Medical Alert Bracelet for Diabetes

No matter when you were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, you may have never considered obtaining a medical alert bracelet. I know when I was first diagnosed, it was not my first concern. I was way more interested in how I was going to manage my blood sugar. It took several months for the idea of a medical id bracelet to even occur to me.

I now know that they are often recommended by medical personnel, but in my case, it wasn’t.

Should You Wear a Medical Alert Bracelet if You Have Type 2 Diabetes?

Medical alert bracelets and other medical ID jewelry are intended to offer emergency personnel valuable information in case you are unconscious or unable to speak for yourself. What is your name? Who is your emergency contact who is familiar with your medical history? Are you on insulin? What other medical issues do you have? Do you have any allergies, especially to drugs? All of this information can be engraved on the back of a medical alert bracelet of your choosing.

Why a Diabetic Alert Bracelet?

Many people choose to carry a card in their wallet or put emergency information on their phones. What happens if you are involved in an accident, and your phone is broken, or emergency personnel need to make quick decisions and don’t have time to look for additional information? They will do the best they can with what they know, but having your medical and emergency contact information in a visible and easy to reach location makes it more likely to be seen.

It is generally accepted that a bracelet on the wrist is the first choice for easily accessible. A medical id necklace is an option too, but not as likely to be seen as quickly. Before making a decision on which type of medical id jewelry to use, do know that your job may not allow for the wearing of a bracelet. If this is the case, you will need to use a medical alert pendant while at work.

Engravable Medical Alert Bracelets

Long gone are the days when a medical alert bracelet only came in boring styles and few choices. Today there are stylish medical alert bracelets that come in options that coordinate with your other jewelry. There are specific medical bracelets for men and specific medical bracelets for women. There are pretty, delicate, rose gold beaded options. There are silicone medical alert bracelets that are perfect for sports and active outdoor activity. There are sports bands with velcro and more delicate versions of the traditional stainless steel chain and tag style.

Choosing and Wearing a Medical ID Bracelet

There are many options for ordering your medical id jewelry online. I found it difficult to find any options locally, so ordering online just made it more accessible.

When choosing medical ID jewelry, take the following things into consideration:

• Do you want one bracelet for all-around use, or would you prefer different styles for different events?
• Consider the information you need to include. Make sure the engravable area has enough lines and characters per line to accommodate your information. Each tag is different and some are too small to include much.
• Do you have work restrictions about wearing a bracelet style? If so, will you wear a medical pendant at work and change to a bracelet the remainder of the time?

What Choices Did I Make for My Medical ID Jewelry?

I have a plain silver stainless steel bracelet that I wear for every day and a fancier gold sectional bracelet that I wear for dressier occasions.
My engraving includes my name, two ICE contacts, and my T2D diagnosis. If I were on medication, I would list that too.
Any of the companies that offer medical ID jewelry will have guidelines on their websites that will help you decide what to include.

Wearing Your Medical ID Jewelry

I remember being hesitant to be seen wearing my first bracelet. This whole diagnosis was still pretty new, and I felt that wearing the bracelet was a public announcement that identified me as being “different.” I soon realized many people wear them for a variety of reasons. It just makes sense to attempt to have as much information about your medical condition available as possible in case of an emergency.