steroid emergency card

[Koalajane]

Hi, I just wondered how many of us have these cards. I still only have the blue card and have never been offered the new one.

Just wondering.

Thanks

[MrsNails]

I asked in my Pharmacy & low n behold yes they do - but only because l told them about them.

[Koalajane in reply to MrsNails]

I think they give out so few of the blue cards that they still have a big stock of them and so haven’t ordered any of the new ones at my pharmacy or at the one inside Sainsburys

[MrsNails in reply to Koalajane]

You can print them out - l’ll find the link for you

pmrgca.org.uk/steroid-emerg...

Steroid Emergency Card

[Koalajane in reply to MrsNails]

thanks, just worried it will print out far too big to go in my purse!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Koalajane]

No, credit card size I think but you can always make it smaller

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to MrsNails]

.. The charity are still sending out old blue ones when you renew membership annually, perhaps we should ask Fran_Benson about distributing the new one, even they do have downloadable version...

[MrsNails in reply to DorsetLady]

Perhaps Fran_Benson can order some - there’s info in my link

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to MrsNails]

😆

[Koalajane in reply to DorsetLady]

great minds think alike 👍

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I have a blue one from 14 years ago. It is in English so not much use here and I have never heard it mentioned - although DL did find a link to a European one.

[Hidden]

I got one, but only because I asked for it at the pharmacists. Filled it out, put it in my wallet and promptly forgot about it till I read your post just now. It's been sitting in there since last December, forgotten and unloved, so I guess I should update the info on it in case I get run over by a bus or something....

[Koalajane in reply to Hidden]

I can get the blue ones without a problem but my pharmacy hasn’t received the new ones it seems. I may ask my diabetic nurse when I see her in 3 weeks time

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Koalajane]

Maybe a bit soon to expect it - they've only been out for 2 years haven't they!

[Koalajane in reply to PMRpro]

very true!

[Hidden in reply to Koalajane]

Ah, I only have the blue one. I didn't know there was a red one. I'm guessing the red one is aimed at those with other significant conditions...🤔

[Highlandtiger in reply to Hidden]

No it’s not. PMRpro 's link gives the criteria. I have no other significant conditions. I just have a very good pharmacist.

[Hidden in reply to Highlandtiger]

Are they gradually phasing the blue one out then? Seems a bit pointless having two different cards with different wording and implied different meanings if there's essentially no difference between them.

[Highlandtiger in reply to Hidden]

I honestly don’t know if one’s being phased out or not.

I use both cards but keep them in different places. I'm proceeding on the basis that the higher the chance a paramedic or whoever finds one if I’m involved in an accident and unable to communicate the better. I think both/either would signify to the emergency services the relevant information.

My own GP asked to see my blue card once (some years ago) to check that I was correctly completing it with my current steroid dose! Which reminds me I’d better check… 🤔

[Hidden in reply to Highlandtiger]

I'm just reading up about it. There do seem to be a couple of fundamental differences in the info stored on the cards which seems to make the issue a bit more confusing. I'll ask the doc about it when I speak to her hopefully tomorrow.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Hidden]

My link explains they are not replacing the blue one, the new one is aimed at healthcare professionals who are unaware of the correct way to deal with long term pred patients. The blue one is to keep a record of your current dose and should be replaced regularly. Your dose is less important with the new card - long term pred dependency has relatively standard approaches.

[MrsNails in reply to Hidden]

Have a look at the photo above it shows you some very important details of how to treat us in an emergency 🚨

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Hidden]

Yes you should.....the blue one gives you space to amend doses, the new emergency one doesn't... just why you are on steroids....

[Hidden in reply to DorsetLady]

Yes I see it all now. Behind the curve as usual Doh!

What a delight having to carry two cards now instead of one... It gets better every day.. ☹️

[Highlandtiger in reply to Hidden]

Not that great a hardship surely in the whole scheme of things....?

