Diabetes id/ wristband help

[JohnC2001]

I developed T1 last year, at age 67. Currently I don't wear anything that would alert someone to my having T1, and assume the presence of a libra indicates it.
Am I being foolhardy?

I didn’t think I would need one but a recent episode where I collapsed due to an unknown but diabetic complication has given me cause to think again.

 

[Lucyr]

I have never worn one and never sure whether a paramedic would check one.

I wear it more for situations where I’m with it enough to know I need help but not with it enough to help myself. I’ve had a couple of bad hypos in the past where I’ve lost the ability to form a sentence or to go and get myself some sugar but was still conscious and able to drink a sugary drink if someone got me one.

I wear a silicone reversible wristband, it says insulin dependent diabetic on one side and just has some dots and the medic alert symbol on the other. If I’m doing something risky like swimming or having a mild hypo and feeling anxious, or a worse hypo, I just flip it over to the diabetic side.

I’ve been able to just show that to someone in the past (a lifeguard) and the combination of me appearing unwell and showing the diabetic side meant they got some sugar brought to me straight away and I was able to drink it and come round properly. It saved me from going lower and falling unconscious and needing a paramedic at all.

 

[JohnC2001]

I wear it more for situations where I’m with it enough to know I need help but not with it enough to help myself. I’ve had a couple of bad hypos in the past where I’ve lost the ability to form a sentence or to go and get myself some sugar but was still conscious and able to drink a sugary drink if someone got me one.

I wear a silicone reversible wristband, it says insulin dependent diabetic on one side and just has some dots and the medic alert symbol on the other. If I’m doing something risky like swimming or having a mild hypo and feeling anxious, or a worse hypo, I just flip it over to the diabetic side.

I’ve been able to just show that to someone in the past (a lifeguard) and the combination of me appearing unwell and showing the diabetic side meant they got some sugar brought to me straight away and I was able to drink it and come round properly. It saved me from going lower and falling unconscious and needing a paramedic at all.

Thanks for this. It does sound like the sensible solution.

My struggle is I don’t like wearing jewellery and don’t want to publicise my health status to everyone I meet. Yet going off alone with the dog on remote woods countryside walks leaves me wondering what someone would do if I did collapse. So unless my health status is clearly visible how would a passer by know what to do?… I don’t think I would have known how to help someone collapsed with diabetes 4 weeks ago.

Maybe I should get a brandy barrel for the dog and fill it with sweets & instructions?

 

[nonethewiser]

I gather most people carry medical id with them at all times. I now recognise I need to wear something and wondered if anyone has advice or suggestions for places to find something.

I’m not someone who wears jewellery so I want to like it if I’m to live with it. I’ve looked on the site shop and don’t fancy a rubber band with a big message on it but want something a little more “grown up” or subtle. I’m wondering if I need to buy a “man-bracelet-bling-thing” and have it engraved?

If anyone has found or has any suggestions for solutions I’d appreciate some wisdom.

With thanks

John

Little tip for added security, on my Samsung phone have a ticker tape message running along bottom of screen which says I have type 1 diabetes & includes my wife's name plus mobile number, it can be seen when activating phone without unlocking it, on samsung think it comes under SOS but not sure on other phones.

 

[eggyg]

Thanks for this. It does sound like the sensible solution.

My struggle is I don’t like wearing jewellery and don’t want to publicise my health status to everyone I meet. Yet going off alone with the dog on remote woods countryside walks leaves me wondering what someone would do if I did collapse. So unless my health status is clearly visible how would a passer by know what to do?… I don’t think I would have known how to help someone collapsed with diabetes 4 weeks ago.

Maybe I should get a brandy barrel for the dog and fill it with sweets & instructions?

My concern is that even with some ID saying you were a insulin dependent diabetic, what’s the chances of someone finding you and knowing what to do? As you said you wouldn’t have known. They might see our diabetes kit and stick insulin into us! If we were unconscious they couldn’t feed us sweeties! I’d get the dog! Or do what @SB2015 did and get a tattoo, but add “DO NOT GIVE ME INSULIN”, in red! Without any ID they’d ring an ambulance anyways surely? We could send ourselves mad thinking of all the “what ifs”. Do what you think is right for you. I’ll stick to being a maverick! 😉

 

[JohnC2001]

My concern is that even with some ID saying you were a insulin dependent diabetic, what’s the chances of someone finding you and knowing what to do? As you said you wouldn’t have known. They might see our diabetes kit and stick insulin into us! If we were unconscious they couldn’t feed us sweeties! I’d get the dog! Or do what @SB2015 did and get a tattoo, but add “DO NOT GIVE ME INSULIN”, in red! Without any ID they’d ring an ambulance anyways surely? We could send ourselves mad thinking of all the “what ifs”. Do what you think is right for you. I’ll stick to being a maverick! 😉

Yes, I could drive myself mad trying to plan for every risk. I'll definitely get something as my 4 weeks' experience of being diabetic has been eventful and risky enough to make me do something... but I'm currently favouring the barrel of sweets around the dogs neck! 🙂

 

[Inka]

Thanks for this. It does sound like the sensible solution.

