My husband has suggested that I wear a medic alert pendant or bracelet for lupus.
I always carry my last repeat prescription in my handbag and my NHS number, I didn't think it necessary.
I suspect that I would take it off for a special occasion and forget to put it back on again.
What do you think?
It sounds like a good idea but if you'd forget to wear it then perhaps there's not much point.
Maybe a locket or something that you could leave on might be a compromise or failing that, perhaps you could wear the bracelet and then put it in your bag when you take it off along with the repeat prescription?
The biggest advantage of the bracelet is that paramedics are used to looking for one when checking a pulse. They can contact a number with your full medical history immediately available. Your repeat prescription doesn't tell them WHY you take x, y and z - and sometimes time may be of the essence. In an accident you may also be separated from your handbag. Even having an ICE (In Case of Emergency) number in your phone - which emergency services do also check for if they can - isn't as reliable for the same reason.
There are some extremely attractive versions available - there are several sites, not just MedicAlert.
Yes, I also have ice on my phone, but you are right, it would be the quickest way for someone to get your medical history.
I think I'm getting one anyway, husband had a rather determined look on his face,
I guess I'd better choose a nice one, before I end up with one that I don't like the look of.
I had a look on their website today, there some nice silver bracelets.
That's a great point PMRpro. I never thought about becoming separated from your handbag. Hope you manage to find one you like creaky.
That is a good idea, I usually have my handbag or at least my purse with me which has the blue steroid card. I hadn't given much thought to all the other meds and allergies too of course. I think I need to drop a heavy hint for Christmas!
Yes, I have a system atm, which is that when each time i am feeling especially unwell, I write a note with all my details on it and put it in my breast pocket. I am imagining the ambulance crew breaking down the door and finding me comatose, you see!
This is probably not the optimum - or the most optimistic - approach!!!!!
My daughter is a paramedic - must ask her how determined they are to look for info. But I do know they usually have other things on their mind when they have to attend a collapse!
At home I suppose a good way to go might be a plastic envelope hung in a VERY obvious place - on your notice board in the kitchen or fixed to the fridge door. Not that I'm suggesting anything - but if anyone has a situation where a DNR (the "do not resuscitate" end-of-life declaration) would be applicable (family perhaps, not us yet!) then having the documentation in a prominent place is a very helpful action. Unless they have it to see, paramedics MUST do all they can - and believe me, CPR is not nice when it comes to the put-to, neither for the patient or the medics when it is a frail person.
What a cheerful discussion - I hope no-one is upset but when you have been part of the NHS as long as I have you do feel different about it to most people!
My local Red Cross (I think) have a system through the local doctors and chemist. They give you a plastic tube tub - like a big pill tub - which has an information booklet inside. You pop it in your fridge with all the info inside (last place to go up in a fire apparently) & stick a green sticker with a big white cross on it on your outside door - i.e. Last exit point - and the local emergency services know that tells them the tube is in the fridge with relevant info. My meds are changing so often it's less practical than a medic alert bracelet for me though.
What a good idea!
All free of charge too - they have them on a shelf in the local chemist for people to just pick up. I might add in the number from my medic alert bracelet on it thinking about it as then they'd have all my info immediately if it was ever needed
Just did a google and it's not the Red Cross it's the Lions ... all the info about it is here lions105ea.com/specialist_o... if anyone else is interested
Why don't you do a new thread - so lots of people will see it? It's a really useful thing for anyone with a complex medical history.
Thank you!
How clever!
I recently purchased one as I often react to different meds and as much as I don't expect to ever need to use it I decided I'd rather be safe than sorry - you never know what might happen in life, including unrelated to lupus such as an accident etc., so it has all my contact info etc. I was also thinking that if I couldn't tell anyone what my history was my body may well react differently to treatment without anyone knowing why. Plus it stopped my mum constantly worrying about it! I struggled to find one that didn't contain nickel so ended up with a Velcro sports one - not something I'd wear otherwise but I can live with it. The potential benefits far outweigh any downsides and I put all the info in my Ohio etc without a second thought so decided why wouldn't it be better to put the same info somewhere easier to find.
I have a medic alert bracelet. It is a subscription alert where the bracelet has basic details - eg DVT on Xarelto plus a telephone number (with international prefix) that is manned 24/7 plus a membership number. When the paramedics call that number and my membership number they are given my full medical history that is relevant to lupus/APS. I bought a really pretty bracelet from the US.
My iPhone requires a pin code so that is useless.
The iPhone has an emergency info button that most people don't know about - if you fill in the medical info in the app that comes pre loaded - I think it's called health - this is accessible without needing your pin code. When someone tries to access your phone they get taken to the pin screen and in the bottom left is a bit marked emergency. If you select that it takes you to the emergency call keypad and in the bottom left is *medical ID - click on that and it goes to all the info that you have saved in the health section. Why apple don't advertise this to tell people it's there I have no idea
Ooooo! Good to know! I have an iPhone. I'll have to check out the app! Thanks for the heads up!
Found an article that shows how to do it as you have to make sure certain settings etc are turned on intego.com/mac-security-blo...
Useful for everyone not just people with medical problems as it gives contact details too
A big heavy engraved ring tag? i have the habit of keeping my keys on a long pink ribbon in my pocket, not bag (easier for me to dig out and use when needed) My heavy unmistakeable tag says "No Blood", but that's for reasons unrelated to lupus.
I wear a fabric one during the day, suits me as a fitness instructor, but I also have a metal one which I wear going out in the evening if I want to feel more dressy.
I started wearing one because I have a very low platelet count and might bleed out. Now I feel uncomfortable if I go out without one. If you start wearing it all the time you really do feel odd if you don't put it on.
My background photo on my phone is also my medic alert tag.
And I've been with medic alert so many years I have a card in every hand bag, sports bag, phone case etc. Some are out of date, but they should still trigger a medical person to investigate further
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