Do You Have a Medical ID Bracelet/Card?

Just in my experience, I find that emmergency staff don't go looking for cards when it comes to the point (I have been scooped up on the pavement by ambulances many a time) and highly recommend bracelets as something that paramedics and medical staff are trained to actually look for. They can be useful if you are awake enough that you can direct them too it, but no one has ever looked at my medic alert card, even when I was picked up with my then three year old daughter who obviously needed someone to care for her as I was so unwell. My card has a contact person on it (my sister who would have come and picked up my daughter) but nope, they never looked for it, and that was at a major hospital. Personally I don't have much faith in them, but they may work for some. They definitely can be helpful if you are alert enough to direct them to the card.

cheers

Raglet

I have a medic alert necklace I wear when out of the house (even if I'm going round the block with the dog) as well a medic alert card that, to be honest, has been living in my desk drawer for the past year or so. I agree with Raglet; in my experience too in an emergent situation where the patient is unconscious docs and emts tend to look for a bracelet and/or a necklace and they don't really look for cards (at least not in this country).

Cards are very useful if someone can alert the docs to their existence or if docs/emts look at one's wallet to retrieve one's ID and stumble on the card there. A bracelet or a necklace is the safest way to go I think if one suffers from something (or is on meds) likely to influence emergent treatment.

My medic alert necklace has necessary medical information on it and that's followed by an ID number and a phone number. When medical personal call the phone number provided and give the ID number they receive information on meds, diseases, family and doctor emergency contact numbers etc etc. So, the same information contained in the medic alert cards really; just docs are more likely to get the info (when one is unconscious) from a bracelet or necklace then a card.

Zoi

Good Idea

Hi All
such a great thread, and also to see the previous discussion that I must have missed.

I had loaded the Australian Medic Alert a few days ago, as I see my G.P tomorrow. For nearly 2 years she has not been interested in lupus/aps at all, waiting for specialists to tell her what to do, which hasn't stopped me getting referred to specialists away from my city.

Whether I just have lupus like symptoms according to one rheumy, and nothing from others, I have had many sudden emergencies-brain operation flown down south, had to fly back from PNG to Australia with no speech, knowing it was another stroke.

Going to E.R. saying I thought I was having a stroke, and the 20 months of non action- until I had to get to specialists with my so many symptoms.
I fell flat on concrete walking to shop. Went to local G.P. who said 'use horse linement. '

Had one grand mal seizure years ago- in hospital for 3 days. So I had when I have much pain, so many symptoms lately , I printed out a synopsis, for kitchen table, car, and in purse. But had decided on the MA stainless steel bracelet- only $55 here, with backup on site.

It will be interesting to see what my non-believing GP says, writes(doctors have to sign off. )Such a shortage of GPs here, can't get into most, and one I'd waited to get in for months, after first visit, said she didn't want me as I'd been to too many specialists- none here- had to fly away.