# Med ID Jewellery



## janine19 (Feb 9, 2009)

Im looking at getting an ID necklace and have found a tiffany style heart on medicaltags.co.uk. 

Im not sure what to have engraved. Can have 3 lines. Thought my name and type 1 diabetic. 

Does anyone have this necklace ? What do other people have engraved?


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## AlanJardine (Feb 9, 2009)

The medic alerts I have allow a lot more information, but I have my name and date of birth (for ID purposes) along with diabetes and blood group (as I'm a rare type)

On the back, I have emergency contact information and the more important drugs I use. There is also an online service (identifyyourself.com) where you can put further details or things which can change.


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## Caroline (Feb 9, 2009)

I have a meditag bracelet and just have diabetes engraved on it, but it makes sense to have as much information as space will allow.


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## Adrienne (Feb 9, 2009)

Hi

Just to let you know that if you receive DLA then you do not have to pay the annual subscription to MedicAlert.   I find MedicAlert very helpful.   You have to send a copy of your DLA to them and they waive the fee.

Adrienne


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## Einstein (Feb 9, 2009)

I have medicalert, you can get various types and styles, from dog tags and bracelets to watches etc...

The information engraved on the back is the critical information, my large tag has 8 lines (ok some are 1 or 2 words) on them and there is a unique serial number and phone number that a doctor or hospital can call to get a full list of your medical conditions, and also all your current medication and your next of kin.

In addition you get a printed card with all the information to put in your wallet.

Its an annual subscription and is a worldwide recognised service. So far I've not has cause to use it, but I've had the tag for 7 years now.

With all of these tags, remember you need to wear them 24/7 and as such if you have acidic skin then plated tags will corrode quite quickly. It might therefore be worth investing in a solid gold tag day one, I went through three SOS Talismans (silver and gold plated) in a couple of years through corrosion, as I said the solid gold one has lasted 7 years and will last a good many more. Shame really as I hate wearing jewellery!


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## Admin (Feb 9, 2009)

*Enough info!*

I have a Tiffany bracelet with my name and 'insulin diabetic' engraved on it. I have had several bad hypo's which have involved ambulance crews and I have been unconscious and they have had enough info from this every time to sort me out! This is as much as they need for a quick emergency.


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## pingu36dd (Feb 10, 2009)

*MediTags*

Hi All

I've purchased one of the USB stick meditags.

You stick it in your usb port on your computer and it opens an application which you complete a very detailed medical records.

Bought it online.  Very compact and can be added to a key ring.


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## Lizzie (Feb 10, 2009)

That sounds handy Pingu, you could get much more information on there. But would a paramedic know to check your keyring for a usb, and if they did find it would they have somewhere on the ambulance to plug it in? 

Does anyone know what medicalert tags cost? They seem to have redesigned their site and removed any reference to prices, all I can find are images of the products and when you click on them they just enlarge, instead of taking you to a page with pricing info. I don't want to sign up for something when I don't know how much it will cost me.


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## pingu36dd (Feb 10, 2009)

*Ambulances and Meditags*

Well I had a situation when an Ambulance was called out for me as I collapsed due to a bad nosebleed and a hypo.  

They knew I was a diabetic on an insulin pump and started to treat me with hypostop.  

If they turned the pump off or pulled the cannula out the hypo could have been resolved quickly.  Instead they kept on stuffing hypostop in me which didn't work and ended up in hospital with glucagon injected in me.

Maybe that's another topic - how medics deal with people on pumps????


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## Einstein (Feb 10, 2009)

Hi Lizzie,
If on the medicalert.org.uk site go to join then go down to visit online shop and choose the item you want. The price and picture is there.
You can buy some of their dog tags without chains, so that you can add your own.

As I said in an earlier post I have their solid gold dog tag, cost a hundred and something a few years ago (without chain) and has done well, none of the engraving has worn away and its still in great condition.

David


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## Einstein (Feb 10, 2009)

Lizzie,

Forgot, don't click on the picture, click on the text for the price!


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## MarcLister (Feb 10, 2009)

AlanJardine said:


> The medic alerts I have allow a lot more information, but I have my name and date of birth (for ID purposes) along with diabetes and blood group (as I'm a rare type)
> 
> On the back, I have emergency contact information and the more important drugs I use. There is also an online service (identifyyourself.com) where you can put further details or things which can change.


