Medic-Alert jewelry

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linpsu
linpsu Member Posts: 747
Ladies - do any of you wear a Medic-Alert bracelet or necklance to alert medical personnel in the case of emergency not to use a particular arm for bp or iv due to lymphedema? Do you think it is necessary? Do you prefer a necklace or bracelet?
Thanks,
Linda

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  • mamolady
    mamolady Member Posts: 796 Member
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    necklace
    I plan on getting the necklace.

    Cindy
  • cinnamonsmile
    cinnamonsmile Member Posts: 1,187 Member
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    I don't have lymphedema but
    I don't have lymphedema but did have a left sentinel node biopsy and a right axillary node biopsy. I also have severe PMPS/neuropathy bilaterally but worse on the right and bps taken on my arms can cause me severe pain for days. I never started to think about until recently when I have started to refuse bps/needlepricks on the arms and have run into some nurses giving me grief. I ended up in the ER a week ago for a fish hook shoved deep in my finger (I was actually hooked with a walleye at the same time.).On the way there, I thought, you never what could happen, what if I was unconscious and started to think about it. I do think I have to get a dr to help get one of them and am thinking it may be worth the effort. That is IF medical personnel choose to read it. I recently had an appt and had the bright orange restricted limb bands on both arms and the nurse argued with me cuz she didn't want to do the bp on my leg. But at least I know if I am unconscious and they disobey, there would be a lot of H^$ll to pay.
    I think I would prefer the bracelt (you cant imagine how long it took me to remember that darn word lol, almost had to go back and look at your post lol) because they will see it when they slap the id bracelet on me, I hope....I don't trust that they would look at the necklace as a warning not a piece of costume jewelry, even if it is a medic alert, you know?

    This is a link to a lymphedema website that offers alerts for lymphedema, I think I may order from here: http://www.shop.lymphnet.org/product.sc?productId=190
  • ladyg
    ladyg Member Posts: 1,577
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    Linda
    I wear a braclet. I was wearing it before the lymphodema because I have an allery to penicillin. What I did was take it to and engraving shop and they added the part about my arm. I also have a necklace but I did not have that added on because I prefer the braclet. The problem I have with the necklace is in the summer. For some reason it causes me to get a rash where the alert tag lays.

    Hugs,
    Georgia
  • MAJW
    MAJW Member Posts: 2,510 Member
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    ladyg said:

    Linda
    I wear a braclet. I was wearing it before the lymphodema because I have an allery to penicillin. What I did was take it to and engraving shop and they added the part about my arm. I also have a necklace but I did not have that added on because I prefer the braclet. The problem I have with the necklace is in the summer. For some reason it causes me to get a rash where the alert tag lays.

    Hugs,
    Georgia

    CVS..
    CVS drug store sells the bracelets...saw them just Friday...$14.95 ..didn't look real closely but I believe it opens and has a paper that fits inside it to store your medical info....
  • Marcia527
    Marcia527 Member Posts: 2,729
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    I have a bracelet. I wore it
    I have a bracelet. I wore it every time I left the house for a few years. The last few I haven't worn it. I asked the nurse if they paid attention to bracelets like that and she said they always look for one first.
  • Gabe N Abby Mom
    Gabe N Abby Mom Member Posts: 2,413
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    Medic alert jewelry is also
    Medic alert jewelry is also available from TLC.

    www.tlcdirect.org
  • mruczko
    mruczko Member Posts: 110
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    Marcia527 said:

    I have a bracelet. I wore it
    I have a bracelet. I wore it every time I left the house for a few years. The last few I haven't worn it. I asked the nurse if they paid attention to bracelets like that and she said they always look for one first.

