Medical alert cards?

[Janna501]

I have been on Rivaroxaban ( Xarelto ) since being diagnosed with Paroxysmal AF , and without any side effects. It’s convenient, and I just set an alarm on my phone to remember to take it . My one concern has always been that there’s no antidote. I know many of you have found no big problem when having minor injuries, but in the bigger picture, perhaps , heaven forbid, a car accident, isn’t there the possibility of bleeding out ? and with this in mind , do you carry a medical alert card, or wear a bracelet , or am I over thinking as usual ? 😩

[SnoopyJ]

Getting a Medic Alert bracelet is a definite in my opinion and was one of the first things I did once prescribed Xarelto. You're not over thinking at all...this could be a life saver!!

[Janna501 in reply to SnoopyJ]

Thank you, I’ll get one , makes sense ..

[jonjub]

There is included with the packaging, along with the usual information leaflet, with Xarelto the medicine a ‘patient alert Card’. Also if you have an iphone (not sure about other brands, there is a facility to record your medical conditions and medications that paramedics know to look for and this can be accessed without a password in an emergency.

[Janna501 in reply to jonjub]

I shall look for that on my iPhone, thanks

[jonjub in reply to Janna501]

It is the Health App (has a red heart shaped symbol) and under the section ‘Medical ID.

[Finvola]

I wear an SOS Talisman locket bracelet which has room for as much detail as is necessary and it has the advantage that emergency responders are trained to check for such a medic alert.

[Janna501 in reply to Finvola]

Thanks Finvola, always so helpful..did you get that online?

[Finvola in reply to Janna501]

Yes, Janna, from the ID band company -

theidbandco.com/

[BobD Volunteer]

Whilst medic alert bands or cards are a must the fear of such bleeds is much worse than the reality. The sort of injury which would cause serious problems would even without anticoagulation. There are ways to deal with such injuries unless you happen to be up a Tibetan mountain pass alone.

[doodle68]

I wear a medical alert bracelet at all times to say I take the NOAC Apixaban .

My main concern is that should I have an accident I might be given a drug which is not compatible with the medication I am taking.

[Janna501 in reply to doodle68]

Good point , thank you

[Hidden]

I take Pradaxa. Wear a medic alert bracelet, carry a patient alert card in my purse and even have a French copy for travelling

[Janna501 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you Hylda, sorry to go into detail, but I want to do the same, including in French. Did you get a company to print them, or are they hand written?

[Hidden]

I had to top up my Pradaxa one year when in France so it came with a French card in it. Pradaxa has the English card in the box.

[Jollies]

Just out of interest, as the engraving is limited to so many characters, what did people choose to have written?

[glosfrog in reply to Jollies]

Hi Jollies. I use a bracelet and when I rang to order it they were very helpful about wording. Mine says anticoagulant on one side and the drug name on the other. Hope that helps. GlosFrog

[Clarrie in reply to Jollies]

I have written on my bracelet atrial fibrillation on Apixaban. There is also room for the other infomation I need to have on it.

[cassie46]

I wear a simple red wrist band with Medical Alert! Anticoagulants + Taking Anticoagulants printed in white on it. I think it is from the ID band co and very cheap. I also carry a list of all my medications with me.

[Drounding]

The AFA have alert cards. Just drop them an email and ask for for one.

[KazDD]

Whilst I don't wear any alert jewellery I do carry the patient alert card that comes with every packet of Xarelto in my purse and with my phone in my contacts list next to ICE I have added the words 'I take Xarelto 20 mg'

[CDreamer]

If you have an iPhone then there is an emergency section which most paramedics should be aware of and can access without needing to have passwords to open the phone. If you go to the Health section There you will find a section to fill in with plenty of room to fill in All your details, NHS number, Doctors’ details, conditions and meds. ‘

Twas a lifeline for me when I couldn’t talk to the paramedics and had difficulty breathing couldn’t explain why and knew I needed prompt treatment.

