Can you believe it?

[prunus]

I've just been rung up and told I should be carrying a steroid card!!! I've only been diagnosed with GCA almost eleven years ago. Thanks to the Charity I have been carrying one for many years.

[SheffieldJane]

One of the many benefits of being part of the charity.

[prunus in reply to SheffieldJane]

I quite agree.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

What did you say to them? "I know, I'm x years ahead of you ..."!

[prunus in reply to PMRpro]

I did try to say I had a card but was ignored.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to prunus]

How rude ...

[Miserere]

I can believe it - it took 2.5 years before they sent me one. I had asked at the beginning only to be told I didn't need one. I bought one of the wrist bands to wear as I don't always carry a bag or purse.

[ladygigger in reply to Miserere]

Ooh, I've been trying to find a wrist band. I already wear a medic alert bracelet (unusual allergies). Please could you let me know where to find them?

[Miserere in reply to ladygigger]

I just looked on Amazon I'm afraid. amazon.co.uk/ID-Band-Compan...

You can get different ones - mine says Medical Alert - Steroid Dependent - £4.95

[Mayadill in reply to Miserere]

I've had a look on A too. Lot of different ideas. A sticker is one - ?on my phone and a key ring ?attached to phone strap, is another. I'm not fond of such things on wrist or neck and looking for something that is still really obvious, though I guess if you were in an accident someone would look in your purse to try to find out who you are.

No health person ever mentioned a card to me, first one I had from PMRGA-UK

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Mayadill]

They have to FIND the purse ...

[piglette]

They must have a new member of staff who is doing their job properly!!

[prunus in reply to piglette]

Quite so!

[Bennijax]

my GP couldn’t care less, ditto hospital, ditto new NHS rheumy

[Body_bonkers in reply to Bennijax]

think I only got one because one of the GP's I saw had relative with PMR

[Iamfedup]

I was never told either, but read it on this fantastic site. I was then phoned and told by my local chemist three years later that at 5mg I didn’t need to carry it any longer!

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Iamfedup]

I trust you put them right on that score!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Iamfedup]

Yet another example of why pharmacists aren't safe to deal with all medication matters ...

[whitefishbay]

Haha better late than never.

[Miacaro45]

I was never told to wear a bracelet or carry a card until I read about it here. Once again, this website has come to the rescue! Thanks for always being here for us.

[Gimme]

oh crikey, you have to love them.

I asked for one from the pharmacist when I got my first lot of pred and he thanked me for reminding him. But I had read about it on the NHS website, during my initial researches after diagnosis. The doctor didn't mention it. I bought the wristband after, as I wondered who would look in my purse for a tiddly little thing like that if I get run over by the proverbial bus.

Ha, don't get me started on the pharmacists who think they are doctors. I had that one to contend with throughout a 45 year career in pharmaceutical R&D!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Gimme]

Trouble is, the goverment seems to think they are doctors too ...

[Gimme in reply to PMRpro]

I may get too political for this forum if I reply to that one. 🤐

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Gimme]

Know what you mean!

[Snnib]

Hi, my pharmacy is the best for this gave me one when I started on prednisolone and ordered the red one for me, for emergency, they keep them in stocks.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Snnib]

As it should be!

[ladygigger]

I asked my GP after a couple of months and she thought that it had already been done (no).

I was given another on discharge from the hospital after an operation in April - without being asked.

I see a lot of people mentioning wrist bands - where can you get them, please? I already wear a medic alert bracelet as I have an unusual allergy (can't have live tetanus).

[Gossiplady]

like many others here, I was never told about the steroid card, but read about it here. Bless you! I bought my wristband from the usual Mr A online. Had my name, NHS no. , date of birth. Next of kin tel.no. On steroids, and Allergy to ibroprufen. A great identity card!

[Stills]

I was 17 when diagnosed with Stills in 1979 and immediately given a paper card to carry with steroid warning. In the years that followed and recovery my mum used to write steroid user on my hand in biro if I went out shopping alone or with friends to the park etc just to be in the safe side🤣

[prunus in reply to Stills]

Sounds very sensible of your Mum doing that in the circumstances.