Do you know your blood group?

Hmmm ... I just don't see how that could work. I'm not disputing that the book says it, but it really doesn't sound likely.

I know Type O was the original group, but it didn't adapt to meat eating. If it had, no other group would ever have developed because O group would have had an evolutionary advantage.

Sorry, but I think it's total nonsense that people with certain blood groups have certain characteristics which make them better at living together.

I'm not that much of an expert on genetics and blood groups, but I know a man who is .... (and I'm curious)

growstuff I think the idea behind the 'Eat Right for Your Type' book is that the various blood types developed at different times in mankinds history. The first type is supposedly O and this was the hunter gatherers blood type. A is the second type to develop when people started to have a more settled life and cultivated stuff . B came to Europe with invaders from Mongolia and AB is supposedly the newest. Type O is then theoretically suited to meat eating as that type is adapted over a longer time to that diet and group A , the cultivator, has become adapted to a more mixed diet and is better at cooperative living and so on. Don't know how true this is, but this is the premise stated in the book. I am A positive.

I'm B negative and I donate blood because it's a rare group but also can be used for premature babies and cancer patients. Something to do with antibodies in my blood. They will give plasma in an emergency then test your blood which can be done very quickly if you are in hospital.

No hospital will take your word for it what your blood group is. They will always check as the wrong blood could kill you. In a dire emergency O negative blood would be given whilst awaiting the confirmation of blood group as this can be used universally - I am married to a transfusion it’s so I know this is correct

As a former Blood Donor, I know my Blood Group. It is A (RH) Negative.

Whenever I have blood taken, I comment on the fact, although I'm told it's only important if/when pregnant, as in the event that your Spouse/Partner has an RH Positive Blood Group. There can be complications for the baby of a mother who has an RH Negative one.

I found out when I was pregnant that I'm O negative. My son is as well, he was tested at birth otherwise I would have had to have an antigen injection. I did try to give blood as O neg is the only blood type that can be safely given to any other blood type but it made me ill and it got worse with each time I did it.

I started to donate blood as soon as I could ( my mother had a bad accident and was given blood)I felt I really should give mine and I was A positive...The day after I had given my first donation I noticed the warts on my fingers were reduced and the day after that they had disappeared...I always put it down to my good deed!

Why do you feel the need to know. It would not benefit you in any way.

Of course! I'm a blood donor.

Yes, I seem to have always known it. I think it will have been recorded when I was having treatment at Alder Hey as a small child. Boring old O+ like most people ?

Yes, I know my blood group. I would change Doctors had I ever been refused such information.

It's evident that some medical practitioners think, from posts here, they have a right to refuse their patients access to medical records. They have no such right. It could possibly be argued that patients are unlikely to understand notes in their records; that they might be worried by something they read and would be unaware of, but the bottom line is that copies of their medical records must be released to a patient - on provision of his or her signed and dated authority to the clinician for this. It is quite normal to have to pay a fee for the copies provided - in the same way that a Bank will often charge for copy statements or documents. But the patient has the right to copies of their own medical notes and records if they wish to have these at any time.

I’m O Negative, same as my mum. Anybody can have my blood but I can’t have anything but negative blood from same group as my body would fight it. I’ve been a blood donor for years and learned that early on. Also second and subsequent pregnancies had to be tested for antibodies as my body might reject a foetus with positive blood. Think that’s right.

O positive. Known since my blood donor days. Have a note of it in mobile phone case with drug details but maybe a discrete tattoo would be more use.

I was also given a yellow card with my blood group printed out on it, this was with my first pregnancy.

A positive for me found out when I gave blood. DH A negative

Became a blood donor in the 60s and was given a little book with blood details in it and for stickers for each donation. No longer the system but through this yes I know my blood group.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

There is a thorough check when giving blood to a patient, mistakes are not made I used to be a donor before i developed hypertension and had to take medicine for this. I am A RH neg Good to know but not necessary to know.

If you know your blood group and carry it with you, you speed up blood transfusion treatment in an emergency. You also leave the "universal blood" for treatment for those that don't know it. I am O Rh neg so my blood is fine for anybody but I have never been able to give it because of my medication.

You’re right, Chestnut (I’ve just checked). It’s not seen as necessary, because a sample always has to be taken anyway before blood is given, as there could be a mistake on the records.

You learn something new every day.

Why is it so important to know?

Maggiemaybe

The important thing is, of course, that the details are on our medical records, which they are, and can be quickly called up. I don’t think any medical professional would rely on what we know, or think we know - we could so easily get it wrong!

Your blood group is not always on your medical records and doctors do not seem to be willing to test you.

AB+ve At university in Cardiff, studying human biology, we had to test our own blood to determine our blood group. Three of us, in a class of maybe 15 students, got AB as our result. Serious doubt was cast on our accuracy since fewer than 3% of the population are AB. Cheek! I went straight next door to the Temple of Peace, Cathays Park, where the Blood Transfusion Service were holding a donor session and became a donor! I admit it was not a public spirited decision but a determination to prove I was right! Hah! I was right! (I carried on donating ?)

Luckily, AB is the universal recipient for blood transfusions (discounting other factors) so we can receive type O, A or B blood as well as AB.

Not really sure what all this is about.
My family and I all know our blood groups. The information was given to us by various hospitals at various times when treatments were needed.
Also, I thought that we could now access our medical records if we so wished.

I am O-, Dh A+. First DD was very slightly jaundiced and I was given the jag. Then I miscarried at home, no blood tests and no antibodies jag given.

When DD2 was born she was bright yellow, severely jaundiced and rushed straight to intensive care, put in an artificial sunlight machine. blood tests taken from her heel, also me and OH who was A+. She pulled through and we went home with strict orders to place her in sunlight whenever there was some.

6 weeks later my very excited GP, who had previously been a paediatrician, turned up at our home and explained that he had been asked by the hospital to collect more blood samples for research. Apparently, a very rare variant factor of group A blood had recently been discovered by researchers and locally the only known carrier was my DH. He explained in detail that ABO and RH were the main factors but not the only ones causing incompatibilities, between blood groups. In our case I had developed antibodies against this factor during previous pregnancies and that is what had caused DD2's severe jaundice.

I was advised that neither I nor my DH and DDs should every be a blood donor but I would be safe to have another baby as they would simply change the baby's blood in utero and all would be fine!!! I immediately decided that my family was complete.