Can you buy a wallet/purse card?

rockchick · 05-14-2008, 06:27 PM

I was looking on the forum about the medicalert-type jewellery & noticed that a lot of people mentioned they have a card for their wallet/purse, with the Lap Band details on & also that there are cards which can be used in restaurants to request smaller/child portions.

I was not given any card when I was banded two weeks ago, even though my dietician did mention I would recieve one. I never thought to ask for one when I was in hospital, so I have today contacted my dietician, who stated that they do not hold spares & she informed me that my consultant should have given me the card whilst I was in hospital. I have contacted my consultants secretary, who had no idea what I was talking about!! I've now drawn a blank.

Does anyone know where I can get one of these cards from, preferably a multi-lingual one, as I want to be able to use it on holiday? I've seen multi-lingual allergy cards on sale, but nothing for us bandsters!

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Suzi

BandedInNY · 05-14-2008, 06:40 PM

Here is a link that someone posted a while back.

RestaurantCard

gweniper · 05-14-2008, 06:54 PM

mine was not given to me until my first post op visit 3 weeks after the surgery it was in a kit of info that the surgeon gave me. some get cards with the specific info on their bands but mine is a generic one call your surgeon see if he gives one

rockchick · 05-14-2008, 07:05 PM

Hiya,

Thanks for the quick responses. I live in the UK, so none of the restaurants that are listed on the Restaurant Card exist in the UK, but thanks for the link anyway.

I suppose I'll just have to ask the consultant on my follow-up appointment in a couple of weeks. But its not promising, if his secretary doesn't know what I'm talking about! I'll keep my fingers crossed! I didn't recieve any info pack, which would have been nice/re-assuring to have.

I'm more concerned about the medical/airport issues than any restaurant discount, but it would be a bonus if there were places in the UK that accept them. Some of our preferred local restaurants charge around £15 ($30) for a main course, & I begrudge paying that when I'm only going to manage a couple of mouthfuls! The starters are very unhealthy so I would prefer a main course than a starter, as I'm not a fan of soup.

Suzi ;0)

luvinke · 05-28-2008, 11:04 AM

I hope you got your card. I got mine from my WLS Doctor's office. I took it to Kinko's and had them laminate it for about $1.00. I carry it with me everywhere I go just like my driver's license. I do want to let you all know that here in Virginia I have not been able to get Golden Corral to except my card they said they no longer except them which kind of pissed me off as a WLS bill board was across the street from their location. So my husband has refused to partonize the business anymore and therefore we just don't even bother to go there. I do know that Friendly's, Shoney's, Applebee's, O'Charley's, Red Lobster, Sino American (which is a Chinese American Buffet) do except our cards. If you know of anymore restaurants please share.

**Wheetsin** · 05-28-2008, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Does anyone know where I can get one of these cards from, preferably a multi-lingual one, as I want to be able to use it on holiday?

Keep in mind that the card, especially one you're printing freely off the internet, does not guarantee you receive a discount or obligate a restaurant to give you a reduced price.

I received one in my post-op packet, 2.5 years ago and I haven't used it once but I'm fairly sure it was branded Lap Band, so if it's something you're going to try and use to get a discount, perhaps check with your surgeon.

Quote:

I have not been able to get Golden Corral to except my card they said they no longer except them which kind of pissed me off as a WLS bill board was across the street from their location.

It's entirely at a restaurant's discretion whether or not to accept a "please give me a discount" card. Why would a billboard across the street piss you off? *They* don't own the billboard, someone else does, probably an individual. To the flipside of your anger, I've never met an obese person who would walk into a restaurant and say, "I'm going to eat more than Joe Normal, so let me pay you more money" - so try not to see it as now that you're eating less, you're suddenly owed the opportunity to pay less. Helps avoid things like getting pissed off over things like someone not giving you a reduced price.

Hastings · 05-28-2008, 11:38 AM

Plenty of "normal sized" persons can't eat a full portion at a restaurant in the US. The portions are nearly obscene. Why should someone who had surgery get a cheaper meal when a person who needed no such surgery gets no discount?

I just order appetizers or take home the left overs. I reckon it evens out for when I did eat "all I could eat" and paid the same.

legster · 05-28-2008, 01:21 PM

My main motto since being banded is, "It's all about the leftovers! Gotta love 'em!"

I rarely cook my own lunch...just heat up part of the leftovers from going out on the weekend. It's great! Most entrees I can get 3 band-size portions out of. If it sits in the fridge very long, I stick it in the freezer. No muss, no fuss!

legster · 05-28-2008, 01:27 PM

Oh, and more on topic...

I found something here, that might be just what the OP is looking for:

Medical ID Card -- Medical Emergency Card

rockchick · 05-28-2008, 08:28 PM

Hi,

Thanks to all that took the time to reply.

I was more concerned about the "medical" aspect of carrying a card, carrying something with me abroad/going through airports etc, to explain about the band than the discount element (as I'm from the UK, there isn't anywhere that accepts any "restaurant" cards, anyway, to my knowledge) to back up the dog-tags that I have had engraved & wear round my neck.

The one thing that a smaller portion would benefit me in, is that, with coming from the UK, they don't have the concept of taking leftovers home from a restaurant, so if you leave any food on your plate, it gets thrown away. I suppose it comes from being told at an early age, to "finish whats on your plate" but I find it very hard to leave food uneaten, so a smaller portion would help with not feeling guilty for the wasted food. Very often, I don't bother with starters, as the selections are very rarely appealing to me (UK starters are usually things like Garlic Mushrooms, Prawn Cocktail or soup) so I would have to order a full meal then leave half of it. Its just an added incentive not to overeat, if the smaller portion is served up to me.
I accept what some people have said about non-bandsters not being able to eat a full portion (my sister is a US size 4 & can only eat a little at a time, but eats often! Wish I was like her!)

I'm still unable to find a multi-lingual card to carry, but thanks to all that have put links to sites. I will keep looking & should I find anything in the future, I will post the details on here. As I said previously, these kind of cards exist for allergies, so perhaps we should petition the companies to add us bansters to their lists!!

I'm going to see my consultant on 5th June, so I will ask him for more information, when I see him, as his secretary was clueless as to what I was asking about when I rang her!

And keep your fingers crossed that I have lost some weight (I don't have scales in the house, as I weigh myself too often & get despondent when I haven't lost anything!) This will be my first "weigh in" since the day of surgery (30th April).

Suzi

mss · 05-30-2008, 01:23 PM

I haven't found any information about lap band cards in Australia. I am thinking of getting a medic alert id bracelet to say that I have a lap band in case of an emergency.

And hope all goes well with your visit to the doctor on the 5th Suzi.