MedicAlert Bracelets

Hi Everyone

So, I've never given this any thought, but a friend of mine wears a Medicalert bracelet - she has a perm ileo with anal closure.

Do any of you (jpouch, ileo) wear one?

Hi Ymotso, thanks for the reply. I can see the benefit of wearing one, I do quite a bit of travelling so it might be a smart thing to invest in.

Can I ask - what does yours have printed on it?

Thanks so much!

I have also thought about getting one of these bracelets and was going to ask if anyone here had one. I just think it would be a good idea in case and accident or illness occurred suddenly, rendering me unable to communicate with whoever was attending to my emergency. I think I'll look into getting me a bracelet!

I thought about this a bit further. I'm on the Trauma Team at work, and with every trauma that comes in we do a digital rectal exam - check for blood and tone.

Some of us with ileos have had our anal closures, some have not. I don't want someone poking around down there trying to find a hole when there isn't one. Honestly, unless I pull my cheeks apart and am looking really hard, I can't even tell that things have been removed down there - I've healed really well.

Having an ileo does not = anal closure, and my friend who has the ileo has the following written on her bracelet:

- ulcerative colitis
- ileostomy
- anal closure

@ UCwhat? : I was checking out the Medicalert website, it seems that you give details about your condition and then they work with you to come up with what to inscribe - so I'm sure they could write something like "do not pass anally" or something of the sort for you.

You have to pay a registration fee (it's small, $25 CAD) and then $5/month for the service. So someone can call the phone number on your bracelet to get all your details, 24 hours a day. And you can update your info as many times as you want at no additional cost. There are tons of necklaces and bracelets to choose from. Also, as soon as someone calls the Medicalert hotline, the Medicalert people will call your emergency contact person to let them know of your emergency. Seems like a good service for $5/month.

I'm looking at www.medicalert.ca

It is a Canadian site - that could be the difference - are you in the US?

I have one but have been bad about wearing it as I got it too small. The cost was $7 for the bracelet and $50.00 for the year (US). I use Medicalert.

I'm not concerned as much about exams and you can take one look at my stomach to know that I've had a TON of work don (one ten inch scar up/down, one six inch sideways, four lapro holes, a stoma). I've had someone say that if you come in unconscious from any kind of trauma/accident, then you go right into a CAT scan anyway.

But I have it because I want them to know who my surgeons and primary are. The hospital calls the number and they give them that information. You can pick what to inscribe from a huge list. My last one had ileostomy, pulmonary embolism, and needs stress dose steroids. Since the cheap ones are about 10 bucks with shipping, I have no issue reording when things change.

That's interesting, Shaz. I wonder if one can request what info is put on there. I don't really agree with their reasoning about the ileo being that obvious. Unless they strip me naked at the scene of an accident, it could very well go unnoticed!

I agree with UCwhat? - it isn't always obvious. We had a patient go into cardiac arrest, required CPR and it wasn't until we were well into the CPR that we noticed the ostomy (we concentrate on baring the chest and starting compressions - not pulling down pants) and in fact with the compressions the stoma was prolapsing into the bag. Nothing you can do about that, it's going to happen with all the pressure put on the chest, and you do what you have to do to save someone's life.

No matter how rare or extreme the circumstance, if wearing a Medicalert item makes you feel more comfortable, then that's whats you should do. You can always take it off and put it on as you feel necessary.

I'm definitely going to invest in one, especially because of travelling. I have also given my parents, sister and emergency contact in the city I live a detailed list of my medical history and meds, along with a list of my physicians and their contact info. I'd hope it would never have to be used, but it makes me feel better knowing this information is with my family.