Bone marrow biopsy

[jillydabrat]

Good morning my MPN family. I often heard on here that BMB is not very pleasant. I have never had one but it appears by the posts I read that's it's when not if. Can someone tell me what happens and how it's affected them as I am a firm believer in knowing everything involved in treatment or progression. Thanks in advance, Jill

[piggie50]

Hi Jillydabrat,

I am 62 years old and was diagnosed with PV 10 years ago. I survived on venesections and clopidogrel until I was 59. My heam explained that the risk of stroke increases with each decade of age no matter what your health and so wanted me to start hydroxy but the time I was 60. My platelets were around the 800/900 mark. It was at this time that he wanted to do a bone marrow biopsy to have a benchmark for the future. I wasn't looking forward to it at all, but I had gas and air, an excellent Dr to do the procedure, a nurse to talk to and my daughter to hold my hand. I had a cup of tea after, my daughter drove me home and apart from a slight achey leg I was fine. Not something I would want to do too regularly and I'm sure I will still be anxious the next time but it was ok and much quicker than giving birth!!

Hope this helps.

Judy x

[Stevef10]

Hi Jill,

I had a BMB on the 19th April this year. It was OK. They insert a long needle into your hip and press down to be able to get to the bone. I had a local in the area. You just feels uncomfortable with the pressure. Can't comment on the pain versus Child birth!!!! Comment on the aching leg is accurate but it does ware off. Hope that it's a one off.

Hope you get on OK.

STEVE

[nodmeister]

Hi jillydabrat,

Think of England!!!!!!!! I didn't have any problems except for about 2/3 mins when the needle hit the marrow but then I am on some heavty pain killers, due to root nerve damage. For the sake of a few mins discomfort a thorough check is possible. Good luck, stiff drink after.

nod.

[Hidden]

I had one a couple of months ago. I was able to have twilight sedation and it really wasn't too bad. I didn't have any leg pain after, just pain in the spot where the needle did its work. It is uncomfortable, but not horrible, and was a lot less painful than I imagined it to be!

[Paul42]

I had one when i first got ill. To be honest out of all the invasive procedures ive had since diagnosis it was the easiest. Local anasthetic then they talked to me as they did it.

The thought worse than the actual thing i think.

[Helpatlast]

Yes I had it ten years ago when they were first investigating me and getting to the diagnosis. As others have said its "doable" I took gas and air which is a good idea - and like a lot of procedures used that distract your mind to something nice approach whilst it was being done. As mentioned its a longer needle that punctures into your bone to extract the marrow and that takes two stages and it is invasive but fine, yes painful but well able to be tolerated. I guess it was about 10-15 mins the procedure in all. After I did have pain in the area for some time although I did make the mistake of going back to work the next day which was daft and I wouldn't do that again if I have another - bit of going easy for a few days is probably wise. Jill

[AndyT]

Hi Jill - I had mine done about 10 years ago and it was a lot less painful than I expected from what others had told me. My understanding is that BMB's are done less often now as blood tests for genetic mutations can confirm the MPN diagnosis - BMB used if all those tests are inconclusive...

[jane13]

have had several. Mildly uncomfortable as they have to push and pull to get the marrow out but not really any problem. Local anaesthetic in the biopsy site, side of upper hip, and they offer u oxygen which I don't usually need. But I would make sure that you have a doc doing it who is well experienced: often not a consultant but a staff grade doc who has worked in the specialty for years and done dozens of BMBs. Do not let a training grade do it unless u are sure they have enough experience!

[socrates_8]

Hey Jill...

I was first diagnosed May 6, and I had my BM May 20, and I can say that I did not feel a thing during the procedure. Gas was used and it took a little while to wear off with some notable discomfort afterward, that also soon dissipated. While I do not look forward to the next occasion it was a relatively simple and fast procedure...

Steve in Oz

ET/MF?

