When I was a kid I wore a medical ID bracelet, and then at some point I stopped. I don't think it was a conscious decision, but I lost track of the bracelet and just didn't think about it for years. A couple years ago I decided I really should get a new one, and I contacted Medic Alert to order it. There's a whole registration process with Medic Alert, and when I had finished it I received a message that I already had an account with them, that was created in 1978; the year I was diagnosed. Pretty cool :)
So now I'm back to wearing my medical ID religiously, and since we're just days away from National Diabetes Awareness Month in the US, and a couple weeks from World Diabetes Day, I wanted to encourage all my friends on TuDiabetes to get and wear medical IDs. Personally, I think it's really important.
If you don't currently have a medical ID, here are some sites where you can get one:
I use a Med alert with my medical contact information registered with the company. The way it works is that ER’s have a number to call and they have access to a code that gives them access to my medical records. Yes it is a little funky in that can be accessed pretty easily. But they cannot change data, just obtain it. I figure that is ok if I am laying in their ER after an accident.
i know not secure, but worth the risk in an emergency.
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I am not currently wearing it lays on the incision and makes it hurt worse. But it will be back on first thing when the healing allows.
I dont wear one. sometimes i feel guilty about it, sometimes not… here in switzerland there are only ugly ones to get, and shipping from the states costs me a fortune… so i just keep hoping that i never need it and if so that someone recognizes my pump. lol
yes I do! Amazon has several types . I chose the type I see paramedics wear. It is custom printed and contains more info than i could add to a charm. It came with a gel band and I added my own watch…thus a waterproof, wear all the time band.
I do. I ordered the basic bracelet from Medic Alert. I occasionally get compliments on it, which is too funny, since it's simple aluminum link. Maybe it will save my life one day. With all the ignorance about diabetes and all the travel I do, I find comfort in the fact that anyone can dial the number on my bracelet in the event of an emergency and understand what my condition is and how I should be treated, along with emergency contacts for my medical providers and family.
I wear a dog tag regularly, and when I am out on long recreational bike rides I wear a Road ID around my wrist. When I ordered these, I struggled with what information I should have etched into them. I went with my name, city of residence, medical conditions, blood type and emergency contact w/phone number.
It has been quite a while since I've worn a medical ID. I wore them in the past as a kid, but ever since I accidentally welded my old necklace to an outlet (long story) I just stopped wearing it. I have never been in a situation where one would have helped.
I have a few from Lauren's Hope. To be honest, I think I got one when I was first diagnosed because it was a good excuse to buy some cute new jewelry. I had to find some fringe benefit to the T1 news!
I got a metal guitar pick one from Lauren's Hope a few years ago. I have MrsAcidRock's phone number on it. I don't think I've ever used it but it looks cool...
I asked the same question recently and found people very much in favour of having one. It really does make sense too .. if I can't speak for myself, it could save my life! I ordered one off of Etsy and am quite thrilled with the results! It is stylish and has my basic medical info.
I've worn one since I was diagnosed. First a genergic one that my parents picked up at a pharmacy with "diabetic" engraved on the back, which I hated. Then, at the suggestion of paramedics after a non-diabetes-related incident, my parents signed me up for Medic Alert about two years after I was diagnosed. I wore those for years. Last year I decided to switch to Lauren's Hope.
In the past I found that whenever I ended up in the ER or even just at a doctor's office they would ask to see my bracelet. About a month ago I was at the ER for an allergic reaction and not a single person asked about the bracelet. Makes me think I may switch back to Medic Alert brand ... I like their bracelets better (in terms of how they look), and I think they might be more recognized as a company ...
No, I don't wear a medical ID bracelet; however, I do wear a medical ID watch. For my Christmas present to myself, a jeweler in my neighborhood said she could convert two of my favorite watches to medical alert watches so I'll have a total of three watches that I can rotate.
I am a serious watchaholic. :-) I love bracelets too, but I don't like any of the medical alert ID bracelets so far that I've seen so far that I would faithfully wear everyday like I will my watch.
Karen, if you ever decide to try to find one you like, Lauren's Hope and Medical ID Fashion (links above) both have a ton of different styles for the bracelets (and anklets, and necklaces), and a lot of them are really beautiful! They purposefully try to make them look like regular jewelry, rather than something medical :)
I stopped wearing one a few years ago, until my mother found out that I wasn't wearing one when my roommate in school called EMS when I passed out for low blood sugar. Oops.
Now I wear a Medic Alert watch, like this one (except that it actually does have luminous hands, unlike the one that blogger was complaining about).
Dog tag with all info on it, name, address, pump details, all medications etc. Carry a card in my wallet all the time with the same on it, and also have a wrist band with the same info on it when I'm out riding. Phone also has a modified unlock screen with message about if someone finds me in a hedge I'm T1 and contact my brother on his number and so forth on it.
I my twenties I used to have a lot of hypo's and as such am very concious over the fact it's better to have something explaining things to anyone finding me than just hoping they figure it out.