My struggle is I don’t like wearing jewellery and don’t want to publicise my health status to everyone I meet. Yet going off alone with the dog on remote woods countryside walks leaves me wondering what someone would do if I did collapse. So unless my health status is clearly visible how would a passer by know what to do?… I don’t think I would have known how to help someone collapsed with diabetes 4 weeks ago.

Maybe I should get a brandy barrel for the dog and fill it with sweets & instructions?

No-one notices my MedicAlert bracelet in normal life. It sits on my left wrist just below my watch strap. It’s mainly a chain but the oval part with the engraved bit on hangs below my wrist (because it’s a little heavier than the chain), if that makes sense, so isn’t visible to the casual viewer. The engraving is on the back and is small. There’s no way even the most keen-eyed person could read it unless they were actively trying to.

Having found more than one unconscious person, I’d recommend a bracelet or band. No-one will be aware of it unless you need help and then you’d obviously be wanting them to look.

 

[SimonP]

I wear it more for situations where I’m with it enough to know I need help but not with it enough to help myself. I’ve had a couple of bad hypos in the past where I’ve lost the ability to form a sentence or to go and get myself some sugar but was still conscious and able to drink a sugary drink if someone got me one.

I wear a silicone reversible wristband, it says insulin dependent diabetic on one side and just has some dots and the medic alert symbol on the other. If I’m doing something risky like swimming or having a mild hypo and feeling anxious, or a worse hypo, I just flip it over to the diabetic side.

I do exactly this when out riding, I also always wear a MedicAlert medallion thing, which my parents bought when I was first diagnosed, unless I'm topless somewhere - swimming for example. Now that I have them I would also use the silicone wristband for this too.

Lots of people wear these silicone things these days to show their support some or other charity/event, my chosen charity in this case is self-preservation 😉

 

[SimonP]

My concern is that even with some ID saying you were a insulin dependent diabetic, what’s the chances of someone finding you and knowing what to do? As you said you wouldn’t have known. They might see our diabetes kit and stick insulin into us! If we were unconscious they couldn’t feed us sweeties! I’d get the dog! Or do what @SB2015 did and get a tattoo, but add “DO NOT GIVE ME INSULIN”, in red! Without any ID they’d ring an ambulance anyways surely? We could send ourselves mad thinking of all the “what ifs”. Do what you think is right for you. I’ll stick to being a maverick! 😉

This is a concern, I would hope someone would tell the medicos who would then tell them what to do, but in the absence of that and having thought about it having read this and similar threads, I will start carring a note with my insulin (which I used to do when I was at school) saying in big letters "Do not give insulin under any circumstances, give something containing sugar and phone 999 for an ambulance"

 

[Lucyr]

My struggle is I don’t like wearing jewellery and don’t want to publicise my health status to everyone I meet.

No one I meet can tell I’m diabetic from my wristband, they only see the medic alert symbol unless they flip it over to check the back. I do publicise my health status through wearing a libre anyway though.

 

[Inka]

My concern is that even with some ID saying you were a insulin dependent diabetic, what’s the chances of someone finding you and knowing what to do? As you said you wouldn’t have known. They might see our diabetes kit and stick insulin into us! If we were unconscious they couldn’t feed us sweeties! I’d get the dog! Or do what @SB2015 did and get a tattoo, but add “DO NOT GIVE ME INSULIN”, in red! Without any ID they’d ring an ambulance anyways surely? We could send ourselves mad thinking of all the “what ifs”. Do what you think is right for you. I’ll stick to being a maverick! 😉

Yes, that’s why I don’t like some of the silicone bands that say that. It implies we need insulin. My bracelet has a better wording and also includes other medical info. The MedicAlert symbol on it makes it look official and even the name dissuades a member of the public from interfering with insulin. It also contains the MedicAlert phone number prominently - again, implying something more medical.

When I go swimming or similar by myself I carry a card that says “Type 1 diabetes - if I am ill, fainting or seem confused, please give me 3 of the glucose tablets I’m carrying. If I’m unconscious do NOT attempt to give me glucose. Dial 999 and tell them I have Type 1 diabetes”

 

[nonethewiser]

Think if I went swimming site of Omnipod & Dexcom stuck to skin would give game away.

 

[Lucyr]

Yes, that’s why I don’t like some of the silicone bands that say that. It implies we need insulin. My bracelet has a better wording and also includes other medical info

Problem is I can’t put T2 diabetic, medical people wouldn’t know that I don’t produce very much insulin and am dependent on injected insulin.