Last BMB I took only one It did nothing for my nervousness I shook like a dog going to the vet during the entire procedure which made it more difficult for them I know many of you found it quite tolerable but it was THE WORST for me Guess everybody is different
Anyway... They told me to absolutely take more medication I was thinking 2 or 3
Anybody have any ideas about that?
Catnap7
I’d ask the Dr. but when I had my first BMB I took 2 mg of Xanax I don’t believe it matters. But then again I don’t know if it matters.
Admin Edit; please do no self dose without medical approval. It does matter!
Thanks Ironj ... was your first BMB pretty tolerable on 2 Xanax ???
I wasn’t sure what to expect but I was a little nervous. The BMB was no problem. The only thing that was uncomfortable was the numbing injection , that burned going in. After that no pain just pressure. 2 mg of Xanax was plenty and to be honest I would do it without it because it wasn’t bad.
Best wishes you’ll be fine. John
Who did you ask? Telling you to absolutely take more Ativan without indicating a safe dose for you is irresponsible. Also, Ativan does not take care of nerves for everyone. I was given IV Ativan for a CT guided kidney biopsy. It did nothing for my extreme nerves, even when more was added during the procedure. I don’t know what a comparable pill dose would be, to what I got, but I was in a hospital setting and supervised by medical staff during the entire procedure and after, until the Ativan had worn off sufficiently for them to feel safe releasing me (to a driver who had to sign me out).
Have you asked for sedation? I was sedated for my last BMB. If the person doing your last procedure felt that you needed to have something stronger than a little Ativan it should be in your notes from the procedure. Ask them to review the notes and consider light sedation. If that isn’t an option, talk to your PC or hematologist about what would be most likely to work for nerves and how much of it you could take safely. Dosing needs to take several things into account - your size, any health concerns, other medications, etc. No one here can safely answer your question!!!
I didn’t have any drugs before my bone marrow biopsy... it wasn’t offered or an option for me... a couple Advil and a glass of wine... do other people get pain relief for that treatment?
I don’t come on this site much, but stunned that relief is available for this investigative work...:
The nurse who gave me the procedure told me to take more next time. I have asked to be sedated and they only do it for children . That is what I was told. Thanks
Some centers don’t use sedation for a BMB, including some of the big name centers. My first two were without sedation, just lidocaine. I don’t remember the procedures themselves being bad, just my panic. I was sedated the third time. For my first kidney biopsy I was given Ativan. It was no help. For my other two I was sedated. These were all done at different facilities. I’m sorry that it isn’t an option for you.
At the same time, I would question any doctor or other health care professional who told me to just “take more” of any medication. When I was prescribed Ativan for something, it was for 1mg. When that didn’t help much and I asked about a higher dose my doctor, very reluctantly, told me that I could take 2mg. but made me promise not to take more than that. He also went over the warnings about what to not take with it, including alcohol.
Please talk to your doctor about the appropriate dose for you, and whether there is something else that might help more.
What About the gas and air? Some centres will at least let you have that if you ask and if makes a huge difference. Just puff and puff and you will feel yourself floating away! I think we need one of the charities to campaign on this issue. It is CRUEL to do this without any sedation whatsoever in my view.
Also if you are taking Benzos you absolutely should not be driving yourself there or home or even getting public transport. Someone should drive you.
iv midazolam?
Jig
They don't seem to like to do that any more for some reason.
Because they are vicious brutes.
We need to get this changed. Or at least ensure that gas and air is an option for everyone. Trust me a few good strong puffs on that (none of this little breaths nonsense!) and all your worries float away and pain what pain? I used that good!
Thanks ..didn’t think about Valium
Ativan was the original plan last time but I obviously didn’t respond to it
Thanks ... No I would never try to drive after taking medication like that
I just hope whatever I take will WORK
because my first one was a nightmare
Catnap7
valium works much better than ativan in my opinion, ativan just makes me sleepy but still anxious
Maybe for you. Please clarify that. Valium does nothing for me, nor does Ativan for anxiety.
That's a very large dose Scott, valium has a very long half life, (96hrs) and def NOT recommended for a short procedure.
Jig
I did it without any medication and in honesty it was ok though not pleasant. I asked for gas and air but was told nothing could be given outside of the operating theatre and I’d need to be booked in for half a day for that.
Newdawn
Thanks Newdawn. Now I really think everybody’s BMB experience will be completely different. Mine was most certainly on the other end of the spectrum from yours. Glad it wasn’t so bad for you
I have to make a decision on what to use ... so dreading this again
Catnap7
Please talk to your doctors about your options!!! Advice given here about medications and doses is irresponsible!
Hello Scott
Valium has a very long half life close to a 70 hours, so it’s not a hard fast hitting benzodiazepine. So it has a soft very mellow effect.
Klonopin has a long half life as well but not as long as Valium at about 30 hours so it might be the right one for you. Xanax comes in .25 mg .5mg 1mg. 2mg Do you know what dose you took ? I’ve been on Xanax on and off for 30 years so it doesn’t put me to sleep it relaxes me. So one starting out should take .25 to see what effect it has on you. You may have taken a high dose of 1 or 2 mg if it put you out like that.
The med Dr’s like to push are Ssri or SNRI these meds are only good if you need a boost of serotonin or norepinephrine. Or Wellbutrin that give you more dopamine. The reality is when these ssri ,SNRI don’t work it because our brains don’t need it. The Dr’s don’t like giving Benzodiazepine because they are addicting. My take on that is they work because we are laking Gaba and that’s what benzodiazepine do, is put the needed Gaba to our Gaba receptors. In addition generalized anxiety is a chronic condition and if I need to be on Xanax for ever great it works. Sorry for the long post but when people hear Xanax or any benzodiazepine they say stay away you’ll get addicted. And I say so I have my quality of life back. And I also say I’m addicted to insulin as well for my diabetes.
John- please discuss how these drugs affect you, but, unless you have an MD or degree in pharmacology and are familiar with a patient’s medical history and current situation, please don’t recommend medications and/or doses!
The oral did nothing for me, but IV dose helped
What is the longest remission that I can hope for?
Core Biopsy done today
Newcomer-Diagnosed with CLL July 2014
Continuing Story of CLL Journey
