medical alert

I wore mine for a year but honestly saw no need anymore and stopped. I bought mine off of Ebay and they engraved it too. You can get more elaborate ones that come with the USB and you pay for the monthly software that is compatible with hospital's systems. If I had something more to do with blood issues, blood type, major allergies, seizures, etc. I would do it. I just have some medicine allergies but nothing that would kill me.

Mine just listed continent ileostomy - see wallet for instructions and emergency contact for my surgeon when I did wear mine. now people see I have a flush stoma and know there is no bag so ask. I would assume if I went in knocked out by some reason they would put 2 and 2 together.

I don't carry one; I had it tattooed on my abdomen. However, all the doctors in the past 12 years that have seen the tattoo, did not know what it meant, and when explained, did not know about the surgery. Frightening.

Sue

A medical alert bracelet is most useful when it alters the behavior of medical personnel by telling them something you can't tell them yourself. This is particularly helpful when the condition is likely to cause you to be unable to communicate, and the medical intervention is unusual. I haven't judged it to be a useful thing. Even if I got dehydrated (I never have) they'd just start an IV and rehydrate me, the same as without a pouch. Emergency colonoscopies are almost never done.

I did carry a note in my wallet when I was steroid-dependent. Stopping steroids abruptly when the body is injured is very, very dangerous, and the car accident scenario isn't far-fetched.

Here is a thread about medic alert bracelets.

kathy

I use GreatCall

They operate via GPS, so they can pinpoint my location within 15 feet, no matter how far from home I might be. ( A lot of Med Alerts only work in your house or a few hundred feet from your home.
GreatCall is $15 per month. Great company. I have an intensive profile that lists all docs, surgeons, meds, family, etc.

Their phone is 1-800-733-6632.

As a trauma nurse, I can tell you that if you end up in the ED in a really bad state, most patients in the US, anyway, will be put through CT scans, head to toe.

Via that, they'll definitely see the changes in your abdomen.

There aren't a lot of things they'll do to you *before* they'd do that scan... in the ED, that is. There aren't a lot of procedures where they'd really go in there right away. They might do a rectal if they think you have a spinal injury, but overall, unless the injury or worrisome issue involves your backside, most likely your pouch will be safe.

Can't say that would be 100% of the time, so a medical alert bracelet is still a good thing to have just in case, but honestly, your butt is rarely the focus in a trauma bay, unless again your injury or bad issues are involving your backside. And again, at least in the US, you're going to get scanned head to toe, and they'll definitely see that you're "not normal" in there.

And hopefully, family or friends would be there soon thereafter to give them your history.

I've actually thought about preparing paperwork explaining what I have and how to treat me if I come in with vomiting and dehydrated. I have paid enough visits to ER's to know that if I ask them if they know what a jpouch is, and I get a blank stare, that I need to give them information quickly and sometimes I can't. Does anyone else carry paperwork with them?

Or have it on your phone? If you have an iPhone/etc., you could always have a site or something bookmarked. Or a photo saved with the info, or a note, or something. A lot of people carry some sort of technology with them, that could be an easy way to get them them the info quickly.