MedicAlert bracelets - do you wear one?

Just wondering who all here wears a MedicAlert bracelet, and if so, where did you orders yours? I haven't worn one in years.. assumed that if there was an emergency, they would see my insulin pump and know I was diabetic. But I realize that's not always the case because they aren't trained to look for that, like they are a bracelet/tag. I've been wanting to get one but there are a lot of options, and not all that inexpensive. :/

~Shannon

Hi Shannon, I am a T2 on insulin and I do wear a medic alert braclet. My wife bought me the one I wear now as a Christmas present. I used to get those stainless steel ones but my wife wanted me to have something nice. The one I have now is sterling silver.

I am glad I wear one cause I had an accident near the Philadelphia airport. Went low and got hung up in a guard rail. I took the drives side of my pickup almost completely off. Paramedics told me that they were glad I was wearing it as they transported me to the hospital. They said they tested me and I was 18.

Up in the upper right hand corner there is a search function for Tu. Put medic alert in there and you will find some folks on here that make and sell braclets.

YES! I stopped wearing one for a long time, too, making the same assumption you did about the pump. But then I considered that the first person "on the scene" was unlikely to be a trained medic, and probably more people would recognize (and read) a medic alert than an insulin pump. I wear an omnipod and lots of people ask if it's a heartrate monitor, or a nicotine patch, or an iPod...

I got mine from www.MedicAlert.org. You have to sign up and they store a bunch of info about you (doctor, doctor's phone number, emergency contact numbers) so that if a paramedic calls the number on your medic alert and proves they are a medical professional (I don't know how. Presumably paramedics do) they can get that info. I think it's a good system.

When I recently signed up for this account I was notified that there was already a Medic Alert account in my name, opened in 1978... by my folks, when I was first diagnosed. That made me smile.

I have the interactive RoadID. I am not good about wearing it, but I keep it velcroed to my BG meter case, which I always have with me. I do try to remember to wear it when I am traveling alone. I guess I really should wear it more often, but it is always in my possession.

I don't currently wear one, but that's cause I'm waiting on the ones I ordered last week to come in. I got them from American Medical ID and ended up getting 4 different kinds because they were buy 1 get up to 3 more for 50% off. I figured since I'm getting one anyway I could always have a spare or a different type for the days I don't feel like wearing dog tags. They also have one with a 1 GB usb drive built in which is a somewhat neat idea. I was also able to google and find coupon codes to get an additional 10% off the order as well. The prices seem reasonable for what they offer (no additional for the engraving, but the start price is higher so it usually levels out for similar from other places). Since I don't have them in hand just yet I can't speak to the quality level, but I can let you know soon as they get here if you like! I also made a Medical Alert ID card to carry in my wallet. Just found an old card I don't use, print out the med alert info on plain paper, glued it to the card (spray glue works best here) and then sealed it with a couple of layers of packing tape. If you ask me it looks pretty darn good too! (Pictures upon request) I believe the medics are trained to look in your wallet for ID and such as well, so at least I've got something until my actual IDs get in.

Yes, I'll be curious to see what you think - thanks for the suggestion!

I tattooed it on my wrist. No worries and no questions. :). If you like e rubber type bracelets check out mediband.com

You can buy medical alert jewelry at just about any pharmacy.
However "Medic Alert" is a well-known company where you register your medical condition & meds. The bracelet then has a phone number for Medic Alert who can then give the info to an ER or other emergency person.
But it's not cure-all... sometimes ambulance people are so anxious to get a person conscious that they overlook the bracelet.

THIS made me smile!! I wear an ID, and have a charm on my wallet with the international medical alert symbol and it says to read my bracelet.

Always wear one. Went to the local jewelry store and bought a slim stainless medical tag and picked out a pretty chain, had "Diabetic" engraved on back and never (almost) take it off.

You know I haven't worn one for years until last week. I purchased a cute medical id bangle bracelet and a necklace that I had inscribed. I got them from www.hopepaige.com they were about $30 bucks each, but there were some that cost less. The site has a lot of things for men, women, and children.

http://www.laurenshope.com/ My grandmother bought me one of these and it is so beautiful and stylish. They have a section labeled 40 medical id's under $40 too.

I wear one! I got mine from IDonMe. I like that you can write in information and change info without having to order a new engraving or wear 50 IDs, especially when you have multiple conditions, like I do. It's easier to just wear one that explains everything, basal rates, I:C, all my medications, and it's not metal, so I don't worry about things like airport security with it.

Walgreens

Fortunately? Never have had a situation yet to Need help..
and have gone down to the 30's at times too..!

Me too. That way you never forget it :slight_smile:

Yes, I do. I didn't for awhile, but had a couple of, er, incidents in public that were close calls. I realized that I could easily be mistaken for drunk and arrested, or pass out with no one knowing what to do.

I maintain an account through MedicAlert.org but I get my bracelets through Lauren's Hope. I have my Lauren's Hope bracelets engraved with my MedicAlert account information. So my bracelet says, "Type 1 Diabetes, Insulin Pump, 1-800-000-0000 (USA), XXXXXXX" (the XXXXX is my unique MedicAlert ID number).

I put "insulin pump" on there because if something were to happen and I were to be separated from my pump (like in an accident), I would want someone to know that I don't have any basal insulin in my system.

With my MedicAlert account, I can store a bunch of other information, such as multiple emergency contacts, other medical conditions, doctor's name, etc. I really like that because there's much more that they would need to know about me than what I could fit on the back of my bracelet.

I love the selection over at Lauren's Hope. I just ordered a new bracelet (one of the wraps) and it's great. Really looks nice, but you can still see that it's a medical ID.


I have the guitar pick one. It came with the flimsier chain on the left but I wanted something a bit more jewelry-looking (without being foofie...) and found the stainless steel chain on the right for like $2.99 online.

It was sort of amusing b/c I took it to a local jewelry store around xmas, they seemed really busy and all that but asked "can you put this [the pick...] on this chain" and they were like "sure it might be a while" but when she saw it was a medical thing she was like "oh, it's an EMERGENCY..." and did it in like 45 minutes while we ate dinner.

I got a stainless steel dog tag from Medicalert.org. I wear it when I go places by myself where no one knows I have diabetes. As pointed out above, they can call in the number on the tag and get my medical and contact information. I can update the information online at any time without re-engraving. The key information is engraved as well as the ID number.

I actually really like these! How bulky are the bracelets? Can you swim with them on?

I have a brand Medic Alert one but keep breaking the chain when I go swimming (hitting the lane ropes!) and having to replace it. I've been meaning to order a sports bracelet and a new "regular" bracelet (as their chain seems more durable than any of the replacements I got), but I'm also exploring my options for other companies.

Try a bracelet instead of the necklace. I have a band on my watch which seems more obvious than a chain.