Life Alert?

[lieze]

Do any of you have one of these?

My doctor suggested it for me at my last visit.

I went not sure if she was supporting me with my disability case.

I didn't bring that up directly but had to ask for help getting out of jury duty.

Then I asked for a referral with Dr. Grubb which she approved.

She had actually heard of him and said there is another guy in with him that she was very impressed with his notes.

One of her other POTS patients had seen him.

She said for disability purposes and having a name and a leading researcher she would recommend Dr. Grubb himself.

Then his was where I thought we might clash horns but I asked for a disability parking tag.

She approved.

I thought maybe she would argue my level of disability and suggest I didn't need it but she didn't.

So it looks like I have her support-I didn't know with my disability case.

When I told her I was afraid to be alone at times she recommended life alert.

She said they have a type that can actually tell if you've passed out.

My family seems to be annoyed with staying with me so I might keep the idea in mind so I don't have to worry as much.

I think there would be a cost though-not sure what it runs.

[potsgirl]

Hi Lieze,

I've also thought about getting something like life alert before. I am home alone a lot and am a fainter, too. Thanks for posting about this. It reminded me to look into it. I'll let you know what I find out.

[GingerA]

I don't have one but I have thought of it but didn't know the expense. I did see something yesterday at Walmart that is a push button like life alert but only costs $45. It calls straight to 911.

[lieze]

I have never fainted that I know of.

But I have times when I feel really really crappy.

With foods reactions it can feel as if I am going to lose consciousness and stop breathing.

She said to just pass out and wake right up is no big deal but she said you don't want to pass out and be out for six hours before someone finds you....she said that just isn't good.

Those words kind of haunted me.

[mwise]

I think the life alert system may be a monthly fee through a center. They send someone out to hook up the transmitter and give you either a pendant or wrist band to sense the transmitter. I have heard they do monthly checks to make sure the system is working properly and that you are ok. Hope this helps.

[rubytuesday]

Where I live the Life Alert charges a monthly service fee (with seniors they may base it on income but I do not think so). I purchased a medic alert landline phone. I program telephone numbers to call first (husband, mother, and then if no response, 911), It has big button you can push to send alarm (on the phone) and a necklace you can wear to push the button.

I really need to start wearing that when I'm alone (but my thinking is that if I were to have bad head injury, I probably wouldn't be alert enough to press it and it would only be useful if I sustained broken bone or just wasn't getting the blood flow back fast enough to let me get up). I found it over the internet, doing a search.

[sue1234]

I'm glad your doctor is helping you get in to see Dr. Grubb! That's good.

I have the issue of, I am by myself almost all day, but my husband is always somewhere working within 10 minutes away. Somehow that is comforting. Now, I get panicky at the thought of him having to go somewhere out of our small town. So far, I always just ride with him. I don't know what I am going to do when he ever gets a letter for jury duty! I only panic because I think I might need help with a hypoglycemia episode or something like that--even though I never actually had an emergency. If I could just turn my brain off, I would be okay.

[Lemons2lemonade]

I want a life alert that is connected to a pulse watch. So if my pulse is over 200 or under 45 it will call 911. How awesome would that be? Maybe we can sell this idea and make millions to fund pots research

[potsgirl]

I looked up the "original Life Alert" and found many complaints about how they use their contracts and how expensive it is. I think the least expensive program is $50 per month, but there's an initial fee that is pretty high, and it sounds like you have to sign a three-year contract that is very hard to get out of, even if there would be a death of the member. There were other options listed with several pharmacies, so I'd research these before actually buying/contracting with one.