Yes, I tested myself and used my CGM and pump to manage things. Every time I’ve been in hospital I’ve always been allowed to manage things myself (if admitted I have to let the nurse know each time I test and bolus so she can record it), so this time around I just figured it was the same. But I couldn’t believe it when I heard the nurse tell another that my diabetes was totally stable because my pump and CGM controlled my BG! The closed-loop system isn’t here quite yet, people!
Unless you use OpenAPS But I doubt they have even an inkling of the whole #WeAreNotWaiting movement.
I wear one every day. I have a stainless one from a local jeweler. I recently purchased one from etsy that looks like an Alex and Ani bracelet. I love it! It’s great for work and dressier events and then I have my stainless one for running and more casual events. I highly recommend looking on etsy!
wouldn’t that be nice if that were true…
Exactly the same for me–stainless steel, Medical ID Fashions, got it for going to Europe to sing a year ago. Thought I should have something and hey, it looks pretty decent so I wear it most of the time.
Stainless steel for me. I got it online but forgot where. I wouldn’t go anywhere without it
Dog tag around the neck all stainless as I found out my silver bracelet wore out to quick.
I think for a man it is easier to just wear a necklace (under clothing) and also most men have ICE info in their wallet. It doesn’t make a difference to state what kind of diabetes just Diabetes is enough.
My tag (with international medical sign (red, with six point and wrapped snake)) shows diabetic, allergies, and pertinent medical info (I have an ICD) plus my name and a contact number. For 40 plus years I never (or medical personnel) needed it but I never go out without it, I might not have my wallet but I always have my med-tag on.
The medicalert has a website by the same name. You can join, order necklaces or anything you need. I have been to the hospital and because of my necklace they were able to contact medicalert and got all my information and contacted my wife so she knew where I was taken to. It’s worth the thirty dollars
I do not wear one because it did no good when I was in a car accident due to low blood sugar. Medical personnel are instructed not to touch jewelry. My 2 siblings have their info tattooed on their forearms-Medical symbol and Type 1 diabetic
Hi! I got my bracelet after a couple Endo meetings where they kept asking me the same question about whether or not I had one yet. I got mine from American Medical ID. They have a lot of good choices. It was important for me to have a normal looking bracelet, so they had some good choices for that. Hope this helps!
I have never heard that medical personnel are instructed not to touch jewelry. Non-medical jewelry, perhaps, but not medical alert jewelry. Just because your medical alert jewelry was overlooked when you were in a car accident doesn’t mean that this will always be the case… When it comes to medical alert jewelry, I firmly believe in “Better safe than sorry.”
I think your post highlights something about which I am concerned. There are some very stylish “regular-jewelry-esque” medical alert bracelets around. I am always uncomfortable when my daughter wears her one medical alert bracelet that, at first glance, appears to look like a “regular” bracelet. I could see medical personnel not realizing this is actually medical alert jewelry. Thankfully, my daughter wears her RoadID bracelets over 90% of the time.
I can’t argue with getting Type 1 Diabetes tattooed on one’s arm (or other obvious body part). When my daughter was in the hospital after being diagnosed with Type 1, the head of the Endocrinology Department stopped by to check on her. He mentioned that one of his patients has a Type 1 tattoo. He asked his patient why he would do this if there was a possibility that there would be a cure during his lifetime (yeah, right, we were also given the “5 to 10 years until a cure” line). His patient said “When there’s a cure, I’ll just have ‘Cured’ tattooed under my ‘Type 1 Diabetes’ tattoo.”
I deleted the longgg post I typed. I will just say that someone with diabetes should not rely upon a piece of jewelry no matter how ‘unjewelry’ you think it looks. First Responders do not touch jewelry. I have been told that same 5-10 years for the last 50+ years. Hope springs eternal.
I have worn the bracelet, silver from Medic Alert I think, for years. My doctor requires that and checks whenever I have a visit. I got used to it and did need it once. I have a pump and CGM but I have been told the medic’s look for bracelet or such.
I wear an alert bracelet with a USB device that I purchased at Brookstone. All of my insurance, contacts, and medications were easily loaded onto the device via my laptop - the program comes up as soon as you plug it into a PC and I’m told the EMT responders around here have equipment that will also read the device. I wear it everywhere but home. The USB portion is in a metal housing with the Red Cross symbol. The band is red rubbery plastic. I cannot wear the dog tags or metal bracelet at work. They are safety hazards. I was shamed into wearing an alert by a co-worker a couple of years ago when she spoke to me about her newly diagnosed son…T1 moms are pretty compelling - I don’t want to get on their bad side!
Got my paracord bracelet a couple years ago here: https://www.survivalstraps.com/collections/standard-medical-alert Very pleased.
Select colors/combination of colors, wrist size, closure type (I got stainless screw type clevis), I have 5 lines of text which I composed. Web site can be a tad tricky to find descriptions of ALL options available.
I agree with this. Maybe it’s just because I’ve been wearing these bracelets since I was a kid, or maybe it’s because I really don’t care what others think, but to me the point of wearing a bracelet is that it will be immediately identified by both random strangers and emergency personel should something happen. If I were going to wear a “hidden” bracelet, it would make more sense to me to have a wallet card or some information on a phone, not a bracelet that could easily get missed or even thrown out by accident. The funny part is that, like injecting in public, I’ve encountered many people who don’t even notice what it really is and will actually complement me on it. Just last week, a colleague complemented me on the “pretty bracelet” (and mine is as plain as it can get!) and asked where I got it… I was like, “Erm, it’s a medical bracelet that has all my medical conditions…” (But if I wasn’t comfortable saying that, I would have just said it was a gift!)
Thanks, JJM1,
I very much liked what I saw on the site; especially the first bracelet pictured in s blend of what looks like teal, red and brown. Trouble is I can’t identify the exact color. Also, was a bit confused re inside and center colors, etc.
In any case, I made the choices and put item in cart but it didn’t give me the option of stating health lines, etc.
None-the-less, I will hunt for a phone number and try to call them this week. Also like that it offers choices of different types of closures. And due to my lack of fine motor movement, I would opt for plastic closure.
Thanks for the link!
Yes - They do need to make site user friendly. Think I had to call to clarify some items. If I remember there is a location that shows all the Color Selections. Think they are Vets. I added Text Lines:
(Name)
Type 1 Diabetic
Insulin
(City. State)
(Other family member telephone #)
Longest text line for me is 14 characters inc a space, I think their limit is 14 or 16?
Hi,
Placed an online order this morning. Googled color chart to identify color I desired.
As for script (yes, there are 15 characters per line allowed), I used 4 of the 5 lines, stating:
- DIABETIC
- Type 1
- Prone to:
- Hypoglycemia
I figured if someone found me unresponsive or unconsciousness they would hopefully give me some sort of glucose.
That being said, I’m very happy with the whole process. Had no tape measure and so I ordered the standard female size??? and hope that it works. Price, too, was very reasonable.
Thanks again!
I have a bracelet and a necklace that I got at my neighborhood drug-store. I had the bracelet engraved to say type 1, with an emergency contact phone # on it. The necklace wasn’t able to be engraved because of the way it was made, but it does say diabetic on the back.