I forget to wear bracelets, don’t always carry the card as change purses too often but always carry my phone.

Other suggestion is to keep an alert card on the dashboard if worried about ETA.

[MillaZ]

I take Xarelto and in every packet there is a medical card that you can fill in adding also what other medications you are on (in my case, 3 more) and other useful info. I have one of these cards in my handbag, one in the car, one in the plastic cover of my phone, and one in my mountain backpack -you never know!

I also wear a simple silicon bracelet with the medical alert sign and Xarelto written on it.

[Meeko]

I have a multitude of the cards that come with rivaroxaban on my person, in my bag,coat,car,etc. On the lock screen of my phone I put text anticoagulant. In my bag I have copies the hospital sent me of afib, allergies and eye diagnosis. My pupils don't respond to light so important to point out I'm not brain dead or on party drugs!

[Bagrat in reply to Meeko]

I too have "I am on anticoagulants" on my phone lock screen but when I remember how I did it am going to be more specific as a vein full of vitamin K won't help with Apixaban!

[24yearsandcounting in reply to Meeko]

hi, is that both eyes? How awful: my man has this in one eye and that's bad enough. (Holmes-adies pupil syndrome) He doesn't carry any notification. I have anticoagulant alert card, but never thought about putting one on the car dashboard.

[Meeko in reply to 24yearsandcounting]

Yes the second eye went sluggish a few years after the first. My alert card is in the glove box.

[momist]

I wear a silicon medic alert band with 'APIXABAN' and 'MEDICATED WITH ANTICOAGULANT' printed on it. For dress events, I also have a stainless steel ID bracelet with the same message. I also carry the card that come in every packet of Eliquis, and have them in my wallet, every jacket or coat, bag and other place I can think of, like in the car.

I also have a woven plastic, looks like leather, 19cm wristband that has Apixaban printed on the clasp with the MedicAlert symbol. This is just a little too small for me, so I don't use it. Does anyone want it?

[Loquitir]

I have a medipal card and key phob. I also have meidical alert set on my iPhone so anyone can look at in an emergency.

[seasider18]

I met two sisters at a pre operation screening who said they had 'Always resuscitate' tattooed on their chests. Does anyone have that or DNR on their alert bracelets ?

I carry two cards in my wallet, one that I have a pacemaker and one to contact the London Anatomy Office as I have donated my body to medical research,

[Hidden in reply to seasider18]

I asked the nurse last time I had a routine ECG (every patient gets one every time they visit) if she often saw DNR tattoos and she said she had never seen one.

I have an out of date alert bracelet which has all sorts of info on it - my NHS number, my blood group, my hospital numbers with my local hospital and with my EP's hospital, my husband's mobile phone number...

I have done a deal with the University of Liverpool and must remember this should be recorded.

[seasider18 in reply to Hidden]

The office that deals with London and the South East has a recorded message saying that they are not accepting bodies at the present time as they have more than enough. Must be the cost of funerals that is causing it

[Hidden in reply to seasider18]

Very true! I have to say I don't regularly check up about the state of play.

[seasider18 in reply to Hidden]

My wife cousin evidently has an interesting little problem with a wrist and they invite him to a medical school in Cambridge every year for students to see it. This year they asked if he could come for two days. We've never noticed any problem so will need a closer look next time we see him.

[Hidden in reply to seasider18]

I hope he has signed up for donation then!

[mnnw7]

Hi. It's good to think ahead but don't get anxious over it. It wouldn't be an uncommon situation. I had the same concern four years ago when I was put on Rivaroxaban. You should have been given a health/patient alert card at the time, on which you can write down the medication for exactly that reason. I kept it in my wallet until I was taken off the medication.

I was even concerned about having my dental check-up but told my dentist what I was on, which up to my ablation included Bisoporol. I remained on Rivaroxaban for six months afterwards, to ensure that everything had healed and was smooth, which is why it's necessary to have blood running thinner for a period of time after the procedure.

Easy to say but please don't worry. One can only take so many precautions.

