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.

I can't donate
Was mildly annoyed when I asked my haematologist what blood type I was
"Oh it doesn't say" he said
"So you took about 70 tubes of blood from me and still can't tell me my blood type? Pfft"
He's promised to find out for me

Disclaimer I've known him 5 years now and we have a very casual relationship

I'm ab- and my midwife basically said "you'll be screwed if you need bloods in labour" helpful.

Reminded me when I was able to donate (can't now as received a blood transfusion) they always commented on how fast I bleed - one staff said "don't ever get run over as you will bleed out before the ambulance has a chance to arrive "

I'm O+ and get fairly frequent reminders to donate. When I look for appointments there's mostly some in the next couple of days, and then a gap out 2 months or more. I'd assumed that meant they were opening up extra appointments close to time due to staffing or cancellations or something, hadn't thought that it might be about prioritising a needed group.

Also, the last time I went I was handed a card that I had the "Ro" subtype which is rare amongst blood donors but more common in sickle cell patients, amongst others, therefore much needed. Last I checked I think I was still CMV -ve too.

The person who mentioned "Du" - this means that they are Rh positive, but it is a weak version so normal testing might suggest Rh negative; hence it is important to know about. The "Ro" subtype is Rh positive for the main, D, antigen, but negative for two others, C and E, when more commonly people are positive for either or both.

So, to answer someone else's question about why is it A, B, O not A,B,C etc - The blood group antigens were indeed labelled A,B,C,D,E as they were identified. O is part of the system that includes A and B, O is the absence of both A and B, whereas AB is the presence of both. C,D,E antigens make up the Rhesus group. Then there are various other antigens that are less important to safe transfusion in most people, but if someone has a transfusion they may develop antibodies to them that would need to be taken into account if they needed another.

The reason the rules are so strict on preventing donations from people who have had a transfusion in the past are partly about reducing the risks of passing on new blood-born diseases that we don't know about yet.

I'm A+ so always in demand. I can't cope with donating any more though so I've not been for a few years.

@BeaLola they do say funny things! Mine once went so fast it overfilled the bag (not sure how), which was a shame as I think that means they can't use it.

I’m AB- So rare and useless.

I'm O- but haven't garnered the courage to donate yet because I have a very sensitive vagus response and unfortunately arm needs trigger it! Trying to find ways to overcome it....any ideas welcome!

@OxbridgeHopeful that's really interesting! I never knew about C,D,E before.

In the blood.co.uk app it just says my blood type is A positive, does that mean positive for all then? i.e. would you know if you were only positive for one?

No - not adopted!

I don't think you'd usually be told, normally it's just Rh + or -. I only found out when they gave me the "Ro" card. I've got some interest in the other blood antigen systems as my mother found out she had some rare antibodies years after having needed a transfusion. She'd failed cross-matching prior to surgery, and in fact was asked to donate for a while until the antibody levels dropped too low to be useful to them.

Do they have a donor list for rare types that they can call on in an emergency?

I"m O+ and they are keen for me to donate. I find that they are a bit over the top with the phone calls, emails, texts etc, even after I've made an appointment. I've never missed an appointment, but I still get repeated reminders, texts to say make sure you eat, emails to say please do come, phone calls just to check and on it goes. I'm almost considering taking my phone/mobile/email off the system, except that it's handy to use the app to book, and I like the text to show where my blood has gone after i donate.

I have the neonatal use tag on my blood, which I think must be because I'm CMV- (I suppose they have to check that every time, though?). I know sometimes neonatal blood also has to be a specific Rhesus subgroup, which I don't think I am as I"m rhesus positive. But presumably it's still OK for most neonatal use.

Sometimes it goes to Great Ormond st or other obvious children's hospital, but not always, so I guess neonatal wards everywhere might use it. Surprisingly it has never gone to the local hospital where I donate, though I know they have neonatal ICU and so on there too.

I found out my blood type originally at school in biology lessons - we were allowed to do an experiment where you used your own blood, and added the various A and B antigens to see whether you reacted to them or not. I am pretty sure they don't do that experiment any longer, both because health and safety probably doesn't let you use blood in schools any longer, and also because I think there were probably cases where pupils realised their genetics were different to what would be expected from the people they thought were their parents.

Most groups are low

If they are so low on stocks, why don't they make it easier to donate rather than more difficult by closing donation centres?

If he's not adopted, then either him or both your parents have their blood types wrong...or he's not theirs.

An AB- person cannot have 2 O+ parents. IT's not possible

For anyone wondering:

AB+ blood from women is not particularly useful for the NHS. It can only be given to other people that are AB+. Men with AB+ blood are more useful as we can make plasma out of male donations, but not female donations, and plasma is extremely useful for everyone regardless of blood type. Therefore, although the willingness to donate blood if you're an AB+ woman is super appreciated, unfortunately your blood type is more of a hindrance so the NHS is better off prioritising donors with other groups that are more useful for a large number of patients, rather than something we can only give to a select few individuals. The NHS primarily wants to meet the needs of its patients, so if there isn't a need for AB+ blood there's no point collecting it.

On the plus side, if you are to be a recipient of blood, being AB+ is great!

Donate plasma
takes twice as long but at least you can still do something :)

I had this before, don’t think my blood type is that rare (B+) but they wrote and told me they were offering me a donation holiday.

havent donated since, just got out the way of it after that. They’ve been writing to me again asking me to donate, I’ll need to get back into it.

I have an appointment on Friday to donate blood and I know I’m AB+ from pregnancy but on the blood donation account it says they don’t know my blood type. Should I still go? Or phone them to make sure?

I've donated once, then booked to donate and got cancelled, twice, and then got repeated lurgy so I haven't been able to book as you have to be cold free for 2 weeks. I've booked to donate bext week off the back of this as I'm finally cough free until the kids go back to school.

I'm O-, because of a blood transfusion as a premie baby in the 70s. It means I have a different blood group to my mother, which feels very odd.

I do like how they text to say where your blood goes though. My one donation went to Blackpool (we're East Mids).

@PineappleWilson - I didn’t think you could donate if you’d had a transfusion? Is it different if you were a baby?

My DC has a different blood group to me it’s quite normal, promise 😊

I think it's because it's so rare, it might go "down the drain". You can't donate all the time, so maybe they keep you for emergency when they really need it.

Im B+ as well, saw advert how much they wanted B+ atm for sickle cell and thalassemia. Soonest appointment was October! but it then turned out i cant give anyway as i am on insulin

B+ is only about 8% and saw news the other night which said there was a shortage