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Do VSGers need Medical Alert Bracelets?



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There's a pretty good overview of available ID's and bracelets at : Medical ID Bracelets ? Medical Alert Bracelets ? Medical Bracelets - in case someone wants to get one anyway

Super cute! Thanks!

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I don't have a Bracelet, but my surgeon provided a sticker to attached to the back of my driver's license. It simply says Patient has Lab Sleeve Gastrectomy. No NG Tube w/o calling xxx-xxx-xxxx. Fluid capacity 60cc or less/limit NSAIDS and then my surgeon's name.

Deb

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Deb, I like your idea, I may just print out my own sticker!

Patti

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I was researching this today and just added the ICE to my phone, with a note there to look under "Notes" for Medical Information. My medical info has the date updated, then a list of everything I take daily, including Vitamins and Rx meds.

I also took a picture of my WLS Card given by my surgeon, which includes his name and phone number and used that as the picture for the ICE listing on my phone.

Thanks for the great suggestions!

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I never thought to have either the medical alert Bracelet. I use to wear one when I was considered diabetic. My husband and I was just recently in a serious car accident but we were awake when the ambulance arrived so I kept repeating that we were had bariatric surgery to the EMT and the nurses. I did call my surgeon after the surgery and they said as long as we are not experiencing any stomach pain then we would be okay. I am 11 mos out and my husband was 7 mos. We had no serious injuries but a few weeks later we found that my husband has cracked a rib. In our accident the cell phone went flying so having it in the phone, they may not find the phone. I may rethink the note on the DL.

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I wouldn't dissuade anyone from getting a medical ID Bracelet, but I polled a few EMT's/paramedics that I know and all of them said the same thing. They don't think there would be a problem with the blind NG tube...RNY = YES, but VSG, they all said no.

I also asked them about the fancy or pretty ID bracelets becuase I have heard that sometimes they are overlooked and viewed as jewlery instead of medical information. They said it's helpful to be clearly medical ID but they wouldn't discount it immediately if it looked more like jewelry. However, one paramedic mentioned that he relies mostly on instinct and is going through things on a mental checklist. The ID bracelet/jewelry is just part of that list.

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      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
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      1. LeighaTR

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

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        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
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