Medic Alert?

[Snoopy]

[This is a topic discussed in the last two years, but when I tried to add a question to an older thread, the system encouraged me to start a new thread.  In any case, in reading over those older posts, I didn't really see my questions addressed directly.]

   In the previous discussions of Medic Alerts, several posters discussed whether bracelets, tatoos, or necklaces are more readily visible by medics after an accident.
   However, for people with one kidney, I'd assumed that the key was to avoid non-critical use of contrast dye for imaging, which would seem to imply a hospital setting, such as the emergency room, no?
   Some other questions:
1) For those who do have some sort of Medic Alert device:  what details did you include?  Is there anything you would have done differently, today?
2) Did anyone consider and then reject using a Medic Alert device?  Why?

     Thanks, Snoopy

[Clark]

I wear a MedicAlert steel necklace with "Living Kidney Donor, Left Kidney. No NSAIDs, Nephrotoxic Drugs, Nephrotoxic Contrast Dyes." There's an 800 number and an account number for EMS personnel to get my full medical history, verbally immediately or emailed so it can be incorporated into a hospital intake chart. The advantage is that it has to be removed for any head or torso imaging. I considered a bracelet, but I don't even wear a wristwatch because I dislike wristbands so much. There's also a wallet card, which is in the same section with my ARC donor card. I carry that to reassure EMS about the needle marks on my arms. I'm pushing 400 donations, most by apheresis from both arms, so my scar tissue is evident to anyone trying to start a venipuncture.

[tantemorte]

I went with a wallet card, mainly because I tend to be allergic to the least unexpected metal/other things. I even get a skin irritation from my watch band under the wrong circumstances. I try to stay away from long-term wear jewelry on that basis (and that I can't afford to custom order something in copper or gold or something equally inert & non-allergenic).
It states being a kidney donor, which side & current function & emergency contact who then has further information.

[Snoopy]

As a follow-up to my original post about MedicAlert: 

   In the end, I got a simple metal MedicAlert necklace (with medallion slightly larger than a US quarter coin) that mentions my having been a (left-side) living kidney donor, and mentioning to avoid NSAIDS, nephrotoxic medication and contrast dyes, as well as my asthma.  I also received a wallet card with some more details (such as my name, blood type, wife's contact details, family doctor's address and phone, and a phone number [with the ability to call "reverse-charges", world-wide] for their central data base to learn more medical details).  As I recall, I filled out a questionnaire, and their staff decided which details to inscribe on the device, and which to print on the wallet card.

  In the US, MedicAlert can be reached via:  http://www.medicalert.org/   They have different arrangements:  you can just get a Medic Alert necklace, bracelet, etc., or, for more money, subscribe to the full service in which they maintain a file (as up-to-date as you keep it) with your fuller medical details.  They may also have family and multi-year subscriptions.

  If you're out of the US, and the US MedicAlert doesn't serve your country, you might try the UK branch:
http://medicalert.org.uk/
info@medicalert.org.uk
Note:  unlike the US branch, the UK one does not allow you just to get the device alone.  You have to subscribe to the service, too, which can cost 30 pounds/year (there may be different plans).

    Another option is to try to order just a (stand-alone) device from Amazon.   Some are pre-printed with messages like "Diabetes" or "Penicillin allergy", but some let you custom-order your own text engraved.   When I was looking last spring, I remember seeing an inexpensive dogtag-like device that came with up to 18 lines of custom info engraved.

    Finally: there is a range of MedicAlert devices, ranging from the plain-vanilla metal ones (necklace, bracelet, etc.) to fancier, costlier ones that are designed to be more jewelry-like.  The necklaces have a very wide range of lengths of chains.

    Be well, Snoopy

[Daleguy01]

Thanks for posting this thread.  Never occurred to me to get one for myself…currently on order.  I simply stated my name, Left kidney Donation and ALLERGY IV Contrast.  I ended up getting a bracelet from this website: http://www.laurenshope.com.  Found them the other day and they appear to have the widest selection at the best price. 

Re, C
Left Kidney Donation 5/2013 to sister

[Snoopy]

Hi, C.
  I'm glad you found it helpful.
  Note: with the actual Medic Alert Foundation (at least the UK one), you write out your proposed text, and their staff make the final decision about what goes on the device itself.  In the end, most of what I wrote got on, in pretty much the same language, but some other details were printed on the wallet card that comes with it under their package.
   Stay healthy!
   Snoopy

[audrey12]

I wear a bracelet.  My first one said "Rt Kidney Only" and my blood type.  This one also says "Rt Kidney Only" and a drug allergy.

[poodles]

I have an ancient frayed blood type card in my wallet that must be about 30 years old. I wrote on the back that I was a kidney donor with the date of donation and hospital. No additional metal on/in my body.

[Snoopy]

Hi, Poodles.
  Yes, I thought of doing something similar with my ancient, frayed blood donor card...but I wasn't sure that the ER would dig through the million things in my wallet before giving me contrast dye to get an emergency scan, so I decided to spring for the necklace, to make things easier for them and safer for me.
  Be well, Snoopy

[JustAPyper]

If you order from the laurenshope.com website you should go to retailmenot.com first and get the coupon code.  I see coupon codes for 10% off there.