• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Wear a bracelet that says you have diabetes!

Second @kev-w .
As pointed out.................
Occasionally, sometimes, maybe we can become a little awkward, argumentative, abusive, really f*****g aggressive.
Please bear with us for we know not what we do.
We will in time return to being really nice, it just may take a few minutes.
Each and everyone of us will really be truly grateful that you helped us.
 
Mr_Pot said:
I am T2 diet controlled, so in this thread I am a member of the general public. If I see someone with hypo symptoms and they are confirmed by their bracelet as a T1 what should I do?
Click to expand...

Good question.

If you're sure it's a hypo situation (that's sometimes not that easy - there's not a lot of difference between the presentation of an epilectic having a fit and a T1 at sub 2), my take on it is that if they are still conscious and able to eat safely, give them some fast acting carbs immediately.

Don't ***** about with the amount - we can talk till the cows come home about the appropriate amount to treat a hypo without overtreating. - but if you've got someone who looks like they're heading for the floor, I'd be doing a full can of Coke or a Mars bar or any available simple sugar and worrying about the hyper later.

I had some very bad and extremely public hypos in my first few months after dx. I'm glad I've learned enough now to put those in the past. What I learned from them, though, is that while well meaning people will step out of their way to help me, if a T1 is too low, our brains work in a very different way, so it's not actually that easy to answer constant questions about how are you doing. Don't quiz a hypo T1 when they're still coming up, don't ask them if they're doing ok: speaking when hypo can be difficult. Provided you've stuffed a Mars bar or Coke in our face, we'll be fine, and we'll deal with the over-treatment later.

If unconscious, see if there's an orange box with the words "glucagon" on it anywhere near, see if you can figure out how inject that, but definitely dial 999 before that!
 
The first thing Ambo's are taught to do is look at your phone. I assume we can't mention brands here so mine is a fruit and it has a section to add medical. That is now my medical bracelet.
 
Scott-C said:
Provided you've stuffed a Mars bar or Coke in our face, we'll be fine, and we'll deal with the over-treatment later.
Click to expand...

If anyone comes near me with a mars bar or coke, they're going home in a body bag, hypo or not.

therower said:
Each and everyone of us will really be truly grateful that you helped us.
Click to expand...

Speak for yourself. On third thoughts I need a wrist band with LEAVE ME ALONE on it.

And no, I wasn't really nice to begin with.
 
In 2016 I, on an unthought through impulse, signed up to run a half marathon in 2017. I hadn't done an awful lot of road running before that, I just used to run on a treadmill and staff at the gym knew I was diabetic, or at least I had ticked the box on the health questionnaire form when joining the gym. I only ever used to wear a medical alert bracelet when road running and it annoyed me to an unreasonable degree, I think my tolerance becomes quite limited when I'm running. So I gave up with the bracelet and got a tattoo that says 'diabeT1c' on my left wrist. I've never had to rely on it when running, but it has been used when a guy at work, who used to be a doctor, spotted it while I was making a cup of tea one day. He got put in charge of my first aid when I passed out hypo at work about a week later. All the other times I've passed out (there have been several) I've just been at home so help comes from my parents when they can't get hold of me. But I like my tattoo, it gives me confidence that if anything were to happen a first aider or paramedic attending would at least be prompted to check my blood sugar. And when the security guard at the airport starts looking distressed when she pats me down and finds my insulin pump it's dealt with by pointing at my tattoo and shrugging.
 
NoKindOfSusie said:
If anyone comes near me with a mars bar or coke, they're going home in a body bag, hypo or not.



Speak for yourself. On third thoughts I need a wrist band with LEAVE ME ALONE on it.

And no, I wasn't really nice to begin with.
Click to expand...
Well you talk the talk ( a lot )
I'm not stopping you from walking the walk.
You definitely will not be the first to have " Do not resuscitate " emblazoned about yourself.
 
NoKindOfSusie said:
If anyone comes near me with a mars bar or coke, they're going home in a body bag, hypo or not.



Speak for yourself. On third thoughts I need a wrist band with LEAVE ME ALONE on it.

And no, I wasn't really nice to begin with.
Click to expand...

Oddly, I used to know someone with a similar attitude towards medical assistance. (A non diabetic, but prone to ODing on substances..)
I used to dial 999 & stand well back..
The police tend to accompany paramedics during such events. Needless to say the care involved is not dignified for the patient as she was eventually taken into police custody.. ;)
 
I don't have a fruity phone but do have an ICE app on my lock screen. If they tap it they'll see my medical details and emergency contact but absolutely won't have access to the rest of my phone. That was an essential for me. I have a large Korean Company phone running Marshmallow.

I also have a bracelet that is actually a vintage silver charm bracelet but with a medical alert small pendant on it. Pretty but still has a cadeuceus and ICE on the front, but unscrews to give my medical details on a tiny bit of (waterproof) paper.
 
WuTwo said:
I don't have a fruity phone but do have an ICE app on my lock screen. If they tap it they'll see my medical details and emergency contact but absolutely won't have access to the rest of my phone. That was an essential for me. I have a large Korean Company phone running Marshmallow.

