Quick, Cheap Way To Find Out Your Blood Type?

Far as I know, good medical labs still want a scrip from a doctor or nurse practitioner (probably ok). I suppose I could be wrong, haven't worked in labs for a while, but even as a patient, I go in with that piece of paper.

Buy a Eldoncard blood type test for less than $10 on Amazon.

aha, progress in action. I think that's a good thing.

She could join the Army. It will be on her dog tags and it's absolutely free.

More than free, she gets three squares, a place to sleep, plus travel.

Travel. To far away places with interesting cultures.

Yes. That's how the travel bug big my behind while I was stationed in Morocco. I was able to travel to Madrid, Paris, and London during my one year duty in Morocco. That was in the fifties, and the effects of the war were still evident.

That's literally how I found out my blood type (though it wasn't the purpose for enlisting)....

Well, very prompt and solid responses from all, some humorous, some serious. Definitely going to tell her about that Eldoncard test kit, it seems to be just what she's looking for. Also, while visiting Amazon's Eldoncard page, I found the author who says diet should be run by blood type. Here's the link:
http://www.amazon.com/Eat-Right-Your-Type-Individualized/dp/039914255X/ref=pd_sim_121_3?ie=UTF8&dpID=51YYZ9O5GpL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR108%2C160_&refRID=0H7G30YKGY21RXDQP5HT

The idea of joining the Army will indeed save her some money in the short run, ($6.40 to be exact), but might not be useful until she finds out if the Army will allow her to pursue her new vegetarian diet. I'll mention it to her, though. You never know.

By the way, there's more to blood typing than some test kit, or at least I remember it can get complicated, but that'll get her what she is looking for, the basic answer.

Sign up as a blood donor. She `ll find out fast and free and do some good at the same time.

That was my first answer to her, but she told me that she was told she was too tall for her weight to donate blood. She's quite energetic with a nice outgoing and fun manner, but apparently the charts say she she's too light to donate blood.

Awesome, I was just wondering what mine was the other week. Had no idea that you could buy a self-test so cheaply.

That was very nicely expressed. She is too thin it sounds like.
As a rule this is the requirements Be at least 5'5" Weigh at least 150 lbs.

I suppose it depends on the country you live in.

In the U.S. I believe the only weight requirement is that you be 110 pounds.

I can't see how that 5'5" and 150 pounds can be correct. Not that I pay much attention to BMI charts, but that's the borderline between "normal" and "overweight".

Even a 5' 5" 110 pound person is just at the low end of "normal"

Unless the OP's friend is really thin or anorexic or something, that shouldn't be an issue.

Did she actually find out from a blood bank she was too thin, or was this just anecdotal?

If you are female, you must:

Be healthy and feeling well
Be at least 17 years old in most states
Be at least 5'5"
Weigh at least 150 lbs.

Copied from Red Cross USA

Funny.

This is from the American Red Cross also, and the link...In addition, I have donated blood dozens of times while well under 150 pounds, and I'm 5'2"

Doing a quick search on that site for "150" one learns that requirement is for a person being a double red cell donor, which is a form of apherisis, meaning blood is cycled through you for a longer period, the red blood cells are collected, and the plasma and platlettes are returned to the bloodstream of the donor.

You might want to look about a dozen lines above where you are getting your information, to find the weight requirements for donating whole blood, which is by far the most common form of donation, and which is what the OPs friend can do to find her blood type for free, unless she weighs less that 110 pounds. It's all about blood volume.




http://www.redcrossblood.org/donating-blood/eligibility-requirements/eligibility-criteria-topic

Weight/Height

You must weigh at least 110 lbs to be eligible for blood donation for your own safety. Students who donate at high school drives and donors 18 years of age or younger must also meet additional height and weight requirements for whole blood donation (applies to girls shorter than 5'6" and boys shorter than 5').

Blood volume is determined by body weight and height. Individuals with low blood volumes may not tolerate the removal of the required volume of blood given with whole blood donation. There is no upper weight limit as long as your weight is not higher than the weight limit of the donor bed/lounge you are using. You can discuss any upper weight limitations of beds and lounges with your local health historian.

I used to give blood, but my blood is now tainted.

Yeah. It happens.

I felt really good once when I actually got called by the blood and tissue center asking me if I could come over right away to donate.

There was an infant that was going to be operated on. Most adults have been exposed to some kind of virus (forget the name, some weird thing that we ususally don't even know we got, doesn't make us sick or anything), but makes us unable to donate to very new people.

Somehow I didn't have it at that time. For all I know I've gotten it since then, but it was nice to think they could use my blood in case there was a problem on that occassion.

Donating blood is good for you too. Cleans out the system, makes your blood flow less viscous, and of course they have to check you for HIV and other stuff.