Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 310977

Shown: posts 1 to 13 of 13. This is the beginning of the thread.

 

MAOI users: Medic alert bracelet question

Posted by gardenergirl on February 8, 2004, at 16:06:11

I am planning to get a medic alert bracelet before I travel in the near future. What do you have inscribed on yours? I was thinking just "MAOI" but I wonder if that is enough?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

gg

 

Re: MAOI users: Medic alert bracelet question

Posted by sailor on February 8, 2004, at 17:05:39

In reply to MAOI users: Medic alert bracelet question, posted by gardenergirl on February 8, 2004, at 16:06:11

Some paramedics are not well versed in meds enoungh to even know what MAOI stands for. As we know they're rarely used compared to earlier days. I need to get a bracelet too (Parnate user). I'm thinking for my inscription: "I take MAOI meds. Research risks before treatment." If in doubt, I say err on the side of too much rather than too little info. on the bracelet. Just my thoughts. Patience, Persistence. Regards, Sailor

 

Re: MAOI users: Medic alert bracelet question

Posted by Ilene on February 8, 2004, at 17:09:17

In reply to MAOI users: Medic alert bracelet question, posted by gardenergirl on February 8, 2004, at 16:06:11

> I am planning to get a medic alert bracelet before I travel in the near future. What do you have inscribed on yours? I was thinking just "MAOI" but I wonder if that is enough?
>
> Thanks in advance for any advice.
>
> gg

I promised my pdoc I would get a bracelet, so I'll be dealing with the same issue soon. My confidence in the medical profession isn't high. (E.g. when I was about to have ovarian surgery, the nurse insisted I was going to have my fallopian tubes removed. Good thing the surgeon was clear on that.)

W/ MAOIs, not only do the ER people need to figure out what got you in there--a stroke precipitated by a cheese sandwich, perhaps?--but they need to know what *not* to give you, which includes nearly every narcotic. (I know you took Vicoprofen w/o difficulty, but that's pretty mild.) MAOIs are uncommon drugs. My pdoc said something about a recent incident involving someone on MAOIs and meperidine (Demerol). I think the person died.

How much space is there on one of those bracelets? I'll check Rx list to see if I can find some generic terms.

BTW, did you go to the Chinese restaurant yet?

I.

 

Re: MAOI users: Medic alert bracelet question

Posted by Ilene on February 8, 2004, at 17:52:02

In reply to MAOI users: Medic alert bracelet question, posted by gardenergirl on February 8, 2004, at 16:06:11

These are the most generic contraindications I found:

sympathomimetics, including vasoconstrictors
certain narcotics
general and spinal anesthesia
all serotonergic agents

 

Re: MAOI users: Medic alert bracelet question » Ilene

Posted by gardenergirl on February 8, 2004, at 18:05:24

In reply to Re: MAOI users: Medic alert bracelet question, posted by Ilene on February 8, 2004, at 17:52:02

Thanks for researching that. I haven't been to the restauraunt yet. I don't go until March (I guess I'm obsessing about it.)

gg

 

Re: MAOI users: Medic alert bracelet question » gardenergirl

Posted by Ilene on February 8, 2004, at 18:10:48

In reply to Re: MAOI users: Medic alert bracelet question » Ilene, posted by gardenergirl on February 8, 2004, at 18:05:24

I see my pdoc on Wednesday. I'll run it by her.

I.

 

Re: MAOI users: Medic alert bracelet question » Ilene

Posted by cubbybear on February 9, 2004, at 0:26:10

In reply to Re: MAOI users: Medic alert bracelet question, posted by Ilene on February 8, 2004, at 17:09:17

> > I am planning to get a medic alert bracelet before I travel in the near future. What do you have inscribed on yours? I was thinking just "MAOI" but I wonder if that is enough?


> W/ MAOIs, not only do the ER people need to figure out what got you in there--a stroke precipitated by a cheese sandwich, perhaps?--but they need to know what *not* to give you, which includes nearly every narcotic.

You make make a good point. The ER people most importantly need to know about MAOIs possibly causing a hypertensive crisis due to excess tyramine. So they should administer the drug that quickly lowers blood pressure (nifedimine?-I forgot the spelling).

They should also know about exercising extreme caution with anaesthesia and analgesics. That's a lot of info to get on one bracelet but do it if you can. (I live in Thailand and have to carry around this info in the Thai language!!)

