over a dozen times and I've never had any problem.

 

[WolfThomas]

I have 0+, my fiancee 0- which is a bit bothersome for having children but not so much as we live in the 21st century.

I can't given blood in Australia because I was in the UK during the Mad Cow scare.

Fun fact O+ is actually universal for men as well, because they don't have the pregnancy complications.

 

[Zontar]

(and unfortunately it was botched)

How did that happen? I've donated over a dozen times and I've never had any problem.

Put the needle in the wrong spot, by the time we realized it and pressure was down to 1mm/minute coming out I'd lost 230ml, a good 120 below the minimum cut off point. Due to local regulations I was in the space where I'd lost too much to try again for the next two months, but given too little to be useful as a batch.

 

[Silentpony_v1legacy]

Pretty sure I got Tiger blood. It may be leopard or cheetah blood come to think of it.
But its certainly great cat blood.

 

[MysticSlayer]

There was some blood-type based diet my parents got into about 7-8 ago, and we all did blood tests. Unfortunately, I don't remember what it was. I only remember the needle hitting something that hurt a lot and everyone wondering why I was acting like it hurt so bad. Oh, and I remember the fact that the diet was both very expensive and didn't do anything.

 

[Asita]

A Positive. I donated once in high school and then promptly got annoyed at the monthly attempts to guilt trip me into donating again by lying to my face. No, Red Cross, A+ is not a rare blood type[footnote]It's the second most common, in fact, both in the USA (35% of the population), and worldwide (31% of the population)[/footnote], nor is it especially helpful. That's not to say that every little bit doesn't help, but that there are literally only two blood types out of the eight that can take my blood: A+ and AB+. The negatives are much more helpful (If I were A- then four blood types could take my blood: A+, A-, AB+, AB-), as are the Os, with O- being especially useful.

 

[WolfThomas]

A Positive. I donated once in high school and then promptly got annoyed at the monthly attempts to guilt trip me into donating again by lying to my face. No, Red Cross, A+ is not a rare blood type[footnote]It's the second most common, in fact, both in the USA (35% of the population), and worldwide (31% of the population)[/footnote], nor is it especially helpful. That's not to say that every little bit doesn't help, but that there are literally only two blood types out of the eight that can take my blood: A+ and AB+. The negatives are much more helpful (If I were A- then four blood types could take my blood: A+, A-, AB+, AB-), as are the Os, with O- being especially useful.

Technically in an emergency situation Rhesus positive blood can be given to a male or a woman past the age of pregnancy. As the rhesus antibodies mainly cause pregnancy complications. So your blood could be given to 4 of the 8 in the right circumstances.

It's the ABO incomparability reaction that can be fatal.

 

[Asita]

A Positive. I donated once in high school and then promptly got annoyed at the monthly attempts to guilt trip me into donating again by lying to my face. No, Red Cross, A+ is not a rare blood type[footnote]It's the second most common, in fact, both in the USA (35% of the population), and worldwide (31% of the population)[/footnote], nor is it especially helpful. That's not to say that every little bit doesn't help, but that there are literally only two blood types out of the eight that can take my blood: A+ and AB+. The negatives are much more helpful (If I were A- then four blood types could take my blood: A+, A-, AB+, AB-), as are the Os, with O- being especially useful.

Technically in an emergency situation Rhesus positive blood can be given to a male or a woman past the age of pregnancy. As the rhesus antibodies mainly cause pregnancy complications. So your blood could be given to 4 of the 8 in the right circumstances.

It's the ABO incomparability reaction that can be fatal.

Huh, I did not know that. Still, if I read you right that sounds like a last resort kind of thing.

 

[demoman_chaos]

I am AB-, and looks like the only one on the poll who is.

 

[Dimitriov]

I have no idea. Honestly, I thought that would be a poll option. I would think that most people don't know. It doesn't really come up much, or ever in my life thus far.

 

[CaptainMarvelous]

O Pos, regular donater (fuck knows why, I hate giving blood)

 

[Chimpzy_v1legacy]

I am AB-, and looks like the only one on the poll who is.

AB- here, so you're not longer alone.

 

[WolfThomas]

A Positive. I donated once in high school and then promptly got annoyed at the monthly attempts to guilt trip me into donating again by lying to my face. No, Red Cross, A+ is not a rare blood type[footnote]It's the second most common, in fact, both in the USA (35% of the population), and worldwide (31% of the population)[/footnote], nor is it especially helpful. That's not to say that every little bit doesn't help, but that there are literally only two blood types out of the eight that can take my blood: A+ and AB+. The negatives are much more helpful (If I were A- then four blood types could take my blood: A+, A-, AB+, AB-), as are the Os, with O- being especially useful.

Technically in an emergency situation Rhesus positive blood can be given to a male or a woman past the age of pregnancy. As the rhesus antibodies mainly cause pregnancy complications. So your blood could be given to 4 of the 8 in the right circumstances.

It's the ABO incomparability reaction that can be fatal.

Huh, I did not know that. Still, if I read you right that sounds like a last resort kind of thing.

Yes and no re: last resort. Normally if you have time and need to give blood, you organise a "cross match". Not only then do they match the blood type, but they actually test how the sample react and give you the best possible. This is to avoid transfusion reactions, with while not life threatening can be very unpleasant (like a bad allergy).

If it's more rushed they do a "group and hold", where they get the corresponding type and grab whatever is on hand. The positive blood might be used for a male if there is a shortage of e.g. A-neg.

If there's no time they given O neg. If it's a male or female too old for pregancy they'll give O-pos as an alternative. This saves the precious O-neg for fertile age women.

So yes your A-Positive is less likely to go to a A-neg because most situations are one of the two extremes emergency or planned transfusion. But not necessarily a life or death. Actually we order a lot of "group and holds" but that's because it's a precaution, the hold means to have the blood ready to be given. Often we don't give but in a trauma or something before the full picture is determined we send off for it.

 

[Daymo]

I'm o- and the red cross does not let me forget, calling up a few days after whenever I could next give blood if I haven't booked an appointment. I don't mind though since it only takes an hour at most.

 

[MrFalconfly]

O Positive.

Which apparently means that mosquitoes think I'm 25% more delicious than everyone else (I hate mosquitoes).

 

[Albino Boo]

Don't tell him, he only wants to know who has the tastiest blood to drink.

 

[CrimsonBlaze]

O Positive.

I didn't know my type and seeing as I'll be living solo in the near future, I felt it was necessary for me to know in case of an emergency.

I wasn't too crazy about donating, though. I REALLY hate needles and anything to do with veins and arteries; I literally dread seeing the doctor for ANY REASON, as I will most certainly always "need" a shot or have a blood test done.

After donating blood, I still don't like it. I'm probably more fearful of needles, veins, and arteries than before, and I hope that I won't have to do so in the near future unless it's necessary.