Medical Alert Card

Here you can share your experiences with substances that are ingested, inhaled, or otherwise consumed for the purpose of relieving RLS, other than prescription medications. For example, herbal remedies, nutritional supplements, diet, kratom, and marijuana (for now) should be discussed here. Tell others of successes, failures, side effects, and any known research on these substances. [Posts on these subjects created prior to 2009 are in the Physical Treatments forum.]

Important: Posts and information in this section are based on personal experiences and recommendations; they should not be considered a substitute for the advice of a healthcare provider.
Post Reply
(RLS)
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun May 17, 2009 11:36 pm
Location: Northern California
Contact:

Medical Alert Card

Post by (RLS) »

Hi,

I'm unsure if someone had posted this in the past, but this is a Medical Alert Card which provides you with what triggers RLS. Amongst them are many medications and you can find the list there.

Medical Alert Card

I hope this helps.

God Bless!
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. (Revelation 21:4)

Betty/WV
Posts: 587
Joined: Mon Nov 29, 2004 11:11 pm
Location: West Virginia, Wild and Wonderful

Re: Medical Alert Card

Post by Betty/WV »

One suggestion about the Medical Alert Card. When you go to the hospital, they always ask if you are allergic to anything. You show them the card and tell them you are allergic to all the meds listed on the card. Dr. Buchenfurer told me to do this, otherwise they probably won't pay much attention. But if you tell them you are allergic, they will pay more attention, because they are afraid of law suites if they give you something they are allergic too. And really you are allergic to these meds, because if they give them to y ou you will have a bad reaction. I had a knee replacement and this is what I did. The nurse left the room and came back with a red tape that they put on your arm, and this tape had all those meds listed on it. One time before, I had a heart cath. and I had shown everyone, nurses, doctors etc my Medical Alert card. When I was getting prepared for the cath, the nurse was getting ready to inject something into my IV, I ask what it was and she said "benedryl" I told her "No, No, you can't give me that, and as I was protesting she continued to inject it. I suffered for hours because of the benedryl, which is poison for RLSers. So, I was determined this wasn't going to happen again. Most medical personal have no idea what WED/RLS is.

[color=#0080FF][/colorBETTY?WV
Thanks to rls.org, I have learned so much about my condition. I have received encouragement from my friends here. This is a site I can come to when I am up most of the night, and I vent, and know those who read my messages understand

rthom
Posts: 1530
Joined: Sat Dec 31, 2011 3:03 am

Re: Medical Alert Card

Post by rthom »

great idea
:clap:

jstep
Posts: 45
Joined: Wed Nov 23, 2011 2:23 pm

Re: Medical Alert Card

Post by jstep »

Thanks for sharing that Betty. I hadn't thought of listing all the meds as meds I'm allergic to. Makes great sense and could save the rest of us a lot of problems. It truly is the only way most of them will pay attention. Thanks again.
Jamie

Betty/WV
Posts: 587
Joined: Mon Nov 29, 2004 11:11 pm
Location: West Virginia, Wild and Wonderful

Re: Medical Alert Card

Post by Betty/WV »

jstep wrote:Thanks for sharing that Betty. I hadn't thought of listing all the meds as meds I'm allergic to. Makes great sense and could save the rest of us a lot of problems. It truly is the only way most of them will pay attention. Thanks again.
Jamie



I don't take credit for that idea. I was so upset by them giving me benedryl, when I was telling them NO. I emailed Dr. B and that was what he suggested. And it works. I had no trouble with them giving me meds that exacerbates the WED/RLS.

BETTY/WV

P.S. I could have gotten that nurse in a lot of trouble, and even the hospital. But I chose not to.
Thanks to rls.org, I have learned so much about my condition. I have received encouragement from my friends here. This is a site I can come to when I am up most of the night, and I vent, and know those who read my messages understand

Polar Bear
Moderator
Posts: 8799
Joined: Tue Dec 26, 2006 4:34 pm
Location: United Kingdom

Re: Medical Alert Card

Post by Polar Bear »

I always carry the medical alert card in my purse.
I saved it onto my pc and it can be updated as frequently as necessary.
Also there is space to add what current medications you are on which is very important when it comes to WED.
When I was adding this personal information I had to make the font really small to get it all in.

Also each time any medications change and I immediately update the Alert Card, I also print an extra copy and it stays at the computer station. My husband knows it is there if anything ever happened that I ended up in hospital unable to speak.
Betty
https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/a ... 0/fulltext
Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the RLS Foundation

ViewsAskew
Moderator
Posts: 16571
Joined: Thu Oct 28, 2004 6:37 am
Location: Los Angeles

Re: Medical Alert Card

Post by ViewsAskew »

Polar Bear wrote:I always carry the medical alert card in my purse.
I saved it onto my pc and it can be updated as frequently as necessary.
Also there is space to add what current medications you are on which is very important when it comes to WED.
When I was adding this personal information I had to make the font really small to get it all in.

Also each time any medications change and I immediately update the Alert Card, I also print an extra copy and it stays at the computer station. My husband knows it is there if anything ever happened that I ended up in hospital unable to speak.


Great idea, Betty.

Another thing to consider is to make a list of the meds you take and the amounts, exactly when you take them, etc. I got sick a couple years ago and my husband was frantic that he wouldn't know the exact instructions to tell the hospital. I take mine in split doses so the info on the bottle wouldn't be helpful. I also alternate medications, something not clear on the bottle instructions.