    Medialert bracelet
    Marcia:
    Purchased a MediAlert bracelet last year from National Lymphedema Network, lymphnet.org, for my left arm (18 lymph nodes removed). It says LYMPEDEMA ALERT, no blood pressure, no needles into left arm. Well, guess what, only 1, a pre-op nurse when I had an infected cyst removed from under that arm, paid attention to it and marked my arm, every other nurse/medical personnel paid NOT THE SLIGHTEST attention. I am the one who has to point to it and say - other arm, if you please! Makes me wonder what happens if I am ever unconcious! Frightening.
    Marlene
  • mruczko
    mruczko Member Posts: 110
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    I don't have lymphedema but
    I don't have lymphedema but did have a left sentinel node biopsy and a right axillary node biopsy. I also have severe PMPS/neuropathy bilaterally but worse on the right and bps taken on my arms can cause me severe pain for days. I never started to think about until recently when I have started to refuse bps/needlepricks on the arms and have run into some nurses giving me grief. I ended up in the ER a week ago for a fish hook shoved deep in my finger (I was actually hooked with a walleye at the same time.).On the way there, I thought, you never what could happen, what if I was unconscious and started to think about it. I do think I have to get a dr to help get one of them and am thinking it may be worth the effort. That is IF medical personnel choose to read it. I recently had an appt and had the bright orange restricted limb bands on both arms and the nurse argued with me cuz she didn't want to do the bp on my leg. But at least I know if I am unconscious and they disobey, there would be a lot of H^$ll to pay.
    I think I would prefer the bracelt (you cant imagine how long it took me to remember that darn word lol, almost had to go back and look at your post lol) because they will see it when they slap the id bracelet on me, I hope....I don't trust that they would look at the necklace as a warning not a piece of costume jewelry, even if it is a medic alert, you know?

    This is a link to a lymphedema website that offers alerts for lymphedema, I think I may order from here: http://www.shop.lymphnet.org/product.sc?productId=190

    Lymphedema jewellery
    Cinnamonsmile:
    You are supposed to hook the fish, not your thumb!!!!!!!!!! Glad to see you are around and about. You are doing a heck of a lot more than I. Good for you!
    Hugs, Marlene
  • Marcia527
    Marcia527 Member Posts: 2,729
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    mruczko said:

    Medialert bracelet
    Marcia:
    Purchased a MediAlert bracelet last year from National Lymphedema Network, lymphnet.org, for my left arm (18 lymph nodes removed). It says LYMPEDEMA ALERT, no blood pressure, no needles into left arm. Well, guess what, only 1, a pre-op nurse when I had an infected cyst removed from under that arm, paid attention to it and marked my arm, every other nurse/medical personnel paid NOT THE SLIGHTEST attention. I am the one who has to point to it and say - other arm, if you please! Makes me wonder what happens if I am ever unconcious! Frightening.
    Marlene

    Maybe it depends on if
    Maybe it depends on if they've come across it before. Maybe we all should wear one and stick it in their faces and say, "see!" People tend to believe what they read. I bought one from NLN too. I was given a bright yellow plastic one by the physical therapist and told to wear it if I was ever admitted to hospital. At the hospital they noticed the yellow one because it was different and asked what it was and when I showed her she let me keep it on. That's all we can do is try.
  • TraciInLA
    TraciInLA Member Posts: 1,994 Member
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    Medic alert jewelry is also
    Medic alert jewelry is also available from TLC.

    www.tlcdirect.org

    I love Lauren's Hope medical ID jewelry
    I'm at extremely low risk for lymphedema, so decided not to wear anything for it....but my girlfriend's teenage son is a Type I diabetic, and we've discovered Lauren's Hope (www.laurenshope.com).

    We've bought several of their more masculine designs as gifts for him -- but, every time I get their catalog, I almost wish I had a reason to wear their women's bracelets and necklaces. Gorgeous, gorgeous stuff, designed like jewelry, but still immediately identifiable by medical personnel. They're pricey, but would be great to ask for as a birthday or Christmas gift.

    Traci
  • Christmas Girl
    Christmas Girl Member Posts: 3,682 Member
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    Since the risk issue is my right arm...
    ... I wear a bracelet. Was super cautious at first; so, wore it always. Now - I wear it when traveling (along with a compression sleeve & gauntlet for air travel), or when spending time with people who don't know/understand my risks. Also, I wear it for each & every medical appointment - no matter what (even to the dentist - sometimes, they measure blood pressure). It helps ME to remember!

    I also keep one in my purse. My wallet includes allergy & ocular lens implant warnings. Importantly, EMTs are trained to look for this type of info (jewelry, wallet, purse, etc.) immediately.

    Kind regards, Susan
  • Kylez
    Kylez Member Posts: 3,761 Member
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    mruczko said:

    Lymphedema jewellery
    Cinnamonsmile:
    You are supposed to hook the fish, not your thumb!!!!!!!!!! Glad to see you are around and about. You are doing a heck of a lot more than I. Good for you!
    Hugs, Marlene

    I don't have a bracelet or a
    I don't have a bracelet or a necklace, but, I have been thinking about getting one. I think it is a very good idea!
  • skipper54
    skipper54 Member Posts: 936 Member
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    Since the risk issue is my right arm...
    ... I wear a bracelet. Was super cautious at first; so, wore it always. Now - I wear it when traveling (along with a compression sleeve & gauntlet for air travel), or when spending time with people who don't know/understand my risks. Also, I wear it for each & every medical appointment - no matter what (even to the dentist - sometimes, they measure blood pressure). It helps ME to remember!

