medical bracelet, tag or carry a card

[melissaf]

Hi can someone advise me where / how I can get something to carry with me to let people know I am diabetic. Not a big neon sign of anything but I havent been given anything from the hospital or anything or told what is best and where to get it. Happy to carry / wear something just in case but dont know - what the 'norm ' is and what is most obviously identifiable

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

There are lots of companies that offer these at all budgets.

Wowbands are cheap and cheerful rubbery wristbands, medicalert/SOS talisman and others like ICE Gems have smarter/more expensive offerings

I sent off to the states for one recently as I wanted something particularly narrow (45mm x 9mm) to fit onto a surfy wristband I already had, can't remember the name offhand, but could look it up.

 

[trophywench]

I've never had anything, have never felt the need frankly.

 

[cathplum]

I got wristband from http://www.mediband.com as cheap. But also looked at this website http://www.medicaltags.co.uk/ and https://www.medi-tag.co.uk

Hope you find something you like.

I've also seen id-bracelets in Boots and adverts at GP surgery.

 

[Ellie Jones]

I've never been one for carrying or wearing any diabetic ID..

But since having a phone I have got my diabetic status etc headed under ICE, which all emergency service are aware what this means.. And will check your mobile phone.

 

[dmarshall]

I never use to carry anything but ever since my wife came across a T1 having a big hypo in a shop and everyone else just thinking he had a few to many to drink etc ,

I now carry a ID card in my walet with photo Id on and numbers and what to do , I got it from this site , and its very good full of info cost I think was ?5

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

If a wallet card is what you are after, you could ask your DSN, they often have ones they can hand out (from pharma co's etc)

 

[Multicat]

Perhaps I'm a bit belt & braces, but I have a card in my purse which came from joining Diabetes UK. Also because of my broad spectrum (lol posh) of illnesses I am also registered with Medic alert.
I know it cost a bit to get your bracelet, but its peace of mind for my family which is worth its wait in gold to them.

 

[Vicsetter]

You might like to look at : http://www.universalmedicalid.co.uk/
apart from a range of alert goods, if you buy one you get access to an on-line registry where you can put your medical details (free for life).
The whole point of this is to aid medical personnel (e.g paramedics) in emergency, the medical details are obtainable via a phone number/web access.

 

[HOBIE]

I cant belive some people dont carry something ! I carry a Medic Alert tag which has a number on it for medical personel to get all my details up ! Come on T1 s ! I would hate to think i was somewhere & had a bad do & for the sake of carring a small bit of plastic GONE ! 😱 I was in a busy shopping ctr a few yrs ago & 18yr old lad was on the deck having a hypo & the 2 security guys were tring to get some id 2 call someone. Try to HELP THEM !!!!!!! HELP YOU !!!!!! 😎

 

[macabee]

Better to be safe

I for one would strongly advocate the wearing of a medical identity emblem, although newly diagnosed as a T2, I have worn a Medic Alert necklet for some years now as I have an advance directive.

Whilst having ICE details on your mobile is no doubt a good idea, phones [and wallets] can be lost and sometimes stolen, or even left at home. would you have it with you if you were swimming?

A necklet/bracelet is always with you, one made of stainless steel is not likely to be stolen. I was a St John Ambulance member for years and a first aid instructor, the importance of a Medic Alert [or similar] was always known and highlighted. One call from the emergency services to Medic Alert [24/7] would provide details of medical conditions, GP and of course next of kin.

http://www.medicalert.org.uk/ is a charity and recognised internationally, check out their website.

Cheers

 

[grainger]

Quick question..

Quick question, what information should you get engraved onto a necklace or bracelet?

 

[Mark T]

Quick question, what information should you get engraved onto a necklace or bracelet?

I went for name, nhs number, date of birth and the fact i'm diabetic.

I've also got on there an instruction to check my wallet for moth information - although not sure if a paramedic would follow that. The wallet card is intended just to show what medications I'm on and have contact information for my GP and NoK.

 

[Copepod]

Although I don't wear any medical ID jewellery (nor any jewellery at any time, except a watch), I do carry a card in my money wallet & blood glucose test kit & insulin pen pencil case, and have 2 ICE numbers in my mobile memory.

If I were to wear an item of jewellery, I would keep the wording (a) short, so it's cheap to engrave and (b) international - the words "diabetes", "type 1" and "insulin" are all recognisable by most speakers of western European languages. No point putting names of insulins nor doses as these could change, and it's the fact that you need insulin that is vital information for medics, not the exact type. I would have date of birth expressed as date in regular numbers, month in 3 letter abbreviation or Roman numerals and year in regular numbers, so that it could be clearly understood in parts of the world where dates are expressed month / date / year.

 

[macabee]

Medic Alert emblem

If you join Medic Alert once they have your details they will know what to engrave, containing the relevant information held on their files. The disc will be engraved with your main medical condition(s), a personal ID number and the 24 hour emergency telephone number.

"A 24 hour emergency telephone number which accepts reverse charge calls that allows emergency and medical professionals to access their details from anywhere in the world in over 100 languages" [q.v medicalert website]

Consider this, you have a hypo and fall unconscious in a public place, if you are lucky and are wearing an identifying emblem an ambulance is called rapid treatment provided.

