Just looked at my steroid blue card which I carry in my wallet and realised I haven’t updated since April. Due to a flare there was only a 1mg difference but it did make me think as to whether I was the only one to overlook this issue.
I realise the card is of limited use but could be important under certain circumstances particularly for the more intrepid travellers in our group
I have a card in my purse/wallet but it has rarely been updated - I can't obtain a new one as they don't have them here. I do have a small sheet listing the drugs I am on and doses. But to be honest - I doubt the exact dose to within a mg or 3 makes any difference.
I agree that a small discrepancy would make little difference but having started on a high dose for GCA and then managing a number of flares I’m ashamed to say my latest oversight wasn’t my first or worst.
It is surprising that we still have to rely on a piece of card-I’ve been looking for a phone app that could list drugs and remind when to take but haven’t been successful
You can get various forms of medic alert jewellery, some of which have a call centre which healthcare professionals are able to access using the phone number listed and which the patient can keep up to date with changes in their medical condition. The bracelets are probably best - paramedics would find them quickly - but there are also pendants. Some have a plate with basic drug info engraved on it, more details may sometimes be available from a call centre.
You can also have a screensaver on a smartphone with such info - which paramedics etc can access without having to unlock the phone. But they aren't ideal - in an accident you are quite likely to have been separated from your phone.
I’ve just responded to a survey from Patient. Uk asking about feedback re having an App which does record all medication etc, so it is being thought about. Trouble is a. Getting one that covers all aspects, and b. The end user (that’s you and me) has to keep it up to date!
During GCA I wore a medical bracelet stating that current details of drugs were held in my purse! And most months, I did remember to update blue card!
As you say, probably more important to keep it updated with GCA as doses do fluctuate a lot more than with PMR!
I have a MedicalID bracelet and included is free lifetime access to a website where I can keep a record of all my medical issues, accessible to first responders through a PIN on the bracelet.
Look up universal medical id
I also have the bracelet. Particularly nice for the gym or pool when everything else is locked in a locker. Mine has the network listed for accessing all my meds etc.. Recently went to the ER (hernia) & was pleasantly surprised as they put on the routine bracelet & also a 2nd bracelet (dayglow red) with alert about Prednisone on it.
Thanks for the replies and links . I think I will order a wristband although it may be some time before it is seen in a gym locker 😃😃
I enquired at a Boots Pharmacy and they either hadn’t heard of the blue card or said they were outdated and didn’t have them.
I don't believe much that Boots tells me - they have their own agenda! Experienced another instance a couple of weeks ago.
It is possible to download cards from the internet and the NE PMRGCA charity has also had one designed specifically for PMR/GCA patients nd it can be bought from their website:
pmr-gca-northeast.org.uk/in...
I thought I heard something about Boots having been bought by another company recently, but all I could find was the sale to a Swiss equity firm in 2007.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allia...
To form Alliance Boots. Then Walgreens got in on the act in 2012-2014.
My local Boots always has A supply of blue cards !
What I mean - you would imagine that a chain would have better standards of continuity...
You would hope so wouldn't you but I think it's A thing of the past !
With Boots it seems to be! Though they had some pretty pathetic standards even 10 years ago, long before they were bought out by a US company... I was standing at the pharmacy counter when the lady next to me asked for lactulose to use as a laxative. The pharmacist replied almost in a shout telling her if she was constipated she need to drink more and get moving! The whole shop could have heard - she was mortified. And had a medical condition ...
I got mine from a branch of Lloyd’s but they had to search “out back” for them. Failing that if you search this site for ‘blue card’ there are a couple of posts describing alternative versions available online. I hope this isof some help
I had one from PMRGCAUK in my confirmation renewal letter this time around. It may have been because I paid twice due to the levelling of Membership Fee, it’s currently sitting in my jewellery box!
Mrs N
I received one from PMRGCAuk when I joined 2 years ago and another at renewal, so I'm expecting I might get one soon, when I renew this year. Mine's in my handbag next to my credit card wallet.
Medical alert card
NHS prepayment card
Steroid card
steroid emergency card
Steroid Treatment Card
