Medical Alert Bracelets

Do any of you wear one of these with menion of WLS, My question is what do you write on the back ?????

I do not.  My understanding is with VSG we really don't need them.  Our anatomy is pretty normal - just a super skinny tummy! 

I don't have one, but my surgeon gave me a little sticker to put on the back of my driver's license that says:

"Patient has Lap Sleeve Gastrectomy.  No NG Tube w/o calling .  Fluid capacity 60 cc or less.  Limit NSAIDS.

I heard about this from one of my friends that had VSG at roughly the same time as me...is this something suggested for just the newly sleeved or is it something that's being suggested as a "from now on" type thing? I thought NSAIDS were limited prior to surgery and for several weeks post op due to their blood thinning effects. Are we not allowed to have NSAIDS long term?

I'm confused!  

I'm an RN and I wear one.  I've ended up in the ER/admitted in the last 6 months several times (NOT VSG related--total knee replacement complications) and EVERY time I had to explain to all of the medical personnel what a VSG was, including any surgeons.  They would then call my bariatric surgeon for advice on how to treat.  I'd rather be safe than sorry  :)
I'm not taking any chances if I happen to be unconscious and can't speak for myself.  This is what the NP suggested I put on the bracelet (which I did):
     My name
Sleeve Gastrectomy
No Blind NG tube
No NSAIDS
Contact phone #

My surgeon tries to limit the amount of NSAIDS we take.  A lot of surgeon's don't.   

What is a blind ng tube? And why no nsaids and aspirin?

 I wear mine everyday.  I only take it off to shower.  It says verticals sleeve gastrectomy 
no Nsaids, no asprin
do not  place NG tube blindly
ICE #

I just had my gallbladder out 2 days ago and I don't think anyone knows what a vsg even IS! They all think it's a gastric bypass that I'm making sound complicated. I had to keep correcting EVERYONE! This is a hospital that DOES VSG! It's just a huge, famous Boston hospital and apparently most of the depts haven't even heard of it.

Got my wisdom teeth out a cpl wks ago, same thing he never heard of it. And when I explained it, I still saw he wrote "bariatric bypass in April". So even when you explain it to them, they aren't listening or don't get it.

I don't want anything else taken out of me. Stomach, teeth, gallbladder..,I should lose weight on those alone (ugh up 12lbs fluid over 2 days how scary)

Are you the same screen name i've seen pop in and out of the thinner times chat room? My user name over there is "Mikey" If that isn't you disregard this message,

I've have found a brand new family in that room, What a great incredible bunch of people to speak with in real time....

Nope. We can be NG tubed, and we can take NSAIDs.


I have genetic clotting disorder and take an 81mg aspirin every day of my life and will until I die.

An NG tube, if it can save my life, is going to be used by emergency personnel.

There's no reason we can't take NSAIDs, and I've taken them, every OTC NSAID, and up to 800mg Ibuprofen RX after subsequent surgeries including my csection last year.


Also, most medical professional hear "Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy" and are stumped, and give the "deer in headlights, glazed over, head ****ed to the side" look of stupidity. If asked, I tell medical doctors, nurses that I had a Partial Gastrectomy, and I have a smaller stomach.  No stumped, glazed over looks from people and it doesn't sound so fancy or bariatric. No cause for confusion with gastric bypass or RNY to get coded on your medical records.

I don't even both saying "VSG, sleeve, or Vertical Sleeve gastrectomy" it just causes more issues, and it's not my job to educate the medical community when in the long run, all we had done was a partial gastrectomy and our stomachs look like small bananas.


I firmly believe in the K.I.S.S. rule in these situations "Keep It Simple, Stupid", and things don't have to be so complicated.