At the time, I was annoyed with him because we were changing things every few weeks, but then I realized how much trouble I'd have if I didn't have it all clearly indicated someplace. It's on my computer, as is Betty's.
Ann - Take what you need, leave the rest

Managing Your RLS

Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the RLS Foundation, and are not medical advice.

rthom
Posts: 1530
Joined: Sat Dec 31, 2011 3:03 am

Re: Medical Alert Card

Post by rthom »

I was wondering how we might go about changing the name on th card to wed instead of rls, it seems to be taken more seriously. Ideas?

Polar Bear
Moderator
Posts: 8799
Joined: Tue Dec 26, 2006 4:34 pm
Location: United Kingdom

Re: Medical Alert Card

Post by Polar Bear »

It's easy enough to change the name on the medical alert card.
I have already done it.
When the alert card is saved onto your computer it can be worked upon.

On my card, the name has been changed to
'''MEDICAL ALERT – RESTLESS LEGS SYNDROM/WILLIS EKBOM DISEASE
A neurological movement disorder''''

My husband's name and phone number is at the top for emergency contact.
And all of my medications are noted on it with dosages and the times of the day.
It also details my GP and his address.
I also have on it the date it was last updated.

I have also noted underneath the '''prescription medications'' that if I am inactive for any reason the dosages of requip and tramadol stated are not likely to be sufficient.

The alert card is printed onto the top half of an A4 page.
On the bottom half I have printed the following:
'''For information on treatment of RLS go to: http://www.rlshelp.org.
See Mayo Clinic Algorithm for treatment of RLS: http://www.mayoclinicproceedings.com/co ... ll.pdf''''


And have also stated that my major conditions are RLS/WED and Fibromyalgia.
Betty
https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/a ... 0/fulltext
Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the RLS Foundation

rthom
Posts: 1530
Joined: Sat Dec 31, 2011 3:03 am

Re: Medical Alert Card

Post by rthom »

mine says read only document modifications will not be accepted

Betty/WV
Posts: 587
Joined: Mon Nov 29, 2004 11:11 pm
Location: West Virginia, Wild and Wonderful

Re: Medical Alert Card

Post by Betty/WV »

ViewsAskew wrote:
Polar Bear wrote:I always carry the medical alert card in my purse.
I saved it onto my pc and it can be updated as frequently as necessary.
Also there is space to add what current medications you are on which is very important when it comes to WED.
When I was adding this personal information I had to make the font really small to get it all in.

Also each time any medications change and I immediately update the Alert Card, I also print an extra copy and it stays at the computer station. My husband knows it is there if anything ever happened that I ended up in hospital unable to speak.


Great idea, Betty.

Another thing to consider is to make a list of the meds you take and the amounts, exactly when you take them, etc. I got sick a couple years ago and my husband was frantic that he wouldn't know the exact instructions to tell the hospital. I take mine in split doses so the info on the bottle wouldn't be helpful. I also alternate medications, something not clear on thebottle instructions

There is a place on your medical alert card to write down all your meds., plus I keep a list on another piece of paper in my purse. Its very crowded on your card to list all the meds. Oh, my, so many things for my "old" brain to keep track of.And the WED/RLS takes its toll on my brain. I find I have a harder time remembering things .

BETTY/WV :roll:

At the time, I was annoyed with him because we were changing things every few weeks, but then I realized how much trouble I'd have if I didn't have it all clearly indicated someplace. It's on my computer, as is Betty's.
Thanks to rls.org, I have learned so much about my condition. I have received encouragement from my friends here. This is a site I can come to when I am up most of the night, and I vent, and know those who read my messages understand

Polar Bear
Moderator
Posts: 8799
Joined: Tue Dec 26, 2006 4:34 pm
Location: United Kingdom

Re: Medical Alert Card

Post by Polar Bear »

Betty/WV - yes, the card does get a bit crowded and I have used the smallest font for the information.
Might be best if I attached a sheet of paper with the information detailed - thanks for that.

rthom - with regard to modifying the document, IIRC I copied the alert card and pasted it onto a word document. It was quite some time ago but don't think I would have done anything other than that. I now update it regularly as dosages of other non-rls/wed medications would change.
Betty
https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/a ... 0/fulltext
Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the RLS Foundation

rthom
Posts: 1530
Joined: Sat Dec 31, 2011 3:03 am

Re: Medical Alert Card

Post by rthom »

thank's did the same, however i'm not a computer geek and am having no luck. Been a few hrs now, think i'll give up for a bit--try again later

Polar Bear
Moderator
Posts: 8799
Joined: Tue Dec 26, 2006 4:34 pm
Location: United Kingdom

Re: Medical Alert Card

Post by Polar Bear »

Go to http://www.rlshelp.org/
Scroll down the page and you will come to RLS MEDICAL ALERT CARDS.
Click on this and it will open up the document and you can work on this document. This document is sized at 200% and I reduced it to 100%

You can put your information onto the card you have just opened, but it is better if you can highlight it and copy and paste it to a word document so that it is always there for amendment.
Betty
https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/a ... 0/fulltext
Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the RLS Foundation

badnights
Moderator
Posts: 6259
Joined: Tue Mar 10, 2009 4:20 pm
Location: Northwest Territories, Canada

Re: Medical Alert Card

Post by badnights »

There is a card available thru the RLSF, I got it in the mail when I joined but I don't know if they have a digital verions. I scanned mine to get a digital version. It is more understated than the one made by the So Cal support group.
Beth - Wishing you a restful sleep tonight
Click for info on WED/RLS AUGMENTATION & IRON
I am a volunteer moderator. My posts are not medical advice. My posts do not reflect RLS Foundation opinion.

Post Reply