To give you all a suggestion?

[FretYeNotAllIsShiny]

Can I suggest, if you have a complex medical history, to write it all down on a piece of paper, along with all the drugs you are taking?

Not for me, I hasten to add. This week I had the pleasure of sitting in an ambulance with my adult daughter. She was in too much pain to talk so I was trying to give a comprehensive medical history and drug list. And despite being with her for most of the procedures she's had, I struggled. I was so stressed, my mind was a blank.

She was released from hospital that night, but ended up back in the day after. Between the two visits, she wrote it all down and the second time, the paramedics had the information straight away. It saved time and stress. So I'm suggesting it to you lovely people. (She's going to be ok, btw)

Glad to hear DD is fine and, yes, this is excellent advice.

I'm glad your daughter is going to be OK. That's a nightmare scenario. Are you OK?

Indeed - excellent advice.
My Dad ALWAYS carried a list in his pocket of all the medication he was on, conditions he had, and the procedures he'd had done. My Mum was commended after he went into a diabetic coma one time and all the information was there, instantly.
Glad your dd is ok now.

If you have an iPhone you can set up a medical ID which can be accessed without unlocking the phone

support.apple.com/en-gb/HT207021

She doesn't have an iphone, me neither. I'm okay, I just felt pretty useless that night and I've been meaning to post this thread since. Because it's such an obvious thing that hardly anyone thinks of. it's not even thefirst time she's been blued to hospital with me trying to produce a medical history and we'd not thought of it until this week.

Great advice OP and I am glad to hear your daughter is doing ok. I too have a complex condition and I always keep a hospital bag packed and the tear off from my (rather lengthy) prescription listing all the medications plus a small up to date supply. I have had emergency hospital stays where they couldn't source my medication?! I learnt the hard way too and it really is a stressful and difficult time for all concerned. X

I have a print out of my Summary Care Record.

If your DD has not opted out of sharing her SCR then healthcare professionals who have access to this information (GPs and hospital doctors/consultants) can use a special card to log into the National system and access it. It is not a
accessible to everyone. Any hcp can have one of the access cards, but they can only see parts of the information (such as nhs number, gp and address etc).

The SCR is populated from GP records and will have a list of diagnoses, conditions, medications and allergies. A hospital doctor can then log in and see this info if they need to.

Paramedics can't do this, so if she has online access with her gp surgery and can see her own records (I have been given access to this by my GP as he is in charge of this system in my area) then she can take a print out. If not, she can ask her gp at her next appointment to print off her summary care record should there be a next time. It takes less than 5 minutes and a GP should oblige.

Hope she is feeling better soon.

And obviously I encourage anyone who has access or can get a print out to do so. They're great for travelling if you have chronic conditions or poor health.

Very good idea.

Glad she's okay. That must have been scary for you both.

In our library there is a box of little green and white Emergency Medical Information tubs provided, I think, by Lions or Rotary. You can take one for free. The idea is that you put a summary of your medical condition in it, plus list of medications, and keep it in a safe and easily accessible place. They recommend inside your fridge door. The tubs come with two stickers: one for your front door, saying where the tub lives, the other for the tub's location.

If emergency services are called to your house they will see the stickers and know where to get the info they may need.

My parents both take an extremely complicated set of medications.

They both have a tub full of said drugs with a list taped inside the lid.

I've been told if I ever need to call an ambulance for one of them just to pick up the relevant tub.

And yes, Mum is the world's most organised woman.

I have an even better idea. Modern phones let you do some amazing things with your contacts list, bring up mine and you can scroll through my list and quite clearly see "my name (me)". Inside this contact is my full medical history, all my current medication and my allergies.

It also links to several other people and explains the relationship I have to that person, I.E "dad's name (Dad)" and "boyfriends name (Boyfriend)". Click that and it will take you to a page will several ways to contact that person (a couple of phone numbers, email addresses and so on.

Set up something similar for yourself, and then TELL everyone that you've done this, encourage your family to do the same, and then if an accident happens and you are knocked out that information is still available and people know where to find it. And even if no one is with you, it's pretty routine for someone to check your phone so there is a good chance it will get found anyway.

I did all of the above with an iPhone but pretty much any newish phone should be capable and you are much more likely to keep a phone with you at all times than a random bit of paper.

Yea most phones have something like iPhone do on this score plus there's apps that do similar. All my info on my phone plus 3 ICE (In Case of Emergency) contacts highlighted. I've made daughter do same. Remember to include

Brief history
Meds Inc doses
Blood type
Allergies
If pregnant stage of pregnancy and any relevant history on pregnancies.

Daughter and I have complex medical histories and several diabetics in the family, they wear med alert bracelets but as much information as possible is best.

Can I add you can get a plastic pot that lives in the fridge - ambulance crews know to look for them so if you are on your own they can get to medical information.

www.informationnow.org.uk/articles/400/bottle-in-the-fridge-emergency-information-scheme

It's also useful to leave a copy with a friend or N of Kin.