by Diane Fennell
(Reprinted with permission from Diabetes Self-Management. Copyright (c)2005 R.A. Rapaport Publishing, Inc. For subscription information, call: 1-800-234-0923 or visit: www.diabetesselfmanagement.com)
In a medical emergency, it’s usually a good idea for the people helping you to know your name and address. But it may be even more important that they know you have diabetes. That’s because knowing you have diabetes could help medical personnel reach a quicker diagnosis, and choose treatments with your diabetes and diabetes medicines in mind.
For example, knowing you have diabetes could prevent ambulance personnel (or police officers) from mistaking symptoms of hypoglycemia (low blood glucose) for some other condition, such as inebriation (drunkenness), use of controlled substances, head injury, or mental illness. If an emergency medical technician suspects you may have hypoglycemia, he can check for it and treat it right away, if necessary, possibly preventing moderate hypoglycemia from becoming more severe.
But what if you can’t speak for yourself, because of injury, unconsciousness, or mental confusion? That’s where medical ID comes in. Emergency medical technicians know to look for medical ID when they are called to help someone. Many people, who are not medical professionals—but who may be the first person on the scene in an emergency—also recognize medical ID bracelets or necklaces. Even if the only help a passerby provides is to call emergency services, communicating the information that you have diabetes may get you the help you need that much faster.
Who’s at risk?
Anyone can get in a car accident or slip on ice, but people with diabetes have varying degrees of risk of developing hypoglycemia, depending on how they treat their diabetes. If you take insulin, nateglinide (Starlix), repaglinide (Prandin), or a sulfonylurea such as glyburide (DiaBeta, Micronase, Glynase), glipizide (Glucotrol, Glucotrol XL), or glimepiride (Amaryl), you are at risk of developing hypoglycemia.
Mild hypoglycemia can generally be treated, by the person experiencing it, by consuming some glucose tablets or a food or beverage containing carbohydrate. A person experiencing moderate hypoglycemia often requires assistance from someone else to treat it, because he may not realize he needs to treat it or may not be able to identify an effective treatment. He may, for example, grab and eat the first thing he finds in the refrigerator, whether or not it contains carbohydrate.
Severe hypoglycemia can result in unconsciousness or seizures. It may be more likely to occur in people who have hypoglycemia unawareness, in which a person either does not experience or does not recognize the symptoms of hypoglycemia. If a person has become unconscious because of hypoglycemia, or cannot safely eat or drink to treat it, he needs either an injection of glucagon, a hormone that stimulates the release of glucose from the liver, or the intravenous administration of glucose.
Hypoglycemia is the most common acute complication of diabetes treatment, but hyperglycemia—high blood glucose—can pose acute problems as well. If high blood glucose goes undetected or untreated, it can potentially develop into diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) or hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state (HHS), both of which are life-threatening conditions. DKA, which more commonly occurs in people who have type 1 diabetes, but can occur in those with type 2, results in dehydration and the buildup of ketones (acidic byproducts of fat metabolism) in the blood. HHS most commonly affects elderly people with type 2 diabetes and causes frequent urination and dehydration. If left untreated, both DKA and HHS can lead to coma and, ultimately, death. However, these conditions manifest themselves through nonspecific symptoms such as dry mouth, confusion, and sleepiness, which could easily be mistaken for another ailment, particularly in an elderly person. In a scenario such as this, where the person requiring assistance is likely to be disoriented or even unconscious, medical ID could be the key to facilitating a proper diagnosis and prompt treatment.
What to wear
In spite of its potential usefulness, many people prefer not to wear medical identification jewelry. Some feel the jewelry draws unwanted attention to their diabetes. Others simply don’t like any of the styles they have seen. But medical identification comes in enough varieties and price ranges that virtually anyone’s needs and preferences can be accommodated.
Prices for medical ID may vary depending on the style of the piece and the quality of the materials used to make it. Small, stainless steel bracelets and shoe tags can cost as little as $15. On the other end of the spectrum, solid-gold medical identification necklaces may cost hundreds of dollars. Shoe tags and ankle bracelets are generally the best choice for young children, since a child is less likely to remove or get tangled up in one of these items. Also, necklaces can be both choking and strangulation hazards inyoung children.
Nylon sports bands, which generally cost around $20, may be best for people who play contact sports because the fabric straps are not as liable to cause physical injury as a metal bracelet. (Often, athletic regulations require that metal medical identification jewelry be taped to the body to prevent injury.)
In addition to bracelets, necklaces, and shoe tags, medical identification products include tags that affix to a key ring, wallet cards, labels that can be ironed onto a jacket or bag, and even temporary tattoos. Because a wallet could be separated from you in an accident, a wallet card alone is not sufficient, but it can serve as a good backup. A wallet card can also be attached to your vehicle registration papers so that, in the case of a hypoglycemic episode while driving, a police officer might find it. But in general, unconventional medical identification items are not as easily spotted by paramedics as bracelets or necklaces.
