Does anyone wear a medical alert talisman? I wear one because I’m epileptic and allergic to penicillin and I’m thinking of getting it updated to say something about no BP/needles etc because of lymphoedema. I don’t want to take the risk of having a seizure and not being able to warn people but also thought it would be useful generally.
I use a paid service at the moment but cash is now very tight due to lovely BC so I’m also looking at cheap/free talismans if anyone has any recs.
I have also been wondering about wearing one too. When I caught a virus after a chemo session and was admitted to hospital, i was so poorly I forgot to tell them not to use my left arm, and they started to do ops using that. When my husband arrive he stopped it. But I wasn’t sure if I was being melodramatic getting one or is there a real risk to my health if say a IV drip was put in?
I’ve often though about getting a medic alert thing. I have 2 permanent, chronic conditions and I take anti-convulsants (not for epilepsy, for neuropathic pain) and they must NOT be stopped suddenly, if, for example, I was unconscious and couldn’t speak to explain.
I always carry my chemo card and ‘I have a PortaCath’ card but would anyone find them in my handbag? The USB thing looks good as can be updated - changing a medic alert bracelet could be expensive when chemo stops - but would someone find that in a purse? It’s a worry.
Could any medics tell us if that sort of thing is found/looked for?
The USB card looks like a great idea and I’m definitely tempted, especially as it’s a one-off charge. I used to be registered with Medic Alert but it’s annual fee has just gone up and it’s a bit pricey now.
Medics, especially paramedics and A&E staff are trained to look for medical alert tags, bracelets cards etc if a patient is unconscious.
I’ve never bothered, to me it’s just another money spinner, but the alternative is getting a dog tag or similar from the coblers, or eBay and getting it personalised. Well under a fiver too.
Having spoken with our Clinical Team they are not aware of emergency services always specifically looking through bags etc for medical alert USB’s. The clinical team feel that carrying medical alert notifications is an individual decision for each personal to consider on a personal/individual basis.
I have a medi-alert bracelet since my dx 3 yrs ago - hopefully I would never be in a situation where I was not able to tell medics to leave my right arm alone but better to be safe than sorry.
I carry bc alert cards with me at all times and keep them in my purse. I have lymphoedema so usually wear a sleeve so hopefully a clue for the medics. On the days that I don’t wear my sleeve I wear a lympho awareness rubber bracelet that I bought from the lymphoedema foundation trust. They also sell hospital bracelets that you can wear when admitted for an operation. I wore one for a recent procedure and the hospital staff thought that they were a very good idea as it’s an immediate reminder not to use the arm for IV etc.
Apart from being epileptic I am dangerously allergic to penicillin. On all the occasions that I was admitted to hospital during treatment firstly for neutropenic sepsis and then for that + septicaemia the A&E staff instantly spotted my current id bracelet and knew not to administer it. My husband was told that they are taught to look for them just in case, so maybe it’s policy where I live rather than a general thing???
The last time I had a seizure outside of home the paramedic checked my wallet and found my ICE card as well as checking my wrist and neck for anything that might say there was a pre-existing condition for my losing consciousness.
I’m not wearing anything at the moment because I’ve lost so much weight as a result of treatment that my bracelet keeps falling off, and it’s out of date anyway, hence the reason for something new. I do worry about having a seizure and ending up with lymphoedema because I wasn’t capable of warning medics not to do anything to my right arm.
Lilacblushes, please can I ask how you word your medi alert message, cos after looking on website I noticed there are ltd space. Also what type did you get and where from. Thank you x
This website does wonderful medical alert bracelets. I used to wear one to stop anyone putting ivs etc into my arm that had had the lymph nodes out. Now I wear one because I have asthma.