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UPDATED: Fri, 09/05/2008 - 1:31pm
AngieIN
Do I really need a medical ID bracelet?
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After having seizures for 5 years, I have recently "officially" been diagnosed with TLE. I rarely have complex seizures, mostly simple partial seizures. But now that the diagnosis is sinking in, my husband and I were wondering if I really needed to wear a medical ID? I don't particularly want to, but am a pretty cautious person, so I think...maybe I should? As things stand, I can't see that I'd need one, but if I ever had a grand mal, then yeah.
Just wondered if many of you wear them??
By AngieIN at Fri, 09/05/2008 - 1:31pm | 242 views | 29 comments
Recent Comments on this Discussion
When I was first diagnosed with epilepsy(at the age of fifty), I absolutely refused to wear an ID bracelet! I didn't want people to know that I had a problem. My family sat me down "intervention" style and told me that I was being selfish. They told me how they worried about me. I made the decision to put these wonderful, loving peoples feelings before my own and ordered my bracelet. In the years since only one person has ever asked me why I wear the bracelet. I answered by saying that " I have epilepsy." Her response, " You don't look like it. " My response, " This is what epilepsy looks like."
Because we are self-conscious about something we often times project that onto others. People are busy with their own lives and trying to make it in a hectic world. Nobody cares what's own your wrist. Nobody is looking at you. Folks are trying to safely get to work or trying to safely make it home. I am not the center of the universe, all eyes are not on my wrist. If someone should inquire about your ID bracelet why go on the attack? It's a question not a verbal assault. Answer with grace and dignity. I understand the challenges of dealing with epilepsy. I started having grand mal seizures out of the blue; no sickness, head trauma, nothing. One day my husband found me on the floor, wedged between the bed and the night table. The next thing I know I'm being told I have epilepsy and no doctor can tell me why (and still can't).
I hope you get an ID bracelet or necklace. If not for you, do it for the people who love you. I hope this helps someone. Take care. ojs
Im getting a dog tag design on my right wrist with the medical symbol (rod of alphisus?) on one tag and on the other will say epileptic.
Just my idea, i wouldnt wear a bracelet unless it was a gold and even then i wouldnt wear it all the time!
So i figure a tattoo would be cool, especially if i design it myself as i have. And if i ever stop having fits i dont mind because it will always be apart of my life somehow!
I ordered a necklace with a pendant online and listed the meds I'm on with the type of seizures I have. Since the car crash that initially started these seizures, I figure it's better safe than sorry.
I use a dog tag type chain med-alert for my sezuires. Just yesterday I was in a public place and had a small sez where I couldn't talk.. I got into a little hassle with a gal at a place of business. I knew enought to grab my chain and show it to her. Then everything worked out all right. It has saved me a few times. Just got to remember to wear it.......x
You know people are now giving away stickers that you can put on your cell phone with the letters"I.C.E." which stands for "in case of emergency" This gives any abulance or police officer the permission to go into your cell phone and look up ICE and call that number which should be stored as your emergency contact number. You should do that along with the bracelet.
Thank you for the info about the sticker!!!
Everyone needs to put on them, I had always thought they would just do it. But nowdays, I understand why you need the sticker!!
Take care
I only wear one when I am out alone where noone knows me. I only wear the one that says see wallet. And I keep something in my purse easy to find and up to date.
My dad bought me one that had my name and all info on it. Some nosy people would walk up and look at it to see what it said for no reason. And that really bothered me. So now if someone does it. I say that it says I hate nosy people, and love to embarress them. They leave me alone every time!! haha
the bracelets at the Lauren shop site are attractive but expen$$$$$ive. Nothing under $35 and even that on limited sale. The best deal-$14.95 plus $6.95 for S&H is from Colonial Medical. I would rather save as little as the $7 diff between getting a plain metal link bracelet from Colonial Medical rather than from even Medic Alert itself. Then I can save the $7 to pay for a treat--even cheap sandwich lunch out, rent home video w popcorn etc to bring some joy and make a happy day for some else, maybe even a fellow struggling E.
Believe me I can appreciate the cost factor being on a fixed disability income but the best value I have found is a small company in NJ JAM Custom ID.com The bracelets are gorgeous custom made in a variety of finishes and each bracelet carries a donation to Deborah Heart and Lung Center and/or Breast Cancer research. The bracelets are priced at about $25.00, no annual fees or dues. Are they the cheapest, I don't really know I met them at a medical fair and seen the bracelets and bought one on the spot. It was fitted for my wrist and I have never had a problem. I am asked about it and have to tell people it is a medical bracelet. If it sounds like I am doing a commercial for this company it's because I seen them give yes GIVE braceletes to seniors that could not afford the $25.00. The owner is a heart patient at Deborah Heart Center and is passionate about the good the bracelets do. Before you make up your mind visit their site and give them a call or email.