I think identifyyourself.com links to http://www.universalmedicalid.com/uk/. Thinking of getting a bracelet and or necklace. Not too sure which to get. 

I don't know my blood type, would be nice to know. Would the hospital be able to find out from the blood samples I've already given what blood type I am?


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## Lizzie (Feb 10, 2009)

Einstein said:


> Lizzie,
> 
> Forgot, don't click on the picture, click on the text for the price!



Oh right. Thanks. I should have worked that out myself really.


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## Anthony Neve (Feb 10, 2009)

ive also got a medic alert one, its a necklace one, stainless steel, and ive had it for as long as i can remember (it may have been renewed once in 15 years?) when i was younger i used to wear it all the time, school etc. I dont tend to wear it so much these days but i also have the printed card and that goes everywhere with me! its always in my wallet and my wallet is always with me.

failing that i also carry dextrose tablets and any professional medic will imediately assotiate them with blood glucose.

the medic alert is a yearly subscription with all your details stored on a database, anyone treating you can then ring the number on the back of the pendent give the unique code and then find out all your meds and conditions..... could be a life saver one day.

those medic alerts are for all sorts of conditions too- heart, allergic reactions etc.


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## AlanJardine (Feb 11, 2009)

MarcLister said:


> I think identifyyourself.com links to http://www.universalmedicalid.com/uk/. Thinking of getting a bracelet and or necklace. Not too sure which to get.
> 
> I don't know my blood type, would be nice to know. Would the hospital be able to find out from the blood samples I've already given what blood type I am?


Personally, I've got both. If I was to go for one, I would go for the bracelet and wear it on the left, as that is where medics are most likely to spot it (when taking a pulse)

I imagine the hospital or doctor would be able to find our your blood type, but they would probably have to do a specific test, rather than using older results for other items.

I found out mine when I was younger and needed a blood transfusion after an accident and operation. They had difficulty finding the right blood so advised me to carry a card with my blood group on just in case.


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## Einstein (Feb 11, 2009)

I wonder if at times a tattoo across the forehead telling them where to look wouldn't be a good option. Look as in for the tag, not 'I have diabetes, but I don't know where it is..'

After you, I'm not being the first to have the tattoo done!


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## MarcLister (Feb 24, 2009)

AlanJardine said:


> I imagine the hospital or doctor would be able to find our your blood type, but they would probably have to do a specific test, rather than using older results for other items.


Rang my surgery today to ask/arrange a blood test to determine my blood type. The conversation with the secretary got off to a bad start when she said "that when you get pregnant and when you donate blood you can find out your blood type".

Firstly, as my voice hopefully hints at, I'm a bloke not a lady-girl thingy. So the chances of me getting pregnant are, I believe, quite low but I am happy to be corrected on this moot point. 

Secondly, as a diabetic I believe I'm not allowed to give blood because the benefits of me giving blood wouldn't outweigh the potential problems I'd suffer from doing so. And I did start the conversation by saying I was a diabetic if that helps.

The woman from the surgery said she'd get someone to ring me back tomorrow to speak to me about it. Can't believe it is this hard and frustrating to find out my blood type! I'd have to do the blood test privately she said. I have no problem with this as I don't have an urgent medical need to find it out and so I don't expect the taxpayer to have the burden of my blood test. She did say that if I got my test done at the surgery I'd get two invoices; one from them for taking the blood and one from the hospital that would do the actual testing. I was told this would be Stoke Mandeville. So I'm wondering, could I cut the surgery out of the equation as it were and just arrange a blood test at Stoke Mandeville and just pay them? Would that be easier/quicker/cheaper at all?

I would like to know my blood type for my medical bracelet. But since I've no idea what type I am I'd like to know if I have a rare type or a common type of blood.


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## kojack (Feb 24, 2009)

Have you had any hospital surgery? If so, your blood group etc should be in your records.
When you go for your annual test, ask the med tech for your group and I'm sure he/she would assist.

I have used a "Talisman" medic thing for many years. Used to have the heavy chain bracelet, but now I have one with a watchstrap and don't notice I have it on.


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## HelenM (Feb 24, 2009)

> I would like to know my blood type for my medical bracelet. But since I've no idea what type I am I'd like to know if I have a rare type or a common type of blood.


