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.

@Mischance If your brother isn’t adopted then he has his blood type wrong. It’s impossible for either of your parents to be his if the blood types are correct.

I didn't think B+ was that rare, both my dc are B+

I am also AB+ and always felt it was right that I donate. But I am quite slight and they would never take as you have to weigh 50kg or more. Anyway I had put on some weight, saw there was a shortage so I prepped myself (because if you haven't done it before I think you need to prep yourself mentally).

So off I go to the walk in centre and they do the iron level test and weigh in and all that jazz. Then they get to blood group so I say AB+. Oh they say, they don't actually need this type, but they would be very interested in my plasma (as apparently that is universal). They could do that there too, so I say ok, well I am all prepped and mentally prepared so lets do it.......

To have to go through other tests, and another weigh in, for them to then say, oh sorry Ms Isthis, you don't meet the criteria, for that you have to weigh more than 55kg!

So I donate through my children, like a form of osmosis.

In a way I am glad to see that I am not the only one who was a bit put out that I wasn't good enough.......

I’m O negative & literally cannot give my blood away! First appt is November but it’s not local & it’s too far away for me to get to!

This explains a lot. I'm another AB+, booked to give blood, when they did a check list of diseases you had. I ticked for malaria (had it aged 7) and was told they needed to check whether I was still carrying (30 years later?!) and didn't have the facilities to check (understandable in an NHS mobile blood collecting bank). So I did check, I wasn't, but they still didn't want me blood. Now I know why. Salutations all ABs out there.

But why are there so few of us? what mutation causes it? Are blood types linked to different diseases?

How does the NHS prevent the recurrence of the scandal where imported blood from the US wasn't screened for HIV/HEP leaving esp haemophiliacs with fatal problems?

I am the opposite - I have universal blood type which they give out in pretty much every emergency until blood type is determined - my blood is like gold dust. BUT. Because I have a health condition and can’t meet the weight requirements I can’t give it 😣

Salutations all ABs out there

I think all 4% of us might be on this thread...😀

It reminds me of that thread some time ago about green eyes being rare. like 2% or so. The thread was packed with green eyed posters......

I am AB+ AND I have green eyes.

(I should add that to a dating profile......) 😂

It's not a specific mutation that causes AB blood. (Simplifed) You have two alleles for this antigen, one from your mum and one from your dad. The A allele will produce the A antigen. The B allele will produce the B antigen. Or you can have one that will produce neither. If the combination of alleles you have produces A antigen only, then you will be type A, whereas if it produces B antigen only, you'll be type B. You can get either of those by having one allele that produces A (or B) and the other that doesn't produce either, or you could have both alleles producing A (or B). If you have one A and one B, then you will type AB. If you don't any either A or B antigen, they it's called type O.

So to get type AB, you have to get one A and one B from your parents. Type A and O are the most common in the UK, so it's already rarer to get type B, and many of those who are A or B will only have one of the relevant alleles. Then you'd have to have the B allele passed on via that parent (which could be a 50% probability if they have only one B allele), and the other parent would have to pass on an A (again, only 50% probability if they only have one).

And that is all just statistically rarer than someone ending up as A or O, because there is so much more of that around

And yes there is some evidence that some blood types are linked to certain diseases either getting them more or being more resistant to them (things like malaria; there was talk about Covid being slightly more/less common in different groups too)

They test blood for all sort of things now to try to prevent problems of blood borne diseases being spread that way. And many countries will now allow payment for blood donation, because it was thought to encourage people to lie about risky behaviours

It’s funny you mention eyes, I was just saying to DP I wonder how type O is the most common since it’s recessive, but that it’s the same as blue eyes which are also recessive yet the most common in the UK. And I have both type O blood and blue eyes, so common as muck 😁

Omw, maybe we are on to something.....

Who else is AB+ with green eyes??

My ex is type O with blue eyes.......

@Sapphirejane I thought that for years too, so didn't investigate further. You can't donate if you had a transfusion after 1980 but I'm an old gimmer, so earlier than this. I still have to get it approved by the nurse each time though.

@PineappleWilson - Oh interesting, thanks for explaining! Is that because of CJD I wonder?

I was worried the anti-D injection would stop me being able to donate as it’s made from blood products but it doesn’t fortunately. The NHS has more than enough of my blood (A-) but I am near a plasma centre so I am going to look at that.

British people aren’t allowed to donate blood at all in lots of countries- if you lived in the U.K. in the ‘80s and ‘90s.

I have A- blood and want to donate plasma as it is the universal platelet type and in high demand. Unfortunately I am not allowed to as I used to have a heart condition, despite the fact I had surgery to correct it many years ago and am 100% cured. I was so disappointed. The person I spoke to said they’re working hard to change the guidelines on this ASAP so I’m hopeful I’ll be able to donate soon.

Am I the only one who doesn’t know my blood type?!

I asked the hospital for mine after I had pre-surgery blood tests. They check your blood type before an op in case you need a transfusion. If you go to donate blood you can find out then too.

I found out mine when i was pregnant. It was written in big letters on corner of notes

@steppingintosummer I was told you find out if you donate, are pregnant or need a transfusion.

I had this when I lived in France and New Zealand. I'm Irish but lived in the UK from the age of 8. I've been vegetarian since I was a toddler (refused to eat meat 🤷🏻‍♀️) but they still wouldn't accept it because I'd lived in Britain.