What's your blood type?

[Lilaena De'Ville]

And do you donate? I haven't to be honest, due to being too honest and admitting I lived in the UK in the 80s the fear of Mad Cow Disease keeps me from being allowed to donate. However, the last time I checked was in 2001, things may be different now.

Also, I don't have mad cow disease. :colbert

[Halajiin Rabeak]

I actually don't know my blood type.

[Droo]

I actually don't know my blood type.

Same here.

[Zenas Codrey]

A Positive. Haven't had the opportunity to donate yet. We have regular blood drives here on post, but they're always during class or PT.

[Kyran O'Hurn]

B+

I try and donate on a regular basis. Though that is currently on hold given that I am in China and all.

[Callista]

B+

I donated for the first time last week (would like to make it regular!) :) The donation center I went to asked if you'd been out of country in the last 3 years and they have around 10 or so countries that are "flagged". Pretty sure it asked if you've lived out of country also, but since I hadn't I didn't get the rest of the questions. Not sure at what point it's not an issue anymore.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Well, everyone in England is fine*, I guess I don't see the point of being hysterical about it. But if it's a minute risk that they don't want to take, that's fine. The last time, and first time, I tried donating was right after 9/11 and I was super disappointed at reading that question on the form.

Edit:

Wait 12 months after travel in an area where malaria is found. Wait 3 years after living in a country or countries where malaria is found. Learn more about malaria and blood donation.

Wait 12 months after travel to Iraq. This requirement is related to concerns about Leishmanaisis. Those who have had Leishmanaisis are not eligible to donate. See In-Depth Discussion of Leishmanaisis and Blood Donation.

Persons who have spent long periods of time in countries where "mad cow disease" is found are not eligible to donate. This requirement is related to concerns about variant Creutzfeld Jacob Disease (vCJD). Learn more about vCJD and blood donation.


I'm crushed :(

*i'm not an expert, maybe they aren't

[Droo]

We must get all our blood donations internationally, I guess. :rolleyes

[Dasquian Belargic]

I've got no idea what my blood type is.

I was going to donate at Dragon*Con but of course they wouldn't let me.

[Captain Untouchable]

It's a size thing. America is geographically big enough that a smaller proportion of the population spends long periods of time abroad; that means they can get away with over-cautious blanket rules and regulations like that, because the impact it'll have on the pool of potential donors is pretty minor. In the UK they have to apply a bit more scrutiny in discerning whether or not you actually do present a risk. The UK protects the integrity of the blood supply with more intensive analysis; the US does it by risk avoidance.

Or something like that. I was chatting about it with a phlebotomist before I came out to the States last year... she explained it way better than I did. I'm not allowed to donate blood either, but that's because of different / UK rules.

Oh, and I also have no idea what my blood type is. Not even sure how I'd go about finding out.

[Zenas Codrey]

For all of you who want to know your blood type, you can find out by either

1: Donating blood, or
2: Getting a blood test from a doctor.

Note that option 2 can be expensive.

[Emelie Shadowstar]

I have no clue... And considering I have zero plans to give blood any time in the future I guess I'll never know! :o

[Taataani Meorrrei]

I'm a regular donor and I'm A+. I try to give whenever possible and whenever it's something that's not inconvenient. Usually Red Cross comes to our job site for donations and I get time off work to fill the bag.

I love giving. I like racing people to fill their bags :)

[Lilaena De'Ville]

You can also test your blood in high school science class.

I learned mine when I was pregnant. Rh negative mothers sometimes have Rh positive babies and that can lead to minor complications so they always test.

[Polly Smithson]

I don't know my blood type, either, but I'll not have to worry for donation reasons because nobody wants my blood on account of my being African (hahaha so many application processes are terminated early the moment you fill in 'south africa/swaziland' under country of origin) and having had malaria so many times. :(

I suppose I could always just check my medical records and figure out what it is but ehhh.

[Callista]

I couldn't remember what my type was (I knew it was B) until last week. I do believe you can purchase the little kits that test, just like the ones used in a science class. Don't remember if it's the one where your drop of blood mixes well with the solution or the one where it doesn't. I remember it being fun!

I failed the race game last week. The machine was beeping because I was going too slow. They had to try to twist and put the needle in further.

[Crusader]

So according to this poll I should keep Vince and Miranda close and always stay away from Holly if I need blood.

[Dasquian Belargic]

I think this is all some kind of scam by Holly. She's going to drain you fools and sell your blood to vampires.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

But if you're a burn victim and need plasma you'll want me near, Peter! :shakefist

[Crusader]

Ok Holly you can stay for your plasma while I on the other hand could donate blood to everyone here.

[Jo Holloway]

I thought it was O neg that was the universal donor, not O+

[Captain Untouchable]

Keep up your nefarious DM antics Peter, and I'll make sure you donate blood.

All over the walls. >D

[Taataani Meorrrei]

I thought it was O neg that was the universal donor, not O+

Correct. AB+ is universal recipient, and the only other type that can accept my dirty dirty blood.

[Razielle Alastor]

I'm O+ which is fine, but O- would be way cooler. I used to donate regularly, but now everytime I have been they tell me my hemoglobin is puny and to go eat a steak.

[Droo]

It's the only thing that makes me queasy. Anything to do with veins or arteries, particularly in the arm. Just thinking about it makes me cringe, and Charley's comment about racing others to fill up their bags made me feel ill for a moment. If I had to give blood, I'd end up on the floor.

[Taataani Meorrrei]

My mom worked at the Red Cross for years and I grew up around blood drives.

At least I didn't tell you about the one needle stick I had that went wrong >D

[Ndonsa]

I haven't given blood but I've had IVs and I'm always bruised up for DAYS afterward. When I went to the hospital when having Owen the nurses tried about six times to get me started and then had to call in the anesthesiologist to do it (he got it into the back of my hand). That was because I was very dehydrated from a full day of not eating and drinking very little.

Usually there's no problem finding a vein, I just bleed a lot.

[Miranda Tarkin]

ack didn't see second page.

Funny thing - platelets it don't matter what it is because there are no antigens so if you need those, all good. I donate those regularly but haven't since i gave birth but I will soon enough