Media alert yes/no

PaulofEssex

Newbie
Messages
3
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
Being Type 2 on insulin, lm confused if l should wear/have a medical alert tag etc.

Most l see say ‘insulin dependent’ isn’t that just for type 1.

What are your thoughts/views please

Thank you
 

Jaylee

Oracle
Retired Moderator
Messages
18,232
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi @PaulofEssex ,

Welcome to the forum.

Tha way I see it? Should you lose consciousness..? (Don't have to be diabetes related, Maybe crossing the street & knocked by a car.) the more info you carry with regards to the help you receive, the better.. ;)

Have a Tag that says "T2 insulin dependant." It speaks volumes in the unlikely event you cant..
 

Bluetit1802

Legend
Messages
25,216
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
I would imagine it is essential you have some form of alert that is easily found by a paramedic in the event of an accident. What about just "diabetic - insulin dependent" ?
 

NicoleC1971

BANNED
Messages
3,450
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Agree. If you are at risk of hypo then it will help you get reated correctly should you need it. At this stage the helpers won't care if you are type 1 or type 2!
Don't have a dog tag personally but I am fortunate not to have sudden hypos.
 

Antje77

Oracle
Retired Moderator
Messages
19,472
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
Most l see say ‘insulin dependent’ isn’t that just for type 1.
The main reason for a medical alert thingamajig is the risk of falling unconscious because of a hypo. That risk is the same with type1 as with type2.
 

KK123

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,967
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Being Type 2 on insulin, lm confused if l should wear/have a medical alert tag etc.

Most l see say ‘insulin dependent’ isn’t that just for type 1.

What are your thoughts/views please

Thank you

Hi Paul, I didn't fancy wearing a wrist band or anything but I do carry an alert in my bag and my purse etc. If that gets parted from me or stolen, well that's my hard luck but it's better than nothing. A tattoo would be good but I'm too afraid!
 

xfieldok

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,182
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Search for medical alert on eBay. Some of them, you can have additional info engraved. Some you can have an insert that you can write out yourself.
 

Circuspony

Well-Known Member
Messages
959
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I've got a very ugly blue wristband which I wear if I'm out on my own. My consultant has lots of 'interesting' stories of people having hypos being misunderstood
 
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Deleted member 308541

Guest
I have got one of these as I take a anti coagulant called Xaralto amongst other medication, I have it on a lanyard as I do not like the necklace / dog tag ones.

medical-card-300x300.jpg


https://quollmedical.com.au/product-category/quoll-medical-card/
 
D

Deleted Account

Guest
I have no bracelet, dog tag or even card in my bag.
However, if they are looking through my bag for I’d, they’d come across my diabetes paraphernalia and if they check my body for medic alerts, they’d find an insulin pump.
Call me vain but the pump labels me more than I’d like so I’m not going for anything more when I am dressing up.
 

Brunneria

Guru
Retired Moderator
Messages
21,889
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I’ve got one.
Not insulin dependent, but I am allergic to bee stings, and should I ever end up unconscious in hospital and unable to refuse being attached to a glucose drip (which would, for me, trigger reactive hypos) then I also need an alert to stop them hooking me up.

So easy to think ‘it would never happen to me’ but people without D end up unconscious, receiving medical care (glucose drips) every day. It might be a car accident, a stroke, meningitis, head injury... and you would need the medical staff to know about your bg and insulin needs.
 
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DCUKMod

Master
Staff Member
Messages
14,298
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I seem to recall @Mel dCP talking about this recently, in relation to her First Responder training, so she may have something to add to the discussion.
 

Kailee56

Well-Known Member
Messages
183
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Diet only
My thought is that if you have any condition that might guide or alter emergency care if you can’t speak,
you need some sort of medic alert. Being on insulin definitely falls into that category.

I have a cute bracelet and a dog tag which I alternate depending on mood.
 
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Bluetit1802

Legend
Messages
25,216
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
When I was on chemotherapy we were given a bright red alert card to carry in our purse/wallet. Also, when our computerised hospital records were accessed, the first page was red with the chemo warning and details on it. Medics couldn't miss that. I also bought a rather nice stainless steel bracelet with the medical alert symbol as a charm, which I had engraved with the details.
 
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Deleted member 308541

Guest
The paramedics have checked my medical id card out a couple of times with their mobile phones to see whats what's on the QR Code.

The best $20.00 I have spent, never needs the subscription renewed like some of them do.
 

LooperCat

Expert
Messages
5,223
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Other
Thanks for the tag @DCUKMod :)

First Responders, paramedics, EMTs etc won’t initially hunt for medic alert jewellery if they find an unconscious patient, they’ll be too busy establishing that it’s not a breathing, bleeding or cardiac arrest issue. They’re the priorities. Once all that has been dealt with, they’d start investigating other causes for your unresponsiveness, including a BG test.

Having said that, it doesn’t hurt to leave a trail of clues, as training includes an assessment of the scene on arrival, and constant collecting of information. My dog tags around my neck would be quickly seen if they needed to be removed for a zap with a defib, for example. A bracelet stands a 50% chance of being spotted when they take your pulse (assuming you have a heartbeat, if not, you’ve got bigger issues than diabetes ;) ). Tattoos aren’t taken as gospel, because people have medical looking ones for all sorts of reasons, often as a tribute to a loved one with that condition. Emergency medics wouldn’t check your phone for medical information, although the police probably would if they were involved.

I wear dog tags with mine and my next of kin details on one, and a caudacus medical symbol and insulin regime on the other. I have a tiny, tubeless insulin pump that can be anywhere on my body and could be easily missed - it could be on my calf, or back, for example. So I have made a point of having “Omnipod insulin pump NOVORAPID” on my tags, as well as on a red pet disc on a beaded bracelet, on my car key ring and on a bright red star keyring on my handbag. It’s a trail of breadcrumbs that should hopefully lead someone to realise I use insulin. I don’t wear all of them all of the time, although if I’m alone I usually do.

I wouldn’t get a tattoo, not just for the reason above, but because all my ink celebrates things I love, and I don’t love diabetes.
 

Bluetit1802

Legend
Messages
25,216
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
I wear dog tags with mine and my next of kin details on one, and a caudacus medical symbol and insulin regime on the other. I have a tiny, tubeless insulin pump that can be anywhere on my body and could be easily missed - it could be on my calf, or back, for example. So I have made a point of having “Omnipod insulin pump NOVORAPID” on my tags, as well as on a red pet disc on a beaded bracelet, on my car key ring and on a bright red star keyring on my handbag. It’s a trail of breadcrumbs that should hopefully lead someone to realise I use insulin. I don’t wear all of them all of the time, although if I’m alone I usually do.

Goodness me, were you a Girl Guide? Lol. You are certainly well prepared.