Where to measure BP and do blood work after BMX?

i had a double mx, and i have bp and blood draws on the non-cancer side with no issues. i was told by my care team that bp and so forth on left side (no nodes taken) would be fine and should be the only side for such things.  

is it possible your swelling is unrelated to bp etc...? have you fallen? leaned on something for a long time? perhaps gotten bit by something?  did you carry something for a long time? try out a new exercise? wear some clothing that caused chafing under your arm?  i can think of so many reasons why you might have what you describe....

is it red / hot to the touch?  itchy?  if yes - get seen. if you've been bitten by a spider or something, you could have these symptoms and may even have developed cellulitis or something totally treatable like that.

how long have you had the swelling? is it new?  if you've had it for a while - get seen. if it's brand new...  perhaps wait a day or two and see if it resolves?

that's the best i've got.

good luck....

I have LE on both sides, even though SNB was only done on one side. I have BP taken in my leg (my doctor prefers to take it in my thigh, but have also done calf), but haven't had blood drawn since LE started.

I had a BMX with sentinel nodes removed and 1 axillary node. I am not positive, but I agree with Ms. Pharoah that nodes could have come out with the BMX.

I get all BP's on my leg. I make sure the cuff is lower towards the foot. I find that if they put the cuff right on the calf, it hurts like a charlie horse. The artery that is best for BP's is towards the left side of the front of the ankle. Not all health professionals know this.

I get all blood draws and IV's through my foot. According to my visit to Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, the protocol is to leave the foot elevated for one hour afterwards. I didn't ask, but am assuming it is to prevent blood clots.

I had an incident last year, where the surgeon LIED about me having LE, that it wasn't in my records (which was all lies as well). I heard him lying about me when I was in the pre-op area when he thought I was asleep or under. I learned to write in a Sharpie Marker on my arms LYmphedema/no bp/no blood draws on each arm. On the left I write only in emergency so they don't start an IV on the right side where my LE is worse. (The Sharpie isn't that hard to wash off...It came off right away).

If you have an IV in the foot, it is often painful, so I always order a small needle with lidocaine to numb the area first so it doesn't hurt as bad when the IV is inserted.

If you have a blood draw in the foot, I have to have a doctor's order for it. I have a standing order flagged on my chart at the clinic system I go to. Ask for some GOOD AND EXPERIENCED for blood draws from the foot, as they can be difficult.DON'T LET THEM DIG AROUND EITHER. Some of the pull the needle back and forth trying to find a vein. Talk about painful. Once I had a phlebotomist pulling the needle in and out, poking me like I was a roast. I stopped it and told them it was too painful. Turns out the phlebotomists had no idea foot draws were painful. I complained to the supervisor and never went back there again. I write down the names of people I allow to take my blood, so I know who to depend on.

I also that you should have that area looked at not only by a doctor but a Lymphedema specialist. Finding a Certified LE therapist would be best. you can find them online at several websites:

This website is a good read and reliable not for only finding a therapist, but for information on LE. The link I gave you takes you to finding a certified therapist but the menu on top will take you to different information topics.

http://stepup-speakout.org/Finding_a_Qualified_Lymphedema_Therapist.htm

kimag, please don't let LE freak you out. You are still very fresh from surgery if Im reading your sig right. It doesn't sound like cellulitis to me. Maybe a seroma?  The best thing to do is give yourself some space and time to heal. Keep an eye on things but, come here and learn as youre able, and ask all the questions you need. Little by little you'll be able to process the advice and info and apply that to your situation, but right now you have a lot on your plate.

Some things are basically standard for all of us. One of those is that if we've had any nodes out at all we are at risk for the rest of our lives o get LE. Many of us wont, and on the one hand we don't want LE to rule our lives, but we don't want to be negligent either. It's a balancing act, and it is wise to observe some precautionary measures to lessen our chance. These are well known amongst this community and a list pops up from time to time. 

Yes its a life style change, but thats BC.  For foot draws, and BPs Im not sure where you're situated but I guess its the same everywhere.... it depends on who your GP is. There is a LOT of ignorance regarding LE out there. Some doctors are simply clueless and some are not. Some are arrogant and think they know it all and some are willing to learn and work with you. A lot of the time unfortunately we have to be our own advocates and push for what we know we should get. Thats where knowledge of LE will come in handy. 

I wont let anyone touch my arms unless it's an emergency. 

I think what Cinnamon wrote had a lot of good advice. 

I chose not to reconstruct and Im happy with my choice. 

Gentle Hugs.

I also am a happy non-reconstruct-er.

kimag, gentle hugs and yeah this is scary. No one likes this waiting game. Well you would have already gone to your appointment as I post this, so when you come back...hope it all went well. What did surgeon say about the swelling? Im hoping for a good result for you! 

kimag, there can be as much as 30% more fluid than normal in the tissues before any swelling can be seen. That is called Stage 0, or "sub-clinical" lymphedema. So visible swelling is not what determines whether you have lymphedema. I'm still hoping your doctor is right, but an evaluation by a well-qualified lymphedema therapist would still be a great idea. S/he can take baseline measurements for future reference, give you personalized risk reduction tips, fit you for garments to use when exercising or traveling, and teach you a gentle lymph massage to use whether or not you have lymphedema.

A lower number of nodes taken lowers your risk, but it certainly doesn't eliminated the risk. Lymphedema can happen with no nodes removed at all, as it is trauma-related. ANY breast surgery, even breast enhancement or reduction without any cancer, can result in lymphedema. So can auto accidents, and football players are also at risk because of the trauma to their chest.

Here are some tips for what to do while waiting for an evaluation:

http://www.stepup-speakout.org/How_You_Can_Cope_wi...

As for a time frame, soon is good, but it is not an emergency. 

Be well!
Binney

Hi, Kimag,

I always use my thigh or hip for shots, not either arm. It can be hard to convince nurses not to use our arms, but it really is up to us to stand firm, since it's our arms that are at risk, not theirs. For chemo a port is a good idea.

Hope you manage to connect with that lymphedema specialist soon, and that they're able to give you good guidance and help. Please keep us posted!
Binney