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Medic Alert Bracelet????


hilfgirl33

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Okay, I read in Nancy's exercise post that she wears a medic alert bracelet she made herself. I have often thought of this because I have a really bad fear of getting in an accident or passing out, and being taken to the hospital and them not knowing that most medicine totally bottoms my pressure out, and them killing me or just messing me up by giving me something my POTS body can't handle.

Does anyone wear one? Do you need a prescription?

I don't know if I'm being a little paranoid because I'm not a passer outer (at least not yet and hopefully never). I'm pretty good at feeling my pressure go low and doing something about it. I'm home most of the day with my young son, so it is usually relatively easy to just lay down on the floor or drink some water and salt.

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I wear one whenever I leave the house. Nope, you don't need a prescription. I initially got mine onine from MedicAlert. I also have one from Lauren's Hope. After a while, I decided to order just the tag portion from MedicAlert and I now make my own bracelet sections so I can change them every day to match my clothes. Even my doctors have commented on how nice they are :D

I order my beads and beading wire from firemountaingems.com. If you want instructions on what to order as far as the clasps and closure components, just ask. I'll be glad to post the info.

so, currently, my bracelets are still a MedicAlert tag with a customized bracelet--I like knowing that they are there to answer the emergency call 24/7 --and they maintain a list of all of my medications, doseages, allergies, and conditions--all in one place. I chose to be a member once my allergy list exceeded what I could print on a credit card sized paper for my wallet.

Nina

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I have this same fear, that I am going to pass out (although I never have before, that means nothing for us POTS people!!) and the hospital is going to kill me. Especially the hospital nearest my house- they have a bad reputation. I do keep a card in my wallet, but I haven't updated it for almost a year- so I guess I should do that ASAP. I may look into getting the bracelet as well. Do they actually look through your purse for info if you did happen to have an emergency? I often wonder about that. Thanks Nina for the great info about the bracelets = )

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Just a note--if you're going to wear one, you should put it on your left wrist--it's the first place they'll go to take your pulse, typically. No, they're unlikely to go in your wallet/purse unless you have a bracelet or necklace to indicate you might have important info in there.

I used to keep a laminated card in there, until my doctor said to me "How will anyone know to look there? They may have already given you drugs you're allergic to by that time!" I got my bracelet the next day.

Nina

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I had a question sent to be privately, but I thought I'd share my response with your here to what one can put on the bracelet. There's not much space, so choose the most imporatant stuff for you.

Mine says

"Drug Allergies, Asthma, Dysautonomia. Call MedicAlert." Then the standard line imprinted on all MedicAlert items:

Call Collect (number here).

My previous bracelet said:

Syncope, Tachycardia, Low BP, Asthma

However, once the drug allergies really got bad, my docs and I felt the allergies were the most dangerous thing b/c I'm allergic to many common items, that if given, could kill me. Also, more specific instructions are on file with MedicAlert, including all my allergies, all my meds, and instructions, including emergency contact names and numbers (my docs and family--so, once a first responder call the number, that information is available.

Nina

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I just want to say thanks for all the info on medic alert. I had been considering but got a bit overwhelmed when I talked to them trying to decide which of the many choices to detail etc. Your suggestions have been very helpful and I think I will go ahead.

Nina, designing your own bracelet sounds great! Is it hard to do? I confess to no creativity and don't do well with things requiring much detail.

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Hi again, I'm more mechanically inclined than artistically creative. It is suprisingly easy to make the bracelet. You just need the right stuff. Here's my list:

Beading wire (i use the platistic coated memory wire--the medium gauge)

beads

sterling crimp beads (used to close the ends of the wire around the clasp loops)

clasps (sterling-plate brass lobster clasps, both sides--pure sterling is too soft for everyday wear)

crimp bead pliers

needle nose pliers (which have a wire cutting blade too in the center)

that's the whole list--inexpensive if you don't go overboard in buying your beads (that's where I go nutty :blink: can't seem to help myself b/c I LOVE the sterling "Bali" style beads--they look beautiful on the wrist, but they gan be price because they're handmade.