[Janna501 in reply to mnnw7]

It’s reassuring to know that so many of you have dealt with this , thank you

[Barb1]

Also should have blood type on there

[haverhill88]

Very good point janna.

I am wondering where the medical alert would be placed where it could be seen...guess the best place would be as a wrist bracelet and hope the medical attendant spots it and is aware of xarelto's serious side effect....and knows how to deal with it.

[bfastgirl]

You can buy a cover for your car seat belt from HELPBelts. They can be ordered for any medical condition. Useful if you are involved in a RTA.

[pettrainer]

I wear a bracelet I got from IDONME.COM. I have a Droid phone and use the ICE app.

[wilsond]

I use the SOStalisman bracelet which was my dads,yiu can unscrew it and change details inside and also get replacement paper to go inside.You can get them as pendants too.

[seasider18 in reply to wilsond]

Lions International, lions.org.com have a scheme where they supply you with a container (MD 105) to put in your fridge with a form you fill your medical details, contacts etc. on. You put a sticker on your fridge to alert medics of its existence.

[Meeie]

I think that is food for thought. I need to make that a priority. Thanks

[jwsonoma]

I have a INR home tester (Amazon $500) and test my INR every couple of days. I buy the test strips on E-bay for about $4 each. I am a plant based eater and I find my INR fluctuates because I don't calculate the vitamin K in my food. One day potatoes and spinach one day heavy broccoli.

A 1 lb bag of chopped spinach will drop my INR by 1 over a day if I my INR is high.

I aim for 2.5 and let it drop down to 2 if I am doing higher risk sports. I think I am done with snow boarding because you can wack your head so easily.

I am reluctant to take the other anticoagulants for the same reason although it would e hugely convenient.

[Mugster]

I bought these bracelets off Amazon 2x APIXABAN medicated Wristband MEDICAL AWARENESS

[Hilaryjm]

Janna501 I also take rivaroxaban, plus Levothyroxine and beta blocker. I found a useful site which sells bangles made of silicone on which you can have your meds and condition printed (your choice), quite cheaply. I wear it all the time and gives me peace of mind,and I hope would be useful in the event of a road accident.

[brit1 in reply to Hilaryjm]

interesting, I also take Levothyroxin and Metoprolol (along with Eliquis) have you had any issues with your thyroid and afib? Can you pm me?

[Jeanie-p]

I keep the pink card in the Riveraxoban pack in my purse, but I take your point. You can get a medic alert tag with all your medication printed on it. My husband has done that as he has heart failure, he keeps the metal tag on his key ring. As for an antidote, at a recent Arrythmia Alliance meeting one of the doctors said that they are working on an antidote, so there should be one in the future. I did have a large bleed after having implants, although I did stop the Riveroxoban 48 hours beforehand. Apparently it stays in your system longer than warfarin does. Hope this helps! Jeanie-p.

[Janna501 in reply to Jeanie-p]

Many thanks, yes it does help Jeanie. The dental situation is very confusing, as some say that their dentists tell them not to stop the rivaroxaban . I shall definitely go for some sort of bracelet and carry the card ..

[dizzielizzie1 in reply to Jeanie-p]

Hi jeanie-P---- I had a dental implant 4 weeks ago. I didn't stop taking Apixaban--the dentist said NOT to stop it, as I wouldn't be taking it if I didn't need it!! I had no bleeding afterwards, only a bit of bloody saliva off and on for about half an hour. I think the stitches helped to minimise the bleeding. Modern thinking is that patients do not need to stop their anti-coagulants before dental treatment. Hope you are doing well with the implant. I couldn't believe how easy the procedure was.

[Kateydog]

Yes, I wear a simple thin wrist band 24/7. It bears the alert symbol, and the word "Rivaroxaban" I was very aware of it at first but never ever notice it now. I never take it off.

[Clarrie]

I already had a Medic Alert bracelet for another issue and immediately had it updated.

[Lal531]

I always carry an alert card and also have an SOS medic app on my phone.