Hello everyone,
Thank you all for being there with your knowledge b
Should I have a card or something to alert about being on prednisone?
I was put on 40 mg 5 weeks ago by rheumatologist for PMR/GCA. just by symptoms and high sed rate/CPR, no biopsy. He or the pharmacist didn’t mention a card.
As you say prednisone I assume you are in the USA or Canada. I live in Canada and after reading about the steroid card in the UK I asked my pharmacist and they have no such thing. I bought a bracelet from Universal Medical ID. For a single payment (no recurring monthly charges as with another well known company) you get a bracelet or pendant of your choice plus lifetime health record available to first responders via a PIN on the bracelet, which you can keep updated with all your health issues, including pred dose, etc.
No idea if the USA has such a thing - it is hard enough to find one in the UK these days and no-one has ever mentioned one to me here in Italy! Like Heron I'm assuming since you say prednisone!
I carry a small piece of paper listing my medical conditions and medications in my handbag in a small zipped bag with my daily dosette box and cell phone. The bracelet Heron mentions is better probably in that most emergency responders are trained to look for such an item - especially as a bracelet when taking a pulse. Pendants are less obvious. And most smart phones can be used with an app which doesn't require the phone to be unlocked and I know my paramedic daughter does have a look - but that does take time and you may be separated from it in an accident.
For myself both pharmacist/chemist & hospital have supplied a small blue card to be carried at all times. Easy to ask for & enclose in plastic pouch. Along with a couple of other rescue cards!! Brum. UK. That is.
Crikey. You are lucky. I have mentioned it to pharmacy, hospital and doctor and got a blank look. Also uk. I printed a sheet off thevfirum that some kind person put up a while back.
I went to 3 separate pharmacies here in the States and all 3 said they no longer carried them (the card). I ordered a med alert bracelet from an online company and they happened to have a card that could be ordered. Before I received it, I put the information on a recipe card, cut it to the size of my driver's license and put them together in my billfold.
allenlawrence.com/info/Emer...
I found this online to make a card. It says "This information is not retained nor used for any purpose other than generating and printing your medical information card."
Thank you everyone for your ideas and help. Glad you are here!
I got a blue card when I joined PMRGCAuk (£15) a year, pmrgca.co.uk and the pharmacist said the GP should have given me one, because of the risk of being taken off the steroids, in event of accident I suppose, and because of fairly disastrous effects of coming off steroids completely and suddenly. I am in the UK.
In UK my doctor gave me a blue card, but I believe you can get them at your pharmacy, too. I bought a MedicAlert bracelet.
All my details are listed on my iPhone and under ICE (in case of emergency).
Thats a good idea re ICE and bracelet
Dear Mstiles
My wife Janet had an autoimmune illness so thankfully I knew about the requirement. I was very ill to start with and needed to be able to tell every clinician that I was on steroids. Originally I could get them from my local Tesco store but suddenly they stopped doing them. I registered with PMRGCAuk and ordered one from their North branch. A smashing orange red and white card lives in my hip wallet. Recently I was able to get three blue ones from the Boots in Woodbridge, Suffolk and I scanned them into my computer so I could make more in future. I've got a Universal Medical ID bracelet that lives permanently on my left wrist behind my wrist watch.
I've got a homemade printed blue sheet inside both covers of my diary listing Doctors and Consultants and where to contact them, and my solicitor (I have no next of kin).
The Pharmacist attached to my surgery said that now the N.H.S. has the patient database there is no need for patients to have blue cards. I feel much better knowing I control my medication records 14 at the last count and 10 conditions.
I've been in six N.H.S. clinics in past six months and every one of them got something wrong on their reports. The Liver clinic listed a drug I came off in 2011
All the receptionists in my last surgery looked blank when I asked as they'd never heard of
G C A
Best wishes
Colin
For completeness here - someone has mentioned the NE card:
pmr-gca-northeast.org.uk/in...
It was done because it had become next to impossible to access the blue steroid card and for patients with a constantly changing dose it was too small anyway. And it helps the charity which is separate from the national in terms of funding and does a great deal of work including supporting research into PMR/GCA.
I have a medical alert tag I wear as a necklace. I had it engraved to say Prednisone, details in wallet. Then I put a bright orange card in my wallet saying I had polymyalgia rheumatica and with my current dose on it and the date I started that dose.
Prednisone 
Prednisone Believer
Prednisone reduction 
Scam alert..................
Prednisone and metabolism
