Choosing a medical alert bracelet for Addison’s disease or adrenal insufficiency is about more than style — it’s about making important information visible in an emergency, when you may not be able to explain your condition yourself.

To help guide you, we’ve analysed hundreds of real customer engravings to understand what people choose to include on their medical alert jewellery — and which phrases are most popular.

Start with a Clear Condition Label

One of the simplest ways to make your medical alert bracelet informative is to clearly state your condition.

Many customers choose straightforward phrases such as:

• • Addison’s Disease
  • Adrenal Insufficiency
  • On Steroids

Keeping the wording short and clear can make it easier for someone looking at your bracelet to understand that you have a condition requiring steroid treatment.

While Addison’s disease is relatively rare, both “Addison’s Disease” and “Adrenal Insufficiency” are commonly used on medical alert jewellery. The wording you choose will depend on your individual circumstances and what you feel is most important to communicate.

Adding More Detail: “Steroid Dependent”

For many people with adrenal insufficiency, highlighting their reliance on steroid treatment is an important addition to their medical alert bracelet.

Our customer data shows that 38% of custom engravings include the phrase “Steroid Dependent”, making it the most frequently used additional phrase.

Popular examples include:

• • Adrenal Insufficiency – Steroid Dependent
  • Addison’s Disease – Steroid Dependent
    
  • Steroid Dependent
    

Other phrases customers commonly choose include:

• • “On Steroids” – 11%
  • “Hydrocortisone Dependent” – 8%

These figures reflect what our customers have chosen to have engraved and can provide some inspiration if you're unsure what wording to use on your own bracelet.

Should You Include Medication Details?

When choosing what to engrave, you may also want to consider whether to include information about your medication.

Interestingly, specific medication names and dosages were less commonly included in the customer engravings we analysed. Instead, some people chose broader phrases such as:

• • Needs Steroids
  • Steroid Treatment
  • On Steroids

Keeping the wording concise can also leave room for other useful information, such as an emergency contact number.

The most appropriate information to include will depend on your individual circumstances, treatment and available engraving space. If you're unsure what information would be most useful for you, speak with your healthcare professional.

Don’t Forget Emergency Contact Information

As well as medical information, many customers choose to include personal details that could help someone contact a family member or other emergency contact.

From our customer data:

• • 32% include a phone number
  • 21% include a name

An emergency contact number can provide a quick way for someone to reach a person close to you if you're unable to do so yourself.

You could use “ICE” (In Case of Emergency) before the number, for example:

ICE: 07XXX XXXXXX

Just remember that engraving space is often limited, so you may need to decide which information is most important to you.

What Does This Mean for Your Bracelet?

If you're deciding what to engrave, our customer data suggests that a combination of the following can be a useful starting point:

• • Your condition, such as Addison’s Disease or Adrenal Insufficiency
  • Steroid dependency, if applicable
  • An emergency contact name or phone number

For example:

“Addison’s Disease – Steroid Dependent – ICE: 07…”

Or, for a shorter engraving:

“Adrenal Insufficiency – Steroid Dependent”

There is no single wording that will be right for everyone. The best choice will depend on your individual circumstances, the information you want to communicate and how much space is available on your chosen piece of medical jewellery.

Longer engravings may be better suited to custom silicone medical alert wristbands or medical alert necklaces, while smaller pieces may require a shorter message.

A Small Detail That Makes a Big Difference

A medical alert bracelet is a simple piece of jewellery, but in an emergency, it can communicate important information when you may not be able to speak for yourself.

By looking at what other people with Addison’s disease and adrenal insufficiency have chosen to engrave, you can get a better idea of the different ways to make your own medical alert jewellery personal and informative.

If you’re unsure which bracelet or engraving option is right for you, we’re always here to help.

For the latest tips on medical jewellery, new product updates and exclusive discounts, subscribe to our newsletter. You’ll also receive a FREE digital wallet card for your emergency contacts — a useful backup to your medical alert bracelet.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek advice from your GP or a qualified healthcare professional regarding any medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you have read here.