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>O- donors can only accept O- blood so it is important they keep donating to give to other O- patients. Actually, this isn't quite true, according to what I've

by magduf 7y ago

>O- donors can only accept O- blood so it is important they keep donating to give to other O- patients. Actually, this isn't quite true, according to what I've read. When an O- person needs blood, they usually give him O+ blood, not O-, because they want to preserve it (and because they may not know the patient's blood type). The first time this happens, it's no big deal, but then the Rh- recipient develops antibodies to the Rh factor. So the next time the O- person gets a transfusion, they probably die. I'm an O- person, so I wasn't too thrilled to read this. Luckily I haven't received any transfusions yet, so I have one free "life"; after that, it's game-over. I hope this new research works out.

rscho 7y ago
Can be true if local shortage. Usually not true, as we'll do everything we can to respect the major antigens.
pkaye 7y ago
If they don't know the patients blood type would they check for the Rh antibodies before using O+ blood? Some other interesting stuff. I'm on a kidney transplant list. When I was evaluated, they had me repeat the blood sample draw for blood type twice by two different people. They want to make sure there is no errors in classifications. Another thing is those of us with O blood type have to wait much longer for kidney transplants because we are universal donors for organs also.
- magduf 7y ago
  >Another thing is those of us with O blood type have to wait much longer for kidney transplants because we are universal donors for organs also. It's two things: we're universal donors, but non-universal receivers. We can give blood to anyone (Rh factor is an extra complication here), but we can only receive O blood, not any other type, so we're really screwed when we need something. Us O- people are even worse. >If they don't know the patients blood type would they check for the Rh antibodies before using O+ blood? In a trauma case, they probably don't have time to type your blood at all, so they just give you O+. There's lots of O+ available, but not much O-. Rh- people could have a real problem if they've already had an Rh+ transfusion, but oh well...

by magduf 7y ago

rscho 7y ago

Can be true if local shortage. Usually not true, as we'll do everything we can to respect the major antigens.

pkaye 7y ago

If they don't know the patients blood type would they check for the Rh antibodies before using O+ blood? Some other interesting stuff. I'm on a kidney transplant list. When I was evaluated, they had me repeat the blood sample draw for blood type twice by two different people. They want to make sure there is no errors in classifications. Another thing is those of us with O blood type have to wait much longer for kidney transplants because we are universal donors for organs also.

magduf 7y ago
>Another thing is those of us with O blood type have to wait much longer for kidney transplants because we are universal donors for organs also. It's two things: we're universal donors, but non-universal receivers. We can give blood to anyone (Rh factor is an extra complication here), but we can only receive O blood, not any other type, so we're really screwed when we need something. Us O- people are even worse. >If they don't know the patients blood type would they check for the Rh antibodies before using O+ blood? In a trauma case, they probably don't have time to type your blood at all, so they just give you O+. There's lots of O+ available, but not much O-. Rh- people could have a real problem if they've already had an Rh+ transfusion, but oh well...