Profitiers making mint from medical I.D?

[scotchpie]

Since my diagnosis i have searched everywhere i can think of for affordable, effective diabetic id and have found none.
It seems to range from around £12 for something that has no relevant information on it even if it was noticed in an emergency (which is unlikely), right up to around £300 for some lovely Gold stuff that contains little more info than the cheap versions.
The diabetes.co.uk rubber wristband is the best option i've seen so far and seems to offer an excellent 24/7 service but to what end if it only saves the lives of those that can afford it?
I know we have all been offered the card to keep in our wallet or purse but what if we dont want to carry our wallet? What if we're at the beach in our swims? What if we are at a xmas party in our best waistcoat or dress and dont want to look 'lumpy'?
I know from experience that the contact details wear off of the cards and having to check that everything is present and correct before you go out is just a painful reminder of the condition that we try to manage and forget about as much as possible.
Wristbands, watches and necklets, once put on, can be easily forgotten about and often updated online when necessary.
This seems to me to be a far more positive method of using medical ID and should not be limited to those that can afford the 'privelige'.
I'm rattling on i know but these bands and necklets, with the exception of those made of precious metals, must cost next to nothing to produce en masse and not more than a first class stamp to ship so why the **** are we being charged so much for them?
The 24/7 service that comes with the diabetes.co.uk band seems great but if it is truley free for three years am i to believe that a rubber wristband costs £18.00 to produce and ship?
I personally doubt it.
Any comments? Its not cool guys. Especially not for newbies who are struggling anyway. :cry:

 

[Fujifilm]

Its because we are an easy target.

What if we are at a xmas party in our best waistcoat or dress and dont want to look 'lumpy'?

The diabetic.co.uk wristband is the last thing that I would want to wear when dressed in my best frock and high heals, but thats another story. :lol: and if you can think of something that I can wear around my wrist and will make me not look lumpy in my suit we are onto a winner. Especially if the lumpy bit round my middle dissapears. :mrgreen:

Personally I thing the gadgets and gizmos produced for diabetics are done so without asking anyone what they actually want. Meters must be designed by people who have never had to use one. Wristbands designed by someone without any thought to the people that are going to wear them. Great idea but the idea is of no use if people don't want to wear it.

Look at the advances in mobile phone technology then look at your meter. Worlds apart, and its not as if these companys have no money to develop them. But they want them to be cheap and "give away" so they can make more profit on sticks.

Back to your wristbands, you are right they cost pennys to make, but its the service they are selling thats where the profit is and how good is the service you are paying for? You hope never to find out. How many good call center / support services (apart from 999 emergency services) have you used.

You could just make your own wrist band for very little, some leather, some letter/number stamps (or even write) on it and a clothes popper or velcro and have on it "Medical Alert in case of emergency phone ?????" or something like the leather tags you put on luggage where you slide your name and address under the plastic sleeve. You could have any colour you wanted and co-ordinate it with your outfit.


Personally for the xmas party I prefer, "I am diabetic , not drunk" written on my forehead in lipstick.

 

[Patch]

Heres an idea:

1) Set up a new e-mail adress (ie - pats_diabetic_info AT yahoo.co.uk)

2) Get yourself a nice silver ID bracelet (pick your favourite one form Elizebeth Dukes - classy...) :lol:

3) Have the following engraved on the bracelet:

MEDIC ALERT TYPE 1 DIABETES
pats_diabetic_info AT yahoo.co.uk (for auto reply with medical info)

4) Set up an autoreply/out of office on your new e-mail account, with all the diabetic info that you would need someone to know in an emergency

Now - all anyone finding your home made medic alert needs to do to find out what medication you are on, etc, is send a blank e-mail to you rnew address, and the auto reply will take care of everything else!

No reason whatsoever for this not to work. Para's are trained to look for this info, and they'll know exactly what to do if they find your home made medc alert bracelet.

I love t'interwebs.

 

[TheTartanPimpernel]

Is the last post in the correct part of the forum? That apart.

"Now - all anyone finding your home made medic alert needs to do to find out what medication you are on, etc, is send a blank e-mail to you rnew address, and the auto reply will take care of everything else!"

Assuming that is that anyone finding you carries a laptop with mobile internet access and you are not in an area - like large parts of Scotland, including the central belt - where mobile phone/internet access is not possible.

 

[scotchpie]

Wicked girl!! :lol: :lol:
Im off to get myself some lippy. Hope you find your granny :wink:

 

[Patch]

Ooops. Wrong thread - if the mods want to move that post they can.

( Moderator note, Posts now moved to here )

 

[kegstore]

I only wear a Medic-Alert bracelet to mollify the concerns of my friends and family, as I know darn well (from more than one personal experience) that it made zero difference when I've needed 3rd parties to take notice. Not a terribly elegant piece of jewellery either, although reasonably unobtrusive. But they're utterly incompetent when it comes to keeping my records correct and up to date. And if something did happen and I hadn't been wearing it, I'd never hear the end of it. :roll:

 

[hanadr]

I have a stainless steel bacelet with the relevant information engraved on it.with Aaron's rod on a red background. It's fairly unobtrusive and I don't ever take it off. I always hope that should i lose an arguement with a bus, It could prevent my being put on a glucose drip. T2 on minimal Metformin only, I don't ever need 3rd party help under normal circumstances. Bracelet didn't cost much. There was a leaflet at the pharmacy, where I got the info.
Hana

 

[ham79]

e-bay do cheap I-d with free engraving. but for kids or pains in the necks who hate jewelery I recomend checking out icegems.com they have a great selection for everyone leather to diamonds very nice and affordable.

 

[glitterzoe]

hey heres an idea why not have it tattood on us so everyone knowsa :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: this one has made me laugh thanks for tyhat, its good to know that I am not the only one who doesnt want to take a card/wear jwellry all day (no matter how nice it is) :lol: :lol: :lol: