I always offer my good arm, but unfortunately for me the veins are completely useless on that side as they collapsed with all the chemo. Over 2 years on they are still no good and I have been warned they may remain like that. It’s also very difficult to use the back of my hand on the good side on account of the burn I suffered towards the end of chemo. They were able to get intravenous antibiotics into the crook of my arm on the good side when I was in isolation for a week, but there was no option but to use the bad side to take blood for testing every day. They used the inside of my wrist as they only needed a small amount.
I had most of my Herceptins done on the surgery side. Two weeks ago I had to go for a gynae check and they needed to take blood to check if I am post menopausal. 2 senior nurses and a registrar tried the good side and couldn’t get a vein. After 40 minutes I was getting desperate and I had to have the blood test done, so I told them to use the bad side as I knew they would get blood without a problem. I also went for a routine health check in August and couldn’t give blood for cholesterol testing, so I have to wait until my surgery have approval to use new equipment.
I have tried using my foot before, but it’s way too painful as I don’t have great circulation.
I went to GP the other day to get a repeat prescription of my anti-depressants. He offered me a flu jab, which I accepted. He was most conscientious about asking which was my good arm without any prompt from me.
He said i needed a flu jab as am currently having rads and apparently that lowers your immune system ( which I didn’t know…)
I didn’t know that you could still be offered flu jab if you’re having radiotherapy - does that include the new swine flu vaccine? 10 days ago I had my last chemo and I’m waiting to start radiotherapy so I thought I might fall between the gap now. Have others been offered the jab/s?
I’ve only recently started my chemo on 8th October after having surgery on 2nd September. I have to say the hospital staff always ask which side they are allowed to use and at the GP surgery they are compliant when I ask that they use my ‘good’ arm. When I had a CT scan the person who did it said I was quite right to insist and that if I’d even seen anybody with lymphoedema I’d know why.
It’s very heartening to hear that so many are finding it easy to have their good arms used.
If anyone else is the same as me, ie has bilateral lymphoedema (or two ‘at-risk’ arms) with feet/ankles used for every procedure, I’ve found it helps if:
1 They use a child’s/baby cannula (it’s a good idea to get some of your own - perhaps scrounge a couple from your GP’s practice - and take one with you, in case there are none available) - this can really make the difference between success and failure.
2 They heat feet in a bucket of warm water for a few minutes (particularly in the winter).
3 You’ve had plenty to drink beforehand (so my nurse tells me); apparently it helps to plump up the veins.
4 To use a local anaesthetic if feet are very sensitive (mine aren’t - or else they’re just used to it by now).
Sorry, I really don’t know anything about this. I had WLE and SNB three weeks ago, with only sentinel node removed. If you don’t already have lymphoedema, why might injections, BP, etc, cause it?
Injections and anything else that breaks the continuity of the skin (cuts, scratches, bites and so forth even more so) present a risk. This is because they can permit the entry of germs and other micro-organisms (some of which are airborne, so a sterile needle is not necessarily any guarantee), which can breed like rabbits inside your body, causing infection.
Any kind of infection makes more work for the lymphatic system to deal with. Ours are already disadvantaged on our bc side(s) by having had lymph nodes removed and if the remaining lymphatics cannot cope with the increased load caused by the infection, the arm will swell.
It is not a given that you will get an infection if your skin is pierced, but it’s best to avoid that scenario as much as possible if you can, by asking for your good arm to be used for inoculations, etc. As far as cuts, scratches and so on are concerned, these should be cleaned and disinfected asap. It’s often a good idea to wear suitable protective gloves for activities where you might sustain this type of injury (gardening, grooming pets, housework).
As far as taking BP is concerned, the temporary compression of your remaining lymphatic vessels and the consequent build-up of lymphatic fluid as the cuff tightens, may (and it is only may) cause the lymphatics that are still working to fail.
