Thank you for your post and welcome! When you have a mastectomy performed, lymph nodes are removed. Because of this, you must take precaution and inform health care providers about your mastectomy so that blood pressure is not taken and blood is not drawn from that arm. The reason for this is that the lymph nodes protect our body from illnesses and infections and if they are no longer present, taking BP and having blood drawn can cause fluid accumulation and infection. To answer your question, once you have had a mastectomy you can never have blood drawn, shots given, or blood pressure taken from whichever side the mastectomy is on. Always remember to inform your nurses and health team about your mastectomy.
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Hi trailman,
Thank you for your post and welcome! When you have a mastectomy performed, lymph nodes are removed. Because of this, you must take precaution and inform health care providers about your mastectomy so that blood pressure is not taken and blood is not drawn from that arm. The reason for this is that the lymph nodes protect our body from illnesses and infections and if they are no longer present, taking BP and having blood drawn can cause fluid accumulation and infection. To answer your question, once you have had a mastectomy you can never have blood drawn, shots given, or blood pressure taken from whichever side the mastectomy is on. Always remember to inform your nurses and health team about your mastectomy.
Take Care and Best Wishes!
Rosa
March 25, 2011 - 4:20amThis Comment
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