Medical ID bracelets

[PinkBudgie]

I'm thinking I should get a medical id bracelet. I'd rather have one that was cute and fun and girly. However, I do want it to clearly be a medical id. I was looking at some of the ones with the plastic bands that you can change the color on.

As I was searching on here, a few old threads (four or more years old) about medic bracelets mentioned EMTs don't notice that type, thinking they are just a "cause bracelet". Do you think that is still the case, or are they now more likely to check any bracelet just in case?

Any suggestions on a good place to order from? I also like the beaded ones, but thinking as a preschool teacher, the plastic ones will hold up better. It doesn't need to be a Medic Alert subscription kind as I think I can quickly convey the important information on the bracelet itself. Any thoughts? I've seen so many companies online, I just don't know where to go.

 

[SueM in MN]

I would still suggest www.medicalert.com as the best place.

They have a large variety of styles, not just the plain stainless steel bands most people are familiar with. They have some plastic ones, some inexpensive bead ones and some really fancy ones with Swarovski crystals.
http://www.medicalert.org/products/medical-ids

You may be able to convey the information on the bracelet most of the time, but one of the points of having the bracelet is having the ability for emergency workers to be able to have access to the information in case you aren't able to.

 

[Starwind]

I second getting an actual Medic Alert one for the reasons Sue noted.

-SW

 

[PinkBudgie]

Thanks, I check those.

Further question- do they actually take the time to call for medical information in an emergency?

 

[SueM in MN]

Thanks, I check those.

Further question- do they actually take the time to call for medical information in an emergency?

Yes

They will take care of life threatening emergencies - heartbeat, breathing, bleeding immediately, but may use some information written on the bracelet.
Then information from Medic Alert would be helpful, especially if it's not obvious what the problem is. By calling the Medic Alert phone number, they can get names and phone numbers for your family/designated contact and doctor.

On my DD's Medic alert bracelet, it says she has cerebral palsy, epilepsy, she is non-verbal and has a urinary ostomy.
By calling Medic Alert, they would have access to her full list of medications, a few more medical conditions/allergies, a bit more information about the conditions listed on her bracelet plus all the contact information.

 

[DL2WDW]

I have used a Road ID for years as my medical alert bracelet.
I have never had a problem with a EMT not reading it and it can hold a lot of info on it.

 

[PinkBudgie]

Yes

They will take care of life threatening emergencies - heartbeat, breathing, bleeding immediately, but may use some information written on the bracelet.
Then information from Medic Alert would be helpful, especially if it's not obvious what the problem is. By calling the Medic Alert phone number, they can get names and phone numbers for your family/designated contact and doctor.

On my DD's Medic alert bracelet, it says she has cerebral palsy, epilepsy, she is non-verbal and has a urinary ostomy.
By calling Medic Alert, they would have access to her full list of medications, a few more medical conditions/allergies, a bit more information about the conditions listed on her bracelet plus all the contact information.

Thank you for the info. Very helpful! I have a lot to think about. This would be to indicate my food allergies should something happen when I'm by myself. I'm sort of waiting to see if I have another new one, but I may never know for sure what caused my most recent reaction. I'm not on any special medication- just carrying my epi pen.

I have used a Road ID for years as my medical alert bracelet.
I have never had a problem with a EMT not reading it and it can hold a lot of info on it.

I just heard of this for the first time the other day on FB. I went to the site and it does seem to fit a lot on there.

 

[SueM in MN]

Thank you for the info. Very helpful! I have a lot to think about. This would be to indicate my food allergies should something happen when I'm by myself. I'm sort of waiting to see if I have another new one, but I may never know for sure what caused my most recent reaction. I'm not on any special medication- just carrying my epi pen.


I just heard of this for the first time the other day on FB. I went to the site and it does seem to fit a lot on there.

That's where Medic Alert is nice - your profile on their website an be edited at any time.

 

[PinkBudgie]

Yes, that is a good point. I was just thinking that as I typed it.

 

[NeuroCindy]

I know I'm a week late for this. But if you haven't ordered yet, I love Fiddle Dee IDs http://fiddledeeids.com/ I love them. My ID is silver with pink detailing and my the chain is hearts linked together.

 

[NeuroCindy]

Also I use an app to create a background on my phone. My lock screen is my medical alert with contacts.

 

[PinkBudgie]

I know I'm a week late for this. But if you haven't ordered yet, I love Fiddle Dee IDs http://fiddledeeids.com/ I love them. My ID is silver with pink detailing and my the chain is hearts linked together.

No, not too late. I still haven't picked one out! I haven't seen that place, so I'll check it out.

 

[SueM in MN]

Also I use an app to create a background on my phone. My lock screen is my medical alert with contacts.