The amount of information you can include on your medical ID jewelry depends on the style you choose. Some pieces are only able to accommodate a single word, such as “diabetes,” while others have room for 15 or more lines of information. In general, it is a good idea to include any major medical conditions you have and, if space permits, medicines you are taking, allergies you have, and contact information for family members or friends.
Medical ID suppliers
The suppliers listed here are but a sampling of the many companies that make
and sell medical IDs. Many more can be found listed on the following Web page:
www.childrenwithdiabetes.com/d_06_700.htm
American Medical Identifications, Inc.
www.americanmedical-id.com
telephone: (800) 363-5985
Bracelets, necklaces, watchbands, and sports bands that feature the medical
symbol. Prices range from $21.95 for a stainless steel “Classic”
bracelet to approximately $290 for a 14-karat gold “Prestige” bracelet
with a matching chain and charm. The “Classic” bracelet, which accommodates
the largest amount of information, can be engraved with up to 10 lines. The
cost of engraving is included in the price, and a complimentary medical identification
wallet card is mailed with every purchase.
The Beadin’ Beagle
www.beadin-beagle.com
telephone: (954) 202-0871
[email protected]
Bracelets handmade from beads, silver charms, crystals, crystal pearls, and
a variety of other materials. Styles can be custom-made or chosen from among
a menu of samples on the Web site. Medical ID plates are provided by the Oneida
Nameplate Company, with prices starting at $15.95 for kids and $16.95 for adults.
Depending on the style, they can hold between 8 and 12 lines of information.
The cost of the bracelets themselves is $40 for adults (seven inches or longer)
and $25 for children (under seven inches).
Destiny Medical Products
www.911destiny.com
telephone: (561) 807-3672
[email protected]
A large selection of medical identification jewelry such as ankle bracelets,
necklaces, lockets and charms. Available metals include stainless steel, sterling
silver, silver or gold overlay, 10-karat gold, 14-karat gold and white gold.
Prices start at $12.95, and engravings are free for the first 12 characters.
A free medical wallet card is included with every order.
Lauren’s Hope
www.laurenshope.com
telephone: (800) 360-8680
[email protected]
Beaded bracelets and watches in a wide variety of men’s and women’s
styles, all outfitted with a medical identification tag. Prices for the jewelry
range from approximately $40 to $140, and prices for the bracelet tags start
at $6. Up to five lines of custom engraving can be added at a cost of $2 per
line.
Medic I.D.
www.medic-id.com
(800) 439-8899
[email protected]
A variety of necklaces, bracelets, and medallions in stainless steel, sterling
silver, and 14-karat filled gold. Prices range from approximately $20 to $125.
Jewelry is engraved at no extra charge and, depending on the style, can include
between three and four lines of information. Purchases include a free wallet
card.
Medicalert Foundation International
www.medicalert.org
(888) 633-4298
customer_service@
medicalert.org
A service as well as an ID supplier that gives emergency workers 24-hour telephone
access to your medical record. There is a $35 registration fee, which also pays
for a stainless steel necklace or bracelet, as well as a $20 annual fee, waived
for the first year. The ID is engraved with your primary medical condition,
your MedicAlert identification number, and the phone number for the call center.
For an additional fee, the standard stainless steel ID can be replaced with
a different bracelet, necklace, stretch band, or sports band from MedicAlert.
There is no charge to update your medical record.
Miss Brooke’s Company (MediCharms)
www.medicharms.com
(888) 417-7591
A wide variety of charms, watches, and medical identification tags. Charms are
available in stainless steel, sterling silver, gold vermeil (silver gilded with
gold), and 14-karat gold and cover an array of themes, including animals, sports
and religion. Prices range from about $16.95 for a stainless steel dog tag ID
to approximately $260.95 for a 14-karat gold charm and chain. Charms can be
engraved with a single medical condition on the front or a custom engraving
on the back.
Support Systems Product Development Corporation
www.medicalmedallion.com
(866) 667-5768
[email protected]
An electronic audio-recording device that attaches to a belt, pocketbook, or
bag and plays a message, prerecorded by the user, at the touch of a button.
The product, which is about the size of a pager, can hold between 60 and 80
words, and the message can be rerecorded when information needs to be updated.
The outside of the product’s case features a medical symbol for easy identification
by emergency personnel, and the inside contains a medical identification card.
MyVoice ID is available from the Support Systems Product Development Corporation
for $29.95.
Would you like to help spread words of hope to diabetics with complications? You can by distributing free copies of the Voice at your workplace or in your community. Thousands of Voice volunteers touch many people who struggle with diabetes. You can usually place copies of the Voice in libraries, pharmacies, hospitals, doctors’ offices, or other public locations.
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