Blood types - a question for our Doctors & Medics

[sandbender]

"...That's a relatively new field of study, but there's evidence to show that certain types give you resistance and indeed susceptibility 6to certain diseases.."

I while back I read an article that suggested that the Rh- in human blood types makes the process of moving C02 in and out of the blood cell more efficient and as Rh- is generally found in folks from northern climates this may have been a useful adaptation for our ancestors as they moved out of Africa.

Additionally I think it suggested that we may have picked it up from eating seaweed!

 

[santaman2000]

Double post

 

[santaman2000]

....... I'm o positive but in my letters from NBS they say my blood is good for 83% of the population. Is that possibly right? What can o positive go into? O neg goes into everyone IIRC but o positive only goes into people also rhesus positive, am I right with that? That would imply 83% are rhesus positive. Just curious as to what rhesus positive actually means.

This might help:

http://www.disabled-world.com/disabled/uploads/1/blood-donor-matches.jpg

 

[mick91]

Again a tangent question, but an interesting topic.

Mick91 , do you know if there are any believed health benefits of giving blood for the donor? I've been reading a few articles of late and I wondered if I could get your opinion on it.

It definitely helps regulate your iron levels, in turn good iron management has been shown to reduce risk of heart attacks and strokes. There's also growing evidence it can increase liver function. I would wager that the difference in liver function would be marginal but every little bit helps.

 

[Toddy]

Can I ask for more information on that please ? I thought that iron levels were highly diet dependant too.

M

 

[mick91]

Can I ask for more information on that please ? I thought that iron levels were highly diet dependant too.

M

Again there's a degree of conjecture on that too. The general consensus is that blood loss triggers a response for the body to use iron more efficiently to help carry oxygen with less blood. Iron levels are diet dependant. And many people are mildly aneamic due to diet, but supplements are out and readily available for anyone who is

 

[mick91]

Can I ask for more information on that please ? I thought that iron levels were highly diet dependant too.

M

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2798760/
That gives you opposing opinions. Medical science often contradicts itself!

 

[santaman2000]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2798760/
That gives you opposing opinions. Medical science often contradicts itself!

Ain't that the truth!?

 

[Paul_B]

If nothing else I find giving blood gives me a warm fuzzy glow that even the missing blood doesn't stop. Although I do have a period of time that the low blood pressure I tend to get needs close attention.I end up having to watch getting up from couch too quickly or I'll drop like a stone.
Tip for any new donors, drink lots before and after. Being well hydrated I found can speed the donation a lot. I always time my actual donations from after the samples have been taken and the flow opened up. My times range from 15 to 5 minutes. That's, in my mind, down to drinking before. Then after I think you need to make sure you're hydrated something to do with keeping blood pressure up after removal of the blood.

I'm sure others will know if the above tips are valid but they're my experience of what helps and they now make sure you drink a pint before donation. That last bit about blood pressure is important to me as I'm most likely to black.or grey out after blood donations when I've not drunk much.

BTW what is it about reaching a certain old age and not being allowed to give blood? A friend's granddad was one donation away from a big figure when he turned 70 and got a letter saying he was too old to give. Apparently he was as fit as a butcher's dog, walking a lot in the hills over long distances and very active. I've known 67 year olds who've done the Bob Graham round and healthier than I've ever been.

 

[mick91]

If nothing else I find giving blood gives me a warm fuzzy glow that even the missing blood doesn't stop. Although I do have a period of time that the low blood pressure I tend to get needs close attention.I end up having to watch getting up from couch too quickly or I'll drop like a stone.
Tip for any new donors, drink lots before and after. Being well hydrated I found can speed the donation a lot. I always time my actual donations from after the samples have been taken and the flow opened up. My times range from 15 to 5 minutes. That's, in my mind, down to drinking before. Then after I think you need to make sure you're hydrated something to do with keeping blood pressure up after removal of the blood.

I'm sure others will know if the above tips are valid but they're my experience of what helps and they now make sure you drink a pint before donation. That last bit about blood pressure is important to me as I'm most likely to black.or grey out after blood donations when I've not drunk much.

BTW what is it about reaching a certain old age and not being allowed to give blood? A friend's granddad was one donation away from a big figure when he turned 70 and got a letter saying he was too old to give. Apparently he was as fit as a butcher's dog, walking a lot in the hills over long distances and very active. I've known 67 year olds who've done the Bob Graham round and healthier than I've ever been.

+1 to that keep as hydrated as possible before and after, eat something too. And you do get a cup of tea Or coffee and a biscuit to pick you up after.
The upper limit has several reasons. Your body after a certain age no matter how fit you are becomes less able to replace blood, that and they like to ere on the side of caution.

 

[Dave]

Hello all.

A question about blood types.

My blood type is...

O Rh(D) Negative

Well that is quite telling, a quick glance at youtube tells me you are either;

a] a direct descendant of jesus christ, and have some sort of holy grail bloodline
b.] you are not from this earth. You are a starchild or a crystal child, descended from an alien, not from this planet.

[have a look at here from 2:09 in you lizard man] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zws7SD-yJgc

 

[sandbender]

"...Well that is quite telling, a quick glance at youtube tells me you are either..."

I'll stick with the CO2 theory I think.

 

[TeeDee]

This has been an interesting thread , love these sort of things.

 

[Quixoticgeek]

Another slight tangential question: I know I can't give blood (medication, medical conditions etc...), but is there any useful purpose in finding out my own blood type? The curious geek in me would like to know, but having done so, I'm not sure what it would do to help me, other than allow me to have funky Velcro badges with letters on them... ?

Thanks

J

 

[mick91]

Another slight tangential question: I know I can't give blood (medication, medical conditions etc...), but is there any useful purpose in finding out my own blood type? The curious geek in me would like to know, but having done so, I'm not sure what it would do to help me, other than allow me to have funky Velcro badges with letters on them... ?

Thanks

J

Short answer no, long answer yes with a but. Certain blood groups do have some propensity toward certain conditions. But not enough to worry over. And I suppose it can't hurt to know.

 

[Macaroon]

How does one find out what blood group? Asked at my G.P. practice some time ago and was told they don't keep that on record as they don't need to.

 

[mick91]

How does one find out what blood group? Asked at my G.P. practice some time ago and was told they don't keep that on record as they don't need to.

There are typing kits available online. It definitely is in your records though. Without you've never been typed. In all honesty when it hits the fan and you need to be infused they'll give you O- and worry later

 

[Macaroon]

Thanks for that, I sort of knew it must be; I've had a great many operations and transfusions and couldn't understand how that information wouldn't be there. I'll approach them again.

 

[mick91]

Thanks for that, I sort of knew it must be; I've had a great many operations and transfusions and couldn't understand how that information wouldn't be there. I'll approach them again.

It may well be in your hospital records but not your gp record. I have never worked as a GP so have only a working knowledge of their system, but it's definitely in your hospital notes. The reagent card tests aren't expensive and are pretty accurate for ABO Rh grouping, and only a few quid online. But only if you follow the instructions to the letter
Requesting your records can be done by writing to the trust, but 99% of hospital staff will show you them informally if you're there. They charge an admin fee for accessing your records

 

[santaman2000]

They typed me when I enlisted and it was always on my dog tags thereafter.