Talking Allergies

I wear a medic-alert bracelet for a drug allergy which has a long and complicated name. I put the asthma on there as an after-thought even though it is pretty much under control. But in the years since I got the bracelet, my family history of late-developing food allergies kicked in. So far, I have tested positive for tree nut allergies, had a possibly related anaphylactic epiosde to Thai food (doc thinks it was either some kind of spice, or a nut oil) and started having cross-reactions (but not always) to certain fruits (apples and peaches so far). I am also pretty sure I just had a reaction to corn.

I think I might need to at minimum put the tree nuts thing on the bracelet. I have very limited room though because of the drug allergy, which takes a full four lines on the bracelet to spell out. I know you can have additional info in your medic-alert profile, which health care professionals can access with a phone call, but I am not sure how well-established the protocol is. I think the two most important ones are the drug allergy (*sigh* four lines on the bracelet!) and the fact that there are food allergies in general. I think if they know that much, they can phone in an emergency to access my profile and find out which foods, and to find out about the asthma and eczema, which are not as serious.

So, what do you think? Do the food allergies merit getting a new bracelet? Must I list all the foods on the bracelet, or can I just say 'food allergies' and assume that in a real emergency, they would call to access my profile? I am just worried that knowing me, more food problems will develop. And also, I am sort of running out of room on the bracelet.

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Asthma and eczema
Drug allergy (succinylcholine)
Food (corn, raw apples, green beans, tree nuts, flax)
Misc (pollen, grass, mold, dogs, cats)

Good questions---but I'm really not sure what to advise. I wonder if the people at Medic Alert would provide some advice?

I'm actually trying to figure out myself what to prioritize on my medic alert bracelet (I should get a new one on account of a recently diagnosed latex allergy.)

i think that if space is the issue, and your asthma is genereally well controlled the most severe allergy (tree nuts by the sound of your post) should definatly take the place of the asthma, i have a friend who is a florida state certified paramedic, would you like me to ask her what the policy for where she works is for calling medic alert? so that you have some idea of what happens in a real life situation. she was very infomative when i asked her a question about my allergy to benadryl and how i shoudl be treated in an emergency situation.

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allergies - penicillin, benadryl, dust mites, enviornmental & chemical
conditions - dermatographism, eczema, well contorolled asthma
dietary - lactose intollerant, vegatarian

allergy to [name the drug]
multiple food allergies
asthma

**************************

Call and see if all of that fits on the bracelet. If not -- leave out the word *multiple*. However, I would not specify just one food, when there are more then one.

My bracelet actually says *anaphylactic allergies to unknown agents* because when I got it we had no idea what I was reacting to. I was going to get a new one, but then I figured, since my allergies are adult on-set, I'd probably end up developing more after buying another one. They know to be careful what they give me, and that's good enough.

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self: allergy to sesame seeds and peanuts
3 sons each with at least one of the following allergies: peniciilin, sulfa-based antibiotic, latex, insect bites/stings

When I filled out the application, I just named the drug, but I guess they have standard medical language they use (there was something about that in the FAQ on their website) so the full text is pretty much set. It really does take four lines It's so me to get the obscure one Someone on another board I frequent said her husband is a paramedic and he told her they do check for bracelets, but it has to be obvious and that nobody ever really calls the hotline. I'm not sure what to do. The drug allergy is potentially life-threatening, but if they know about it, it is quite easy to use something else. It is a surgical anasthetic and it only comes up if I need surgery. I never thought it was that serious, and I could not imagine there would be situations where I would be so incapacitated that I would not be able to alert them. But the food allergy thing is a new scary realm for me. The one anaphylactic reaction I had, Inearly passed out. And I hear they can escalate over time and next time it might be worse. I am not so much worried that medical professionals would necessarily give me a food I can't have (the oral allergy stuff is just rashes anyway) but I am worried that I could wind up needing medical care because of a reaction, and it is possible I might be a serious one or something. So, they should know the important things.

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Asthma and eczema
Drug allergy (succinylcholine)
Food (corn, raw apples, green beans, tree nuts, flax)
Misc (pollen, grass, mold, dogs, cats)

My son is a paramedic, and he also says they check the wrist for a bracelet, but don't always check for necklaces or anything else. And they don't call the 800 number. Either the patient is conscious and can verbally tell them, or it's a dire emergency and they don't have time to stop to make a phone call. In hospital where there is more than just the person/people giving the care, someone else might make that call.

He also once had a patient that had the information tatooed on his arm. Not sure you want that stylish look though.

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self: allergy to sesame seeds and peanuts
3 sons each with at least one of the following allergies: peniciilin, sulfa-based antibiotic, latex, insect bites/stings

Hi ficbot

My son has 11 food allergies as well as asthma. I had the same dilemma when ordering his bracelet. In the end, we wrote

multiple food allergies
at risk of anaphylaxis
asthma.

It was our thinking that initially if he is having an allergic reaction that requires attention such that someone would be checking his bracelet, it didn't really matter what had caused the reaction. The treatment would be the same. If and when they call the medic alert number, they will get the complete list so that when he is at the hospital they will know what he is actually allergic to.

Hope that helps!

Denise

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Oldest son 9: allergic to fish and shellfish, pollens, pets, mould and dustmites
Youngest son, 5: allergic to peanuts, nuts, dairy, eggs, sesame, kiwi, asthma, pollens, pets, mould and dustmites

Does the drug have DIN #? Maybe you could use that, and then add the other items.

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Mladyfred

Just an update, I spoke to the doctor today and he said that I do need a new bracelet because of the food allergy. He said the only important part EMS responders need to know in a crisis is that I carry an epi-pen for food allergies. The specifics of which foods, he said, are less important than the fact I carry the pen because that's what it would take to stabilize a reaction immediately.

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Asthma and eczema
Drug allergy (succinylcholine)
Food (corn, raw apples, green beans, tree nuts, flax)
Misc (pollen, grass, mold, dogs, cats)

That is an EXCELLENT idea.

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self: allergy to sesame seeds and peanuts
3 sons each with at least one of the following allergies: peniciilin, sulfa-based antibiotic, latex, insect bites/stings