? on bilaterial mastectomy

sweetvickid
sweetvickid Member Posts: 459 Member
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I have chosen to have a bilaterial mastectomy instead of a single. My question is does that mean that I can't use a pressure cuff or have bld drawn from the noncancer side? I don't like the idea of getting stuck in the leg or foot.

Comments

  • ruthielaine
    ruthielaine Member Posts: 59
    #2
    blood pressure
    you can still have your blood drawn and pressure taken on the non cancer side even though you have had a double mast. the only reason you can't have blood drawn on the cancer side is if you've had lymph nodes removed. This is to prevent lymphedema. Best wishes to you.
  • sweetvickid
    sweetvickid Member Posts: 459 Member
    #3
    ruthielaine said:

    blood pressure
    you can still have your blood drawn and pressure taken on the non cancer side even though you have had a double mast. the only reason you can't have blood drawn on the cancer side is if you've had lymph nodes removed. This is to prevent lymphedema. Best wishes to you.

    That is a relief!
    Thanks for the quick response. I was reading a site on lymphdemia and it said you couldn't which freaked me out.
  • m-star
    m-star Member Posts: 441
    #4
    sweetvickid said:

    That is a relief!
    Thanks for the quick response. I was reading a site on lymphdemia and it said you couldn't which freaked me out.

    when i was in hospital after
    when i was in hospital after my bilateral in Feb,they did take my blood pressure around my calf(i was in for 4 days). Not sure if they would still do that after this long or if it was just while i was recovering.Never needed it taking since so don't know!
  • Dot53
    Dot53 Member Posts: 239 Member
    #5
    Hi
    My onco said that they can still take my blood pressure from my arm as long as they do it quickly; but all of the blood draws I have had since my double mastectomy have been through my hand...

    Hope this helps...
    Dot
  • ruthielaine
    ruthielaine Member Posts: 59
    #6
    ruthielaine said:

    blood pressure
    you can still have your blood drawn and pressure taken on the non cancer side even though you have had a double mast. the only reason you can't have blood drawn on the cancer side is if you've had lymph nodes removed. This is to prevent lymphedema. Best wishes to you.

    I have had all my blood
    I have had all my blood pressure and all my blood draws on the non-cancer side even though I had both breasts off. Never a problem.
  • Third_Generation
    Third_Generation Member Posts: 121
    #7
    Dot53 said:

    Hi
    My onco said that they can still take my blood pressure from my arm as long as they do it quickly; but all of the blood draws I have had since my double mastectomy have been through my hand...

    Hope this helps...
    Dot

    I had bilaterals also and
    I had bilaterals also and have my blood pressure taken on the non cancer side. When I was in the hospital, they had a cuff on the cancer side since I had so many iv's in the non cancer side. was only in there for 24 hours. I have not had any edema probs but did have lots of fluid on both sides... you just never know what your body is going to do!
    Good Luck in all.
  • Christine Louise
    Christine Louise Member Posts: 426 Member
    #8
    Cancer and node removal on both sides
    I had bilateral mast and three nodes removed on each side. During chemo, they alternate arms for my blood counts and blood pressures and for my infusions. They don't seem too concerned about problems since I had so few nodes removed. Sure hope they're correct! They say it's such a pain to use legs and feet for these things.
  • Creativelady
    Creativelady Member Posts: 1
    #9
    Christine Louise said:

    Cancer and node removal on both sides
    I had bilateral mast and three nodes removed on each side. During chemo, they alternate arms for my blood counts and blood pressures and for my infusions. They don't seem too concerned about problems since I had so few nodes removed. Sure hope they're correct! They say it's such a pain to use legs and feet for these things.

    I'm very new to all this.
    I'm very new to all this. Just recently diagnosed, now have the port in place and start chemo on Monday morning. After a round of chemo then I'll have the bilateral done. They found it on both sides and in 2 lymph nodes on the right side. I had no clue that they use the legs and feet to draw blood or take my blood pressure. What else do I need to know about?
  • SamuraiMom
    SamuraiMom Member Posts: 295
    #10
    Just for a while...
    I decided on a double when I was diagnosed on my right side. Visit my blog for the story. ;) They started doing the blood pressure in my arm about 4 months after the surgery when I still had in the expanders. Good luck...you did a brave and smart thing!
  • Angie2U
    Angie2U Member Posts: 2,991
    #11
    sweetvickid said:

    That is a relief!
    Thanks for the quick response. I was reading a site on lymphdemia and it said you couldn't which freaked me out.

    I had a lumpectomy, and, had
    I had a lumpectomy, and, had the sentinal node removed. I was told that when you have any nodes removed that you can't have shots, blood drawn or have your blood pressure taken in that arm. Some also develop lymphedema, which I haven't. I don't know if having a mastectomy has anything to do with those or not. Mainly, it is just the lack of nodes.

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