I’m not at all sure what the “30 mg Cortef / L Onset C.A.H.” means (and I’m not even 100% sure if I’ve read it right), but it sure is a lot neater than my doctor’s handwriting, ha… Tattoo by Cindy Vega at Local Color Tattoo in Broomall, PA.
20 thoughts on “Medic Alert Tattoo”
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My customer had a rare condition…if her body went into shock she would need that precise dosage of medicine to LIVE. She didn’t even want the tattoo but her mother pleaded with her to get it because she refused to wear her medic-alert jewelry. At first I refused to do the tattoo because it was apparent that she didn’t really want it. I let them talk it out for a while and my customer complied, being that it was literally a matter of life or death.
I Googled this (being an obsessive student nurse) and I believe the 30mg Cortef is a drug used to treat Late Onset Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia……yeah, I’m bored =)
I could be wrong too, but it seems right to me. http://www.emedicine.com/med/topic379.htm
30 milligrams Cortef, a corticosteroid, is being used to treat late-onset Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia, a hormonal (and I’m summarizing that brutally) disroder…
mmmm, hyperplasia ladies are hott.
I never thought about getting my condition tattooed but it would be so much easier than having to wear this ugly bracelet
It seems like a really good idea & it’s done quite nicely. My onlky concern is if she ever did go into shock, would the nurses/paramedics know where to find the tattoo? (since it appears to be on her hip)
i dont think they’d have a problem finding it, they usually remove a persons clothes, or at least the shirt
but i think i would have gotten it in a more visable place (although that has the downside of people knowing you’re sick)
People can go into shock from getting a tattoo as well, that would’ve been ironically tragic
lol z is for xylophone, check out the symptoms. but hey, whatever floats your boat ;). actually though this condition is pretty sad (infertility issues) and I hope she has only a mild form of it. Kenny has a good point though, my friend’s a paramedic and they aren’t trained to look all over your body for medic alert tattoos, but maybe she wears a lot of low rise pants and shorter shirts.
kenny, you’re right on the dot with that. Even just as a first aider (the more advanced class) you’re taught to look for wristbands, anklets, necklace and wallet for the medic alert. I highly doubt someone would think of looking there, unless of course it was very apparent if she was wearing a short top or whatever. .. its still not that good of a spot for it. smart though.
Elaine, you were right on the dot with the cortef. When i was a student nurse i had a sort of presentation on CAH and as soon as i saw the tattoo i was like .. heeeyy i know that!!
Its not a rare conditions, its just that she is lucky to have found out and lived. Many people just don’t know they have it.
could that be a shoulder?? no??
I think its beautiful, and I hope she never actually has to have that tat looked at by anyone in the medical field.
if she had to get treated wouldnt they take off her shirt? if they so they’d see the tattoo
personally i would have gotten it in an easier to see spot….
Yes! It was Adrenal Hyperplasia, I couldn’t remember until I read it. She got it in that spot as a comprimise. Her mom wanted her to get it on her wrist and she didn’t even want the tattoo, so they agreed on that spot. And thanks for the compliment Kenny!
No problem Cindy 🙂 & just out of curiosity what font is that?
Finding this late, but wow, that’s a great idea. I should see if my girlfriend who has salt-wasting CAH (most severe form) would be willing to get something like that done in a more visible area.
I have the same condition as a 43 year old man. I have never been able to get used to the bracelet. I also am allergic to penecilian and have Malignant Hyperthermia.
I was thinking of a wrist tattoo that says “see chest” under it and in an emergency, the emt would know to take a look before treatment.
I just want an attractive wrist tattoo.
I am a 35 year old with the same condition as the girl above. My Doctors in the past have told me to get a medical alert tattoo of my condition with the same prescrition. after seeing this girls tatoo I will be having it done
I also have a similar condition, Panhypopituitarism, consisting of Adrenal Insufficiency, resulting from a brain tumor. Adrenal insufficiency requires corticosteriods to keep the body alive. While the body is under stress (especially while in shock, unconscious, ill, etc.) it requires a stress dose typically 3-5x the regular dose. I purchased a Medical Alert Bracelet from sticky jewelry.com But have considered getting it tattooed as it will be a life-long condition. That is actually what led me to this blog. As stated, i would get it on the top of my wrist as it is one of the few spots that paramedics are trained to search.
I have the same condition and having a tattoo is a great idea since I lost my medic alert dog tag. Thanks for the suggestion….