    I also keep one in my purse. My wallet includes allergy & ocular lens implant warnings. Importantly, EMTs are trained to look for this type of info (jewelry, wallet, purse, etc.) immediately.

    Kind regards, Susan

    thought about it
    Right after my mastectomy I looked into it but everything seemed too big. I'm rather small boned (wear a size 4 1/2 wedding ring) so have small wrists as well. SInce I found this post I checked the Medic Alert site. They now have bracelets that fit smaller wrists but they're sterling silver and run about $100. I like the idea of a birthday or Christmas present! Maybe several people could contribute. Thanks for bringing this up!
  • cinnamonsmile
    cinnamonsmile Member Posts: 1,187 Member
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    mruczko said:

    Lymphedema jewellery
    Cinnamonsmile:
    You are supposed to hook the fish, not your thumb!!!!!!!!!! Glad to see you are around and about. You are doing a heck of a lot more than I. Good for you!
    Hugs, Marlene

    I am out and doing more
    I am out and doing more because the combination of meds, occupational therapy, nerve blocks and now the added cortisone shots are working!! I also have been using deep breathing and thanks to dbhadra fortune cookie, I am using visualiztions too. I have two ots who are totally different. One is more analytically oriented and one is more naturalistic if I can describe them that way. The yoga one, I will call her that lol, is helping me find ways to use my mind to calm and be hopeful. I realized while talking with her in a session, when I have setbacks in pain like I did recently, my hope tanks and that doesn't help my pain get better. So now I look for anything that gives me hope when I am feeling down. Sometimes I get excited over the littlest thing I can do right now. Not saying by any means that I can do it all the time, but at least I know to try and remember occasionally. It is a new way of life for me.

    I really hope you look into pt/ot. I had no idea my scar tissue made things worse for me. I did talk to her about you and she agreed that working out at your health club/gym is certainly good, but there may be something they could do to treat YOUR specific pain needs to help you improve.

    I have been keeping a pain log now so that when I go see my pain dr. I don't have to rely on my already rotten memory to try and think of what hurt, when it hurt, what makes it worse, what made it better etc. My pain doc is great and wants to know everything about it to make me better.

    It is so good to have someone like you, Marlene that can relate, It's like I have a partner in this journey who is living it too. I had that you have it too, but grateful you are here talking about it with me!
  • mwallace1325
    mwallace1325 Member Posts: 806
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    skipper54 said:

    thought about it
    Right after my mastectomy I looked into it but everything seemed too big. I'm rather small boned (wear a size 4 1/2 wedding ring) so have small wrists as well. SInce I found this post I checked the Medic Alert site. They now have bracelets that fit smaller wrists but they're sterling silver and run about $100. I like the idea of a birthday or Christmas present! Maybe several people could contribute. Thanks for bringing this up!

    Bracelet
    I just put mine on and leave it there. I know in an emergency if I weren't conscious, my family would never remember, but then it also shows my allergy to penicillan.

    I can change out the bracelets if I want to but it doesn't really clash with anything.

    My friend's daughter recognized it when she saw it, so hopefully medical personnel will to if need be.

    marge
  • linpsu
    linpsu Member Posts: 747
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    Thanks
    Thanks, Ladies, for your input. I think I will go ahead and order one. Linda
  • cinnamonsmile
    cinnamonsmile Member Posts: 1,187 Member
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    linpsu said:

    Thanks
    Thanks, Ladies, for your input. I think I will go ahead and order one. Linda

    I spent more money on a
    I spent more money on a bracelet than I wanted to. I bought one for $40 at tlc onlince. Its stainless steel but also looked very easy to take off and on and change the width.
  • chenheart
    chenheart Member Posts: 5,159
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    I had a bracelet made at the
    I had a bracelet made at the suggestion of my pulmonologist~ I am "difficult to intubate" which is scary but fine IF I am having elective surgery and the anesthesiologist comes in to talk to me. But, as my Dr said~ what if I am in an accident or unconscious? This would be good for the paramedics to know! So I have a ♥ shaped charm with the caduceus, and on the front "Difficult To Intubate", and on the back, "Use LEFT arm only for B/P etc"

    My thinking is: Better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it!

    Chen♥