A quick google came up with this.  At about ?15 it may be cheaper than your GP.
http://www.saharamarathon.co.uk/bloodtestlocator.html


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## MarcLister (Feb 24, 2009)

kojack said:


> Have you had any hospital surgery? If so, your blood group etc should be in your records.
> When you go for your annual test, ask the med tech for your group and I'm sure he/she would assist.
> 
> I have used a "Talisman" medic thing for many years. Used to have the heavy chain bracelet, but now I have one with a watchstrap and don't notice I have it on.


Nope no surgery at all.



HelenM said:


> A quick google came up with this.  At about ?15 it may be cheaper than your GP.
> http://www.saharamarathon.co.uk/bloodtestlocator.html


Hmm no clinics near me.


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## aymes (Feb 24, 2009)

Einstein said:


> I wonder if at times a tattoo across the forehead telling them where to look wouldn't be a good option. Look as in for the tag, not 'I have diabetes, but I don't know where it is..'
> 
> After you, I'm not being the first to have the tattoo done!




I have heard of people having tattoos done to indicate medical conditions, ok maybe not on the forehead but on wrists etc!!!

In the past I've always got med id from www.coodmedid.com , they are like the silicone type bracelets you usually get to show support for various causes, I've found them really useful as they're cheap so it doesn't matter if I break them and I have various colours for different outfits. However they're not great for formal events so I've just asked my friend who has a jewellery making business (she makes her own glass beads) to make me a bracelet and she's going to attach the medical tag bit which we've bought from one of the 'official' id sites so I'll have my own unique id which hopefully I will wear all the time as it's exactly what I've picked out!


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## Copepod (Feb 25, 2009)

"Originally Posted by HelenM   
A quick google came up with this. At about ?15 it may be cheaper than your GP. http://www.saharamarathon.co.uk/bloodtestlocator.html 
Hmm no clinics near me."
Try ANY travel clinic - the one I worked at isn't listed, but we offered blood grouping if needed. 
However, if you are allowed to give blood, then that is the best way to get your blood group noted - free and you get drink & biscuits afterwards (actually, when I gave blood in a London centre in 1980s, we could have a small can of beer! The rules have changed recently, so many people with tablet controlled diabetes can now give blood, but those who use insulin still can't give blood.


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## lynwill53 (Feb 25, 2009)

kojack said:


> Have you had any hospital surgery? If so, your blood group etc should be in your records.
> When you go for your annual test, ask the med tech for your group and I'm sure he/she would assist.
> 
> I have used a "Talisman" medic thing for many years. Used to have the heavy chain bracelet, but now I have one with a watchstrap and don't notice I have it on.



I have had hospital surgery 3 times and have asked what my blood group is, to be told, they don't know, it's not in my records. Asked my Doc; Nope, no idea!Weird! What if I needed a transfusion? How do people discover they have rare blood types? 

Rejected for blood donation cos of Asthma medication so can't go that route.

You would think that was something to establish at birth and put straight onto your medical records. Couldn't believe it's so difficult to find out


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## Copepod (Feb 25, 2009)

*blood grouping*

If you need a blood transfusion, and it's not required instantly eg before a planned operation, then a sample of blood will be taken for "grouping and cross matching". Then, blood of the appropriate type will be reserved for your use. If it's not used, then it will be returned to the blood bank. No reputable blood transfusion service will rely on a blood group tatooed on a body or on a card in a wallet or even in a medical ID locket.
If you require a blood transfusion in a life or death situation, when there is no time for grouping & cross matching, then you will be given blood from the universal donor group ORh-ve.
If you don't need a blood transfusion you don't really need to know your blood group. If you're a blood donor, you will be told your blood group, and if  you have a rare group, may be asked more often or in times of blood shortage, but the limit is still 3 units of whole blood donations per year.


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## Northerner (Feb 25, 2009)

Copepod said:


> ... if  you have a rare group, may be asked more often or in times of blood shortage, but the limit is still 3 units of whole blood donations per year.



Actually, if you're a rare group they're likely to need less of it, as there are fewer people with that blood type! My mum was AB-ve, which is so rare that they said they would contact her when they needed a donation, since if she gave on a regular basis it might get wasted and she might not be available to give it when really needed - I don't think she ever actually gave blood! I'm B+ve, which I try to take as my mantra!


