Medic Alert Card

southtexas
on 9/29/11 8:45 am
Hi everybody! I just wanted to let you know, I went ahead and went back to work today. I only worked till noon today. It was nice getting out of the house and seeing my co-workers but boy, I was ready for a nap when I got home!


So, I was wondering, did any of you get a medic alert wallet card from your surgeon? 

My surgeon is the medical director of our bariatric program at our local hospital. 

When I got discharged from the hospital, I received a wallet card that says this on the back: 

MEDICAL ALERT

__Jennifer__******___

Bariatric Surgery Patient
Has had stomach restrictive surgery, limiting 
stomach capacity to two tablespoons. 
Contact Physician before treating. 

Then it has my surgeon's contact information on the front of the card, etc. 

My question is, how important is this information in an emergency situation? Should I get a medic alert bracelet too? I never really thought of this as a "medical condition". 

Please, if anybody has a similar card, or wear a bracelet stating that you are a bariatric patient, please comment. Now I am wondering if I need to have this information added to my emergency medical form at work. ?????  

    
 

  

jacreasy
on 9/29/11 9:00 am
VSG on 04/23/12
Not sure as I haven't had surgery yet, but sure would like to know... Never really thought of it like that before!!
Marie M.
on 9/29/11 9:11 am - PA
Jennifer,

I was advised by my NP to get a medic alert bracelet, which I did.  Mine says:

Marie M.
Sleeve Gastrectomy
No Blind NG tube
No NSAIDS
My husband's cell phone #

An NG tube is a nasogastric tube that is inserted thru your nose into your stomach.  If an EMT or medical professional does not know about your very small stomach, they could advance the tube too far and cause some serious damage  (I'm an RN).
I got mine from www.laurenshope.com.  They have beautiful sawrovski beaded bracelets with the medical tag.
Hope this helps!
Marie

 Age: 50    Ht: 5' 3.5"    SW: 261   BMI: 45.5    CW: 119.4   BMI: 20.8   Goal in 9.5 months   (23.6  lbs below goal)   Total lost:  141.6 lbs   Inches lost:  84.25"
  Month one: 22.2 lbs;  Month 2:  17.4 lbs;   Month 3: 11 lbs;  Month 4: 13 lbs;  Month 5: 11.4 lbs;  Month 6: 9.2 lbs;   Month 7: 13.2 lbs;  Month 8: 9 lbs;  Month 9: 10.2 lbs;   Month 10:  3.6 lbs:   Month 11:   7.6 lbs   Month 12:  5.8 lbs                                    

southtexas
on 9/29/11 9:19 am
Marie: 

Thank you so much! I never really thought about an NG tube! The only thing I could think was being fed through a feeding tube or something. And the NSAID thing, how obvious is that??? At our local hospital, they love giving Motrin in the emergency room.

Thank you also for the website for the bracelet. I was going to order a James Avery charm for my charm bracelet but, I figured it would get looked over as just another charm in an emergency. Plus, you can't fit a whole lot of information on the back of it.  

It makes a lot of sense to me now and I appreciate your response!


    
 

  

Ms. Cal Culator
on 9/29/11 9:32 am - Tuvalu
On September 29, 2011 at 4:11 PM Pacific Time, Marie M. wrote:
Jennifer,

I was advised by my NP to get a medic alert bracelet, which I did.  Mine says:

Marie M.
Sleeve Gastrectomy
No Blind NG tube
No NSAIDS
My husband's cell phone #

An NG tube is a nasogastric tube that is inserted thru your nose into your stomach.  If an EMT or medical professional does not know about your very small stomach, they could advance the tube too far and cause some serious damage  (I'm an RN).
I got mine from www.laurenshope.com.  They have beautiful sawrovski beaded bracelets with the medical tag.
Hope this helps!
Marie


I would not want this, especially with the sleeve:


No NSAIDS


You may NEED an NSAID for a short time, you don't have a remnant stomach that is almost impossible to view like RnY people do, and you are limiting your choices. 

Yeah...NSAIDS are a combo blessing and a curse, but you MAY need one.


jennifer K.
on 9/29/11 9:52 am - OH
Hi - I have an ID card that I printed online - similar to Marie's.  I have one copy in my wallet right behind my license and one in the glove box of my car - the two places medics will look in an emergency. 
http://www.medids.com/free-id.php

My surgeon told me that the bracelet wasn't necessary to have but strongly advised getting the card.  Better to be safe rather than sorry right!?
Jennifer
HW:330, Class W: 300  SW: 279 (7/13)
1m: 257 - 22 lbs/ 2m: 241 - 17 lbs/ 3m 231 - 10 lbs/ 4m  221 - 10 lbs/ 5m 210 -11lbs
              
sunnymicki
on 9/29/11 11:45 am
Glad your first day back to work went well!

I'm ordering a bracelet from the link shared above.  The medical alert tag will say:
Partial gastrectomy, no blind OG/NG tube
Contact a bariatric surgeon in emergency
My surgeon's name and the # to reach his pager service

I'm not thrilled with the idea of wearing it all the time, but it does give me some peace of mind.  My ED nurse friends say they pay attention to those bracelets, and I don't want to have to count on someone finding a card in my wallet (if they even find my wallet in my messy purse, haha!).
Jackie00
on 9/29/11 1:03 pm
I was thinking a tattoo and also contacting the local hospital to have it put onto my paper file and also the electronic file as an alert.
Sleeved 15-Sept-2011 HW 294 Pre op weight 285 SW 279 GW 145?
Pre op 6 lbs lost, M1 - 23 lbs M2 - 11 lbs M3 - 12 M4 - 6 M5 -10 M6 -10 M7 -7 M8 - 4 M9 - 4
M10- 4 M11 - 5 M12 - 0
   

   
b_scene33
on 9/29/11 10:04 pm - OH
I dont have a braclet but my dr gave me a little credit crad sized card with all his info in case of an emergancy , a diagram of my stomach and size and all the other restrictions.

♫♫♪♪♫Brie♫♫♪♪♫
*H:5'4" HW: 242 SW: 218.8 CW:142  GW:142*
Surgery Date 9/07/11

   
 
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