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Crohn's Disease Forum

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This is an interesting topic. I asked my GP about whether it was worth me getting one, and after thinking for a minute, he said that nothing in my history or any of my allergies would impact any emergency treatment, so it would have minimal benefit.

I guess an advantage to having a chronic illness is most emergency hospitals in our home cities have us on file anyway :lol:
 
Mine says something along the lines of:

Crohns
Carries EpiPen
Drug Allergies -- Call Hotline

I've had a MedicAlert since my first anaphylactic reaction to a medication (Amoxil) back in 1990 or so.
 
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I used to have an SOS bracelet as a kid because I am allergic to penicillin. Unfortunately I am also allergic to the bracelet! I put an ICE (in case of emergency) number in my phone- my boyfriend who knows all the important medical bits- and a card in my wallet. Hopefully the message will get through!
 
ALLERGY TO
DRUGS - FOOD
ANIMALS - OTHERS
SINUS TACHYCARDIA
ASTHMA/CELIAC

I have 36 allergies listed on the details on my account (including Penicillin, Cephalosporins, Macrobid, Serc, and Nu-Cotrimox).
Also have these conditions listed: Hypothyroidism, iron deficiency anemia (i keep it on there as I have been anemic badly twice now), chronic esophagitis (it seems to make returns every so often), gall stones (though I really have sludge, and have gone to ER for gall bladder attacks), dermatitis herpetiformis, osteoarthritis, lactose intolerance, psoriasis, hypertension, IBD (i told them they can't diagnose me but I have symptoms and go to ER for it, so MedicAlert themselves added it to my list of conditions), and hiatus hernia.
Thankfully I have never actually had to USE the medicAlert but I pay my yearly fee and never take the bracelet off just in case!
 
I just re-certified for CPR/AED Level C last week and they were talking to us about the bracelets and how there are several types out... so if you are allergic to the typical metal ones, you can get all sorts..including leather.. people are also getting medic alert tattoos. They looked cool but it is not recommended because people were putting them in places such as the lower back, upper arm etc. When we look over the body for any fluid leaking, etc, we don't look for tattoo's and there is no time to scan for them in a medical emergency ..
 
I keep all my medications in my purse and with my alert necklace, I didn't have it engraved. I used a size 8 font and printed out the following and then taped it with clear tape on the back:
Crohn's Disease
Tachycardia, PVCs
Panic Disorder

You could use a smaller font if you have more medical conditions than that. I also keep a card in my wallet that also has my medical conditions but if I wrote any meds on it, those may have changed by now so if you want, they have these new one out now that are a small USB drive where you can put your medical conditions on it and update your medications. Although, I bet your could write, "see USB drive in purse/pocket for medical info." and use any old thumb drive. We're in the future baby!
 
I've never felt the need for one as I don't have any allergies. How would Crohn's disease affect emergency care?
 
I think the best part about the bracelet is that it is supposed to be linked to a call centre. The person who finds the bracelet or the ER can call the centre which is another reason why they don't like the tattoo idea or the idea of just scribing your own bracelet.
Most hospitals within your area have the same computer system for this reason. Unless you are out of your area, with no I.D on you then it probably would be handy to have... wouldn't hurt - that's for sure... Even if you just carry a card in your wallet where it is visible. Going through someone wallet isn't covered in The Good Samaritan Act so make it visible as soon as you open it. People like to make a living out of suing people (they actually team up, fake an emergency and then share the profit).
Kylee - they would do a blood panel on you and will see you are on prednisone if you are incapacitated long enough to go into withdrawal.
 
Keona- I have never seen a leather SOS bracelet, and I'm not sure how it would work? The SOS is designed to be opened up, and it holds a concertina of paper with all your details (name, address, hospital, consultant etc), so it's different to a Medic Alert where you only get a few lines of engraving. Though I have seen iphone apps where you can store all that stuff, so maybe I should get a medic alert that just says 'check my ipod'!
 
I'm just going to get a tattoo on the upper left part of my chest. I figure if I ever need to communicate that I won't be conscious.

Blood Type- A+
Penicillin Allergy
No NSAIDs
 
Thanks, Keona! The fabric ones don't hold as much info as I remember, but they have keychain ones which open out, and then I could attach it somewhere where it doesn't touch my skin.
 
Hey ChaoticKylee
Im not disagreeing with you - I was responding to the withdrawal comment.
 
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..and I think it is a great idea :D ... especially when someone has allergies and if it is the one hooked up to the call centre. Meds change so much it is easier to change with the call centre than keep getting new bracelets. The card in the wallet is also a good idea...
 
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Your discussion about Medic Alert inspired me to order a 3rd bracelet. I always wear your basic stainless steel one. I have a copper one as a backup in case this one breaks. And I ordered the Black Reflective Sports Band...it's like a velcro watch strap with your medic alert attached. This will come in handy in the summer for 2 reasons: a) I am likely working in a greenhouse where I sweat a lot and the steel bracelet likes to irritate my skin with excessive day long sweat, and b) i walk a lot at night. Why not have a reflective wrist? :)
 
I just had a great idea! You know the Pandora- style charm bracelets, wouldn't it be cool if you could get one with the medic alert symbol on, then different charms according to your medical needs. Like green charms for medications you're taking (and the name and dosage engraved on), red for allergies, blue for condition names etc. Then if something changes, you just remove that charm or add a new one! And you could have an ICE number on there too.
 
I've just got one of those Italian charm bracelets off eBay. They have a Crohn's charm and will custom engrave links for you. Easy to swap links to mix and match as circumstances change. I did see some Pandora charms too :)
 
I've had a medical alert bracelet for well over ten years. It simply says Crohn's on it, but it pops open and has a place for more info. Problem being is that it's not water tight, so I have to laminate a new list to put in there. Simply some packing tape over paper works well for this tiny bit.

I also have to create a list of info to put in Dragonese's service vest so that he has all the info needed on him as well.

I also have an Italian charm bracelet with all of my allergies, diagnosises and a bunch of other stuff. I found all the charms on ebay. Some had to be specially made, but there's a great seller on ebay who will do that.
 
I have one for my allergies but the more serious one is I have to be intubated awake if I have to have any op that require a general anaesthetic because of sublottic stenosis.I have got the concertina necklace with a sos on it.I don't know if medical people would read it in an emergency,I like to think they would.
 

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