Medical passport?

[Yvonne]

I'm planning my summer holiday and I was just thinking about insurance, medicins, etc. Then I realized I don't have any thing with me to tell I'm a heartpatient. How do other people do that? Do you have something like a medical passport, a medical alert of a letter from your doctor with you? Ik think it is important to have something in case of ... Not only on holidays but always.
I like to hear your advises.

[SusanD]

Very smart thinking Yvonne. I used to create just such a document for my heart patients who were traveling overseas. I would take a 12 lead EKG of theirs and shrink it down to credit card size. On the back I would write (or type and then reduce on the copying machine) their patient information with history, meds, and all Dr's phone numbers PLUS an emergency contact number in the states. You can easily go to Mardel's, Office Depot or Kinko's and have them laminate it for you.

You might not need the 12 lead EKG (it is important for patients with cardiovascular disease because it provides an EKG for comparison and changes can be easily seen if there is a problem), but the medical information,etc. on a credit card sized piece of paper would be a great idea.

For what it's worth, we travled to Finland and Sweden last summer and I kept a little note regarding my health,etc. in my travel notebook. I think it is always a good idea to know what kind of healthcare is available in different countries. We were very fortunate in that Finland and Sweden have excellent healthcare in general should something have happened. Are you going overseas ?

[doloresmc]

I have an ICD so I do wear a medical alert bracelet. I got it online and it's kind of cute, beads, and not the huge manly ones I saw at first. On the front it says, ICD, no MRI, and on the back, my name, phone number and a note that says to check wallet for medicines. Also every time they check my ICD, they give me a print out in case I travel.
Good luck! and have fun!!!
Dolores

[dawn]

Dolores,

Does Medicalert cover other countries, too? I need to go check out the new styles of bracelets/necklaces. My husband prefers the necklace.

[Yvonne]

Susan,
Sounds very good Susan what you're developing. I would like to have something on a creditcard size in my purse.
I'm not sure they do know something like this in the UK were I live, but I will ask the hospital to write something down for me.

[Yvonne]

I will also check the medicalert things in the UK.

[momoftwoboys]

I've always wondered about this subject also. Do they make the same one's for heart patients as they do for people who are diabetic?

[TamiF]

I have a bracelet for my diabetes. Unfortunately it broke and I haven't gotten a new one yet. One more thing to add to my list. You can have anyting out on the bracelet/necklace and they give you a wallet card you put your info on. Then they keep your informaiton in the data base. If you get hurt, they can call Medic Alert and get all the info including medication, medical conditions, Dr's and phone numbers and insurance info. They now have jewlry that is actually nice and doesn't really look like the old medical stuff.