Blood draw after mastectomy

@richandjanice,
That is a great question; it will be interesting to see what other members have been told. I did not have a mastectomy, but had surgery on my left breast and a few lymph nodes removed. When I had chemo, they always used the right arm, and veins in that arm are a lot harder to get a needle in.

Now, if I have a blood draw or IV and I mention that I had lymph nodes removed, the tech drawing blood will not use the left arm. I do not have any lymphoedema in my arm.
Of course, I will follow my provider's advice most of the time and avoid the arm with lymph nodes removed, but sometimes I do not mention it and let them use the left arm because it is so much easier to draw blood from that arm. This is often the case during a procedure or in the ER; I do whatever arm is easier.

I did find an article on the subject on a Phlebotomy site.
https://www.phlebotomy.com/phlebotomyblog/blood-draws-after-mastectomy-what-new-research-shows.html
It does reference a few studies on the subject with links to published articles on PubMed

@roch thank you soooo much

Thanks Laurie! I've wondered about this myself and avoid the left arm (lumpectomy & node removal). But every so often I forget and then worry. Now I won't!

I had a double mastectomy with sentinel node biopsies on both sides, which led to asking my oncologist which side to use for blood draws and blood pressure readings? Because I had invasive ductal carcinoma on one side and DCIS on the other, she said to use the side with the least cancer which was the DCIS side. Since the same number of lymph nodes were used on each side for the SNB, I wasn't sure about that, but follow her guideline for blood pressure readings.

I also decided to keep my port because 1) I am a challenging needle stick and now the options were ideally on one side, and 2) I knew I would be facing frequent blood labs and also Zometa infusions. The port is bothersome, especially in the summer when I would like to wear scoop necks, but it is also something I'm very grateful to have. My nurses, who would have to try needle sticks without it, are also grateful.

Hello! I had a nurse at small hospital tell me that I needed to avoid having blood drawn, blood pressure taken on my left arm, the side I had lymph nodes removed from.
Then I was at a big, regional hospital and was told by several doctors and nurses that I could use both arms for those things. They said, like you all have said, that not using the arm for blood draws and blood pressure is old technology. It’s fine to use either arm now!

I’m glad to see this post as I’ve been confused myself and providers all have different opinions. I had DCIS in 1995 with a mastectomy and 11 nodes removed on the right side. Then in 2024 I had ILC on the left for which I had a lumpectomy and one sentinel node removed. I now have my blood pressure taken on my calf and vaccinations in my hip. I don’t have any lymphedema and don’t want it. I’d like to know if I can have these things in an arm but I’ve gotten conflicting answers. One provider said to use my left arm since more nodes were removed from the right side. Any answers?

I had bilateral mastectomies 2015. Right side was prophylactic. Left was DCIS, luckily stage 0, neg sentinel node involvement. Was told no bp/ labs or injections on left. That was for 5 years. No lymphedema. I still do most my injections on right, but have used the left. Talk to your MD.

@tanzdame I had my diep flap reconstruction this past June, 2026. My surgeon, my anesthesiologist, and the shift lead nurse told me it was old technology and that I could use either arm for all things. They had the blood pressure cuff on my left arm (lymph nodes removed from that side) the whole time. At one point I had an IV in both arms (and apparently one of my feet - we discovered evidence when I got home:) during the 3 nights I was in the hospital.

@ksmitty Thank you for letting me know that what I’m doing probably isn’t necessary or is outmoded. That is encouraging so I may try going with my arm next time I need blood pressure taken or a vaccine. I don’t remember what my surgeon recommended but he retired two months after my surgery.

Thank you for sharing. I have surgery Monday.