How do I find out my blood type?

[Qadgop_the_Mercotan]

@BrotherCadfael

I once asked my doc the same question. He advised me to go to the Red Cross, give blood, and then look at the donor card mailed to me a couple of weeks later.

I think he was just promoting blood donation.

What, you didn’t read my post?

[BrandonR]

Here’s an even cheaper blood typing test for $9, although I somehow messed my test up when I was trying to determine my blood type so I’m still in the dark…

[outlierrn]

[quote=“curlcoat, post:1, topic:486692”]

I can’t do it thru being a blood donor because I am told I would have to give a “full bag” and since I clot like crazy, not likely to happen.

[QUOTE]

I don’t understand this. they certainly don’t NEED a full bag to do the test, were you clear about the purpose of your request? They may require a form from the organ donor service, but it should be doable. Alternatively, the organ donor sevice may be willing to cover and outpatient lab test, good luck.

[brossa]

@CairoCarol

If you don’t mind me riding on the coattails of this thread, can I ask knowledgeable Dopers if it possible to know your blood type if you know that of both parents? My husband and I are both A+. Does this mean our son must be too, or are there other possibilities?

My mother was a middle school science teacher in the days before universal precautions, and she would have her students type themselves in class. She stopped doing that after a few years because there was always at least one kid who came up and said something along the lines of “I don’t get it, my mom is O and my dad is AB but I’m O. How can that be?”

[Jenaroph]

@jabiru

Become a blood donor.

Read the OP.

[Washoe]

@Jenaroph

Read the OP.

Perhaps curlcoat could nibble on a tiny portion of rat poison before donating?

OK, yeah, I know—not funny. Just ignore me.

[GuanoLad]

@chrisk

…so you’re not inverted.

Are you sure? I am in Australia.

[Apricot]

It’s a simple blood test. Just ask your doctor to do it. It’s less than $50.

One thought - I think the testing to check compatibility for marrow donation is only $80 or so (from memory) - why not just do the whole enchilada?

I don’t trust the ELDON cards that are most commonly used for home testing - too many instances of the lab test not lining up with the result (pregnant women in this case).

[BrotherCadfael]

@Qadgop_the_Mercotan

What, you didn’t read my post?

Apparently not.

[Qadgop_the_Mercotan]

@BrotherCadfael

Apparently not.

[sub]sobs quietly in a corner[/sub]

[curlcoat]

[quote=“outlierrn, post:23, topic:486692”]

[quote=“curlcoat, post:1, topic:486692”]

I can’t do it thru being a blood donor because I am told I would have to give a “full bag” and since I clot like crazy, not likely to happen.

I don’t understand this. they certainly don’t NEED a full bag to do the test, were you clear about the purpose of your request? They may require a form from the organ donor service, but it should be doable. Alternatively, the organ donor sevice may be willing to cover and outpatient lab test, good luck.

I’m sure I was clear that I needed to know my blood type, so it may be that they won’t do that test unless I give them a whole bag.

[curlcoat]

@Apricot

It’s a simple blood test. Just ask your doctor to do it. It’s less than $50.

If that is all it is, I’ll just go do it at the lab. They couldn’t tell me the price, so I wasn’t willing to go in blind!

[ouryL]

I am A+. I read my medical file from my doctor.:o

[outlierrn]

[quote=“curlcoat, post:31, topic:486692”]

[quote=“outlierrn, post:23, topic:486692”]

@curlcoat

I can’t do it thru being a blood donor because I am told I would have to give a “full bag” and since I clot like crazy, not likely to happen.
I’m sure I was clear that I needed to know my blood type, so it may be that they won’t do that test unless I give them a whole bag.

Yeah, try them again. When I registered with the bone marrow network they had me stop by my local blood back to get a specimen drawn, no charge. If the blood bank thought you were just curious I could see their point, but not if you’re trying to cough up a kidney, they should bend over backward for you.

[outlierrn]

@brossa

My mother was a middle school science teacher in the days before universal precautions, and she would have her students type themselves in class. She stopped doing that after a few years because there was always at least one kid who came up and said something along the lines of “I don’t get it, my mom is O and my dad is AB but I’m O. How can that be?”

Remember that song we sing ‘one of these things is not like the other, which one doesn’t fit?’…