One question about the medical ID bracelt. Would the emergency worker not take me to the emergency room if the medical tag says I have epilepsy? Some medical workers tell me they would take me to the hospital anyway since there's really nothing else they can do. They won't sit there with me until the seizure is over then assume I'll be fine on my own. So in that case, there's really no point in my bothering to wear one. No drugs help, and there's nothing anyone can do that the tag would help with. Any thoughts?
I never wanted to wear a MedicAlert. I was diagnosed on my 13th birthday. My freshman year of High School I became a stubborn teenager and refused to wear the ID bracelet. That fall I was in Disney World I had a grand mal in the park walking behind my family. We got separated and Disney got me very quickly to the ambulance. Because no one was with me and they had no clue who I was what meds or even if I was epileptic they had to wait till I came to. The paramedic actually told me that I should have one because of days like that day. I hate being reminded of the fact I have epilepsy but it's worse if I don't have it and need it. I would register with medicalert because the keep files on your meds and all of that important information. If you don't like the chains that medicalert provides you can order a cheap bracelet on the cite and www.laurenshope.com is a website that has more discrete jewelry that you can order. I would encourage doing that rather than waiting for another grand mal before getting an id.
I hope this helps!! Good Luck!
I am a school teacher and don't want to tell 130 12 year olds or 70 teachers about my condition. I have been having breakthough seizures, while medicated. They can come after 4 years, 4 months, or 4 days. Inconsistant. But, I want something to look pretty and inconspicuous yet something an EMT would notice. I wear a Brighton charm bracelet attached to a medic alert plate with the symbol on one side and my name and epilepsy on the other. In my cell phone, I list names by Mother, fater, husband, etc, so that someone can reach my family easily.
I just posted a comment for another person with a similar problem. I was at a health fair and seen this small company from NJ JAM Custom ID .com They assemble the bracelets by hand and they are absolutely gorgeous. I had to tell people mine was a medical ID bracelet. They are moderately priced at $25.00 and like I told that other person, I seen the owner give yes GIVE away a few bracelets to seniors that could not afford the $25. Look at this site and see what these people make. My wife thinks it is absolutely gorgeous and she is impossible to please. Give them a look and you decide. I seen them add a cartoon character for a childs bracelet and a golf club for a bracelet a girl was buying for her dad. Amazing company
My uncle is an EMT and he says either work. As long as you have a wallet card, make sure you carry your wallet wherever you go. If you don't carry a wallet, a bracelet is probably a better idea. He told me not having anything is a bad idea because part of the fun of Epilepsy, as least mine, you never know when a seizure is going to hit. As soon as I find a braclet I like, I'm going to get one of those too. My uncle says if you have a braclet, they'll look in your wallet for an ID that has the meds you're on. You can choose whatever you want, but he told me too have something so they know what meds I'm taking and having something is better than having nothing.
I think we all should wear them but many EMTS suggest you do not put the names of meds on them. So if have a change they will mix meds. They suggest a card in wallet many of check that on a person.
With a lifetime of partials, and grand mals increasing worse and worse the last 20 years, an emergency team tried to convince me to wait out clustering partials since they had rushed me to ER a few weeks earlier for just another grand mal that I was told to go home and see a neurologist for(no neurologist here for medicaid). With my eyesight failing and my total body going numb instead of just one side as usual, and no total recovery from the last grand mal before the clustering partials before another one, the people around me convinced them to finally take me to ER after a moderate delay of arguments; at the ER, I found out that I had about 3 hours to live without emergency operations for severe gathering subdural hematomas, at another hospital with facilities for such operations; it was a harrowing trip, and I ended up with quite a few holes in my skull, more problems, and my epilepsy still going strong. So, I guess, everything similar will liable to be blamed on epilepsy if I am immediately known as having epilepsy, maybe to a life threatening level.
Always get a med alert braclet to notify people of whatever conditions you may have. It help get you the treatment you need faster and safer.
I never wanted to wear an ID bracelet/necklace either until I was riding the train home and had a seizure. I don't have complex seizures so I figured people would just think I was daydreaming or something and wouldn't have to worry. It scared me when I had a seizure on the train coming home from school, because next thing I knew, I was leaning completely forward onto the seat in front of me and I had dropped all of my stuff on the floor. The conductor came by with a really scared look on his face asking if I was ok. I also figure, in my case, I live in the city and I ride the train a lot and I spend a lot of time in major league press boxes and clubhouses and if something were to happen no one would know. Especially being on the train, if it is standing room only I could actually fall and hurt myself. If you don't want to neccessarily wear a bracelet or necklace I'd say just keep some sort of identification on you at all times, maybe just keep it in your purse or attached to your keys.