However if there nothing to readily identify you as a diabetic, people think you are a drunk and the police are called, or more likely left alone, with the subsequent delay in treatment.

First aiders/responders are trained to look at your wrists and neck for an emblem, on an unconscious/non responsive casualty

I pay ?25 a year for this piece of mind, as far as I am concerned, it is priceless.

 

[Vicsetter]

If you join Medic Alert once they have your details they will know what to engrave, containing the relevant information held on their files. The disc will be engraved with your main medical condition(s), a personal ID number and the 24 hour emergency telephone number.

"A 24 hour emergency telephone number which accepts reverse charge calls that allows emergency and medical professionals to access their details from anywhere in the world in over 100 languages" [q.v medicalert website]

Consider this, you have a hypo and fall unconscious in a public place, if you are lucky and are wearing an identifying emblem an ambulance is called rapid treatment provided.

However if there nothing to readily identify you as a diabetic, people think you are a drunk and the police are called, or more likely left alone, with the subsequent delay in treatment.

First aiders/responders are trained to look at your wrists and neck for an emblem, on an unconscious/non responsive casualty

I pay ?25 a year for this piece of mind, as far as I am concerned, it is priceless.

If you buy a bracelet from : http://www.universalmedicalid.co.uk/ you get the medic alert facility for free for life.

I think more important is that if you have an accident/become unconscious and the paramedics are called, without this medical condition information you will in all likelihood be put on a glucose drip😱. Not good!.

 

[macabee]

If you buy a bracelet from : http://www.universalmedicalid.co.uk/ you get the medic alert facility for free for life.

I think more important is that if you have an accident/become unconscious and the paramedics are called, without this medical condition information you will in all likelihood be put on a glucose drip😱. Not good!.

I agree, it does not matter which identifying emblem is worn, so long as one is worn🙂

 

[trophywench]

A paramedic was telling me the other day that in his area it's automatic, they do ABC (airway, breathing, colour) then try and establish reason for unresponsiveness, which even if everybody said you'd been blind drunk for 3 days and you smelt like a brewery - or you had an obvious head injury and were bleeding - would always include testing your BG. It's a major thing they need to establish whether you are having a heart attack or not.

I spose I've been lucky, only had one hypo where I was totally unresponsive although I was conscious, ie I could hear everything and understand everything, just couldn't move or speak, and I couldn't see, remember thinking as they rang 999, they've got it covered so I'll be OK, I can relax now and this is very peculiar and it's even quite interesting! - never had one where I was unconscious.

 

[Ellie Jones]

I cant belive some people dont carry something ! I carry a Medic Alert tag which has a number on it for medical personel to get all my details up ! Come on T1 s ! I would hate to think i was somewhere & had a bad do & for the sake of carring a small bit of plastic GONE ! 😱 I was in a busy shopping ctr a few yrs ago & 18yr old lad was on the deck having a hypo & the 2 security guys were tring to get some id 2 call someone. Try to HELP THEM !!!!!!! HELP YOU !!!!!! 😎

I never use to carry anything but ever since my wife came across a T1 having a big hypo in a shop and everyone else just thinking he had a few to many to drink etc ,

I now carry a ID card in my walet with photo Id on and numbers and what to do , I got it from this site , and its very good full of info cost I think was ?5

If you join Medic Alert once they have your details they will know what to engrave, containing the relevant information held on their files. The disc will be engraved with your main medical condition(s), a personal ID number and the 24 hour emergency telephone number.

"A 24 hour emergency telephone number which accepts reverse charge calls that allows emergency and medical professionals to access their details from anywhere in the world in over 100 languages" [q.v medicalert website]

Consider this, you have a hypo and fall unconscious in a public place, if you are lucky and are wearing an identifying emblem an ambulance is called rapid treatment provided.

However if there nothing to readily identify you as a diabetic, people think you are a drunk and the police are called, or more likely left alone, with the subsequent delay in treatment.

First aiders/responders are trained to look at your wrists and neck for an emblem, on an unconscious/non responsive casualty

I pay ?25 a year for this piece of mind, as far as I am concerned, it is priceless.

I agree, it does not matter which identifying emblem is worn, so long as one is worn🙂

Interesting comments...

I say interesting as there seems to be an assumption that if you wear an medical ID then everything will be fine and Joe Public will come to your aid and medical treatment with be forth coming much quicker...

The reality of it all, it very rarely makes a difference at all...

Because it's totally requires the need for somebody to STOP and LOOK for the information...

Which doesn't happen very often..

We found this out last year, when Les had a major hypo several people who could of stopped and called out the police/ambulance to help walked on by leaving what they deemed to be a 'drunk' person semi-concious on the floor😱 Lucky for Les he had the dogs with him, who already before he collapsed had started to take action to get help to him...

 

[Phil65]

I cant belive some people dont carry something ! I carry a Medic Alert tag which has a number on it for medical personel to get all my details up ! Come on T1 s ! I would hate to think i was somewhere & had a bad do & for the sake of carring a small bit of plastic GONE ! 😱 I was in a busy shopping ctr a few yrs ago & 18yr old lad was on the deck having a hypo & the 2 security guys were tring to get some id 2 call someone. Try to HELP THEM !!!!!!! HELP YOU !!!!!! 😎

I couldn't agree more......it is crazy and irresponsible not to have something on your possession to alert people or emergency services.