I’ve given blood twice before but it just now occurred to me that only about 3% of the population has the same blood type as me. I know that it’s preferable for patients to receive blood of the same type but with AB+ people able to receive any blood, is it worth my time and general craptastic feeling for a day when ABers can use any other blood?
I’m a 5-gallon donor so I may be a little biased. Giving blood is very important. It’s important to have all types on hand.
According to the Red Cross, "Some patients require a closer blood match than that provided by the ABO +/- blood typing. For example, sometimes if the donor and recipient are from the same racial or ethnic background, the chance of a reaction can be reduced. " So even if an AB can recieve blood from all types, sometimes it has to be matched even closer.
Drink more fluids for a couple of days leading up to your donation, and take a mulitvitamin, and see if that helps. It’s good to be a donor.
I’m AB+ and they always ask me to donate plasma instead of whole blood. Not all blood centers have the rquipment, but they take your blood, centrifuge it, and keep the liquids and give you back the blood cells. The only downside is that it takes longer than whole blood donation. Plasma can be kept much longer than whole blood, and can be given to anyone, since the A and B antigens are on the red blood cells.
Yep… do donate blood. Plasma can be taken. You never know when another “freak” with AB blood might need some blood ! 
Give you back the blood cells? In a jar?
‘I’ll give you some blood if you’ll give me…’
‘What?’
‘A thing to do some urine in.’
Hi Gopher -
In a word, “Yes”. I’m a long-time donor and I’m also AB+. I’ve joked with the folks at the blood bank that “Anyone who needs AB+ can use anything anyhow” (it’s the universal recipient) however they have told me that hospitals always prefer to type-match if possible, so keep on giving!