I wear a rubber bracelet on my left arm. It's black with white letters. Medical alert logo NO NEEDLES OR BP IN THIS ARM. Because of breast cancer I have lymphedema. I started wearing it after an ambulance ride to the ER. I was conscious, but if I hadn't been there could have been trouble. I think I bought a set of them from Amazon.

I have a colleague with Type 1 diabetes and she wears one, just the standard stainless with red logo. She also has a tattoo on her wrist.

Are you looking at the type of thing a person wears to notify emergency personnel about a medical condition or something the wearer presses to make a call for emergency assistance? My mom had one of the former -- it was just a plain bracelet with a logo on it and the info engraved on the back. Not pricey and no fee for any service. The 24/7 service is a different kind of thing, so that is confusing me.

My dad got a fob that came with his apartment when he moved into a senior complex. It was monitored by the front desk, as I understood it and they would respond or call 911 if needed. He wouldn't wear it though. For folks in their own homes, you can get similar devices that the wearer has to activate to call for service. It is possible that you could have something that does both, but I've not dealt with them.

In the TV dramas do first responders check bracelets?

Most of the bracelets I've seen don't even have such a thing as 24/7 emergency response. There are things like Life Alert which offer that service, but, like lascatx, I'm not sure what you're asking.

I have a life-threatening allergy to morphine, but would only wear the tag saying that--no need in my case for any special response, so no Life Alert or equivalent. I think there are some bracelets where you only have a phone number and code for first responders to look up your info, but those seem to me to be mostly for people with complex problems that won't fit on the plate.

If you look around there are some companies that make very attractive medical alert bracelets now.

I am asking about the simple “I have diabetes/pencillin allergy/no needles” kind. I never knew that style could include, for a fee, emergency medical info. Actually, I never knew anything about the bracelets, beyond they exist, until I was asked to look into it for someone.

For the user in question, I don’t think it would be necessary to pay for emergency info access and I wondered if I was missing something important by thinking it was unnecessary.

On the site I reviewed, they have many styles ranging from $20 to $120. Even the cheapest one comes with different colored wording - to match your outfit? To feature your favorite color? IDK, medical jewelry is a whole new world to me.

We have one of those wear around the house monitors for my mother. She never wears it. I asked how do you think that will help you? I get calls, always at 5:30 AM, that gives me a recorded message with a code which means the battery is low. Why doesn’t it just say the battery is low? Why is it at 5:30 AM? I ended up driving over to her house at 5:45 am, to see it she was alive. She was asleep, I didn’t have to wake her. I did have to figure out what the mystery code was and now will probably just assumed whatever they record means the battery is low. That week, even after changing the battery, it called me every other day at 5:30 am. Haven’t heard from it recently but I did see my Mum last night and she was fine. I’m hoping that’s still true.

Thanks for your replies. I’m going to advise a no fee, simple bracelet.

Great tip for anyone, crl.

I also use the health app on my phone to list my medications and medical conditions as well as contact info for my DH.

I have a son with a life threatening medical condition. As soon as he is 18 he is getting a tattoo. He wears a bracelet now but it is on and off constantly since it cannot be worn during sports. He also has a card in his wallet, the iPhone health app, and a card on the dashboard of the car.

I have several medical conditions that cause me to wear a bracelet. I have several different types. I have one plate engraved front and back and has the insignia, I have many different bracelets that attach to the plate, these I use for dressier occasions. I have a USB bracelet that contains my entire medical history, medications, and doctors, etc. My doctors love it and one ordered one for a family member. The urgent care facility also liked it. They were able to get everything they needed in just a few seconds from the USB. I have a sport style that velcros on that is good for every day, it can get wet and dirty and just wash it off. I have never paid for them to maintain my information. I also have necklace ones, one looks like a dog tag. I like having different colors and options for the occasion. My problem is that I have a lot of info to fit on the plates which is why I like the USB one. I have never had anyone hesitate to use the USB files.