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## Copepod (Feb 25, 2009)

I probably didn't explain too well, but if a person say with AB-ve blood is planned for a major heart operation, the blood service will need to have say 20 or more units available, so they would call in anyone available with that blood group. If no-one needs they blood, then they won't collect it regularly -leaving it inside the donors, so it can be collected when needed. 
Also, rthe elative incidences of blood groups vary between racial groups, and some groups have different rates of donation and needing blood transfusions. 
Anyway, the bottom line is that anyone who can donate blood should consider registering - and then attending when notified by blood service. I'm glad that I was able to give blood and plasma for several years, before insulin put an end to that. I was registered as a potential bone marrow donor, but am now too old for that - in any case, I don't think they accept bone marrow from people with diabetes.


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## MarcLister (Feb 25, 2009)

Copepod said:


> "Originally Posted by HelenM
> A quick google came up with this. At about ?15 it may be cheaper than your GP. http://www.saharamarathon.co.uk/bloodtestlocator.html
> Hmm no clinics near me."
> Try ANY travel clinic - the one I worked at isn't listed, but we offered blood grouping if needed.
> However, if you are allowed to give blood, then that is the best way to get your blood group noted - free and you get drink & biscuits afterwards (actually, when I gave blood in a London centre in 1980s, we could have a small can of beer! The rules have changed recently, so many people with tablet controlled diabetes can now give blood, but those who use insulin still can't give blood.


I'm on insulin so can't give blood.

However I did speak to someone from the surgery today. It will cost me ?15.62 for the surgery to take the blood and only ?9 for the clever people at Stoke Mandeville to actually test the blood to work out my blood type. So ?24.62. I'm happy to pay that.

I forgot to ask the nurse how long it would take to work my blood type out. Are we talking days or weeks after my appointment?



lynwill53 said:


> I have had hospital surgery 3 times and have asked what my blood group is, to be told, they don't know, it's not in my records. Asked my Doc; Nope, no idea!Weird! What if I needed a transfusion? How do people discover they have rare blood types?
> 
> Rejected for blood donation cos of Asthma medication so can't go that route.
> 
> You would think that was something to establish at birth and put straight onto your medical records. Couldn't believe it's so difficult to find out


I did have grommets inserted into me head sometime between 1985 and 1990. I was born in 1983 so can't have been before 1985 I reckon. Might ring the surgery again tomorrow and see if there is anything in my records about blood type from the operation. But I doubt it.

And I would have thought the NHS would want to find out your blood type asap so you know what type you need in case of an emergency but also so that the NHS can work out the percentage of the population having each blood type and helping the blood donor people know how many people have a certain blood type. Just seems to be quite an obvious statistic to measure the British population with.


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## Einstein (Feb 25, 2009)

I found when I had my regular six monthly blood tests for just about everything else the nurse was happy to do the paperwork to find out my blood group. 

Then the next time I saw my GP I simply asked what it was - remembered it until I left the surgery and forgot it within 20 paces! Does anyone else find their er.... erm, er... memory (that's it) is shot?


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## sofaraway (Feb 26, 2009)

MarcLister said:


> And I would have thought the NHS would want to find out your blood type asap so you know what type you need in case of an emergency



They would still take blood for type even if you've had it done before and you know the type, there are quite strict rules for blood transfusions.


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## squidge63 (Mar 6, 2009)

Adrienne said:


> Hi
> 
> Just to let you know that if you receive DLA then you do not have to pay the annual subscription to MedicAlert.   I find MedicAlert very helpful.   You have to send a copy of your DLA to them and they waive the fee.
> 
> Adrienne



I didnt realise that, I havent paid this year as I couldnt afford it... I shall contact them and get my subsciption renewed.


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## MarcLister (Mar 21, 2009)

Got a letter from the Buckinghamshire Hospitals Trust today with my blood type. I'm O+. 

Most common blood group in the UK so go me!


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## Sugarbum (Mar 21, 2009)

janine19 said:


> Im looking at getting an ID necklace and have found a tiffany style heart on medicaltags.co.uk.
> 
> Im not sure what to have engraved. Can have 3 lines. Thought my name and type 1 diabetic.
> 
> Does anyone have this necklace ? What do other people have engraved?



Im so glad you put this up here, I love that! Its nice to see some attractive ID jewllery for a change!


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