The risk of developing lymphoedema after only an SNB is thought to be less than after an axillary clearance (altho’ subsequent radiotherapy can increase it) , so the odds of not getting it would seem to be very much in your favour :-), but the precautions are always worthwhile, I feel (the risk remains for life).
I go walking a lot as I live on the coast, but I never go out without spraying on insect repellent even if my arms are covered. I’ve also picked a lot of blackberries recently to make jam, but I don’t pick with my bad side and make sure I keep that hand/arm away from the bushes.
I was only diagnosed yesterday, but have felt for the last two weeks or so a pain in my left arm, from beneath the shoulder down to the elbow, I thought the doctor looked confused about this when I told him as my lump is to the right of the left breast.
I have today have pain beneath the left breast which is very uncomfortable; all so worrying???
Em xx
Bahons2 - Thanks for the brilliant explanation. As it happens, it is my right side which is affected by bc, and as I am right handed, they use my left arm already for injections, BP, etc. As I only had one node remove, hopefully my lymphatic system has not been compromised too much. Mind you, I am awaiting radiotherapy!
Emma - It is really easy to attribute every ache and pain to bc. One’s imagination runs riot. I was the same, but once you get the details of the diagnosis, the symptoms will probably disappear. Go easy on yourself.
Re lymphodema,just be vigilant,mine appeared in my boob first 10 weeks post rads,no one took it seriously,but I knew someting wasn’t right.When I eventually got my referal after much foot stamping was told I have it in my boob side and arm,though it is mild.
I don’t know what set mine off and I only had an SNB but I did have a seroma 10 days after surgry and for some reason there seems to be a risk associated with that but as yet they don’t know why.
With all this cancer milarky and different sensations going on it is difficult to know if you are just being paranoid but if something just doesn’t feel right go get it checked.Good luck.
I really agree with Sandra. It pays to be vigilant and to make noises as soon as soon as you think there might be a problem.
The earlier lymphoedema is tackled the better. Despite that, as Sandra says, it can be a long wait between referral and appointment, so it’s best to get yourself in the system asap.
Regarding a link between seromas and lymphoedema, this does sound logical. I was told some years ago by a lymphoedema resacher that there is a definite correlation between how long you need drains for and likelihood of devloping the big L, so a troublesome seroma could well be a similar indication. They are both signs that the lymphatic system is starting to struggle, I suppose.
How would I know if I have lymphoedema in the breast? My WLE and SNB were 3 weeks ago. I can tell it is still swollen and I have a sort of bumpiness which looks like cellulite and I can tell there is fluid there as the breast is hard in places. The surgeon said I had some oedema, when I went for my results two weeks after op, but she didn’t say it was anything untoward.
I’m thinking, but I could be wrong here, that it’s bit early to develop full-blown lymphoedema and that you might just have a bit of post-op swelling.
I think you need to keep an eye on it and if it gets worse, or doesn’t gradually settle, mention it to your bcn. If you are not happy with her response (some seem to be gatekeepers to the lymphoedema services and are reluctant to open them), involve other members of your team, onc, surgeon, whoever seems most genned up on lymphoedema to get a referral.
Oh dear, cut my index finger on my bad arm side on Tuesday eve. It bled a lot so run it under cold tap cleaned it up but didnt disenfect it as such. EEk after reading this thread I am now wondering if I could be letting myself in for a problem. At least I only had one lymph node removed.
I seem to forget about this (except for when I had my flu jab) must try to take extra care. When things seem to be going along as “normal” its easy to forget I suppose.
My post above was to explain what CAN happen, not what necessarily WILL happen.
I talk the talk, but I’m really bad about remembering to disinfect cuts myself, too. I’ve had lymphoedema since 1996/7 and I’ve never had an infection or cellulitis, despite cuts, skinned elbows and insect bites (touches wood)- some of which I remembered to disinfect and some I didn’t.
So it’s by no means a certainty, and if you forget and suddenly realise three days later and your arm is still fine, chances are that that particular cut or whatever is not going to lead to any prolems.