I have partial seizures too. Mine were diagnosed as complex but I stay pretty aware and responsive for the most part enought that I can do simple things during the seizure....like go sit down, or if I were to be driving I would be able to pull over (thankfully it hasn't happened while driving). I don't wear a bracelet or carry any medic alert tag. I've never felt the need to and I am kind of self conscious about it (I don't want people "thinking that I'm sick", which yeah I know, sounds bad, I just hate being treated differently). I'm probably going to get bashed by others for saying this, but the choice is up to you. If you are really against it, then don't. If it were to get worse, then yes you probably should. You can always ask your neuro too and see if he/she thinks it is necessary. I haven't seen many people who have them unless they have generalized seizures. If you do decide to, you can always get a necklace type so no one will notice it. Another option of a necklace kind would be "dogtags". I've seen many people opt for that if they don't want a medic alert type. They just look like army dogtags, so at a glance the typical person won't think twice about it.
I thought I would never wear a bracelet because I felt no one knew I had a seizure. I didn't wear a bracelet for 10 years until I was flying from Los Angeles to Denver. When I was flying back, I collapse and had a generalized seizure. I normally do not have those. I had a great time in Colorado and was returning home. I woke up in a Denver hospital without able to speak. My neurologist convinced me at that point to get a medic-alert bracelet that can be updated at any time via the computer. It has saved me several times from not having to go to the E.R.. Over the years I became anaphylactic to a medication. I thought I would never need it. I use the necklace and no one sees it! I also have a band I wear if I swim which a stretches on and off and it is great when you swim. I love swimming and one time I had to be pulled out of the pool because I had a seizure that came from no where. I jog too. The fire dept. know me well. The medic alert bracelet or necklace have been a life saver for me and I am pretty healthy, but once in a blue moon a seizure does happen.
I think you should wear a ID band of some sort. I do have TC's but if there is one thing I've learned over 35 years, is that Epilepsy can change.
We might have Epilepsy, but it doesn't have us
Thank you, I love that! "we have epilepsy, it doesn't have us."
peace R.C.
Yes I never have worn anything even a watch and for only a 1 yr or so I have imfo in my wallet BUT now I am leaving my wallet places lol so yesterday I had dog tags made up with ph. no,s
The nos are people who have a med sheet for me under the ph. and will tell somebody .
I have a very big prob. asking for help so if I can do it others can lol.
I personnly went in to shock?? because of the meds i was given in er while on other meds and now know it could have killed me dead. no doubt also I personnaly refused meds "anti depressents" that 3 people said were ok and the 4th who studies my meds about flipped I was right the first thing it says is don,t take if you have szs. ???? duhhhhh. I read that before they were prescribed and refused them ,this happened twice.
I also know the toxic levels of these drugs combined only take days to build up to a situation resembling a lot of other things and a er worker/doc. might treat accordingly and send me status .
I now know the more imfo. someone has the better. Rick
I wore my bracelt for years, but I think it's only been on any use once. My TCs used to be 1st thing in the morning and have been solely nocturnal for years. I've never had a TC when out and about, though I'm very aware that could change. I hate the bracelet, it's a constant reminder. So I compromise by keeping the wallet card on me all the time and wearing the bracelt when I go out of town or out of the country. There's only one hospital in my city so if i wound up there they know I have E. I don't think anyone has ever access my info from Medic-alert so at times it seems pretty pointless. Guess it depends on where you live.
Kay
Yes! I've had one for 35 years. They do help, believe it or not. I also have a Medic Alert Card and list of meds in my wallet. This way, when I am out, they'll find one of the items. I make sure I have my medic Alert pendant on when I have to leave home. Give it a try. What can it hurt.
Yes! I've had one for 35 years. They do help, believe it or not. I also have a Medic Alert Card and list of meds in my wallet. This way, when I am out, they'll find one of the items. I make sure I have my medic Alert pendant on when I have to leave home. Give it a try. What can it hurt.
I also have MEDIC ALERT,but I got the watch. I wanted something with function.MEDIC ALERT also has what meds your on and the amounts of each.EMT PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW THIS INFORMATION!!!
I would, because even if you never have a seizure, there are other things like car accidents that can leave you un able to talk for your self and if that is the case, the trauma docs need to know what meds you are on and any medical conditions. An abrupt withdrawl from seizure meds would not be good.
I ear a Medic Alert and have for 20 years, I hope I never need it, but if I do it is on me. The other thing about Medic Alert is you can up date your info and not have to order a new ID. I think having just the basic, what the problem is, maybe life threatning allergies on it is good. Since meds change, what you take is not as important as who to get in contact with with the most up to date info is important.