Nurse said its okay to use needles and blood pressure on me

As far as I know, they should definitely not use the arm with no lymph nodes. I am not sure what a PICC line is, so can't tell you about that.

Also, ask for a copy of your consent form, it will list the possible side effects and should include lymphedema. 

I have been emphatically told that no BP or blood draws or injections on surgery side. Don't know anything about the PICC side - I have a port. In 2 1/2 yrs I've only run into one RN that tried to argue with me about using right arm - don't know what he did but must have done something because when I went back to that office 2 mths later he was "no longer here".



Stand your ground and do not let them use the surgery side. They can do leg bp's and foot blood draws if needed. Protect your arm.

Oncology nurses should know how to draw blood from a PICC line. Most nurses in a hospital should know how to draw blood from a PICC. PICC lines are common.

What's been working for me(bilat disease), is telling the person with the blood pressure cuff that if they need to check my blood presure they need to use my leg. Half the time they decide they don't really need my BP anyway. Yesterday  I was having this discussion with my internist, she forgot to check my BP afterwards. Fine with me.

You are recieving chemo & I undertand the need to monitor you. Try confidently telling them they need to use your leg. Probably a PICC line wasn't a good choice because of this issue. Maybe they can put in a "port", if they continue to insist on BP on your ALND side.

Beth, I agree with everyone else.  DO NOT let them use the arm that you had the lymph nodes removed from for any BP or blood draws.  I just had surgery to swap out my expanders for implants and I told them not to use my right arm because I had lymph nodes removed from there.  That's all they needed to know.  They put the iv in my left arm and the bp cuff on my leg and were very accommodating.  The nurse put a sleeve on my right arm that said no BP, no IV.  If they give you any flack about it ask the nurse if she is willing to sign a form saying that if you get lymphedema she is considered responsible.  It is your body and you don't have to give in to them just to make their life a little easier.  I don't know about a PICC line.  I had a port, so I mine was different.  You may want to call the surgeon and see what he/she says. 

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SNB only here too and was told not to use that arm (4 nodes taken) by my BS. I have a port for draws and infusions but if I have other PET/CT I will have to use the other arm because it isn't a power port.  And the veins in my "good" arm are shot.

This is slightly OT but I had an issue right after I got my port where I wouldn't let the nurses use my port.  I had to have the SNB site reexcised/cleaned out due to an infection and when I went in for the surgery, the tech came at my arm and I told her to access my port.  She said "we don't do that" and I threw a bit of a fit and said "well find someone that does." Well, then the nurses came over and were discussing "can you do it?" and "I don't know" and then they asked ME "what size needle did they use to access your port"  This was a major hospital! 

So I just looked at them and told them to forget it and not to touch my port, I didn't need them screwing it up.  Luckily, they were able to find a vein in my arm, but it was a very frustrating part of a very frustrating day.  This isn't the hospital that my BS usually uses and I will never go there for a procedure again.

I was told an unequivical "no", even after sixteen years by every doctor, nurse, phlebotomist. (though one phleb did cheat after my insistance, but only after 5 or 6 pokes on the other). Don't let any nurse talk you into it. Your BP may read slightly higher on your leg (and the nurse should know that), but that's the only difference. They can also easily take blood and run IV's through a vein in your foot.

I only had three nodes removed from my right, mx side.  And, I've been dealing with cancer 3 years and will not let anybody stick me or give me BP in the right side.  I have to say 100% of medical people have been professional about it and not argued with me.  Some just forget and try but I say, 'You can't use that side" and they switch.

Every time I've been hospitalized, they've had a sign up behind me about not using that side. 

I have a port in my left arm - an unusual place.  Underneath the port, they can take blood pressure.  And, they have taken it off my leg before.

With only 3 missing nodes, the odds of lymphodema are very small but just about everything that can go wrong with me has, so I take no chances.

You shouldn't either.  Good luck. 

Kltb04,

You were right not to let anyone who is not trained in accessing ports touch yours . I will only let the infusion nurses go near mine or the few other nurses who are specifically trained in port access. Even in a major hospital, training in port access seems to be a bit of a speciality. This is why I get my blood draws at the infusion center not the lab.

Caryn

Kltb04... I was told that a special needle is used with the port and to not let anyone access it who isn't completely in the know about ports.

Cindy and Beth... I am with everyone else... have always been told no BP or needles on my node (less) side... and Cindy, I only had 2 nodes taken SN and one other that was attachd to it.

I did have one problem where my port which was on upper right chest and left sided node removal... my port had caused a blood clot, so for one of my surgeries they couldn't use either arm, so they used my legs... I also have never had anyone give me flack... My GP did say once though that he didn't think it mattered, but moved the cuff to my right side regardless.

I am really glad reading all these replies that I was a b**** about it that day then!  I very nearly got up from the bed in the pre-op room, got dressed, and walked out because I got such a bad feeling from everything.  The only thing that kept me there was knowing I HAD to get that infection cleared up so that I could start chemo the next week (I already had to delay it a week).  And my BS had had to pull strings to get an operating room before she started seeing patients that day and this hospital was the only place she could get in on one day's notice.  But anyway, all's well that ends well I suppose.

So I guess moral to all these stories is we have to be our own advocates.

Here is a reference re: blood pressures and IV's and LE risk

http://www.lymphedemablog.com/2010/10/22/lymphedema-risk-reduction-venipuncture-and-blood-pressure/

The whole "myth" thing is a constant battle: recently a breast surgeon published an article about lymphedema risk reduction--"is it fact or fiction" and the only one she could disprove, was that it's okay to exercise if you do it slowly. There are few studies to "prove" the risk, as they'd be unethical.

It seeems like this comes up when we're under stress/pressure/scared.

I had a colonoscopy today, and I have LE with 3 nodes out, and the nurse ran to get the big sign to leave my arm alone--now I came prepared, with a special sleeve that says to leave the arm alone, but she was right there supporting me, as were all of the other surgicenter staff. I came prepared to do battle, and was supported instead--a relief.

http://www.g-sleeve.com/g-sleeve.htm

The American Cancer Society sells it as well:

http://www.tlcdirect.org/subcategory/Lymphedema-Alert-Products.html?

Myth??  If a medical procedure that could be avoided triggers LE in even one person, it's not a myth. And we get to decide what risks we're comfortable taking.

Kira

Hi Beth 1965,

I had 30 nodes taken out of one side, and I have had everyone, GP, oncologist, surgeon, lymphedema specialist, physiotherapist the lot, all say, don't let anyone do blood pressure and blood tests or the like on that arm.  I developed lymphedema straight away as soon as I woke up from the axillary dissection, however I have been warned that any further intervention by testing, could make my problem worse.

Ched