The new update to iOS 8 for iPhone includes being able to add medical information to your lock screen.
http://appleinsider.com/articles/14...ergency-medical-id-with-ios-8s-new-health-app

Another thing to think about is how well the bracelet will hold up over time.
My sister got an expensive engraved Medical ID at a jewelry store less than a year ago.
Two weeks ago, she was showing me her medical ID bracelet, which she very much liked - until she turned it over to show me the engraving and noticed almost all the engraving had worn off on both the inside and the outside of the bracelet. It was silver, which is a relatively soft metal.
My daughter's MedicAlert bracelet looks exactly the same now as when she first got it.
After looking at my DD's MedicAlert ID bracelet, she decided to get one from MedicAlert instead of going back to the jeweler or getting one from somewhere else online.

 

[PinkBudgie]

I didn't know that about the new phone. I don't have an iphone but that would good for those who do.

Good thought about the durability. I guess I'm still debating if I actually need one. If I couldn't give myself an epi for some reason, someone would have to read it pretty quick for it to be of help. It seems like it would be too late by the time the EMTs read it. Also, I'm normally with someone I know when I eat so they would know what was happening anyway. So, I don't know. Still thinking.

 

[SoonerSarah]

For all of the reasons listed by Sue, my daughter also has a Medic Alert bracelet. I went with the typical stainless steel bracelet because it would be the most durable and easiest to keep clean for my messy girl.

 

[FelisLachesis]

I still wear a watch, which seems to be less common now than it was just even a couple years ago. I bought a lifetag ID which I attached to the clasp of my watch. Just in case something happens, maybe the person taking care of me will see it and respond appropriately.

http://lifetag-alert.stores.yahoo.net/listmeidli.html

The adhesive is a bit suspect, but I had some industrial strength super glue from another project. It's still on there 5 years later.

 

[WheeledTraveler]

I still wear a watch, which seems to be less common now than it was just even a couple years ago. I bought a lifetag ID which I attached to the clasp of my watch. Just in case something happens, maybe the person taking care of me will see it and respond appropriately.

http://lifetag-alert.stores.yahoo.net/listmeidli.html

I just want to give you a heads up that it would be very likely that EMS would miss that. When I was working EMS, we were trained to look for separate bracelets or necklaces. Also, specific to this sticker-type, 7/16" is fairly small.

I just ran this by a friend who is still actively working EMS and he confirmed that he had never heard of something like this, much less seen one. He also said that, even now, what they're trained for is really metal ones or a metal ID notification on something non-metal. The metal ID notification is the biggest key (bigger is pretty much always better for being noticed). RoadAlert IDs work because the ID part is metal and a decent size.

In an emergency where someone cannot give EMS the info themselves, chances are they're moving fast enough to zone into what they're specifically looking for and doing. The check for medical alert jewelry is very quick. Also, when someone is unconscious, EMS is most likely checking the carotid artery before anything near the wrist. Even if checking for a distal pulse, it's easy to move the watch without really "seeing" it.

I know the more obvious medical alert jewelry is not aesthetically pleasing, but being obvious could save your life. I can even find on Etsy quite a few nicer looking ones that would work. (I looked for styles that were similar to styles on MedicAlert). Having a caducus or Rod of Asclepius or large letters saying "Medical Alert" on one side with the actual medical info on the other is fine. It's about having something facing out that will be noticed.

 

[PinkBudgie]

OP here. After much going back and forth in my head if I need one or not, I did end up getting a medical bracelet. In the end I decided it couldn't hurt and could only help. It is on order now and will hopefully be here soon. I hope I picked the right size! My wrist is a little less than 6in and I think I picked the 6 and 1/2 inch size.

Because I'm a preschool teacher, it will get banged up a lot and it needs to clean easily. I decided on a one of those rubber ones you can change the band color on. It has a stainless steel plate that attaches to it with the medical symbol on the front with my allergy. There was also room on the back for my name and phone number. Like the PP just said, I was thinking it would be good for it to be clearly marked, but I sure did like some of those pretty ones!

Thank you all for your thoughts and suggestions!

 

[FelisLachesis]

I know the more obvious medical alert jewelry is not aesthetically pleasing, but being obvious could save your life. I can even find on Etsy quite a few nicer looking ones that would work. (I looked for styles that were similar to styles on MedicAlert). Having a caducus or Rod of Asclepius or large letters saying "Medical Alert" on one side with the actual medical info on the other is fine. It's about having something facing out that will be noticed.

That is fair. And you are right, the regular bracelets just seemed to act like a neon sign for me. I see one on someone's wrist and ask I can see is "ALERT ALERT!" All I could presume is a medical problem other than seeing a person.

I do understand your argument, and it makes perfect sense. Maybe I'll have to look for something that has the proper identification that's outward facing without it being too obtuse. I need EMS to know I have an issue if something happens to be, I just don't want the whole world knowing, either.

 

[lisahoo]

I've been looking at the RoadID's - I have one for DH and one for myself and now I'm thinking of getting them for the DD's before our WDW trip.

They have a version called the Wrist ID Slim that sounds like what TheWheeledTraveler mentioned -- you can add a badge to it with the medical alert symbol that might be more to your liking.

https://www.roadid.com/p/the-Wrist-ID-Slim