Blood draws

Nulyte
Nulyte Member Posts: 62
edited November 2016 in Surgery - Before, During, and After

Good morning! When I left the hospital last week they put bracelets on each arm that say, No IV , BP, Blood draws on either arm. I had left mastectomy with ALND and prophylactic on right. My question how will they now get blood for labs? They started taking my BP on my ankle and it's always higher .... any others with this experience?

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Comments

  • Kicks
    Kicks Member Posts: 4,131
    edited November 2016

    Blood draw/infusions can be done on feet/ankle veins.

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  • mustlovepoodles
    mustlovepoodles Member Posts: 2,825
    edited November 2016

    I thought you could get blood draws from the side that didn't have lymph nodes removed. Somebody correct me if im wrong. Neither my BS, not MO have said otherwise. I had BMX with nodes removed on the right side. I am allowed to get blood draws and BP on the left arm.

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  • Wicked
    Wicked Member Posts: 141
    edited November 2016

    Mustlovepoodles, I was told that as well- do it on the side that didn't have lymph nodes removed. I asked what do you do if you have lymph nodes removed on both sides. The Breast Center told me to use the side that had fewer removed.

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  • Nulyte
    Nulyte Member Posts: 62
    edited November 2016

    Guess every surgeon is different because mine even left orders for the nurses not to use either side and re emphasized that at post op.. I just didn't think they could do blood draws on ankles .....ick....bet no one in this backwards town will know how to...

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  • SpecialK
    SpecialK Member Posts: 16,486
    edited November 2016

    I had bi-lat SNB, then later an ALND on the cancer side. I also have bi-lat lymphedema, not caused by needle sticks, worse on the ALND side. I do have blood draws on the SNB only side and have not had further issues - my LE is stable, and I am an easy stick. This is my personal decision, not recommending doing this for anyone else - you have to decide what your risk tolerance is. If you have draws on the foot/ankle you often need a physician order for it, and there are usually a limited number of people who can successfully do it - also, it tends to hurt more. I have also had blood draws from my chemo port when it was being accessed, but I just had it removed this month, so can't do that going forward.

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