[Rapunzel]

Does everyone know what their blood type is? I don't remember mine. Is that weird? What would you do to find out what it is?

I've really never had much by way of serious health concerns, and something else always seems to be more important, and I don't matter enough to society or an employer or anyone able to provide health coverage anyway, so I don't have insurance and just do without. Even when I had access to health care, it was always too much of a bother to somebody, so wasn't ever a part of my life or any kind of routine. I try to eat healthily, exercise, etc.

Generally, I figure that what happens will happen. I noticed in January that I had a lump under my arm. Since I didn't really want to be alive anyway, I just thought, "oh cool, maybe I will die of breast cancer." I still haven't had it checked out, even though I'm less suicidal now than I was over the winter. I have a job now, but no benefits, and my hours and therefore my pay can vary a lot, so I can't afford health care and probably won't qualify for any help with it, so I guess it just is how it is.

[Rapunzel]

I was going to say, I was thinking about this because my daughter asked what her blood type is, and I don't know. Someone told me it was stupid not to know that information. I really haven't ever cared that much, or needed to know, except that I do know my RH factor is positive, so I never had to worry about the RH factor causing problems with rejection when my kids were born.

[anna342]

I'm not sure if it's different anywhere else, but here (UK) you don't need to know. I only know mine because I donate blood and they tell you on your 2nd visit what type you are. I'm pretty sure if a medical place needed to know they'd just test you without it being a problem. That is, if it's not already recorded on some notes somewhere.

[googley]

If they need to know at an ER they will test you, and until then they will give you O- (the universal donor blood type, anyone can accept it). I also only know my blood type because I donate. I'm O positive. I know a doctor could do the test, but I don't think it is imperative that you know.

[ECHOES]

If you donate blood, they will let you know

[Umbral_Seraph]

I have no idea what mine is. I am curious but it's not something I've ever needed to know.

[Rapunzel]

I wish I could donate blood. They don't want mine because I had Hepatitis A once.

[Flooded]

Originally Posted by googley

If they need to know at an ER they will test you, and until then they will give you O- (the universal donor blood type, anyone can accept it). I also only know my blood type because I donate. I'm O positive. I know a doctor could do the test, but I don't think it is imperative that you know.

I'm O neg so you can all bow as I walk by

[ECHOES]

^^^ lol

[music junkie]

i'm AB+. i know because i was in the military

since then i am always being a busybody asking people what their blood type is. almost no one knows!

[Rapunzel]

Should we all know though?

[music junkie]

i think everyone should know. you never know what can happen. what if there was no O- blood around?

[Flooded]

Originally Posted by music junkie

i think everyone should know. you never know what can happen. what if there was no O- blood around?

If there was no other O neg around, I'd be stuffed wouldn't I? I think it's very important to know and it should be on your drivers license.

[PTSDlovemycats]

Originally Posted by Flooded

I'm O neg so you can all bow as I walk by

Why thank you. Now the question is do you donate blood? Or am I just doing some useless bowing? Lol.

[Yoda]

It wouldn't really help to have your blood type on your drivers' license. If you need blood they are going to type and cross you before they release packed RBCs or whole blood even if you tell them your blood type. (You don't need crossmatch for some blood products though like fresh frozen plasma or cryoprecipitate, et cetera).

If you were going to have elective surgery that likely would cause you to need transfusion it would be good to know so if your type is rare they would have enough in the blood bank for you.

Also your blood type can actually change although that is rare. Change in blood type can be caused by certain infections, cancers, autoimmune disease or bone marrow/organ transplant.

[Perna]

I didn't know what mine was but deliberately asked my doctor/phlebotomist what mine was. It is of course

[Flooded]

Originally Posted by PTSDlovemycats

Why thank you. Now the question is do you donate blood? Or am I just doing some useless bowing? Lol.

I did prior my pregnancies, but afterward I was constantly on anti-inflammatories and a cocktail of other meds so I wasn't allowed to.

Will definitely return to donating when I can, so you can continue to bow or save it for later

[Amazonmom]

I should go back to donating blood. I have B negative blood. I get calls from the Red Cross wanting my blood, it's like they are hungry vampires or something.... probably because mine is the second rarest type (I think).

[racee]

0 positive I actually just asked for the blood work to be done cause i wasn't sure if it was 0 pos or 0 neg.
1 in 3 people of my blood type it's very common. because of that o pos people are most needed than any other.(no necessarily the best to have though)
only sucky thing is if your a neg 0 blood type you can only recieve 0 neg

every blood types has good and bad advantages to it. i did in depth study about it just own curiosity.and my mom had to gets transfusions every 2 weeks for a very long time so it sparked my curiosity
it's actually pretty cool to because certain regions also have more prevelant blood types than others.

although ab+ IS prob the best because they can be transfused with any blood type inemergencys

if i'm ever in dire need of blood i just want to be the type they have a lot on hand at the hospital at the time.
One important note: in the past, type O Blood was given to virtually anyone except those with what was termed 'rare' Blood. Donors of Blood group O were always referred to as 'universal donors.' Today, because of new research and a better understanding of the complex issues regarding immune reaction related to incompatible donor Blood cells, type O Blood is no longer automatically seen as being suitable in most every case.
-Mayo Clinic HealthOasis