BMB

[welshlady52]

Been thinking what he said and I think he said he was struggling to get a sample...

[Jm954 Administrator]

.

Hi, I read your previous post on this subject and I think that, sadly, you were in the hands of someone relatively inexperienced at BMBs. You said before that they struggled to get the needle in and that shouldn't happen in Welsh ladies of our age as we don't generally have the dense bones of young men who do weightlifting!

Struggling to get a sample is a different thing but if he was in the right place with the needle there should have been not a lot of difficulty.

There are a few conditions which make the bone marrow aspiration part of the biopsy difficult but the biopsy itself should still be a reasonably simple procedure. It will not have been because it is packed with cancer cells. There is a knack to getting the biopsy out of the bone in the needle but an experienced person should be able to do that relatively easily.

The fact that you had such a lot of pain also makes me feel that the practitioner was struggling with this procedure. Do you know if you need to have another one? If so please ask for someone else to do it and for some gas and air - as Newdawn says it works wonders.

best wishes

Jackie

[Jakey16 in reply to Jm954]

When I had mine the problem he had was my blood clotted too quickly in the syringe. He had to try numerous times before he got a good sample. Who knew I could clot that quickly! I also bled too much where he put the anaesthetic. All fun and games!

[welshlady52 in reply to Jakey16]

Oh dear....

[Jakey16 in reply to welshlady52]

🙄

[Jm954 Administrator in reply to Jakey16]

Clotting can be a problem, you have to be quick! It will clot more quickly if there has been a problem getting the sample but as a last resort the clot can be examined and actually provide lots of information as the cells are all there but they can't do flow etc, just have a look under the microscope.

Jackie

[Jakey16 in reply to Jm954]

He did get some good samples in the end! I have to say although it was uncomfortable he talked me all the way through it and put me at ease. Plus the husband was with me so I could squeeze his hand!!

[CoBubby]

I had my first BMB done at a major institution in Texas a few years ago. They attempted four times. My marrow was too thick.

The doctor said it happens, but not often.

Since I have been on Ibrutinib, I haven’t had this issue.