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Sentinel Node Dye

by LSNoe on 11/4/2007 at 8:33 pmin category Survivors
Does anyone else still have skin tatoos from the dye used during your sentinel node procedure? It has been 17 months and I still have four blue spots around my right aerola. I'm thinking that they are here to stay. Perhaps I should get matching tatoos for the left breast.

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Yes, I still have the dye from the sentinel node procedure. Because of how the original biopsy and lumpectomy was done, the dye would not move and my doctor still had to do a full node disection. All 14 nodes were fine so that was a real blessing. It is just over a year, and I still have blue areas even after radiation, it still visable. I asked my doctor, who is a woman, and she told me that it can take years for it to go away. Take care, Mama Kat
by mama kat
on 2/3/2008 at 9:27 pm
I'm new to this online community. I do not have breast cancer by the grace of the almighty, but I do wish to read other people's stories and to give my support to everyone. May God bless you all and your families. You Will Survive! Please be positive... you must speak it and believe! : )

P.S. check out www.dailyom.com for some very good day to day inspirational articles and check out my Survivor Breast Cancer merchandise on my online Zazzle shop: www.zazzle.com/marquitalenear*

- MarQuita
www.zazzle.com/marquitalenear*
by marquitalenear
on 1/5/2008 at 2:07 am
I had the dye injected the day of surgery, but it left no color behind. The surgeon told me that I may have skin staining and that it could be temporary or permanent...it varies from person-to-person.
by NurseKris
on 11/15/2007 at 7:20 pm
First, wasn't that about the most painful experience you've ever had? I had my done in July of 2007 and went to see my surgeon this week to schedule port removal surgery and asked him if it would ever go away. He basically said no way to know, some do and some don't. I figure mine is going to stay that greenish color forever - another reminder, along with the scars of what my body has been through. I just try not to look to close - Lori
by Lori
on 11/8/2007 at 1:55 pm
I think that must be from the radiation, not the sentinel node dye. (I am guessing). I have not done radiation yet as I start chemo next week, but they told me they would put 4 small (1mm dots) tattoos to line up the radiation at the same spot each day. I had heard they would do that, and one fellow survivor sister even said she went to a tattoo removal doctor and when she reached for her wallet, he said "no charge. You didn't ask to have those put there. You shouldn't pay to have them removed". Brought a tear to my eye. I would say do what is right for YOU. Wear 'em as a badge of courage or get rid of them if it makes you feel better. Having had cancer in any form gives you the right to do what is best for YOU. Good luck and God Bless.
by Libra1014
on 11/6/2007 at 8:26 pm
I have the small tatoos from the radiation as well, but the dye tatoos are about the size of dimes. They look like a clock at 12, 3, 6, and 9. Hopefully theu will eventually go away, but I won't count on it!
by LSNoe
on 11/5/2007 at 10:41 pm
I had the 4 injections for the dye proceedure the day of my surgery but no lasting marks or tatoos in that area. I have 2 very small tatoos on each side of my breasts which are radiation markers. They are so tiny they look like freckles. Some how I think the large scar running across one side of my breast is more noticable to me as it the scar from the node biopsy. All in all I would rather be scarred and cancer free. I told my kids (teen girls) I was going to go as the bride of frankstien for halloween with my boob. Then I realized no one else probably needed to see me topless. Gotta keep laughing.
by Decaturjulie
on 11/5/2007 at 8:24 pm
For me its only been a few months. The Dr. said it my last a year or so, she just showed it to an intern one visit. I quess that intern never saw blue dyed nipples before. Lucky me was the one to show them. Do the Dr.s know I never use to show off my boobs! Especially at 48. Now I think every medical person in my town had seen them!
by catsvette
on 11/5/2007 at 3:04 pm
I have tatoos, and I think they are here to stay. Mine are from radiation. I did have the dye test and they did find cancer in my nodes. But I had a both breasts removed as well as 12 nodes on my right and 4 on my left. The cancer was in both breasts and the cancer in my nodes was only on the right. I did get that die injected into mybreasts the day before surgery. I do not see any tatoos but that could be because I had my breasts removed
by Ginny
on 11/5/2007 at 12:33 pm

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