Medic alert

princessleia29

Well-Known Member
Messages
130
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi I was recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and I am trying to control it with diet and exercise only at present. I was wondering if I should wear a medic alert at the moment? Any thoughts appreciated sorry if it seems a silly question.


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noblehead

Guru
Retired Moderator
Messages
23,618
Type of diabetes
Type 1
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The choice is yours really, there's no harm done in wearing one and the more information the emergency services have the better. Medic Alert jewellery and ID cards (saying that you have diabetes) are nearly always carried by those who are insulin treated much like myself.
 
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Scimama

Well-Known Member
Messages
942
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi PrincessLeia,

No question is a silly question, thats what the forum is for.

As you are diet controlled then the chances of having a need for medical staff to need to intervene due to your diabetes is minimal. Diet only controlled diabetics are unlikely to have a full/true hypo.

In the case of an emergency where you are unable to communicate to medical staff, a quick blood glucose check is routinely carried out.

However, in early days of diagnosis a medic alert bracelet can give peace of mind and act as a reminder to watch your diet or take exercise or check bloods.

A brightly printed card in your handbag or purse would be useful.

For home use, you can get a small pot you keep in your fridge that emergency personnel check, you list all your medical needs - you can get them from your local Lions organisation (they often give them out during local community events).
 
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Alan S

Well-Known Member
Messages
192
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
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Snake oil salespeople and other slime who try to profit from our condition.
It is a very individual choice.

Personally, I believe all insulin users should have some form of medic alert because of the possibility of hypos. Not just for the paramedics to see when assessing medical action if the patient is unconscious, but also for the situation where cops think the person may be drunk.

I've never needed one because I do not use insulin or a sulf and never had severe hypos. Occasionally I consider it in case I am in an accident, but the worst they could do is put me on a dextrose drip. I decided that small risk was not worth the hassle.
 

Nyxks

Well-Known Member
Messages
292
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Discrimination based on gender, age, medical conditions, etc.
I've been wearing a Medic Alert https://www.medicalert.ca bracelet since I turned 3 years of age (i'm almost 40 now), I've never known life without it - as soon as my wife and I got married I got her one as well - its proven to be a life saver on a few occasion when she's ended up in the ER, they have all the medical info right there at their finger tips (outside of their own records) they just access the medic alert hotline number type in her code and can instantly retrieve info in the ambulance and emergency.