Lymphedema Medical Alert

I put no bp or needles right arm. Lymphedema risk breast cancer.

I have a medic alert and I wear it on the opposite side because I don't like how it makes marks on my skin when I write or use a mouse.

Mine says "No vp/bp rt arm". It has a phone number and case number for detailed medical information. I can get online and change it as situations change. I ordered it immediately after surgery, and the cs rep knew what I needed. This is the original Medic Alert company.

I think mine is stainless steel. It's not pretty but it's durable. The purchase comes with a year's subscription, which you can renew or not. The subscription means if EMS finds you they can access whatever medical history you enter into the system. ER staff can do it too, in the event you are unconscious and can't speak for yourself. Can also put them in touch with next of kin.

I like it because there's no room on my bracelet for my adhesive allergies from Hell. If a quick phone call prevent them from putting dermabond on me, that's worth $20.

Thanks SpecialK for the info and advice. Surprising that EMT and such do not know what Lymphedema is, yet, they do have alot of knowledge to store in their brains for the everyday emergency response so it's hard to blame em'! I'll give those links a look see. Thanks again!

Put it on the affected arm.

I am a firefighter/paramedic, and if I took that arm for a blood pressure or IV, I would see it there as I am grabbing the arm to put the BP cuff on or look for an IV site...even if you forgot to tell me. If it is on a necklace, I might not see it. Make it an obvious medic alert bracelet, and do not have 10 other watches and bracelets on that arm. It will get hidden by them, and no provider is going to sift through 10 bracelets to see if one happens to be a medical alert tag...... not because we are lazy, but if the situation is that critical that we'd need to know and you could not tell us, we'll be very busy doing and assessing other things to figure out and treat what's wrong.

I have been in EMS for over 20 years, and even with a mom who had lymphedema from BC, I did not understand the reasons until I was affected with BC (my mom really was not told to avoid that arm for things, nor was my mother-in-law who is also affected). It is not something routinely taught in most EMS curricula for EMTs or paramedics, though I do think it is getting more attention now than it had in the past. I was asked many times to avoid an arm, and always honored it...obviously I still do!

I have also had many nurses I've had to remind. As much as I would like everyone to just "know", I consider it my responsibility to remind them because ultimately it'll be me who could potentially suffer if a mistake is made.

Make sure your family members know so they can alert medical personnel as well. The bracelet serves this purpose well. Understand that providers will do everything they can to honor that, but in a life or death situation, sometimes they'll have to use the arm. I can think of only one time in 30 years I have had to do this.

Honestly, I would just put the info on the bracelet. You probably do not need to subscribe. I have in 30 years of EMS, never called that number to get the info. I am sure others have, but in cases where it would have been helpful, the person did not have a bracelet, and in cases where someone had a bracelet, I always had family there, or their info was in their phone. Remember that you can put emergency health info in your phone and that responders can access it without your phone code with most phones (on mine, you just hit home to unlock, hit "emergency", and then "medical ID" in the corner.) When I have an unconscious person who does not have a bracelet, this is the first thing I'll look for.

Hopefully this is helpful for some of you.

I agree, thanks so much KBEee! That information you shared is all very helpful.

I don't know that many women have the problem that I do, I don't have a good arm having bilateral breast cancer with nodes affected on both sides. I work hard at not getting lymphadema again as I had a mild case when I first had surgery.

I have a very hard time getting my port used for everything and I can't imagine having to wear a medic alert bracelet on both arms. Any thoughts on what I could do? I have a medical alert on my phone which you don't need my password to access. thanks for any thoughts.

I have had bi-lateral nodes removed, ALND on the right side, and have diagnosed lymphedema on that side. I did use my port for blood draws over the six years I had it - until removal in 2016. I have allowed blood draws on the left arm. I am an easy stick and I have had no problems - so far. I also allow BP, but do request it be done manually if possible, not by machine - as it feels gentler, and my PS uses a wrist reader which is nice. For surgery my BP has been on the ankle with a machine. Only offering this info, not advising or recommending this course of action. It has worked for me, but I think everyone has to decide their own risk tolerance coupled with medical advice.

BTW - for those of you who are new to LE, this is a wonderful site with lots of recommendations. It was created with much input from several caring BCO ladies.

https://www.stepup-speakout.org/

Minus Two, I think you are very wise to do that. I do not know why health care folks are so afraid to start an IV or draw blood from a leg. Frustrating. Blood does not just circulate through our upper body!