hello
i had to have more blood tests today and after 1/2hr of trying on good arm(veins shot from chemo), she rang someone more senior for the ok to take i vial out of bad arm
it took seconds,
i have just taken the sticky thing off 3 hrs later and i have a swellingto the right of the puncture wound
there is nothing except bruising on the good arm
how worried should i be? is it ok to see what happens over the wk end?
i presume lymphodema dosnt appear that quick
panicking i know!
thanks
Hi I was told never to have blood pressure or blood taken from my bad arm even if the doctor I am seeing says its ok,BUT I do already have lymphoedema so this may be the reason.you could give the BCC help line a ring i’m sure the nurses would be able to help.Hope its nothing and the swelling goes down.
Best wishes Melxx
Hi Lincs lady
As Mel has suggested, please feel free to call our helpline on 0808 800 6000, it’s open now until 5pm and Saturday 9-2.
Take care
Lucy
Hi - I had similar experience in that I was protecting my right arm from needles after SNB in right, but when I came to third op, veins in left arm were not responding so they went for right wrist as last resort. I went under the anaesthetic fearing that I would have immediate lymphoedema in right arm on waking but actually it was OK. Sorry for the worry you are having - hope its all fine for you.
Cheers
Maggyx
Try not to worry too much - though lymphodema is a risk we all face after lymph node removal, only a very small percentage of women go on to develop it. I had to have 2 of my final chemo’s in the arm I had, had lymph removal from. Didn’t suffered any adverse side effects and the staff said to me at the end of the day if I was ever involved in a car accident and were unconscious, a Paramedic would have no idea about not using the ‘bad arm’, so although we are told to take care of it, it is not a given that it cannot be used my a professional. However, during a recent stay in hospital for surgery I made sure they did not take my BP from it!!! 
Leigh x
As others have said your bad arm should be avoided when taking blood,blood pressure etc. There is a very small risk of developing lymphoedema so in a life/death situation or where no other venous access is available its OK for it to be used.
Since the vein in your bad arm “failed” its likely a bit of blood seeped from the puncture in to the surrounding tissues and thats what caused the lump that you can feel.
Hope this helps
xxx
Hi Lincs Lady
I understand your panic. I was fitted with a sleeve last week although not diagnosed with lymphodema, I’d had a bit of swelling above my wrist. It rolled down and as my arm is numb at the top I hadn’t noticed. I had the deepest red mark in the top of my arm and my veins all prominent. I was so upset that there I was trying to be careful and that happened.
Re your blood test. The other arm they didn’t actually manage to find a vein. On the arm where had the blood taken the needle would have gone into the vein and that may have caused a little bit of swelling.
My understanding is that the main things to be avoided are infection (from entry into the skin) and disruption of lymph flow (from anything tight on the arm). The puncture from the needle would have been sterile and I expect they also cleaned the skin with a wipe first. It’s probably healed over but it wouldn’t harm to put on some antiseptic cream or spray.
I was told any cuts, grazes etc clean and put on something like savlon and keep covered until healed.
i had 7 of 8 chemos plus all blood tests on my most recently affected side… have had bilateral BC so would prefer that they used the left side as im right handed… my veins are shot in both arms TBH but if i were to develop lymphoedema id rather have it in my non-dominant side… and i already have episodes of lymphoedema intermittently in my right hand.
my last blood test was out my index finger in my left hand and it was bloody sore but taht was after 2 or 3 attempt elsewhere… my veins are just rubbish however i havent had any signs of lymphoedema in that side despite being stabbed frequently…
however i did only have 2 nodes out but then i only had 2 out on the other side as well.
Lxx
I had no other option but to have Herceptin given on the bad side, also some blood tests had to be done on that side. The nurses who did my Herceptin said it’s very rare for anyone to get chemo on that side and it’s usually avoided.
HI CHERUB
Why did they not offer you a central line like a PICC line or a portacath.
My veins gave up after the 1st chemo, they struggled for 4 hours to get a vein in my good arm, they told me they never use the bad arm. After this chemo they offered me the choice of PICC or Portacath, as I have a year of herceptin I chose portacath and have never looked back it is brilliant.
Even during the op for the portacath which was put in under local anaesthetic, they would not use my bad arm for blood pressure, they put the cuff round my leg. It was a very strange feeling when it tightened.
The onc and nurses have all said to me I should never allow anyone to use that arm.
Marian
xx
PS even a blood test can be taken from your leg if neccessary.
At the time I was not keen to have a line in and my oncologist said she only gave them to patients as a last resort. I was happy to struggle along as I really didn’t want to have to go to my GP surgery to have it flushed out.
I think the whether to use the bad arm or not is a debate that differs from doctor to doctor. My breast surgeon told me that once you have your lymph nodes removed on one side, the ones on the other side and in the rest of your body should kick in and take over.
However,I do know that if I had to go through this again I would have no option but to have a line put in as my veins are shot to hell. I’m also not as squeamish now as I was 4 years ago either!
hi,does anyone know if harrogate hospital puts portacaths in,i live in york but they do not do them here.thanks.