My Bone Marrow Biopsy and Aspiration Experience

I have alerted my surgeon for cataract surgery that the sedation scares me far more than the surgery as I have never had anything stronger than Novocain/lidocaine and don't know how I will react. The surgery will be done in a hospital with minimum or no twilight sedation. No surgical centers for me.

I can understand your hesitancy to have sedation for procedures. I felt the same level of apprehension for being ‘put under’ after my mom had complications 30 years ago. But techniques and procedures have changed so much since then. My fear was unfounded. After having the brief sedation for many of my bone marrow biopsies and the installation of a Hickmann chest port for chemo, I’m no longer fearful at all. It’s so nice to wake up minutes later pain free and refreshed. Usually followed by Lorna Doone cookies and juice! 😉
Wishing you great outcome with your cataract surgery! Is that coming up soon?

Ask Joan River's family about the consequences of treating sedation so cavalierly, even by the staff, that indications of complications are ignored and immediate action not taken to address that.

Respectfully, I don’t think anyone in this discussion who is sharing their experience about having a bone marrow biopsy is treating having sedation cavalierly. For many, including myself, it can make the process much easier and less uncomfortable along with reducing fear and anxiety.

From personal experience, 10 of my 13 biopsies were done with MAC (monitored anesthesia care) administered by an anesthesiologist who was in the room next to the procedure ‘bed’ at all times. I had heart monitor feeds and a BP cuff along a team of 3 people who were there next to the bed. I felt very safe and trusted my medical team.

If you’re uncomfortable with sedation, that is your personal choice. After my first time with the sedation and how pleasant it made my entire procedure, it will always be my personal choice.

I am in the club!!BMB was not too painful, but there was a lot of pressure. I did concentrated on my breath like nobody’s business to ease my anxiety. However, the bruising and pain following were a wee bit much. I survived though with the results being ET with JAK 2 mutation. That was almost 4 years ago.

Amen to that!

So interesting, I have a high tolerance for pain (according to my dentist) so I went with local, lying on my stomach (that was worse-hard to breath)......As a side sleeper, having bmb on my upper butt was not a problem. No after effects....Not my favorite test, but not worst......wishing everyone all the best....

BMB Club!! I had my first (and hopefully only?) BMB in early December last year. I was happy to have sedation ordered, being new to the process, but then shortly beforehand I learned I couldn't have sedation due to having contracted COVID 9 days earlier. (I'd had all the vaccinations possible up to that point, so had a relatively mild case.) It seemed that, being less than 10 days from my COVID onset meant that they'd have to do the procedure in a negative-pressure room, lest the anesthetic went wrong and I had to be intubated.

Sigh... I requested and received a very light dose of Ativan, which helped a little. The process wasn't bad, really, except for my surprise at hearing a drill start up. 😂 The only part I felt much was the aspiration, and that was over quickly.

In future I'd ask for sedation because I'd just as soon float through it, but if I couldn't get that, I'd do the BMB with just a local again. In a heartbeat! It would be easier next time, knowing to expect the drill sound. 😃

My experience was much like yours. For all the talk leading up to it, it was really nothing. Nurse was right there, said I could squeeze her hands if it got to painful. There was no pain other than the poke from the lidocaine shot. Some pressure but nothing that was uncomfortable.

My experience was like Legacyrock. I think sedation would be overdoing it and unnecessary. The whole procedure is much less than its reputation.