[katiewalsh]

Hi Jill. It sounds like you want us to be frank so I will be. I had mine about 4-5 years ago. I had not heard anything about what to expect except what the medical staff said. I may be "a wuss" but it really hurt a lot. I maybe had a numbing agent but don't recall. I also had a biopsy of my bone as well as the bone marrow. Fortunately the procedure didn't last long. I was sore and achy in my hip for a few days but nothing I couldn't handle. Next time I'll ask for some sedation. I believe they're done to determine how advanced your MPN is. And that's based in part on the amount of scarring found in the bone marrow. Katie

[Ednama]

My husband has had numerous and it's never bothered him, he says it it uncomfortable but not painful.

[Bill_E]

It's like pushing a corkscrew through your iliac crest & pulling it straight out; rather like sampling cheese. It smarts a bit!!

[Loubprv Volunteer]

Good morrow!

I too had heard that BMB are not pleasant. I had one last November.

To start with I think it depends who does it and where you have it done.

I went to Guys ( even though I live in Cumbria) you can go anywhere you wish and I wanted to go to the top place. Your results can be forwarded to your consultant.

I had a superb young man do mine, called Joe, who was extremely experienced in BMB and not just some nurse recruited for the purpose.

This what happened:

1 ) Joe told me he was going to tell me exactly what he was going to do.

He showed me three needles, two take samples of fluid, and one slightly larger but nothing to worry about, to take a sample of the bone marrow itself, which goes in to your hip bone ( you lie on your side) sounds horrendous, it isn't - it depends who does it.

He then said he was going to fill my back with lidocaine - a local anaesthetic - this is the IMPORTANT bit as some places do not use anaesthetic so you might want to check beforehand. Insist on it. Joe said he uses quite a lot so if you're worried tell them you want the max dose.

All I could feel then was pushing and pulling. It certainly wasn't painful, just a rather odd sensation.

So, I tottered in in great trepidation, and danced out much relieved. A breeze as far as I was concerned.

Choose your hospital carefully.

Love

Louise

[Loubprv Volunteer]

Ps, I had no discomfort or pain afterwards either.

As I said, probably depends who does it. Do your research.

xxx

[lizzziep]

Hi Jilly, mine wasn't too bad. Local anaesthetic plus gas and air. Worst bit was when I heard doctor say he needed a longer needle to get through the "padding" on my hip!! 😳😳 Felt a bit sore after, but nothing a cup of tea and a biscuit couldn't cure! Good luck with it!

Best wishes

Lizzie x

[Hidden]

Have had three and in all cases local anaesthetic in the area and as all above have said just a bit of discomfort - I think it was worse for the hubby as he could see what was happening - no problems afterwards.

[Mimorochnick]

In the past four months I've had two bone marrow biopsies. I was nervous myself. The first one hurt a lot. It wasn't so much the location of the needle going into the bone that hurt the most. It felt like the needle hit a nerve and the worst pain was shooting down my butt along the nerve. The second biopsy I had I was really nervous for and expected the worst. I didn't have that shooting nerve pain, I just felt the pain from the needle which wasn't that bad. It wasn't great but not like the first time. I was surprised when the Dr said she was done and I complemented her. I described the pain of the first time and she explained that sometimes it happens to her to. Maybe it depends on the person who does it. Either way it's for a few minutes and the Dr went slow and stopped when pain became too much. I hope it goes well for you and good luck with everything.

[crapaud]

Hello Jilly,

I have had 3 in the last 18 months - initial confirmation of MPN following sternum sample that was unsatisfactory, 2nd following problems when I had stopped Pegasys preparing for an SCT, 3rd for 'benchmark' before SCT.

My conclusions: confort depends on who does it, gas/no gas (never proposed to me), efforts taken to relax (I had tried auto-hypnosis/relaxation and that greatly improved my confort); and last but not least, your illness and the state of your marrow (I had MF so my marrow was difficult to extract).

Not particularly fun, but nothing too exceptional either.

[JediReject]

Hi Jill, , , like others have said a lot depends on the experience of the person doing the biopsy (I wont have another trainee but i accept they have to learn) and the effectiveness of the local anaesthetic, gas air. There is bone marrow aspiration which just samples your marrow but more usually docs do a trephine biopsy which also samples a 1-2cm cross section of the bone. Personally I find this part of the procedure very uncomfortable and ask for more anaesthetic to go in. Like one or 2 others I get a pain down my leg. Afterwards I recover quickly but my lower back is usually badly bruised for a week or 2. Mind it's straight into the bone as I have no padding there so that might make a difference.

I'm sure you will be OK when and if you need one. . Chris

[Craftyviolet]

Hi, I had one last year. They used the drug dentists use to numb area but a much higher amount. I was told what was to happen every step of the way.

I was impressed how easy it was. I would be relaxed next time. I am 62, female and have a lot of padding in that area (fat!).

[ballycool]

Good afternoon Jilly, I had a BMB 6 years ago when diagnosed with ET. I didn't find it a hard thing to do as I had very little pain or discomfort, just a bit of a grinding feeling in my hip where the biopsy was done. No problems post biopsy either so good luck when you get yours done and I hope it is as painless as mine.

[SueYoung]

I had one done last year. I had a local to numb the area but no other pain relief. I did find it painful but bearable, though I asked for a brief rest between the two parts of the procedure so I could get my breath back. Not nearly as bad as childbirth. I know the nurse doing it and she told me she was doing a study into the levels of pain experienced. Her interim results were showing that older people were rating the pain lower than younger people. She had not yet finished the study though so I don't yet know if the results were statistically significant. For myself I had a wee bit of soreness around the area but I went back to work next day without much difficulty.

[katiewalsh]

Ok guys. I'm having my next one done in England, tell me where to go. Mine was done by an experienced nurse at MDAnderson. She was doing the final training of a new nurse who only had to watch one more--mine--before she could do them herself. So my nurse was highly thought of. It was when I was around 60. And as I said above, it really hurt. Maybe they pulled a switcheroo but I don't think so. Katie

[Twinkly]

Yes Iv had it done every year ,,but it's in the hip with no anaesthetic ..I hate it ,and last time my leg played up afterwards as I have arthritis in my hip joints as im. old enough for a bus pass ,, so. I say no...it's not at all pleasant ... Twinkly ...x

[jillydabrat]

Thanks all for the info. I can conclude now that it bloody hurts! I am hoping against hope that I am lucky enough not to have one as I have a very low pain threshold and have been known to pass out lol. There is a wide range of tolerance in the posts, some finding it okay, some finding it immensely painful. I was told when I was first tested for MPN that it would mean a BMB if the blood test was inconclusive but the blood test said it all fortunately. Thanks again everyone, once again my MPN family have come through xx

[sugarbear56]

Jill, my name is penny,I live in Texas. I was diagnosed with Essential Thrombocythemia in 2007. I still remember how bad I shook on the Dr. table at his office.My first and so far only bone marrow biopsy. What happens is you lie on your stomach and your hemotologist/oncologist inserts a long very thin needle into your hip bone area. you will feel light tapping sensation on the bone. It wasn't near as bad as I thought, it was uncomfortable but not unbearable. For me the worst part was the last few seconds when it was very painful, but like I said only at the end and it lasted a few seconds. It also depends on your DR. Mine was an excellent caring efficient doctor. I trusted him completely! I do not have him anymore since my move but I sure do miss him! I really hope this helps. If you ever had children, its not near as bad as that! Seriously dont get all worked up over it. It isnt that bad. Its only painful when he takes the marrow sample. Good Luck!! Ill pray for God to help you through!

[Litefootes]

I had the needle aspiration and they removed a chunk of bone as well. They took it from my tailbone and not the hip like so many had. I had planned to be 'out' during this procedure, but they discovered I had pneumonia while in preparation to do the BMB, so they gave me a happy pill instead. For me, it was painful-guess I'm a baby. What I'm wondering tho, is if anyone else had to stay in the hospital for 6 hours after in a sitting up position? This was to keep pressure on the area, and they wanted to make certain it clotted, if I remember correctly.