The coolest thing has been the nice comments I've gotten on the bracelets--and a few people have asked me to make bracelets for them or friends as gifts. Girlfriends at work have paid me to make holiday gifts for them...pretty cool B) I usually only charge them what it costs me for the components. If you do think you'll make items for friends or family, you should add one more item to your list: jump rings (plated brass if possible--again, sterling silver is soft and the ring will open or become mishappen over time). The jump rings are used in combination with the clasp to close the bracelet--you don't need them if you're attaching to a medical emblem because the emblem has openings on each side for the clasps to hold on to.

Have a great time making stuff :) The best part is that if you don't like it, or want to change it, you can just take it apart and do something different!

Nina ;)

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Here are links to the exact items that I use:

Accu-Flex wire:

http://www.firemountaingems.com/details.as...accuflex&GEN2=1

Crimp beads:

http://www.firemountaingems.com/details.as...%20beads&GEN2=1

Crimp pliers:

http://www.firemountaingems.com/details.as...%20beads&GEN2=1

Lobster claw clasps:

http://www.firemountaingems.com/details.as...%20clasp&GEN2=1

handmade Bali beads:

http://www.firemountaingems.com/shopping.a...?skw=KWBDMBHMSS

Optional Jump rings:

http://www.firemountaingems.com/details.as...%20plate&GEN2=1

They also offer plier sets which you can find in the "tools" section--the sets are a pretty good deal money-wise

To get their HUGE catalog for free, here's the link:

http://www.firemountaingems.com/catreq1.asp

BTW, I have no affiliation to these folks, other than the fact that I order my items from them.

Nina :blink:

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Nina,

When you say you have drug allergies- do you have an actual allergic reaction to them?

I had a c-section four years ago and I told the anesthesiologist that I didn't want narcotics, they made me nauseous and my bp low on several previous occasions. Anyway, since it wasn't actually an allergy, he went ahead and gave it to me anyway, with a dose of Benadryl, in the spine, just in case. Well, I bottomed out, had to be held feet upward on the table to raise my bp (not a pretty site as I was buck nacked and 9 months pregnant). I think I should just lie and say I'm allergic.

Is everyone else truly allergic or just overly sensitive????? Docs don't seem to take 'sensitive' as seriously as they do allergy.

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I'm allergic to all antibiotics except tetracycline and its relatives. I'm also allergic to codeine and relatives, prevacid, and compazine. I get hives from head to toe and have respiratory problems--I've had full anaphalaxis as well where I lost consciousness.

The worst reaction was to vancomycin that had been put into my IV line in the hospital...the nurse wouldn't listen to me as I kept saying "I'm allergic to that, please stop." I kept saying it and she kept saying it's not on my list...and I kept saying I don't care what's on the list, I'm telling you that I'm allergic. In hindsight, I now know I could have just held the iv line and kinked it so nothing would go into my body ...But, I guess she thought it was the morphine talking and so she continued to ignore me--I was only a few hours post-op for spinal surgery...I dozed off, and, about 20 minutes later I was blown up like a bloated lobster and couldn't breathe and woke up in a panic because I couldn't get any air into my chest and I was banging on the call bell like a maniac. I was swarmed by doctors, nurses, and I don't know who else and I heard the crash cart being parked in my door... scared everyone and myself too. After l-don't-know how many injections and some respiratory treatments, I was okay, albeit puffy and exhausted. So, yes, I'm WAY allergic, not just sensitive. Strange thing is that I never had allergies as a kid, but my siblings all did and grew out if it. Instead, I grew INTO it. Boogers. :blink:

Footnote: the nurse who gave me the IV got fired. At first I felt bad that she got fired, but then I realized she almost killed me and should have listened or at least gotten a supervisor when I kept insisting she stop.

Hmm...me, a professional jewelry maker? Sorry folks, you're going to have to wait until I finish grad school ;) Seriously, every hour of my day is spoken for and I haven't made myself a new bracelet in months. But thanks for the vote of confidence.

Nina B)

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