>>My pdoc said something about a recent incident involving someone on MAOIs and meperidine (Demerol). I think the person died.

That's a tragedy--Demerol is the biggest no-no of all contraindicated meds.
>
>cubbybear

 

Re: MAOI users: Medic alert bracelet question

Posted by oskarsmom on February 9, 2004, at 21:55:38

In reply to MAOI users: Medic alert bracelet question, posted by gardenergirl on February 8, 2004, at 16:06:11

"Takes an MAO Inhibitor"

 

Re: MAOI users: Medic alert bracelet question

Posted by AlexZ on February 19, 2010, at 23:39:50

In reply to Re: MAOI users: Medic alert bracelet question, posted by oskarsmom on February 9, 2004, at 21:55:38

I got one of the USB keys with the medical symbol to put around my wrist, because there's just so much information. You can get them for about $25 from Wal-Mart or Target, and they're waterproof.

Then I went to Things Remembered at the mall and got my name inscribed on the front, and on the back I had them put "MAOI" and "NO DEMEROL".

I also got a pdf of the drug prescribing information from the drug maker's webpage and put it on the key, and I put a text file on the key, named it "EMERGENCY PERSONNEL READ THIS FIRST.txt" and wrote this information in it:


I AM CURRENTLY TAKING AN MAO INHIBITOR.

DEMEROL IS STRONGLY CONTRAINDICATED.

Exercise extreme caution if you must administer anaesthesia or analgesics.

I must not be given cocaine or local anesthesia containing sympathomimetic vasoconstrictors.

If surgery is necessary, benzodiazepines, mivacurium, rapacuronium, fentanyl, morphine, and
codeine may be used cautiously.

For further information, please see the complete prescribing information in the directory on this USB key.

 

Re: MAOI users: Medic alert bracelet question » AlexZ

Posted by Deneb on February 20, 2010, at 21:22:38

In reply to Re: MAOI users: Medic alert bracelet question, posted by AlexZ on February 19, 2010, at 23:39:50

Hello AlexZ!

Welcome to Psycho-Babble! That's a really good idea! Thanks for telling us about it!

Deneb

 

Re: MAOI users: Medic alert bracelet question

Posted by AlexZ on February 21, 2010, at 10:45:31

In reply to Re: MAOI users: Medic alert bracelet question » AlexZ, posted by Deneb on February 20, 2010, at 21:22:38

Thanks, for the welcome, Deneb! That was very nice. It really made me smile. :)

 

Re: MAOI users: Medic alert bracelet question » AlexZ

Posted by Ron Hill on March 4, 2010, at 3:42:25

In reply to Re: MAOI users: Medic alert bracelet question, posted by AlexZ on February 19, 2010, at 23:39:50

> I got one of the USB keys with the medical symbol to put around my wrist, because there's just so much information. You can get them for about $25 from Wal-Mart or Target, and they're waterproof.
-------------------------

Alex,

I echo the welcome.

When you say "USB key" do mean a USB thumb drive? Please help me to understand.

Thanks.

-- Ron Hill

 

Re: MAOI users: Medic alert bracelet question

Posted by AlexZ on March 4, 2010, at 11:15:19

In reply to Re: MAOI users: Medic alert bracelet question » AlexZ, posted by Ron Hill on March 4, 2010, at 3:42:25

Yes, that's what I meant, a USB flash drive. Thanks for asking, I'm sure others had the same question.

I have built quite a collection of text files and and jpegs on my bracelet/drive now. Here are the names of the files (the names include the #., so they show up in this order in a directory listing). I hope the names of the files make their contents self-explanatory.


1. EMERGENCY PERSONNEL READ THIS FIRST.txt
2. In case of Emergency, Please Contact.txt
3. Allergies.txt
4. My blood type is O+.txt
5. My Current Prescription and Dosage Info.txt
6. List of Past Surgeries.txt
7. My Doctors, Hospitals, Pharmacies.txt
8. My Contact Information.txt
Birth Certificate.jpg
Driver's License.jpg
I am an organ donor.jpg
Insurance Card.jpg

I also have a directory on the drive that includes the latest pdf prescribing information for all my medications.

Does anyone have other suggestions for things to include or ways to organize the information? I'd love to hear them, especially if you have experience as an EMT or in the medical field.


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