Can't give blood until further notice as my blood type is too rare?

[Clubtropicanadrinksarenotfree]

Has anyone else heard this? I've been trying to get an online appointment for ages but it kept saying they were fully booked which I found odd, as they always need blood donations.
It said they were full for the next year which just didn't seem right, so I went into the centre on Friday.
I have given blood there before a few years ago, but I was told that as my blood type is very rare they generally don't need any more of this type, so that's why I can't get an appointment ever.
It's a shame but what can I do, just keep trying.

What is it like to donate as an O-ve?

Do you sweep past the queue like an A lister on the red carpet saying “coming through, O neg here”Is there a fanfare? More biscuits? Are they extra nice to you?

I’m B+ve so slightly more liked than AB+ve but not a lot. I can only donate to about 12% of the population.

I'm O- and used to get bombarded with calls and nagging letters and emails. My dad eventually yelled at then for harassing me and somehow managed to get me off the list. I never went back because it was just too much, multiple times a week. Now I live somewhere I can't give blood because I'm considered a risk of mad cow disease!

How odd! I would have thought that they'd want your blood if it's a rare type!

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz wow that's not what you want to hear.

You won’t be screwed with AB- blood though, as you can have blood from all the A-, B- and O- people!

I’m O+ so the silver medalist of blood donation (can give to about 75% of people) and I did get offered a second biscuit last time 😉

What is it like to donate as an O-ve?

I really think there should be a massive fanfare, red carpet etc and extra biscuits. Not because we can control our blood type in any way but because it would be funny 😄

(I’m not O- but I’d find it a laugh)

Interesting, I never thought of this!

I'm A+ and constantly get reminders/calls asking to donate, I go maybe a couple of times a year and they always ask if I can come more often. Makes sense that O- is greatly in demand but why would they want A+?

I’m O+ so the silver medalist of blood donation (can give to about 75% of people) and I did get offered a second biscuit last time 😉

oh I thought I was the silver medalist with A- 😂😂

I’m also AB+ it took me ages to work out why I couldn’t make an appointment. I emailed them in the end, then they explained! 🩸

They do want A+ @gryilla because it goes to enough people - all the A+ people (which is quite a lot as I think it’s the second most common in Uk) and all the AB+ people they aren’t taking from. So it’s still worth having.

Thank you for this thread though. I’ve booked in to give blood again (I haven’t for ages)

@gryilla A+ is the second most common blood type so even though it can only go to A+ and AB+, that’s quite a lot of people 🙂

@TheLazyToad That’s my blood type too! They turned me away last time as I’d had a busy morning and no time for, what they classed as, adequate food.
I said ‘I’ve been swimming not climbed Mount Everest’ but they still wouldn’t let me.
It’s so hard to get appointments.

I found out recently from a thread on here about this, there's no need for them to stockpile it because of the fact that it's rare, there's little call for it

I’m O- it unfortunately every time I go to give blood my iron is too low!

I am O- and I got called a lot as an emergency donor. Sadly I got diagnosed with blood cancer, and though ‘cured’ , they don’t want me anymore. I was gutted.

But, keep yourself on that list, I had to have transfusions and was very grateful to the other 0- s who gave up their time and ate the Tunnocks.

Clearly not if you only got one biscuit 🤣

Find an o-negative person who can’t drive and offer them a lift to the blood bank. Or whatever equivalent you come up with.

So A- can go to A-, A+, AB+ and AB- which is still four groups

O+ can go to O+,A+, B+ or AB+ (So I admit that’s more people than A- goes to 😂)

B- goes to B-, B+and the AB groups

AB- goes to both the AB groups

B+ can got to B+ or AB+

But there aren’t the same numbers of people in each of those groups.

Clearly not if you only got one biscuit 🤣

Thinking about it logically you’re right as you’ve got more numbers 😂

My dd is O+ like her Dad so I’ll be encouraging both my children down to the blood bank when they’re 18 (son is one of the golden O- people as above)

@Eixample OK I’ve admitted it now 😂

Fraid not - manky bronze for you.

O+ve can donate to all the +ves. So 76% in the U.K. As A-ve you can only donate to other As and ABs (of which there are hardly any!) So only 41% of the population.

So because the Os are far more common they get the silver medal from donating to each other! 😂

You do have the (dubious!) distinction of being the second most screwed if you need a transfusion though. As you can only have O- and A-. Just 21% of the population can donate to you.

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz the midwife was totally wrong! There are many options for blood you can receive so rest assured if you need a transfusion you will get one. Positive vibes though, I'm sure you won't x