Having my first BMB next Tuesday!

[Sarahjane100]

Justhe thought I would post on this fantastic site, that I saw my heamotoligist yesterday and have agreed to have my first BMB next Tuesday. I cancelled the last one booked for me, out of fear of the procedure, but know I need to do this. Saw a really lovely consultant yesterday, and a fantastically helpful and empathetic nurse, who showed me the area used for the BMB, including the gas and air! She was so lovely and really allayed my fears. So I will report back next week and give my interpretation of how it went! Love and ET hugs to everyone on the site who has given me so much help and support over the last few months. I will know for sure what I have in around eight weeks from now. Knowledge is power! X

[jenster68]

Hi and the very best of luck for Tuesday. I had my first BMB last week and it was absolutely fine. I’d describe it as marginally worse than a cervical smear test - not because it hurts, just because it takes longer and the thought of it is worse. For me, the fear and anxiety was much worse than the actual procedure! I was a little sore the next day and completely fine after 24 hours. The first thing I said when they’d finished was that I wouldn’t hesitate to have another BMB.

One tip, I was surprised at how long it took to get started. The clinical nurse specialist who performed the procedure (and was fantastic) spent ages feeling my hip selecting exactly where she was going to perform the biopsy. Then she marked it with a pen and then they began cleaning the area etc. This was a bit unnerving as I wrongly thought the time she was taking meant she didn’t know what she was doing! But the nurse who was also in the room said it was completely normal. My husband came in with me and watched and he was impressed at how professional it all was and how kind and understanding the team were. I now have a long wait until August 20th for my results. Best of luck next week!

[AnitaJ]

Hi, I had my biopsy a few months back. It's not great but the gas and air are! It's over quite quickly (due to the gas and air being effective) and the nurses where I had mine were brilliant. I'm sure you will be okay and you can congratulate yourself that you were courageous enough to do it. Well done.

[Sarahjane100 in reply to AnitaJ]

Thank you Anita. It's so kind of you to send me such kind words of reassurance for next week. I hope and pray it will be OK and not too bad! The need to be given an accurate diagnosis is far outweighing the trepidation of having a BMB. Thank you again, will post again next week. Love and hugs, sarahjane. X

[jane13]

you'll b fine. I've had several, all were OK. It's just the anticipation that's horrid!

[Ramy22]

Good luck! I had my one and only one about 30 years ago.... no gas and air or help with discomfort...no one was allowed be with me.... it was so horrid all I could do was .... giggle! But I did get over it... ...you’ll be fine! Let us know. 😀

[katiewalsh]

Hi. Studies show that when we feel stressed and worried, we feel pain more. Or to a greater degree. So try & calm yourself when you have it done. Maybe just realize that in an hour it’ll all be over & soon you’ll have knowledge-I love your description of knowledge equaling power. It’s so true! So maybe just visualize yourself as Wonder Woman or the heroine in Hunger Games. I know you’ll do great!! Katie

[Sarahjane100 in reply to katiewalsh]

Thank you so much Katie! I so needed to hear that. xxx

[Ebot]

Don’t panic! It’s pretty straight forward. Sounds far more dramatic than it actually is. I’ve had two. The second was a bit of a tussle rather than especially painful. I’ve found the breathing techniques used in labour came in handy!! Who’d have thought?! My advice would be to take it easy afterwards (do not walk down four flights of stairs / trek a couple of miles back to the car, sit down hard on injection site etc etc. Lessons learnt!). Hope all goes well and you get some useful results.

[Sarahjane100 in reply to Ebot]

Thank you so much for your kind and caring words. I am the kind of person who over thinks things! I will stay calm and think of all the brave people on this site who have had many of them already. I can do this!!! xxx

[redumbrella]

Good for you Sarahjane,

it will be grand I've had the procedure twice, on the first it was somewhat uncomfortable rather than painful the 2nd time I was almost asleep on the table I was so relaxed thanks in no small to my wonderful Haemotology Nurse.

Best of luck on Tuesday and will look forward to hearing how get on

Garry

[Sarahjane100 in reply to redumbrella]

Thank you Garry. I will post back and let you know how it went! X

[Meatloaf9]

Please don't fear the BMB. I had my first a few months ago. No pain whatsoever, the local anesthetic worked perfectly. They had me take 25mg of benadryl about 20 minutes before the procedure which made me a little dizzy and probably helped. I used a unisom tablet from the drug store. I was told to do that, would not do anything your team doesn't tell you to do. Good luck and don't worry you will be fine.

[katiewalsh]

Hi again, I think with gas and air it’ll be super easy. Many (most?) of us have it without that-it wasn’t even an option for me and I was at MDAnderson in US where Dr Verstovsek works. They do hundreds a day there because it’s such a big Hospital for cancer. And the procedure is so short. Not worth all this worrying although it’s completely normal & understandable. Katie

[Sarahjane100 in reply to katiewalsh]

Thank you for that Katie. I will let you know how it goes next week! X

[Elab]

Hi

I had my bone marrow biopsy 3 months ago.

Like you I was overthinking everything.

I do agree with messages above about breathing techniques. It’s very important to it stress too much and try to stay relax........

I didn’t have a choice of a gas and air.but I don’t think I needed it.

Yes it is a little bit paintful but only when they doing local anaesthetics.later on it’s just little weird and bit uncomfortable....but nothing major.

Then I was just scared but I had my husband next to me and I was holding his hand 🤚 and there were two nurses with me too....one was stroking my other hand the other was stroking my back. And they were telling me to breath proply 😀.

The whole procedure lasted mayby 20 min but that includes waiting for local anaesthetic to work.

So it’s nothing to worry about....it has to be done so your hemo can choose the best treatment for you. Good luck and let us know how it went.

Have a good weekend

Ela

[Sarahjane100 in reply to Elab]

Thank you so much for such a caring and reassuring reply. I keep thinking about it throughout every waking day! I just want it to be over with! But I know it needs to be done. I think I almost certainly have ET, but am triple negative for all the usual gene testing. So it needs to be diagnosed properly. I will try to remember about the breathing! X

[Elab in reply to Sarahjane100]

Yes pls do 😀😀😀 it is really important.

Coupl more days and soon it will be done.

I am jak 2 positive but my hemo wanted to do bone marrow anyway to check for scaring in the Bon marrow. Luckily no scaring sooo reassuring.

Speak soon

Ela

[mammared]

Hi there,

I realize that you are uneasy about your first BMB. That is understandable. It is not a horrible procedure and you will be surprised at how simple it is. A little soreness the next day and then back to normal. I wish you peace as you approach the time for the BMB and much luck with the results.

[Sarahjane100 in reply to mammared]

Thank you so, so much for thinking of me. I so appreciate it. I will post back tonight! I just want to get through today at work, then get to the hospital and get it done. Sending you hugs and many thanks. xxx

[Cassie11]

Had mine this morning. Not as bad as I thought. Worth it for the entenox!