How long do I REALLY have to avoid drawing blood on one side?

I was told the same thing and also told not to take my BP on that side. This was in 1982 and after a few years I just forgot. So since the late 80's I have had blood drawn and pressure taken on either arm. I was lucky that I never got lymphedema.

Don't know what the current opinion is on this though - so better ask your physician.

sdstarfish.  Sorry your running out of armspace. You should never have a blood draw in you LE arm ever. That includes blood pressure also. Have your blood drawn from your foot or ankle. You have to have someone experienced to do this so ask for the lab tech that is the best at this. Some labs won't do it so phone first. Your hospital will, but have "foot draw" on your requistion form.

I sometimes ask for a hot wet towel to get the veins up and I rub my veins just before the footdraw. This helps get a vein up if you are tiny veined or have runaway veins like me. Some take a aspirin. Some techs get a vein right away and if you remember which one then ask for her next time.  I think some girls get draws in their neck, Please let us know if you are one of these girls.

Yes people get LE from needles and BP done on LE arms. You are at life for risk. Don't let anyone talk you into using your LE arm. Some docs etc are not LE educated and will try and convince you that it is OK. IT IS NO OK.

So glad you came onto the boards. Visit stepup-speakout.org the website some of the girls here created for all your LE needs. Make sure you know Celllulitis signs in your trunk/breast and arm/hand of involved LE body quadrant which can spread fast and need IV anitbiotics quickly to halt progressing into serious illness.

Plus we are here to answer ANY question.

It is travel season so watch for bugbites and do consider a glove or gauntlet with a sleeve for flying. Make sure you are fitted right and try it out a few days before flying to get use to it if you get compression stuff. Have an anitbiotic creme with you incase you get bug bites.  Pak oral antibiotics if you get a cellulitis flare and start these if you can't get to emergency quickly.  All this will ensure you having a safe trip. Don't want to scare you just want you educated if you are not yet.

Take care and I am so glad you asked the question. Do visit and post as you are welcome here to rant, rave, or even help us with ideas that we may be able to improve with our LE.

Yes, I thought it was a lifetime risk. Of course, you will hear anecdotes about people using their at risk arm for blood draws and BP and not developing LE but since there is no way to predict who will or won't develop it, you need to decide if this is a risk you want to take. BC is enough for me, so I, personally, will not take the risk.

Caryn

Kiwi ingenuity, I'd say!

Kiwi ingenuity, I'd say!

Of course, LOL, We love the Number 8 wire approach over here. .

Wheat bag for a heating pad.  What a great way for all those going gluten free, but still wanting to support wheat farmers.  (From an ex wheat farmer going gluten free who feels I am deserting my heritage.) 

Golden - your BS is wrong.  There are many women who post here regularly who are normal weight and had "just" a SNB and who now have LE - I'm sure some of them will chime in.

Yes, your risk is lower than someone who is overweight and/or had more nodes removed, but you are still at risk.  Your BS should not be minimizing your risk and giving you dangerous advice like that.  Unfortunately, too many surgeons are woefully ignorant about LE, but instead of taking the time to educate themselves, they insist on passing along info that's incomplete, outdated, or just flat wrong.  After all, they're not the ones who will have to live with LE for the rest of their lives when that advice is wrong - it's the patient who will have to live with LE for the rest of her life. 

Golden, I had a single node removed on my left (cancer) side, and a prophylactic mastectomy on my right, with no nodes purposely removed, and I have bilateral lymphedema in arms, hands and chest. I'm small and slim, and I was in good shape physically before bc. There are many others here with similar stories. My left arm lymphedema was triggered by a plane trip, the right by a blood pressure taken on that arm. It's unfortunate that so many of our doctors have their heads in the sand on this issue, but in all fairness the subject isn't taught in our med schools (or nursing programs), and there are no questions regarding it on the licensure tests. So what little (mis)information they've picked up along the way is all they're going on.

Here's a page written FOR doctors, BY a doctor who has herself developed lymphedema after breast cancer. Like you, she had few nodes removed and was not by any means overweight. This page can be printed and given to your doctors, and there are research references there for them to follow for accuracy and varification.
http://www.stepup-speakout.org/essential informat for healthcare providers.htm

I sure hope some of this helps you decide how you want to handle your very real risk, and I wish you no "swell" days, ever!

Be well,
Binney

I had one sentinel lymph node removed and my MO says I don't have to worry about LE.  But when I was in the hospital recently for something else the nurses would not take blood pressure readings on my BC side.  But the lab techs drew blood from that side because the other side had an IV in that vein.  I am getting the impression from reading this that I need to make sure that nothing is done on the BC side and to have blood drawn from the foot if that situation presents itself again.  Better safe than sorry.  Thank you for sharing all your hard-earned wisdom, ladies.

Corky

I've ignored what the BS told me! Thanks for helping me know that I've been right. 

 I've gotten several beautiful medical ID bracelets at www.creativemedicalid.com  

They give you information on how to measure & inscription suggestions for various medical conditions, mine says: "No IV, BP, needles in left arm"

Anyone who has any questions should go on the site Binney posted.

also the I hate LE.

All questions will be answered....and they will right on the $$$$$$$.

good luck everyone

LE suks.