Localeater has your son tried the sport style bracelets? There's a good selection of them now. They fit tight unlike a loose dangly bracelet. Also the dog tag type necklace can be worn under the shirts.

This is very similar to my sport bracelet.

https://www.allergylifestyle.com/shop/allergy-shop/medical-jewellery/sports-medical-id-bracelet/

This is my exact USB bracelet.

https://www.phc-online.com/Medical_Alert_Bracelet_p/care-memory-band.htm

This is where I ordered my original bracelet. Great people and great products. I got my engraved plate and then I made various beaded bracelets to clip onto the plate. But you can buy the clip on beaded bracelets.

https://www.stickyj.com/category/medical-alert-bracelets

That USB one is a great idea for complicated medical information.

It’s funny that the first bracelet website I saw offered the paid emergency info maintenance yet no one IRL has heard of it or used it. I swear I didn’t make it up!

I spoke to a paramedic friend of a friend. He said the bracelets aren’t very common and, because of that, not all first responders would think to check for one. Yikes. I wish I knew more 1st responders to see if that is a common answer or just HIS answer.

He did say they check for pacemakers, even without a bracelet to tip them off, since that is where they would put EKG leads. So if your issue is a pacemaker, you’d probably be ok. If it’s other than that, I wish you the best in your emergency.

I would think a tattoo would also be overlooked or ignored. I imagine they see so many tattoos of every kind they wouldn’t be expecting to find relevant medical info. But it could help and if you’re not opposed to tattoos, why not? The other problem I can see with that is everyone I know with a tattoo says once you get one, you’ll get more. So then there wouldn’t be just one tattoo with vital info that stands out. Now it’s one with vital info, and maybe a sports logo, and maybe your favorite saying, and a tribal band, etc.

He said the bracelets aren’t very common and, because of that, not all first responders would think to check for one.

Yikes. I'm glad he's not likely to be a paramedic where I would need one. The bracelets have been around for many, many years and I would think that checking would be one of the first things they learn.

I do see how a tattoo could get missed, though.

"...not all first responders would think to check for one." That was my thought too.

would think that checking would be one of the first things they learn.

I know, but do they learn that? Anyone know any 1st responders we can ask? Maybe the bracelets companies have us hoodwinked into trusting them more than we should.

Yes, I know a paramedic and a fireman. I'll ask them.

Okay, two paramedics, one fireman, and one neighbor who ought to get frequent flier miles for the ambulance, she calls it so often. All agree that checking for a tag is the first thing they do.

Good to know, that should ease the mind of bracelet wearers.

I’m sure I will ask every 1st Responder I ever met, because now I’m very curious about it.

All I have been around do check.

Just asked my firefighter/emt son...I don't know why he does not instantly respond to his mother's texts! But I will report back with his answer. I'm curious about this also. I have an aspirin allergy and wonder about if they would try to give it to me if I were having a heart attack...but I guess not if I was unconscious!

I work in recovery and if a client suffers any "event", all staff are trained to check for bracelets. So I imagine that would be basic 101 for first responders. Since tattoos are so common, I can see how it would be easily overlooked as a source of vital information,

Ravencajun thanks for thinking of my son. He is a multi sport varsity athlete and they are not allowed to wear any jewelry in practice or competition. It’s a ridiculous rule but I have given up fighting it.

That's terrible and should be changed before someone pays the price for a stupid rule. Especially when it's young people.

As part of my job, I teach and provide medical oversight for more than 1,500 EMT & Paramedics. Especially if someone is confused or unconscious, they will check for medic alert tags. However, EMT & Paramedics are not likely to take the time to call a special number.

@ jmck, if someone is truly allergic to aspirin (not just some "upset stomach"), they should not be given it during a "heart attack."

Jewelry is often banned in sports because it gets caught on things and causes serious, sometimes life and limb threatening, injuries. Can write critical info on index card, and put it in a pocket. (We check pockets when people are confused or unconscious.) There are also medic alert shoe tags.

I just saw an ad for these on Twitter, foam bracelets medic alert.

https://mcimedalert.com/