Rare blood group AB Rhesus Negetive

[Pussycat432]

Anyone got this rare blood group I have my bloods taken regularly and when I went to the phlebotomist in hospital we were chatting I was saying I have this rare blood group she was saying oh my word I've never seen anyone with this group in the 22 yrs I've been working here. Wow do you give blood. They would be delighted I said no unfortunately I can't as have autoimmune hepititis . Which got me thinking , I wonder how many ppl do actually have this one.

[Hidden]

Hi Pussycat

I used to be a donor nurse for the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Blood Transfusion Services in Birmingham for 2 years in the 70's. You do have a fairly rare blood group which will be in demand, its such a shame you're unable to give blood as you could save many Lives .

I've got common O Positive blood group !

Hope your days going ok!

Regards Trish

[Pussycat432 in reply to Hidden]

Do you know I'd love to have been able to give blood but sadly not allowed to when I asked. I didn't even know I had a rare blood group, it was only when I was pregnant over 40 yrs ago , I was given green card with big red strip through it saying that it was quite rare. I've 3 adult children one gives blood the other two don't. I think they should know their blood group you never know one of them could have my group.

[Pussycat432 in reply to Hidden]

I did think though if ever I needed a liver transplant how much of a problem would it be to find someone that would match, just a thought really

[Hidden in reply to Pussycat432]

Hi

I wouldn't get to concerned over it as they do try to advertise for people with rare blood to donate regular!

However I would check with your doc to see whether you should wear a band on your wrist to highlight your rare blood type.

However things may have moved on in the medical world since I worked in this field of work! I'm now a consultant in the construction world of designs procurement and project management from conception to completion of traditional buildings so a totally different world from nursing in the 70s!!!!! It was either become a nurse or architect and I did both! Lol!

Anyway, how's the water going?

I've just had my bloods done at the hospital this morning with a further two more before appointment in March with liver consultant.

I'm now busy using up 8 ripe bananas! I've baked loads of banana and walnut muffins which most I will donate to my neighbours and not my hips!!!!! Lol

Slaines

[Pussycat432 in reply to Hidden]

Yes I actually have on with me 24/7 a key fob plastic band with my blood group on it. The lovely phlebotomist at the donor van gave me one as I had told her that I couldn't give blood due to that fact. Aih not my blood group she said you can have one of these I also have details in my purse n a bracelet

[Pussycat432 in reply to Pussycat432]

Yes I'm doing really good with my healthy eating loving it n drinking water 2 litres a day , good for you doing both jobs, I see my liver consultant in May hopefully I'm a shadow of my former self when I see him then won't dread the weigh in,

[Hidden in reply to Pussycat432]

That's great! At least you've covered that side of things! The hospitals do normally stock AB for emergencies and can normally track more down from other blood banks which can be transported by there emergency Blood bank drivers with the blue light vehicles so never worry!!!!

Regards Slaines

[Poobear69 in reply to Hidden]

That's s lot of potassium!

[Hidden in reply to Poobear69]

You've lost me Poobear! Are you replying to the one banana I had for breakfast?

[Poobear69 in reply to Hidden]

I was referring to the 8 banana muffins!

[Hidden in reply to Poobear69]

Ah, one of my specialities, Banana,Walnut and Apricot Muffins which I do know are yummy! Unfortunately I normally give half to my neighbour, three for Derek and possibly one for meeeeee😊😊😊!

Thanks for clarifying my query !

Hope your health is reasonable?

Love Trish

[Poobear69 in reply to Hidden]

Lol! I'm doing amazingly well. My bloods are consistently pristine. Tac level excellent. Living a very healthy and happy life post transplant. Thank you for asking 😀. It's sad that some here on the forum cannot be as know d as you obviously are? But hey, that's life......

[Hidden in reply to Poobear69]

Hi again Poo

It's so lovely to read that your well and healthy and living life! 😊

Do hope you keep in touch now and then and let me know how your getting on!

Take care

Love Trish x

[FuzzyWasShe]

Hi there, Pussycat! I actually am also AB-negative. As is my (identical twin) sister. Apparently we currently make up 0.6% of the population, according to my quick Google search just now!

So, here's my understanding about blood type and donations: as far as whole blood goes, we are very close to being universal receivers (AB+ is the actual universal receiver). Which is to say, people with AB- blood can receive pretty much any Rh-negative blood type (which is handy, considering how rare our own blood type is!), but only AB- and AB+ patients can receive OUR blood. So although of course the hospitals and donor centers would still be delighted to have our blood donations (and I have actually started donating again recently), it isn't actually as much in demand as other blood types like O-/+, A-, or B-, between the rarity and the compatibility issue.

PLASMA, on the other hand? We AB types (both positive and negative) are actually universal DONORS for plasma. Every single blood type can accept our plasma, and we AB's can only receive plasma from other AB's. And AB positive and negative COMBINED only make up about 3-4% of the population. So if you find yourself somehow coming across somebody who is also AB (and doesn't have a liver problem or blood cancer or other disqualifier), see if they'd be interested in specifically donating plasma. That can save a LOT of lives!

Sadly, they let me donate whole blood but say my arm veins aren't big enough/strong enough for the apheresis machine, which is what they use for plasma and platelet donations. So even though I'm a universal donor for plasma and that's EXTREMELY rare, I am still not allowed to donate plasma. SO not fair! I'd give plasma every other week if they'd let me!

[Pussycat432 in reply to FuzzyWasShe]

Thanks for that, very interesting , it's nice to meet so to speak someone else with the same blood group . I didn't know anything about this blood group, and you have made it much clearer thankyou

[FuzzyWasShe in reply to Pussycat432]

Sure thing! And nice to "meet" you, too.

[Pussycat432 in reply to FuzzyWasShe]

Xx

[Hidden in reply to FuzzyWasShe]

I enjoyed reading your response to Pussycat! Well put!

[Dallo100]

I am AB Positive which is 3% of the population. Don't get confused with Blood Group and Blood Type. AB is the blood Group. Rhesus is the blood 'Type', so is Negative and Positive. AB Blood Group means you can be a recipient from all of the Blood Groups eg: O, A, B and AB. Hence, I only waited 6 days for my liver transplant in 2016

[Poobear69 in reply to Dallo100]

I'm.A+ and I only had a six day wait!

[Pussycat432]

Wow 6 days that's fantastic, how are you doing now

[Dallo100 in reply to Pussycat432]

Thank you very much for asking. It will be 3yrs on 8 March 2019 since I had the TP and I am feeling fantastic. I am fishing, going for long walks, cooking, baking, outdoor photography etc a lot more than I did prior to the TP. It takes a long time to recover due to medication and side-effects. Travelling from Liverpool to Birmingham can be a drag, but it is all worth it. My family are much closer and happier.

[Pussycat432 in reply to Dallo100]

That's so good to hear after a transplant. Yes I bet you are so happy, it must be such a shock n worry when you find out you need one. I bet you and your family feel so grateful to your donor. Wishing you many more years of doing all the things you can now enjoy

[Dallo100]

Thanks again, much appreciated.

I am so grateful to the donor and her family, without them I and others wouldn't be alive and given a second chance. All my family and close friends are donors now.

They also cured my hepatitis which was the cause of my liver cancer. The NHS is the best medical service in the world.

I can't speak about other TP Centres but Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham is absolutely world class. The staff, admin and organisation there is fantastic, they really are professional from top to bottom.

[Hidden]

What have you been upto as you stopped writing!!! Are you ok ?