Lymphedema tattoo?

KbellaK
KbellaK Member Posts: 15
edited October 2015 in Lymphedema

I was given one of those bright pink Lymphedema alert bracelets and wore it on my right wrist (the side I had lymph nodes removed) to an appointment at the Cancer Center and when the tech came in to take my blood pressure she went to put the cuff on the arm that had the bracelet on it. When I pointed it out to her she seemed surprised and said she had never seen one before.

So now I'm thinking of getting a small "Medic Alert" kind of tattoo on the left wrist. Maybe with "No BP no Needles no IV in right arm." Is that a dumb idea?

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Comments

  • Jelson
    Jelson Member Posts: 1,535
    edited October 2015

    I would only be concerned that they are so focused on your right arm, that they won't look at your left arm tattoo. Alternatively, what about ordering custom temporary tattoos with those alerts that you could apply on your right arm prior to appts.?

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  • exbrnxgrl
    exbrnxgrl Member Posts: 12,424
    edited October 2015

    What about a medic alert bracelet? They have so many pretty styles available that they look just like nice bracelets. You could wear it on your le arm and it would, hopefully, be noticed. I agree that a tattoo on your non-le arm might not be noticed at all. I recently got a decorative tattoo on my non-le arm. I love it and it's a thing of beauty, but it is forever. Plain lettering might be most noticeable, but would you want that on your arm forever

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  • ruthbru
    ruthbru Member Posts: 57,235
    edited October 2015

    check out creativemedicalid.com

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  • 27heart
    27heart Member Posts: 151
    edited October 2015

    there are few good ideas here, but I like the tattoo idea best because I like tattoos. I'm planning to get one for myself after my surgery. But as pointed out, it might not be as prominent as an additional accessory you wear. Even so, nurses might still miss it.. So we have to stay vigilant..

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  • ksusan
    ksusan Member Posts: 4,505
    edited October 2015

    Maybe something like this? [PDF] http://www.g-sleeve.com

    Or a really basic, large medical alert bracelet?

    I just tell them which arm to use, but maybe I'm missing something about your situation.

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  • glennie19
    glennie19 Member Posts: 6,398
    edited October 2015

    I think,, if you are alert and awake,, you tell them which arm to use. If you are out,, like for surgery,, write on your "bad" arm with magic marker in big letters. We can't assume that they will read a brightly colored bracelet,,, and I would have serious doubts that they would read a tattoo on the opposite arm.

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  • Binney4
    Binney4 Member Posts: 8,609
    edited October 2015

    Hi, KbellaK,

    I have a couple of thoughts. First, do you know about the Lymphedivas alert sleeve and glove? NOBODY would miss that!

    https://www.lymphedivas.com/en/shop/hospital

    The other consideration is that areas with lymphedema are at very high risk for infection, so a tattoo creates some serious risks. Definitely worth weighing that as a factor.

    Please stay in touch us and let us know what you discover!

    Hugs,
    Binney


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  • glennie19
    glennie19 Member Posts: 6,398
    edited October 2015

    wow,,, NO ONE would miss that one, for sure!!

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  • KbellaK
    KbellaK Member Posts: 15
    edited October 2015

    Thanks for the input, everyone! I have thought about getting an actual medic alert bracelet but I tend to not like wearing things on my wrists. I'm always pushing up my long sleeves, etc. I'm still thinking about it...

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  • proudtospin
    proudtospin Member Posts: 5,972
    edited October 2015

    for years I wore a medic alert bracelet, till the writing on it wore off, dropped it and have not replaced as I found folks did not see or read it at all

    rather, when someone comes at me for blood draws or such I just thrust out my non LE arm and say please use this. I had sinus surgery a couple of years ago and was very concerned that they not stick the bad side, it was all in my medical history of course but when they came at me to set up the IV, they also gave me a bright pink bracelet with alert on it so there was really no reason for my concern

    the bracelets were not obvious enough

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  • ruthbru
    ruthbru Member Posts: 57,235
    edited October 2015

    Yes, any time you have a medical procedure (blood pressure, IV, blood draws, flu & other shots etc.) be sure to have them in the other arm. If you are being put out for surgery, be sure to talk to the people doing your prep about your wishes. If they have a pink bracelet or something used by that medical facility, that is awesome. If not, you could have a nurse write it on your arm. I think the best bet there is to remind someone who will be going into surgery with you, be it a nurse or anesthesiologist, of your concerns so that they can be looking out for you. In a life & death emergency, I doubt that first responders are going to notice either a tatoo or medical ID (although, now that body art is so popular, my thought is that there would be more of a chance that they'd notice a medical alert bracelet....sigh).

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  • cowgal
    cowgal Member Posts: 833
    edited October 2015

    I think all the advice is good but you always need to make sure you are on your toes. Prior to a surgery a few years ago, I asked the hospital to put a bracelet on me so that they knew no BP, needles, etc. on my left arm. When I was in pre op, one of the experienced nurses pointed to my bracelet and told the other nurses that the bracelet was on me because I was diabetic and she preceded to try to take my blood pressure on that arm. I stopped her and told her that I wasn't diabetic and that she needed to read the bracelet and not make assumptions as she was getting ready to do exactly what the bracelet was warning her not to do!

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  • hugz4u
    hugz4u Member Posts: 2,781
    edited October 2015

    I was groggy coming out of 6 hour BMX surgery and the nurse came at me with the BP cuff on my LE arm. I advised against it and she said, "oh sorry I forgot, I'll just put this big sign up above your bed saying not to use that arm"

    Maybe, ten, twelve hour shifts are to long for nurses and they get groggy themselves. I know I would be.

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