[Hidden in reply to Highlandtiger]

Well no, not really I suppose. Just a bit annoying. I would think that with all the tech and all the clever people around that the NHS could come up with a bit more of an efficient system than having to carry two clunky cards around everywhere, but as DL says below "such is life" and I will of course comply...

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Hidden]

a card in your wallet is easier for paramedics/hospital staff to access than a locked iPhone….unless you have it as your locked screen display -but I’m sure you can find something more interesting 🤔…

[Hidden in reply to DorsetLady]

Haha, yes you are correct of course - why can't I think of things like that..!! My phone has a picture of my garden in flower as the locked screen display!

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Hidden]

not a guitarist? -you disappoint me🤣😂

[Hidden in reply to DorsetLady]

Ha, no! I could have put an action shot of myself on of course but that would be a bit too narcissistic. I used to have a place over in Italy with a wild 2 acre garden and I got a nice pic of it in spring one year with all the wildflowers in full bloom and used that instead. It's a pretty pic and a nice bit of nostalgia for me..

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Hidden]

Where? She said being nosey!! I'm in Italy ...

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Hidden]

such is life! 😳.. can remember many moons ago at work being told we will soon be living in a paperless world….yeah right …

[Hidden in reply to DorsetLady]

😂

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to DorsetLady]

Yes - I remember the paperless office spiel!!

Though they did work out at one point that using smartphones for boarding passes actually contributed to the queues in airports by the time people had found them!

[PMRpro Ambassador]

This link may be interesting too

westessexccg.nhs.uk/your-he....

since it explains the difference and that they aren't mutually exclusive. It also says quite clearly that ALL steroid dependent patient should be issued with the new one BY THE PRESCRIBER.

MrsNails - is it worth it/possible to add this link? Really good explanation...

[Highlandtiger]

I got one from my pharmacy when they first came out. I was offered another one a few weeks ago which I accepted as the original one had become a bit tattty by then.

[Rache]

Asked about a steroid card when I was first prescribed steroids. Was met with blank looks from both GP and local pharmacies. Got the blue one sent to me when I joined PMRGCAUK and a new one each year since. Thank goodness for this charity!

I had printed out the red emergency one online after reading about it on here but lo and behold, I unexpectedly received one in June in the post, together with a fairly long explanatory letter about carrying the card, showing it in an emergency, the dangers of stopping steroids suddenly etc. also that I need to keep the blue one as well (which I never received from them in the first place). This was signed by my GP’s Practice Pharmacists.

It only took them over 3 years from the date of my diagnosis to inform me about steroids! Once again thank goodness for PMRGCAUK. I live in N Ireland.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Rache]

Your first paragraph shows exactly the problem the new card is meant to address!

[Seacat30]

I only have a blue one and only adjust it every mg in small writing. Even so it is filling up.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Seacat30]

You want to try starting with GCA doses, can't remember how many I filled in over the years...😲

[Jigsawlass]

I was given a couple of blue ones when I collected my first lot of steroids . A week or so later , the pharmacist based at our GP practice called me to say she was sorting my red one and would leave it in reception at the surgery for me to collect . V efficient

[Hobbitses]

A few months ago my GP practice pharmacist contacted me to ask whether I had such a card and immediately issued one for me. And then same happened with an anticoagulant alert card! Nice to have a positive thing to say about GP practices!

[Koalajane]

thanks for your reply and well done to your pharmacist

[Theziggy]

I downloaded the red card onto my PC, filled it in and uploaded it to my phone where I use it as the opening page

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Theziggy]

Can others get at it to see it?

[Hidden]

i have had one for several years now and it is in my wallet. I also have an emergency department list of pills and problems on my phone stored in Google Keep.

All I need is to tap Google Keep and show it to whoever

[Koalajane in reply to Hidden]

hi David. Is that the blue card you have or the new red one which is the emergency card?

[Hidden]

blue one. It says emergency card on it 😀

[Koalajane in reply to Hidden]

oh my blue one says Steroid Treatment card on it

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Hidden]

westessexccg.nhs.uk/your-he...

is an info sheet about the 2 cards, the differences and the purposes plus how to obtain them