I also have a bracelet that is actually a vintage silver charm bracelet but with a medical alert small pendant on it. Pretty but still has a cadeuceus and ICE on the front, but unscrews to give my medical details on a tiny bit of (waterproof) paper.
Click to expand...
What's the name of that App?
 
TheBigNewt said:
What's the name of that App?
Click to expand...
I got the paid version of Medical ID ICE by Laurence Pellegrini from the Play Store. I think the not paid version does it as well. I did have to enable lock screen notifications for that app (I usually have them all turned off). I think the paid for version was £3.50 or so. Hardly a fortune for peace of mind!
 
WuTwo said:
I don't have a fruity phone but do have an ICE app on my lock screen. If they tap it they'll see my medical details and emergency contact but absolutely won't have access to the rest of my phone.
Click to expand...
On my Android's lock screen I have the Quoll medical id card and qr code showing as well.

Here's a pix with the qr code partially removed so I remain anonymous on this forum.

AWo9mk0.png
 
catapillar said:
In 2016 I, on an unthought through impulse, signed up to run a half marathon in 2017. I hadn't done an awful lot of road running before that, I just used to run on a treadmill and staff at the gym knew I was diabetic, or at least I had ticked the box on the health questionnaire form when joining the gym. I only ever used to wear a medical alert bracelet when road running and it annoyed me to an unreasonable degree, I think my tolerance becomes quite limited when I'm running. So I gave up with the bracelet and got a tattoo that says 'diabeT1c' on my left wrist. I've never had to rely on it when running, but it has been used when a guy at work, who used to be a doctor, spotted it while I was making a cup of tea one day. He got put in charge of my first aid when I passed out hypo at work about a week later. All the other times I've passed out (there have been several) I've just been at home so help comes from my parents when they can't get hold of me. But I like my tattoo, it gives me confidence that if anything were to happen a first aider or paramedic attending would at least be prompted to check my blood sugar. And when the security guard at the airport starts looking distressed when she pats me down and finds my insulin pump it's dealt with by pointing at my tattoo and shrugging.
Click to expand...

Would you be willing to post a photo of your tattoo, please? I’d love to see it :) I’m thinking of getting one but I have quite a lot of ink already and I’m not sure it would be spotted, especially as I wear many bangles on both wrists. Maybe I should get one on my forehead? ;)
 
Something people with Type2 not taking meds/inslin with a risk of Hypos need to consider.

The standard basic first aid training is,
Check airways, then if diabetes add sugar (or carbs) unless a great risk of choking. (Then move onto next person, or call 999 etc.)
​
So if you are Type2 and diet controlled (or just taking metformin) it may be best not to put the word "diabetes" into the mind of anyone doing first aid. (Medics in the UK will have access to your basic records if they know your name and date of birth, and if you are none responsive they will check BG anyway. But if you are taking SGLT2 inhibitors, they need to know due to the risk of DKA without a very high BG.)
​
I don't like the Quoll medical id card etc being the only way a first aider has no know someone has diabetes and is on inslin, they take too long to read, and there may not be a phone signal etc. But they are great for the next stage of the process once first-aid has been done, and the person is safely waiting for the experts to arrive.
​
 
Chowie said:
Hehehe
I have had a few of them... Education is the toughest part. There was a new project manager, I was working with this week. A very forceful person e.g. I was getting a sandwich for lunch and I asked the sandwich lady for Avocado. This PM was beside me and barked at the sandwich lady NO Avocado. after 3 min of me say Avocado please, the sandwich lady wouldn't give it to me. I was paying for it. I told this PM I was D and I got a small bag of Jelly beans. She took them off me and lectured me. I told her they were my medicine. I'm just as forceful as her, only I don't bully. I dread having a good Hypo around her.

A bracelet will not help in that situation. She wouldn't even call for help. I tried explaining to her and she put her fingers in her ears and carried on nah nah nah nah. She knows all about it and no will tell her different. Oh she is mid 40's.
Click to expand...
erm whats mid forties got to do with it :wideyed:
 
I have the emergency information filled out in my phone but don't wear anything. I've noticed on both iOS and Android the emergency information/Medical ID has been getting progressively more hidden on the lock screens since they introduced them so can't see it being of much use unless someone savvy happened to check my phone.
 
WuTwo said:
I got the paid version of Medical ID ICE by Laurence Pellegrini from the Play Store. I think the not paid version does it as well. I did have to enable lock screen notifications for that app (I usually have them all turned off). I think the paid for version was £3.50 or so. Hardly a fortune for peace of mind!
Click to expand...
I installed an ICE app. Appears on home screen and alerts. Thanks.
 
Mel dCP said:
Would you be willing to post a photo of your tattoo, please? I’d love to see it :) I’m thinking of getting one but I have quite a lot of ink already and I’m not sure it would be spotted, especially as I wear many bangles on both wrists. Maybe I should get one on my forehead? ;)
Click to expand...

That's my tattoo. I reckon it's fairly difficult to miss, especially if someone was taking my pulse. My other tattoo is fairly well hidden on my wrists. But I guess if you've got a full sleeve of ink going on then you could consider something a bit more obviously medical, like the caduceus emblem. Or forehead is an option!
 

Attachments

  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    646.6 KB · Views: 506
Last edited:
Back
Top