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Anyone consider a medical ID bracelet for rods?

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  • Anyone consider a medical ID bracelet for rods?

    I was just thinking the other day that since Carolyn will have these rods from now on, would this be something that a medical ID bracelet would be a good idea to have?

    I don't know anyone who has had the surgery who has one but let's say she is in an accident, would they need to know ahead of time that she has rods in her back? I'm wondering if it would make any difference for anything?

    Just one of those things that make you go "hmmm"..I basically started thinking about it because she can't have an MRI on her back. We have a tendency to watch a lot of medical shows and it got me thinking...what if she ended up in an ER somewhere alone & unconscious with no one to inform them about her back if it pertained to that.

    Or I'm wondering if it's such a common thing they would automatically look for metal implants as standard procedure? I'm probably overthinking it but was just curious if anyone had ever considered it before or if they did go ahead with a bracelet.
    Becky
    Mom to DD (15) with S 48*+ curve
    Had her surgery March 9, 2009

  • #2
    I think they might have a pretty good guess she has rods from the scar.
    Sharon, mother of identical twin girls with scoliosis

    No island of sanity.

    Question: What do you call alternative medicine that works?
    Answer: Medicine


    "We are all African."

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    • #3
      Hi Becky - you know what .. i was thinking of that myself just the other day. Seems to me a good idea. Thought of getting one for myself - wouldn't want to be tossed around like a sac of potatoes should i be unconscious due to an accident or something. Found a web link where one can have medical id bracelets custom made: http://www.americanmedical-id.com/

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      • #4
        Becky--

        I have been thinking about a bracelet for my son also. Although it seems like the scar would make the possibility of an implant obvious to any emergency medical team, I still wonder. To get an original medic alert bracelet you have to subscribe to the service with a phone number for medical records, which has an annual fee. This seems like overkill to me, so your option might be a good one--you just have the info engraved on the bracelet.

        Does anyone have any experience getting one of these? If so, I'd be interested in hearing about it.

        Mary Ellen

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        • #5
          Hey!
          I will have it stated on my drivers license...although, if say I got in a car wreck and they couldn't find my purse they wouldn't know. They are extremely careful with the spine anyway. I actually talked to a perimedic about this and he said it would be a good idea cause they look for wristbands and stuff. They wouldn't look for a scar up your back though. I am going to have one made and then when I am out and about I will wear it just to be safe. I would rather them know than not too! Hope this helps! Best of luck!
          Diagnosed in '06'
          Wore TLSO brace for 18 mo.
          Upper curve 40 degrees; lower 35 degrees
          Surgery in March '08' (T6 - T11)
          Rods for 7 vertabraes; 3 fused
          Still have lumbar curve (T12 - L4) of now, 33 degrees
          I have osteoarthritis, 3 bulging discs, stenosis, fast progressing lordosis, vertebrea twisting (vertebreas almost on side) all in lumbar spine. Will most likely have another surgery to extend rods and fusion. :'(

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          • #6
            I'm glad to know I'm not crazy for thinking of this now!!!

            I thought maybe it was just the over paranoid mommy in me thinking of it. Sometimes I do get that way much to Carolyn's annoyance. I had to take her to camp which is 3 hours away yesterday & it got me thinking. Supposedly in a year if she keeps the scar out of the sun, it's supposed to be closer to just a thin white line vs. an obvious scar. Basically you would see if if you were looking for it but from a distance, not so much. I also was picturing a car accident and I doubt the first thing they would look for is a scar on your back but they might not think to look to see if you have a screw loose or broken rod or ??? that might cause complications they wouldn't have thought of to look for.

            I know I should get an ID for myself since I'm allergic to Pencillian and I just keep procrastinating on it. I know I did put it in my phone since my phone has a button called "ICE" where you put in phone numbers to contact & any info. Not that anyone would have time to scroll through all of that when minutes count but it is somewhere.

            When I went searching once, I found this really neat site to get some fashionable ID's http://www.laurenshope.com/
            I've never ordered from them, so can't comment on how good they are but I love the idea!

            I would think Carolyn would be more prone to wear something like that than the regular old chain looking ones.

            How do you have it added to your Driver's Licenses? I didn't know there was a spot to put any of that information. All I knew of was donor stuff.
            Becky
            Mom to DD (15) with S 48*+ curve
            Had her surgery March 9, 2009

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            • #7
              I don't believe you have anything to worry about. A standard X-Ray is ordered before an MRI. The X-Ray would reveal any objects that would prevent any other procedure that could cause further harm.

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              • #8
                It seems to me that, even if ER staff didn't know about the implants, it wouldn't make any difference. The only time that the implants would make a difference is if spine surgery was indicated. And, I can't imagine anyone would ever consider spine surgery without first getting xrays, CT, or MRI (all of which would show the implants).

                Now, if you just want a bracelet, how about a scoliosis awareness bracelet?

                http://www.scoliosis.org/store/scoliband.php
                Never argue with an idiot. They always drag you down to their level, and then they beat you with experience. --Twain
                ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Surgery 2/10/93 A/P fusion T4-L3
                Surgery 1/20/11 A/P fusion L2-sacrum w/pelvic fixation

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                • #9
                  Hey!
                  In the state I am out of you need a note from your doctor/surgeon stating that you have rods and are going are putting it on your drivers license. I am not sure if this is the case with every state though. I would ask the Motor Vehicle Department. =)
                  I am having a braclet made and then I am going to have it stated on my drivers license. =)
                  Diagnosed in '06'
                  Wore TLSO brace for 18 mo.
                  Upper curve 40 degrees; lower 35 degrees
                  Surgery in March '08' (T6 - T11)
                  Rods for 7 vertabraes; 3 fused
                  Still have lumbar curve (T12 - L4) of now, 33 degrees
                  I have osteoarthritis, 3 bulging discs, stenosis, fast progressing lordosis, vertebrea twisting (vertebreas almost on side) all in lumbar spine. Will most likely have another surgery to extend rods and fusion. :'(

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    An MRI isn't dangerous and won't cause harm to a person with rods. The rods will just, as I understand it, make the MRI blurry and make it more difficult to diagnose any problems in the rods' immediate vicinity.

                    My son has stainless steel rods and that is what I've read about them. The doctors told us that he could still get MRIs. But like it was said previously, there's always a less expensive test done first, such as an x-ray, before any MRI or CAT scan would be done. So the rods would be found even if the person couldn't tell anyone about them.
                    Laurie

                    Mother of Alexander & Zachary:
                    Alex is 16 years old and in the 11th grade. He has congenital scoliosis due to a hemivertebrae at T10. Wore a TLSO brace for 3 1/2 years. Pre-op curves were T45 & L65; curves post-op are approx. T31 & L34. Had a posterior spinal fusion from T8 to L3 on 7/12/07 at age 12. Doing great now in so many ways, but still working on improving posture.
                    Zach is 13 years old and very energetic.

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