Makes you wonder!!

[Primarose]

When I was discharged from hospital back in Jan 2017 I was given my goody bag of meds and a blue steroid card. I was told by the discharge nurse to keep the blue card with me at all times and to show it to any medics I had not seen before.

The first time I presented the card was to a nurse at the eye hospital. She took the card, looked at it and began to write in her notes that I was allergic to Prednisolone. I had a hard job trying to explain to her what the card was for.

I thought, what is the point of this card if the medics don't know what it's for. Not only that; I could leave home without the card.

So I ordered a silicon bracelet which states that I am steroid dependent, it's much easier and enjoyable shoving the bracelet in a nurses face than the blue card My doctor thought it was a brilliant idea, he had never seen one before.

I look forward to the time when I can take the bracelet off!!

OT While in the hospital ward, (there were only the two of us left) the young lady who had been in the bed next to mine told me excitedly that we were to go to the "Departure" Lounge ASAP. I asked her if were going to Spain perhaps, she looked at me with a blank expression on her face!!!

Oh well, you can't win em all!

No, we didn't have to show our boarding passes!

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Love it!!!!

[gragriff]

The point of your card is to warn people say if you collapse and are taken into hospital that you are on steroids as if they are stopped suddenly it can cause problems.

[Grants148]

Hi Primrose, l have never been given a blue card,l have been on steroids for two years so l do not know why l was not given one.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Grants148]

All too often because the GP knows nothing about it. And a growing number of pharmacies as well - because they don't bother stocking them.

[HeronNS in reply to PMRpro]

Didn't someone post a link to where you can print your own a few months ago?

[HeronNS in reply to HeronNS]

Yes, healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to HeronNS]

There is a variety of ideas here:

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

including the print your own option which is here:

imperialendo.co.uk/Steroid%...

[HeronNS in reply to Grants148]

In Canada apparently such a thing does not exist. No one said anything to me but on my own I decided to order a bracelet, and got a rather nice silver one which I like wearing, not really one for bling, but I loop it through my watch strap and no one knows. It has the word prednisone on it, and a PIN which a first responder can use to access my pertinent medical information, and incidentally next of kin contact info. This is a lifetime free addition to the bracelet. Universal Medical ID.

[Mrs-CJ in reply to HeronNS]

I took HeronNS’s advice and ordered from the same place. Mine is a necklace and I never leave the house without wearing it. You can log into your account and put in whatever medical info you want to first responders to see. They can view your info by the website info on your medical ID, but they can’t edit your info. Good peace of mind!

[Primarose in reply to Grants148]

My pharmacist always asks if I need one, you are supposed to have a new one every time you change your dose so they tell me.

[Hidden in reply to Primarose]

The last time l asked for one, following their puzzled expressions, someone ‘found’ some, faded around the edges & somewhat dusty!........

[Mrs-CJ in reply to Primarose]

That is the beauty of HeronNS’s medical ID company. I can log into my account and update the dose I am taking. Quick, easy, and accurate note of my current prednisone dose 😊

[HeronNS in reply to Mrs-CJ]

Haha, I wish it was my company!

[Suet3942 in reply to Grants148]

I asked my gp for one 3 years ago and she told me to ask my pharmacist. He told me to ask my gp so I gave up!

[Telian in reply to Grants148]

Rheumatology gave me mine on the day of diagnosis.

[Longtimer]

You couldn't make it up!

[Grants148]

They never mention it at any pharmacist here,not to me anyway.l will ask them about it next time l collect my prescription,or try and get a bracelet.l am only on 3mgs of prednisolone now but l would still notice if l suddenly stopped taking it.kindest regards,Patricia.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Grants148]

The recommendation is to carry the card/braclet for a year after being able to stop pred entirely.

[Hidden]

Oh, some people have no sense of humour! That’s what keeps most of us going!.......

[Hidden]

My pharmacist is really on the ball, he asks practically every time if I have a card and yesterday I got a bag of pred goodies with all sorts of different sized tabs ready for my reduction schedule and was quizzed closely so he was sure I knew exactly what I was doing. He is my go to bloke if I'm unsure about anything, my GP is lovely but lacks experience to my mind, my Rhuemy is great too.

[Gaijin]

Well, my OH asked me what I was wearing around my wrist, when I showed him the little plaque that says I'm on prednisone, he laughed, said no one here ( Spain) would take any notice of it, no matter what the circumstances. Im still wearing the bracelet though, just in case OH is wrong or confused 😕.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Gaijin]

I sincerely hope he is one or the other! I trust any paramedic called to an unconscious person in the street would have a good look for something like that to see if there is an existing reason for the collapse! That is why I say a bracelet is preferable to a pendant - they will find it when taking a pulse.

Alternatively - it is a very good reason not to be taken ill in Spain!

[Gaijin in reply to PMRpro]

"Alternatively - it is a very good reason not to be taken ill in Spain!

You are absolutely right.. But since I don't have a choice, I'll just keep my fingers crossed that in the event that I am found unconscious, the person checking my pulse recognizes the medical alert with a red cross ➕ on it!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Gaijin]

In the UK they will also have a look at a mobile phone for an ICE (In Case of Emergency) number - or accessible apps for such info. There is, after all, an app for most things! No use to me with my Nokia 3310.

[Gaijin in reply to PMRpro]

Most people my age here don't even know what an app is, I'm afraid, so they'd never check for it on an older person, even if that were a protocol, which I highly doubt. I know most of you will think I'm exaggerating or something, but it's true, they are way behind in many areas in the "PIGS" countries.

My son was recently on business in Athens. He was running on the beach when a pack of three vicious dogs attacked him. He was lucky enough to get away with only one bite wound on his leg and bruises. He went to the hospital where they gave him a tetanus shot but not a rabies one, they said there was no rabies in the EU, at least in dogs. My son then asked why the dogs attacked him, they said it was because he was running!! He then went to report the incident to the police who said it cost 150€ to file a report and it would be useless as there were one million stray cats and dogs in Athens that were abandoned by their owners during the debt crisis there, and Athenians were very protective of these animals. I don't know about the UK but I'm pretty sure that in the US, any dog that bites a human is quarantined. There may be no rabies in dogs but a bat or a rat could bite the dog, specially if they are roaming the streets and parks etc.... So that was just one more cultural shock that I suffer almost daily here in PIGS zone..

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Gaijin]

Hmm - well they may think there is no rabies in the EU - but they are wrong. There is rabies here and if a dog was in contact with a rabid wild animal they could be infected if they hadn't had their shots. The only country in the EU with no rabies at all is the UK and, I assume, Ireland.

Funny though - I see loads of ladies much older than me with their smart phones here. But Italy was al set up with mobile phones when they first came out. Early 90s the best mobile service was up the mountains on the ski pistes!

[Gaijin in reply to PMRpro]

Oh they have the latest model smartphones here too, but they only use them to make calls, what'sapp and maybe the camera..

There have been many attacks by dogs in Athens, mostly tourists. They are all given the same treatment and told the same about rabies..I read about one such British victim who flew back to the UK immediately without going to the hospital first. I imagine he got a rabies shot. The problem is that they don't even try to find the dogs that are reported to have attacked people. It's the craziest thing.. And they know where to find them..

[Louisepenygraig in reply to PMRpro]

I have all my details in the emergency section of my phone so it's reassuring to hear that they will look at it. I'm on holiday in Italy right now, do you know if they do the same?

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Louisepenygraig]

I honestly don't know. I imagine the police would if someone was found unconscious because I'm pretty sure they would be called in such a situation.