CancerCompass message board discussion started by Melo64 on 7/4/2008 http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,25725,0.htm Sun, 23 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT Sun, 23 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://backend.userland.com/rss RSS.NET: http://www.rssdotnet.com/ Has anyone had a bonemarrow biopsy? What does it feel like? I've asked to be knocked out but the MD said no! I really would like to know what to wxpect. Melo64 Fri, 04 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT I was given a local in the hip, then it took about 15-20 minutes to aspirate the bone marrow.  A little uncomfortable, but not a lot of pain.  I was sore for about 3 days afterward.  Had this done in Feb 08. George gfcocala Fri, 04 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT  On 7/4/2008 Melo64 wrote:Has anyone had a bonemarrow biopsy? What does it feel like? I've asked to be knocked out but the MD said no! I really would like to know what to wxpect.HiMelo64:My husband has had two bone marrow biopsy and says it is not toopainful: however the doctor wanted to know last time if he wanted tobe asleep?  Any doctor that says no is not very feeling.  Please dowhat you are comfortable doing at this point.  Sometimes you haveto demand with some doctors.  Very good luck with this ultimate oftesting.Ozy31     ozy31 Fri, 04 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT Good Morning Melo64;Has anyone had a bone marrow biopsy? What does it feel like? I've had two, one at Dx. and the other prior to my SCT. And one scheduled on day +180. The first one hurt pretty bad. The Dr. apirated the marrow way too quickly. The second one I told the Dr. about the first and he took his time and the pain wasn't anywhere near as bad.They numb you locally, then insert a blunt tipped needle (I kid my Dr. that I hammer nails smaller than it) and push a small hole into your hip. If you can feel the pressure of the Dr. pushing, then you're probably going to feel some discomfort when they aspirate the marrow. Talk to your Dr. prior to the procedure and explain your feelings to him/her. You should be able to determine how you want to be "numbed."None the less, the discomfort, not matter how painful, is only for the day or so. If a sissy like me can handle it without crying, then you'll do fine!On a separate note to any medical staff reading: My Dr. told me that depending on where he draws the marrow from, he can get a higher or lower concentration of plasma cells and skew the test results. He says that peripheral blood testing is more accurate of the total body count. Comments?Hope this is of some help to you.Take care;Kevin K. C. Sat, 05 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT I've had two thus far and really the only pain i experienced was the prick from the needle used to deaden the area where the sample was taken. I could feel the needle within my hip used to gather the marrow but no pain. I was not sore but felt a little off ballance like walking on the deck of a ship in a storm for about an hour afterwards. I didn't know what to expect as I heard that it was quite painful but the process was really painless. Good luck and don't let it upset you.harleynightrider harleynightrider Sat, 05 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT On a separate note to any medical staff reading: My Dr. told me that depending on where he draws the marrow from, he can get a higher or lower concentration of plasma cells and skew the test results. He says that peripheral blood testing is more accurate of the total body count. Comments?Hope this is of some help to you.Take care;Kevin Kevin, I was also told that the plasma cell count can vary on the bone marrow biopsies and that the peripheral blood testing is better.  Why, then, do some doctors do one bone marrow biopsy after another?Thanks,Roadrunner   roadrunner Sat, 05 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT Perhaps my friends it is because of people like me who only show true results by Bone Marrow, other than the low HGB I had no other proteins in my blood they were normal with the exception of one low count..So not sure but may ask my doc this week when I go for my check up...mmsOn 7/5/2008 roadrunner wrote:On a separate note to any medical staff reading: My Dr. told me that depending on where he draws the marrow from, he can get a higher or lower concentration of plasma cells and skew the test results. He says that peripheral blood testing is more accurate of the total body count. Comments?Hope this is of some help to you.Take care;Kevin Kevin, I was also told that the plasma cell count can vary on the bone marrow biopsies and that the peripheral blood testing is better.  Why, then, do some doctors do one bone marrow biopsy after another?Thanks,Roadrunner    mmsurvivor Sun, 06 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT Hello Melo64-I've had 6 bone marrow biopsy's over the past 5 years.  The first one was done 'cold turkey' without any pain killer and it was not a pleasant experience - quite traumatic and very painful.  Since then I have requested to be 'put out' and the hospital staff at both the hospitals that I use have been happy to agree.  So, I go in and am put to sleep and wake up 20 minutes later in recovery.  They use alternate hips each time they do the procedure and there is no pain on waking and only minor discomfort for the next day or two. If your doctor won't agree, find someone else who will -- its not necessary to have this as a painful experience!  Best wishes, Cath  poppy/cath Mon, 07 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT Good Evening Roadrunner; Kevin, I was also told that the plasma cell count can vary on the bone marrow biopsies and that the peripheral blood testing is better.  Why, then, do some doctors do one bone marrow biopsy after another?I'm sure there is a good reason other than to keep the "lab boys" busy, but I don't know it. However, it only stands to reason that a total body reading is more accurate than a specific area.I also questioned my Dr. upon the logic of performing a volunteer BMB on day +100 when one of the syptoms of MM is bone problems. And he was going to put another hole in my bones. He responded that the bone sort of scars over and it really wasn't a problem. I love how they feel that conditions on our bodies are not really problems. Take care;Kevin  K. C. Mon, 07 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT Kevin, regarding the peripheral blood count being more accurate than the bone marrow biopsy.  I have to have the bone marrow biopsy because my kidneys are compromised for lupus flares and do not reveal a totally accurate reading for MM.  So the doc has to look at everything, along with the bone marrow.I already have this on my list of questions!LoisA LoisA Tue, 08 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT From Anna,Hi Melo, Make sure the area is numb before they do the test.  One time with Dad they didn't wait long enough and he wasn't numb yet.  Mom said he almost came off the table because of the pain.Your friend, Anna Anna9563 Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT